Choosing new springs

[Robb_Scottsdale]

My 70 Challenger needs some spring help.

I like the look of a "low car" and if the rear on the car now was an inch higher, Id be satisfied.  The springs are worn though and it not only sags, but they are sloppy/spongy too.  If someone sits in the back seat its almost a "clown car"

All I can find are the 440/426 springs (90$ each)...  how much additional elevation are these going put over a the original springs that came on a 383 SE car ?

I dont want shackles, I dont want airshocks, I like a low sleek look within the limits of the front suspension.

What have you guys done to address the rear spring issues ?

[Chryco Psycho]

it seems to depend who makes them as far as how high they sit , the springs can be arced or de arced for more or less ride height though.  Espo spring has some options for Mopars too  

[mustardketchup]

Robb:

     Check out some cars at you next show and find out what rear leaf springs the owner purchased for the car.  If you like the height of that person's car, you know what you need to buy.

     Chryco gave a good suggestion about taking the springs to a shop to have the arch increased or decreased to do what you what (probably an industrial truck repair place could do this).

     There's also another method.  I thought of using a lowering kit to get it down to the "proper" height if my car sits too high after I get it back together.  Look in an autoparts store that caters to the import/lowrider truck crowd; they should have the kit you might need.  They are usually 1, 2, or 3 inch "drop" kits consisting of nothing more than a block of metal (that sandwiches between the leafspring and the spring pad on the axle tube), plus the longer u-bolts and nuts.  Just measure or bring your current u-bolts for reference.

Larry

[Robb_Scottsdale]

Both excellent suggestions.

With the lowering block option, are there any kind of torque/leverage issues to worry about ?   Well, I guess the Off Road crowd would not survive if they did, and they go as far as 4 inches and I think even a little higher on those blocks...  and Im exactly driving a 10sec car either.

Keep the comments coming if you got them !


UPDATE: I found that Summit Racing has the blocks in question, in 1" 2" and 3" sizes with Ubolts for around 23$ a set.

[Robb_Scottsdale]

UPDATE:

I went ahead and ordered new Sprincgs from Espo's with instuctions for a "factory Ride height for a 383 SE"

They ought to be here in a week or so.   Ill take some "before and after" pics.

[Chryco Psycho]

Cool ,the pix will be nice for comparison  

[Robb_Scottsdale]

The springs showed up Monday night.    

Wrestled with the Ubolts and my impact wrench and a breaker bar and after quite a while I said F-it  and just cut them at the top of the axle      Which meant:   Get new U-bolts now too...    

Got those yesterday but they were 2 inches too long so I had to cut all of them too.   I did one spring R&R Monday night and one last night, and got all the bolts in last night.   Took some finesse to get the "locator pegs" to line up on the spring pad  but  it got done.  I even remembered to slide the new over-the-axle tail pipes into place with the rear being all extended.

The springs were ordered to be "factory height" and now the car sits 1 3/4 inches taller than it used to with the saggy ones  (meaning its now just right !!!! )

still waiting for my cylinder head to get done at the Machine shop, and my carb and my disty too, but once they get all buttoned in Ill get the "After Pic" to show the difference.   The garage is too tight to get any pics right now (and almost too tight to even walk around the car doing all this stuff )

[Chryco Psycho]

Never REUSE u BOLTS , WHEN Properly tightened they stretch & can break if reused

[Robb_Scottsdale]

Before New springs.....

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[Robb_Scottsdale]

WIth new springs.    5 leaf, ordered as factory height for 383 car


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[Rev-It-Up]

Much nicer stance!!  

[Chryco Psycho]

looks great

[Street_Challenged73]

Looks awesome!!!!