Author Topic: Leaf spring help  (Read 3545 times)

Offline HP2

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Re: Leaf spring help
« Reply #15 on: May 15, 2008 - 10:30:20 PM »
Yes, but identical numbers would position the axle in identical spots fore/aft. Any previous body work could have altered wheel opening size at the least or moved major sheet metal points at the worst.

Repop XHD spring packs have the same number of leaves right and left. The only difference is the bottom most half leafs. They point forward on the right side and backwards on the left side.




nivvy

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Re: Leaf spring help
« Reply #16 on: May 16, 2008 - 12:06:40 AM »
I think if he meaures from solid body structure and not reworked areas it should be square.........  :2cents:

Offline HP2

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Re: Leaf spring help
« Reply #17 on: May 16, 2008 - 12:42:02 AM »


Check out this thread for some relative information.

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=45129.0

Offline MJB

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Re: Leaf spring help
« Reply #18 on: May 20, 2008 - 01:50:51 PM »
I have been going thru the same problem with my '70 cuda for the past several weeks.  Major sheet metal replacement and rear tires not exactly centered in wheel openings.  Unsure if rear was square?? 
I'm no expert by any strectch but I have done a bit of research on this subject to solve my problem.   Bottom line is that the rear must be square with the car frame and the sheet metal is what it is.   Squaring off of the front spring perches can sometimes get you in trouble.  Many say that you should square from the front suspension points but that can be difficult and it requires a dead on front end alignment.  Best solution I found is to square the axle housing to the center line of the car.
First I bought a 10' piece of straight, light weight aluminum channel straightedge.  Very cheap at most hardware stores. I attached it to the underside of the car under the front seat area so a few feet stick out on each side of the car.   I used very short bungy cords to simply strap it to the bottom of my subframe connectors.  This way I could slide it back and forth easily but it wouldn't move on it's own.   Then I determined the frame midpoint (centerline) just in front of this stright edge and also behind the straightedge near the front spring perches.  I ran a stringline between these two points to establish the centerline of the car.  This stringline crossed just under the straightedge.  Then I took a 3' framing square and possitioned the straightedge so it was exactly 90* from the stringline...or square with the centerline of the car.     Be careful not to move the straightedge once you possition it.   Now you can easily use a tape to measure from the outside of the car from the straightedge (near the rocker panels) to  the axle centerline.  Adjust the rear so the left dimension equals the right dimension and the rear will now be square with the centerline of the car.   
Took me a while to figure this out but it worked well in the end.  Hope it helps.

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Leaf spring help
« Reply #19 on: May 21, 2008 - 02:38:10 AM »
measuring in a X across the car from different points will often tell the tale very quickly

Challenger - You`ll wish You Hadn`t

Offline 73cudakid

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Re: Leaf spring help
« Reply #20 on: May 21, 2008 - 08:53:32 AM »
Measured to some drain holes in straight line and "x"ed and I was within the 1/4" factory tolerance. I welded new perches for the 3/4 offset hangers/shackles on my e body housing and thought that may be the problem. So i put in a b-body housing that i had for another project and same problem occurs. Im thinking the body may be that far off either from previous bodywork, wreck. Thanks for your guys help. Ill post more if i find any answers to the mystery.
Thanks everyone
Dave