Leaf spring choice: AAR/TA vs. Hemi

[Road_Runner]

Thanks for the links to springsnthings guys, much appreciated!

Jim

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Thanks for the links to springsnthings guys, much appreciated!

Jim

Do yourself a favor and order new shackles too. The old ones are a b!tch to get apart.   

[Road_Runner]

Do yourself a favor and order new shackles too. The old ones are a b!tch to get apart.   

  Interesting tip, are you talking about the rear shackles, and if so don't they have to come apart to get them off the frame?  And do they rust together, is that the issue?

Thanks, Jim

[MEK-Dangerfield]

  Interesting tip, are you talking about the rear shackles, and if so don't they have to come apart to get them off the frame?  And do they rust together, is that the issue?

Thanks, Jim

Jim,
   The rear shackles do have to come apart to take them off, but I mangled mine. I don't recall if the problem was rust or if the long bolts had welded themselves to the rubber bushings.

[72bluNblu]

Jim,
   The rear shackles do have to come apart to take them off, but I mangled mine. I don't recall if the problem was rust or if the long bolts had welded themselves to the rubber bushings.

The rubber bushings are usually fused to the bolts, and since they're under the car rust doesn't help. You do have to take them apart to get them off the car, but depending on how they're installed sometimes half of the shackle can stay on the spring, the rear eye is usually a real bear.

If your fuel tank isn't in the car, you can actually torch the bushings. Once they're nice and crispy things come out a lot easier.

Buying new shackles is just good insurance. Even if you can get the old ones off, they're usually pretty nasty.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

The rubber bushings are usually fused to the bolts, and since they're under the car rust doesn't help. You do have to take them apart to get them off the car, but depending on how they're installed sometimes half of the shackle can stay on the spring, the rear eye is usually a real bear.

If your fuel tank isn't in the car, you can actually torch the bushings. Once they're nice and crispy things come out a lot easier.

Buying new shackles is just good insurance. Even if you can get the old ones off, they're usually pretty nasty.

That's good advice to try heat on them. Unfortunately, I didn't think of that. I just used a pry bar and a BFH. The results weren't pretty.   

[72bluNblu]

That's good advice to try heat on them. Unfortunately, I didn't think of that. I just used a pry bar and a BFH. The results weren't pretty.   

Yeah that's what I had to do when I pulled the springs on my Challenger the first time, I didn't want to drop the gas tank and I didn't want to fire up the torch near the tank. Man was that a pain in the butt  .

But, if the tank is out I just torch the bushings. They catch fire pretty quick with direct flame from the torch. I let them burn for a bit and they end up like marshmallows that have been over the fire too long. Shackles slide right out after that. 

[RB2929]

That's good advice to try heat on them. Unfortunately, I didn't think of that. I just used a pry bar and a BFH. The results weren't pretty.   

My bushings were so worn out that I had to drill them out.  Seriously, I took a small drill bit (less than a quarter inch) and drilled out the rock-hard bushings.   Took a while to remove all the bushing material.

[Aracer]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/REAR-LEAF-SPRINGS-70-73-CUDA-CHALLENGER-2-LIFT-/280782965904?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item415ff80c90

 I like these bad boys. Low deflection, rear shackle angle is perfect. I think 3,800-4,000 lbs rating. But 440's are heavy and set back more than a LA. These are the best, and I tried the E body Mopar Perf. 440 stock made in Mexico, and within a week of driving and one drag outing they were flat, with the rear shackle almost going over center due to the rear angle of the shackle. Instead they flexed back ward in the rear segment. The stock snubber was only 1.5" away from the floor, unloaded. The bias was not enough to count for anything.
        I had the 3600 E-Hemi SS set first, and sold them too, for not enough float on the street. They had the 6 thinner leafs. They give in too easy on a bump. Plus, I went to the DrDiff offset hangars and 68' housing. Now the car digs at the drags with good separation and won't move down much when loaded up.
        The new 2800lb A body set made in Mex. SS, I just got, are thicker than normal and worth the $ for the 1968 cuda and worked like Sox and Martin's car, hammering the axle down. Just enough lift for larger 28" tires/slicks. but not enough for the 29", I found slight touching at the back of the drivers side wheel opening due to the bias making the leaf straighter, thus longer and further back.