Moving springs back 1 "

-
jcmmurray

jcmmurray

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2012
Messages
120
Reaction score
3
Location
Nova Scotia
Would it be safe to put a spacer plate behind my offset mopar spring bracket to set my springs back 1 " ? Could I pound out the 4 original bolts drill out a spacer plate and attach with longer grade 8's? I can't seem to find the best way to do this without doing the full relo kit.
 
I moved my right side back 1/2 inch using this method. to square the rear on my car. Very few are correct from the factory. I used and aluminum spacer and welded fast longer bolts. Later I move both of them back another 1/2 for 29 inch tires. Then when I put a relocation kit in I put them at this spot. My car stayed straight with the wheels in the air. Watch the angle of your rear shackles. With SS springs this will more than likely help angle them back on the bottom to the correct spot. With standard springs this may move them back to far. Hope this helps. Get a DC chassis manual.
 

Attachments

  • DSCF0090.jpg
    112 KB · Views: 595
Since its nearly inpossible to get a wrench to the inside, you would probably need to pound or weld in longer studs. What effect this move will have on the rear shackle links is still a mystery. Those may have conflicts in movement.
I would like to set my rear axle back about 5/8" but I would rather cut and piece the hangers to do it. Same applies to my engine and trans. I would need to cut and piece those mounts to move 5/8" forward.
Let us know how it works out.
 
Don't they make spring hangers with holes moved 1in back? I'm pretty sure I've seen them.
 
I suppose they maybe do make the hole 1 " back, I never really shopped around that hard. Basically it sounds like I will not be weakening anything by doing this, if it worked out I could even go as far as welding a spacer plate to the frame for piece of mind. The worst thing about it is I don't want to have 2 holes drilled out of my frame beside each other to accept the outside welded nut on the bracket it it didn't work out.
 
Damit lol. Oh we'll. I'm thinking there is no harm in a spacer plate behind the bracket. As for the 4 bolts not being able to put a wrench on. Ill mount them before the springs. Or weld them
 
You can get a wrench on the bottom two bolts and a socket with extension on the top two if you decide to use bolts instead of studs.
 
The drive shaft is actually to far into the transmission with the stock spring location. 1 " back will be perfect. Part of the reason I built the drive shaft like this was to accept the rear moved back to where it will be. Good point though. Could be an un thought mod resulting in major damage
 
jcmmurray said:
The drive shaft is actually to far into the transmission with the stock spring location. 1 " back will be perfect. Part of the reason I built the drive shaft like this was to accept the rear moved back to where it will be. Good point though. Could be an un thought mod resulting in major damage
Click to expand...

what are u guys measureing off of for sgareness? the trans crossmember?
 
I believe the end of the torsion bars is the best place to get an initial measurment from if your relocating into the frame .
 
Shim thickness can be calculated from thrust angle measured during front end alignment.

Measuring from arbitrary point such as torsion bar mount won’t work because the rear axil has to be aligned in relation to front wheels, not frame points. These cars were slapped together with sloppy tolerances compared to today’s robot built chassis.
 
It is noticeable under the car. The front spring mount itself is not at the same place on both sides. just compare it side to side on the rail itself. Mine was 1/2 inch off. I just had a member here and showed them. My duster on the rotisery is off 1/8 inch That you can see by eye. You will feel the effect when you try and do a burnout. if it is off a lot. That is how I found the problem with my orange duster. the back would always pull to the left. The right was to far forward. We took a day to figure how far and what side was off. Once we added the shim you could go through 3 gears and it would stay straight as an arrow. Now with the big motor and slicks with 456's it carries the wheel and stays straight. I'm not afraid to just stay in it if it is aimed right I know its in my lane even when you can't see over the hood.
 
Currently I have a piece of 1/2" aluminum installed behind the stock replacement mount. I did this to help center the tire in the wheel well. 255/60/15 MT Drag Radials. The studs are still long enough to give more than a full nut.
I also built a set of custom front mounts out of 3/16"s plate to allow me to move the springs back 1". I don't have them installed yet.
 
There is a lot of engineering that plays into why the rear axle is shifted. Some of it is based on simply the crown in the asphault.
With enough research into the history of round track racing ( nascar ) you'll learn why it began with left turns.
If you plan to run a straight line on 2 wheels, on a flat surface, of course you have to alter a street cars engineeed thrust angle
There is a whole lot more cause and effects involved from how a limited slip differential functions to why the left front brake wears faster than all the others.
Bottom line, If I ever do make a change it will be an equal change on both sides.
Mine is a street only car so I dont need to second guess those who are/were much smarter than me.
 
Not that B body hangers are to hard, just that A body brackets are already purchased as an off set kit, may as well use them if I can modify them . Moral of the story and answere to my question I'm guessing is yes, you can put a spacer plate between the front bracket and the frame with longer bolts and still have a safe car to drive down the track with slicks or on the road with radials given the drive shaft is at proper length and SS 002/003 springs are used. Thanks for the replys, everyone is always great help on this site. Cheers all .
 
As long as the hanger bolts are long enough, make a spacer that looks like and "E" that you can loosen bolts, move hanger rearward and slide the E shaped spacer in. Mark a channel for the upper and lower bolts top pass through and cut with a grinder/cutoff wheel.

It's easier than drilling 4 holes and doesn't require fully removing the hanger from your chassis.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top