Need some help controlling body roll

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I just got photos of the drum. I never even checked if it was big bolt or small bolt. I am pretty sure it is a b body rear myself now. I screwed up the measurement. I went to the inside of each drum and came up with 53 inches and 5/8.

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When I first saw your photos I thought that's not an a body 8 3/4, those shakels look like offset shakles with one side on backwards, you have a 318 car probably did not come with a 8 3/4.

Here is a photo of an A Body 8 3/4
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My guess is whoever swapped the rear in had to use the shakles to make up for the perch being in the wrong place and raise the rear as others had said to allow the tires to clear.
 
You are right. I was made aware that it was not an original 340 car, when I purchased it. I accepted that because knew eventually down the line the engine was going to be messed with. I was not aware that it was a B-body rear. They told me it was a 8 3/4 rear, but foolishly I didn't think to question from what car. I guess when it comes to leaf springs, I need to get some that are an inch higher to clear the current wheels or will regular 340 springs work? The other option is to bring the wheels under the fender. If I get A body 340 leaf springs, would I need to change the shackles as well? These long shackles have a other mounting holes that are a few inches higher. They are a little close to the exhaust. I would prefer to get the wheels in under the fender. I would like to keep the rear height of the car right where it is.
 
Well the shocks were dead. Tires still need to be smaller or I need to get properly back spaced wheels. New shocks need to settle before go back to wrestling with this.Torn between taking care of this wheel situation or getting EFI. Still love the car.

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Well the shocks were dead. Tires still need to be smaller or I need to get properly back spaced wheels. New shocks need to settle before go back to wrestling with this.Torn between taking care of this wheel situation or getting EFI. Still love the car.

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Take care of the wheels/rear end first. Getting the EFI now does not compute- at this point you still can't drive it. Make it driveable first, then go for the EFI upgrade. The best induction in the world won't make any difference if it just sits in the garage. One thing at a time.
 
Take care of the wheels/rear end first. Getting the EFI now does not compute- at this point you still can't drive it. Make it driveable first, then go for the EFI upgrade. The best induction in the world won't make any difference if it just sits in the garage. One thing at a time.

The car drives. Quite well I might add. Its just the looks of the tires really. They only rubbed when taking a hard 90 at speed. Even then it was for less than a second. With the tired shocks out of there, suspect this will no longer happen. The drivers side rear shock was collapsed with no rebound at all (completely dead). I have an oil leak on my passenger side to chase down and I need new header gaskets. Those are the only 2 must do repairs. The wheels and EFI are convenience and appearance details. I still need to call around to see what it would cost to produce the look I want for the wheels.
 
I just got photos of the drum. I never even checked if it was big bolt or small bolt. I am pretty sure it is a b body rear myself now. I screwed up the measurement. I went to the inside of each drum and came up with 53 inches and 5/8.

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I'm really beginning to think that's not a B-body rear, it's too wide.

Those are 11" drums so you have the 5x4.5" pattern. Do you know if they're 11x2.5" shoes or 11x2"?

Your measurement from the inside of the drums is misleading. BBP backing plates are offset by about 1.75" to the inside from the end of the housing. If you use 53-5/8" and add 3.5 you get 57.125" which would be housing end to end, which is no where near a B-body rear axle. That's a tough measurement though because of all the dents and features on the back of the backing plates.

Your other measurement of 3" from the spring to the inner sidewall of the tire is telling. If you take that 3", add the 4.5" backspacing, and the tire overhang on the rim which should be .6" by the manufacturers tire specs you get 8.1", which is wheel mount to spring. If you take a 65-69 C-body rear axle drum to drum it's 61.75". Subtract the perch distance of 43", divide by 2, and subtract half the width of the perch and you get 8.125" for the wheel mount to spring distance.

I'm thinking that may be a C-body rear axle.

When I first saw your photos I thought that's not an a body 8 3/4, those shakels look like offset shakles with one side on backwards, you have a 318 car probably did not come with a 8 3/4.

Here is a photo of an A Body 8 3/4
View attachment 1715543684

My guess is whoever swapped the rear in had to use the shakles to make up for the perch being in the wrong place and raise the rear as others had said to allow the tires to clear.

The shackles aren't offset. The spring is completely in line with the hanger. The aftermarket extended shackles are just weird with that bend. If they were offset in the same direction they could be offset, but they're opposing so the centerline is the same.

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I'm really beginning to think that's not a B-body rear, it's too wide.

Those are 11" drums so you have the 5x4.5" pattern. Do you know if they're 11x2.5" shoes or 11x2"?

Your measurement from the inside of the drums is misleading. BBP backing plates are offset by about 1.75" to the inside from the end of the housing. If you use 53-5/8" and add 3.5 you get 57.125" which would be housing end to end, which is no where near a B-body rear axle. That's a tough measurement though because of all the dents and features on the back of the backing plates.

Your other measurement of 3" from the spring to the inner sidewall of the tire is telling. If you take that 3", add the 4.5" backspacing, and the tire overhang on the rim which should be .6" by the manufacturers tire specs you get 8.1", which is wheel mount to spring. If you take a 65-69 C-body rear axle drum to drum it's 61.75". Subtract the perch distance of 43", divide by 2, and subtract half the width of the perch and you get 8.125" for the wheel mount to spring distance.

I'm thinking that may be a C-body rear axle.

Man you are good with the math. This weekend I am going to get her up again. I need a better helper. My numbers are probably off. Here are some more pictures of the wheels and how they are fit with healthy shocks.

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There is an option for you, if you're not dead set on ralley wheels.
Go to your local boneyard (okay, Automotive Recycler...) and get a pair of Jeep "Canyon" aluminum rims off of a mid to late 90s Wrangler. They are 15x8, and have 5 1/5" backspacing, which is too deep for stock dimension A bodies- they will hit the springs. However, with your setup they should clear with room to spare, and give you another 1" of clearance at the wheel well lip.
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You may or may not need longer wheel studs for these rims, but they're cheap enough.
This will get you the right size wheel with the proper backspace at a dirt cheap price (I think I paid $15 at my local pick'n pull).
Drawbacks: Too much backspace for the front. And the centerbore is not cut all the way through the wheel, making fitment over the front spindle/hub impossible unless you have the centerbores cut all the way through (Note: this is not an issue on the rear axle).
For the front, you could use a similarly designed 15x7 wheel from mid to late 90s Grand Cherokees, with the aforementioned centerbore for hub clearance.
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Just a thought for you to get proper offset wheels "on the cheap" so you can go ahead with the EFI, too.
 
Well the last piece of this puzzle is on order and probably won't be in until mid-late July. Leaf springs came off easily once I got through whatever was sprayed on there. Car landed at pretty much the same ride height. I got the springs from ESPO. Still don't know if what I took off is bad or not. The bushings were shot and I tossed the long shackles in the trash. I have to figure out how to trash these old shocks without making a drive to the dump.

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72Blunblu is the man on this.

If it were me, knowing what I know now, I would get an A body housing from Dr Diff with narrowed perches for a 1/2" spring relocation kit, includes rear hangers (also from Dr Diff). This solves all the issues now and into the future.

Your 15x8 wheels will fit. Your squiffy long hangers disappear. And if you want to go a touch wider than 275, you have room to grow.
 
72Blunblu is the man on this.

If it were me, knowing what I know now, I would get an A body housing from Dr Diff with narrowed perches for a 1/2" spring relocation kit, includes rear hangers (also from Dr Diff). This solves all the issues now and into the future.

Your 15x8 wheels will fit. Your squiffy long hangers disappear. And if you want to go a touch wider than 275, you have room to grow.

Yeah I spoke to him a few times about this and he has been spot on. I am going to hold on to this rear as A body rears are getting hard to find. Plus I just don't feel like swapping it out. I did order customs wheels from Wheel Vintiques and replaced the shocks/springs. Just have to get a new oil filter mounting plate and she should be good to go. Wheels won't be here till mid/late July so I will have some slight rubbing on hard turns till then.
 
Yes, original Abody housings are hard to find. Dr Diff cuts down C and B housings and makes new axles, all to suit A body dimensions.
 
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