Raise the rear

[Johan]

I need to raise my rear end a good 1". I know there are longer spring bolts out there, but what about shorter? Bolts with more threads would work as well, but I have only seen the longer type bolts with more threads, so that would put me back in square one.
Or should I just make a 1" spacer?

 

[74bigblock]

Most of the longer bolts are threaded up all the way. Just cut off what you don't need.

 

[The73vetteman]

Maybe put some spacers under the cushions on the trailing arms?

I'm curious why you would want to raise the rear. I've never heard of anyone doing that before.

John

 

[Johan]

John,
The rear sits lower than the front. It seems simpler to raise the rear than to lower the front in order to get the car level, plus that when you consider the tire size compared to the fender it is obvious that the problem is in the back. (If one, like me, want an even spacing, I don't like the "lowered" look.)
I guess the problem really is the spring that is starting to get tired and needs to be replaced.
/Johan

 

[norvalwilhelm]

I need to raise my rear end a good 1". I know there are longer spring bolts out there, but what about shorter? Bolts with more threads would work as well, but I have only seen the longer type bolts with more threads, so that would put me back in square one.
Or should I just make a 1" spacer?

You can find shorter bolts anywhere. Any bolt supply store will have shorter bolts. Longer is the problem. While you can run double donuts under the spring it doesn't look right. Get shorter grade 8 bolts.

 

[The73vetteman]

Johan,

A tired spring can be a safety issue. If that is the reason for your car to sit low at the back I would really encourage you to fit a replacement.

Yes it's more money, but why not get to the root cause of the problem?

J

 

[Tifton81]

Johan,

I recently had the same problem with the car sitting low in the rear. I had just replaced the mono spring 3 years ago and thought that all I needed was to adjust the screws. Well, turns out the mono spring had split. Now I'm in a fight about the warranty and the company who sold it to me is giving me the run around. Be ware of who you buy it from and get a written warranty from them. Just a suggestion.

Tifton 81

 

[JOE BYRNE]

Mine was low too. Kept driving it and I was pulling into a gas station I heard a noise. Still looked the same...so I kept driving it. Pulled into my driveway and just as I was pulling into the garage it snaped and the one end dug down into the cement. Be safe and repalce it

 

[Johan]

Thanks for the advice.
It's hard to know if the old spring is worn out or not. It's more or less flat with minimum arch, but isn't that's how it supposed to be? But if the spring bolt bushings are shot + that I have removed AC and other stuff from the front end, then there will be a difference from back to rear.
Anyway I'm planning to install a composite spring in the near future, I just have not decided on the rate yet. Shorter bolts and new bushings are the immediate cure.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Hi Johan,

I heard from our friends in Aseda that you've had lots of snow lately. Same thing here.

You should really try to keep the car at the 'stock' height in the rear, as it affects the amount of deflection experienced by the half shaft u-joints. It's normal for the spring to be almost straight across when view from the rear, your half shafts should have a slight downward angle from the center of the car looking outwards.

Mike

 

[KANE]

Anyway I'm planning to install a composite spring in the near future, I just have not decided on the rate yet. Shorter bolts and new bushings are the immediate cure.

Johan-

I went with the 360 rate. The spring was well worth it. It weighed much less and was therefore VERY easy to put in.

I never did get the ride height perfect with the stance. Oh well.

http://www.geocities.com/chiphihawk/

 

[The73vetteman]

It's hard to know if the old spring is worn out or not. It's more or less flat with minimum arch, but isn't that's how it supposed to be?

I don't believe so. My understanding is that a flat spring is close to failing and must be replaced.

Anyone else care to chime on this?

 

[Johan]

Mike,
Yes I'm afraid your friends in Aseda are correct, lots of that white stuff here too.
What is 'stock' height really? Here is a picture of my car. Couldn't find one directly from the side, but if you look closely it is definitely lower in the back.

Darkshark,
Nice. Yours seems to be (was) even a bit higher in the back than the front?

John,
I've seen a lot of people say that a flat spring is ok... and a lot of others say it's not.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I don't believe so. My understanding is that a flat spring is close to failing and must be replaced.

Anyone else care to chime on this?

Not close to failing, don't know where that urban legend came from. It may have sagged to the point where the car is sitting too low, but that doesn't mean that the spring is about to fail.

The correct stock spring is just about flat when installed.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Mike,
What is 'stock' height really? Here is a picture of my car. Couldn't find one directly from the side, but if you look closely it is definitely lower in the back.

The best way of figuring this out is to use the numbers from your AIM. If your tires are larger/smaller than stock, this will have to be taken into consideration. Your car does not look too low to me.

 

[The73vetteman]

Johan,

According to my assembly manual, the height to the top of the wheel arches at the axle centers, when on GR-70 tires, should be 28.35" front and 28.30" rear.

This should give a sense of how close to stock height you are.

John

 

[JOE BYRNE]

Johan,

My 73 was just about sitting like yours before it finally decided to go. It had very little arch. With the new steel spring it put the rear at 30 inches. over the last 6 months is just a hair under 29 inches. Anything with that much tension after 25 or more years is worth replacing for peace of mind. You can see by the avatar how mine sits over the rear wheel. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Johan]

According to my assembly manual, the height to the top of the wheel arches at the axle centers, when on GR-70 tires, should be 28.35" front and 28.30" rear.

Thanks, this was the info I was looking for.
I just measured on my car. I have 235/70-15 tires wich are a tad bigger than GR70, but still my height is an inch too low in the back (and an inch too high in the front).
The bolts are something like 7,5" long.

Ouch, not too shiny under there...

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

John,

Your spring looks fine from the little I can see, but the rubber cushions are way overdue to be replaced. I can bring you some if you can wait till summer of 2007

Mike

 

[Johan]

Mike,
I have allready ordered a set of those so that will soon be taken care of, but I'm sure I can come up with something else.
I'll have to take you to some other restaurant though, because the one you visited ran out of business and had to close!

/Johan