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best economical way to raise the rear end

djais1801

djais1801

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If i want to just get a better stance, how should i go about that without too much $$/trouble.

Air shocks?
Re-arch leafs?
 
Either method will work, but a word of caution on air shocks. Your upper shock mounts were not designed to support the weight of your car, so air shocks will force the upper shock mounts to carry more weight than intended. Some people have had cracks start in the upper shock mount due to this.

My car used to have air shocks & no problems to my knowledge, but I kept the pressures low unless needed for hauling something heavy (I hauled a loaded car trailer over 500 miles with it once.) They have long since been removed.
 
The best and cheapest is to add a leaf from a c-body. I had a friend with a set of c-body leaf springs laying around that he gave me. I took them apart and added a leaf to my 69 dart. It raised the car up very nice and it didn't cost anything. It also handles better. I also added a leaf to my 66 bel and it raised it about two inches.
 
i don't like the shackle hanging down (IMHO). i will look at adding a leaf from a c-body.
 
ga66mopar said:
The best and cheapest is to add a leaf from a c-body. I had a friend with a set of c-body leaf springs laying around that he gave me. I took them apart and added a leaf to my 69 dart. It raised the car up very nice and it didn't cost anything. It also handles better. I also added a leaf to my 66 bel and it raised it about two inches.
Click to expand...
do you think the year range matters?
 
Install some Cal-Trac's...hehehehe. They'll give you about an inch off the bat. See no one mentioned tires....Taller tire in the rear, shorter in the front...just a thought.
 
Propwash said:
See no one mentioned tires....Taller tire in the rear, shorter in the front...just a thought.
Click to expand...

x2

I was gonna ask what size tires you're running? I gained an inch and a half of height out back with my new rear tires. Depending on what you currently have, this might be a solid option :headbang:
 
djais1801 said:
do you think the year range matters?
Click to expand...

Probably not but the bigger the better. I took the c-body springs apart and used the one that was the closest size to my springs. I didn't even take the wheels off. Just put the body on jack stands then rest the rear end on jack stands then unbolt the springs.
 
GTXplicity said:
x2

I was gonna ask what size tires you're running? I gained an inch and a half of height out back with my new rear tires. Depending on what you currently have, this might be a solid option :headbang:
Click to expand...
i am running 275 60 on the rear and 235 60 on front
 
tpodwdog said:
one word....SHACKLES...on ebay 39 dolla make you holla !
Click to expand...
IMO, longer shackles are worse than air shocks. So long as you don't get crazy with the air shocks, you should be fine...ie, 20 psi in the shocks and use a separate line kit but the best way is to add a leaf....although, adding a leaf will usually increase the ride harshness and so will air shocks but to a lesser extent based on my experience with doing both and if you don't like the ride, it's easy to pull the AS's off.
 
Propwash said:
Install some Cal-Trac's...hehehehe. They'll give you about an inch off the bat. See no one mentioned tires....Taller tire in the rear, shorter in the front...just a thought.
Click to expand...

lol prop...the man said cheap and economical :headbang: bigger tires will screw up the speedo and now he is into a whole new can of worms. i dont know why you guys are so afraid of shackles...air shocks are THEEEEEEEEEEEEEE worst thing you can put on a 40 year old car. it dont matter if he puts 20 psi in there,,,or 100 psi...the weight of the body is STILL resting on the rear shock mounts and i hate to disagree with ya here cranky... but the car wasnt meant to do that and was not designed for it...one good hit and WHAMMMMMMMMM...he has 2 air shocks in the trunk ....UNLESS..its reinforced....HOWEVER...i doubt it is and who would go thru all that trouble for air shocks???

you said cheap and economical and shackles will do that....paint em flat black and youll never see 'em. 39 buxx and an hour and its done,,,and ya didnt have to screw up your speedo or buy new tires using shackles or adding a spring is better than air shocks...and the weight of the car is where its supposed to be...ON THE SPRINGS . .....TAAAAAAAAAA-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
 
A 'good' set of heavy duty shocks does what to the shock crossmember? What will 20 psi do? I've been doing this stuff for years. I guess I live in an area where rust isn't a big problem because I've never seen an upper shock mount get pulled out...but I live on the Texas coast where rust is an issue. This must be a rust best problem..... :D
 

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I have been a carpenter all my life and i learn new things daily. i have had apprentices enlighten me to things i never gave 2 thoughts to. just because you been doing this for a million years dont mean you have all the answers. personally i would never put air shocks on any of my vehicles....but you go right ahead. i had a 1971 Monte Carlo back in 1982 (car was 11 years old when i had it ). the YO YO that had it before me put air shocks on it. now if you were ever in Pennsylvania during that time ..youll appreciate this. Yes they salt the roads here in the winter and it does nothing but eat the under sides of our cars ,,,,the road conditions were horrendous !....ANYWAY. due to this , new potholes would pop up daily...WELL... i hit one of them pretty hard and BOTH air shocks ended up in the trunk. i have been bitten by this and will never do it again. that car ended up in the junk yard as a result .....SOOOOOOO.... have fun with your air shocks!
 
tpodwdog said:
lol prop...the man said cheap and economical :headbang: bigger tires will screw up the speedo and now he is into a whole new can of worms. i dont know why you guys are so afraid of shackles...air shocks are THEEEEEEEEEEEEEE worst thing you can put on a 40 year old car. it dont matter if he puts 20 psi in there,,,or 100 psi...the weight of the body is STILL resting on the rear shock mounts and i hate to disagree with ya here cranky... but the car wasnt meant to do that and was not designed for it...one good hit and WHAMMMMMMMMM...he has 2 air shocks in the trunk ....UNLESS..its reinforced....HOWEVER...i doubt it is and who would go thru all that trouble for air shocks???

you said cheap and economical and shackles will do that....paint em flat black and youll never see 'em. 39 buxx and an hour and its done,,,and ya didnt have to screw up your speedo or buy new tires using shackles or adding a spring is better than air shocks...and the weight of the car is where its supposed to be...ON THE SPRINGS . .....TAAAAAAAAAA-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Click to expand...


I guess i'm gauging what he is considering cheap and economical differently than you. $200 bucks in rear tires and a 20 dollar speedometer gear doesn't seem way out of wack when different/re-arched spring can easily cost that or more.

With a taller shackle your putting tensile and side load into into those taller shackles, thus more body roll in the rear and creating more of an unbalance to the front/rear configuration. On top of that they're weaker. You're creating a taller horizontal pivot point that's more affected by side load the taller you go. To easily put that into perspective, think of bending a chunk of 1/2" steel rod. If it was 6" long most folks wouldn't be able to bend it. Now, make that steel rod 1' foot long, now it bends. It's simple dynamics. That's exactly why there is no such thing as a car designed and sold from the factory with shackles that look like the taller aftermarket add on's. They affect stabilty, rigidness and suspension performance. Looks at a new vehicle's with rear leaf springs like a truck. The shackles are even shorter yet and flipped upside down so there isn't a direct load on them. A better design.

The main purpose of a shock is to control spring oscillation and limit body roll, meaning at a higher PSI/pressure, it's still going to rebound, but at a stiffer rate, thus a more harsh ride. My Edelbrock IAS shocks rival in pressure with a typical air shock. Regardless, the shock crossmembers are flimsy. I have only seen one fail and crack around the upper mounting holes, the only reason being was someone had undersized bolts holding them in.

So I guess it all comes down to well........your check book, and if you want to make sacrafices in one department to satisfy another. Not saying shackles will adversley affect your ride, but they will to some extent and not to positive note. A taller tire/different-rearched springs will not, but will cost you more than $39.99 off ebay.


Good luck whatever route you go
 
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