Pinion Snubber

[RustyRatRod]

I set it at 1'' off the car, and it hit on every bump.
Should making it 1.5'' solve this problem, or should I change by more than a .5''?

My guess is you have stock springs if it hits on "every bump" at 1" away from the floor pan. The adjustable snubbers are made to use in conjunction with the SS springs, not stock ones. Since the stock springs have a much softer rate, they allow much more rear axle roll and as a result, the rear tends to "squat" more than with the SS springs. In fact, the SS springs actually make the rear rise. That is why the stock snubber is only a bumper, as referred to earlier. It's really not a performance piece and is only intended to be used with stock springs. Much in the same way the MP adjustable snubber is not to be used with stock springs, but with SS springs.

 

[snakeoil24]

Use the stock one for the street

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I set it at 1'' off the car, and it hit on every bump.
Should making it 1.5'' solve this problem, or should I change by more than a .5''?

I ran the threaded adjustable one from Mancini on my car adjusted to a 1" gap and it hit on every bump of street driving but fine on highway. I have hotchkis leafs though which are 1" lower than stock. I now run the stock snubber with no problems. The adjustable one is great in theory but even at the lowest setting it wasn't low enough for the street with my car's current suspension.

 

[67 GTX]

I lowered it to 1.9'' of the car, which is the lowest I can make it.
Yes, I have the original springs, but the car is raised up in the rear, that is why I needed the adjustable one.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I lowered it to 1.9'' of the car, which is the lowest I can make it.
Yes, I have the original springs, but the car is raised up in the rear, that is why I needed the adjustable one.

If you have the original springs, how is the car raised?

 

[67 GTX]

air shocks
would any damage come to that part of the car where the snubber hits it if it happens a lot?

 

[RustyRatRod]

air shocks
would any damage come to that part of the car where the snubber hits it if it happens a lot?

I doubt it very seriously. BUT, air shocks are the absolute worst possible way to raise a car. They act completely against the stock Mopar rear suspension.

 

[Meep-Meep]

I have seen a few B bodies where the shock mount was separated form the frame rails due to air shocks. Reason is that bracket is not designed to handle high forces transferred through the shock. That's what the spring is for.

For stock spring cars where the DC pinion snubber won't fit I just made my own custom length one.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I doubt it very seriously. BUT, air shocks are the absolute worst possible way to raise a car. They act completely against the stock Mopar rear suspension.

removal of the air shocks and slapper bars was the very first thing I did to my car when I bought it from the previous owner.

 

[67 GTX]

Can someone honestly explain to me what's different about the Mopar suspension? Does it not sqwat on hard acceleration?

 

[5.7 hemi]

With the asymetrical springs they make the car rise, thats the best I can do for an explanation.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I have heard and also seen at the track that when working correctly with the leaf spring/torsion bar setup, the entire car should rise on takeoff. Meep-meep could probably explain why. We were talking about it the other day.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Can someone honestly explain to me what's different about the Mopar suspension? Does it not sqwat on hard acceleration?

The leaf springs on Mopars are uneauql length. In other words, there's a short segment and long segment. The locating pins for the rear axle are not in the spring center. They are towards the front. This allows the front spring segment to actually BE a traction bar to some extent. People say Mopars "rise" in the rear. That's true, however, that's not all that's happening by a long shot. Mopar took advantage of the pinion gear's tendency to want to "climb" the ring gear on acelleration. This is what causes "squat" in other leaf spring type cars.....but it's not a good thing. Let me explain.

When you see a leaf spring car squat, here's what's happening. The pinion actually tries to climb the ring gear. Since it cannot, it twists the entire housing in the opposite direction of ring gear rotation. This force causes a standard car with leaf springs to squat in the rear.....BUT, what is actually happening is, the twist of the rear axle is actually LIFTING the rear tires UP.

Now, Mopar turned this around. By moving the rear axle locating pins toward the front, This gives the spring MUCH more leverage to act like a lever. In other words, since the front segment is shorter.....and thicker than the rear segment, it does not bend as much. So, when the rear axle twists, instead of squat, the rear end of the body rises, because the rear axle, springs and tires are being PUSHED DOWN against the ground. Needless to say what a great traction aid this is.

Now, when you use the Mopar SS springs, that effect is multiplied several fold. Also, if you add the pinion snubber with the SS springs, you're really looking at a race ready rear suspension......that's really not much different than stock. The Mopar leaf spring rear suspension is nothing short of genius. It uses the action of the suspension itself to deliver traction that's unequal to almost every other leaf spring suspension out there.

I highly recommend the Mopar Suspension book. Mancini Racing sells them for ten bucks. It is one of the most read books I own.

 

[Meep-Meep]

The front segment of the SS spring is fairly short and stiff and acts like a ladder bar, sort of. The pinion snubber is a tool used to rotate the axle around the point of snubber contact and the end result is to bury the tire into the ground. Since every action has an equal and opposite reaction, the force that lifts the body also plants the axle in a favorable direction. It can be said that a squatting car will lift the axle thereby reducing traction. My car has a snubber and it will stand right up even when hammering it on the freeway. I consistently cut .0X lights in it foot braking at 1800 RPM. I'm gone before some people even know what happened. Once I even treed a 9 second Valiant full of electronics with an .02 to his .04.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Meep-meep, do you have a stock snubber with stock springs in your '66 Belvedere II? I have the stock snubber and somewhat stock style Hotchkis rear leafs in mine and am wondering since I can't fit the threaded adjustable under mine if I'm still getting any added traction benefit with the stock snubber?

 

[RustyRatRod]

I don't think it makes much difference to run one with an automatic. Even the MP suspension book say the same thing.....but there are always exceptions.

 

[Meep-Meep]

I have 3700 lb SS springs in my Bel with a snubber.

 

[Bigun426]

Just joined the forum today and just readin. I got interested in this snubber thread because I like to know if I really need one on my car. The car is a 66 Charger with a converted Dana 60 rear from a truck with no provisions for a snubber. Running a 440-6 through a Keisler 5-speed. Have the HP leafs in the rear that have 7 leafs on the right and 6 on the left. Also have a rear sway bar and nitrogen shocks all the way around with .093 torsion bars and front sway bar. Not going to race the car but I will find out its limitations though. Haven't been able to do very much on the car for the last three years but I'm to the point of finishing the interior and it will be good to go.

 

[al383]

I have 3700 lb SS springs in my Bel with a snubber.

How far is your snubber from hitting the tunnel

 

[5.7 hemi]

This thread is 5 years old.