SS Springs. What Am I Doing Wrong? UPDATE
#1203414
03/25/12 09:05 PM
03/25/12 09:05 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,948 Spokane Valley, WA
Big Bad Bee
OP
I Live Here
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OP
I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,948
Spokane Valley, WA
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Okay guys, I purchased my bee with super stock springs already installed. I pulled them out to install the poly bushings and very cool heavy duty rear shackles from Just Suspension. The shackles are the identical dimension as the OEM ones. Two things are strange about the rear end. The strange thing is that I didn't notice it till I got it all back together. First, the Pinion angle of the pig is really high. With the car on jack stands and no wheels on, it's at 14 degrees up. I am getting this measurement by putting a dial indicator on the underside of the pig just behind the u joint. Second, with everything bolted in firm but not tight, the lower end of the rear shackles are aiming toward the front of the car. I do believe that the bolts in the front spring eyelets were in the LOWER spring bracket adapter holes and now they're in the top, which I can change, but holy cow! everything is looking tipped back and the pins on the shock mount plates are tipped down toward the rear so they don't run parallel to the lower mounting holes on the shocks... I did this installation start to finish on my barracuda before I sold it and it all worked out great. What's wrong here? Could I have the wrong bracket adapters? Is there away to correct the pinion angle on the rear?
Last edited by Big Bad Bee; 03/30/12 04:58 PM.
I’m listening.
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Re: SS Springs. What Am I Doing Wrong?
[Re: Big Bad Bee]
#1203416
03/25/12 09:30 PM
03/25/12 09:30 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,472 Overland Park, KS.
Joshs68
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,472
Overland Park, KS.
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I dont have all your answers but will tell you I had similar pinion angle with SS springs in the upper hole. a set of shims between the springs and rear end fixed that up. In the lower hole it was much better but the car sat pretty high. I did just notice that your suspension is at full droop. It needs to be set up with the weight of the car on it.
Last edited by Joshs68; 03/25/12 09:32 PM.
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Re: SS Springs. What Am I Doing Wrong?
[Re: Big Bad Bee]
#1203419
03/25/12 11:08 PM
03/25/12 11:08 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
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WAG it almost looks like the wrong length (A body?) springs were used. When sorted out you would want the bottom of the rear shackles pointing down/slightly to the rear as opposed to way forward as they are now so when the spring compresses it does not raise the vehicle when the shackle goes thru it's arc rearward. EDIT any possibility the perches were welded on at the wrong angle? With it jacked till the perches are level what is the pinion face angle. I Only remem the A body spec which is 5 deg "up" iirc. I have A body SS 003 SS springs on both sides in a 65 dart & the angle ain't outrageous tho I have not measured it
Last edited by RapidRobert; 03/25/12 11:48 PM.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: SS Springs. What Am I Doing Wrong?
[Re: Big Bad Bee]
#1203420
03/26/12 12:33 AM
03/26/12 12:33 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 31,117 Oregon
AndyF
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 31,117
Oregon
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Quote:
Andy,
What do you think about those rear shackles?
What does it look like when the springs are supporting the car? Having the springs hanging like that doesn't mean anything. Lower the car down on the axle and take another set of pictures then we can see if you have a problem or not.
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Re: SS Springs. What Am I Doing Wrong?
[Re: AndyF]
#1203423
03/26/12 01:06 PM
03/26/12 01:06 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880 Out in Left Field, NY
bobs66440
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
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Quote:
Quote:
Andy,
What do you think about those rear shackles?
What does it look like when the springs are supporting the car? Having the springs hanging like that doesn't mean anything. Lower the car down on the axle and take another set of pictures then we can see if you have a problem or not.
Yes, you can't tell anything unless the weight is on both front and rear suspension the same as if were on the tires on the ground.
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Re: SS Springs. What Am I Doing Wrong?
[Re: bobs66440]
#1203424
03/26/12 01:59 PM
03/26/12 01:59 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 15,134 Kelowna, B.C. Canada
DPelletier
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 15,134
Kelowna, B.C. Canada
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I agree with the others that you need to have the weight of the car on the springs, but I had similar issues with the length of the springs.....so much so that I needed to use a floor jack under the diff to lengthen the spring out enough to even get a bolt in the shackle. ....They were so far off, I went back to the HD springs and the SS springs decorate my storage room. Dave
1970 Super Bee 440 Six Pack
1974 'Cuda
2008 Ram 3500 Diesel
2006 Ram 3500 Diesel
2004.5 Ram 2500 Diesel
2003 Ram 3500 Diesel
2006 Durango Limited
[url] http://1970superbee.piczo.com [/url]
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Re: SS Springs. What Am I Doing Wrong?
[Re: Big Bad Bee]
#1203427
03/30/12 05:13 PM
03/30/12 05:13 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,948 Spokane Valley, WA
Big Bad Bee
OP
I Live Here
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OP
I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,948
Spokane Valley, WA
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Well, last night Prostock1320 and I got after the Bee. I loosened the shackles, put on the rear tires, pulled the jack stands and set her down. the shackles swung back as easy as you please with the lower bolts 5 degrees to the rear. Big smiles. I put the dial indicator on the pig. Nose was now at 10 degrees upward. So we went from 14 to 10. Curiosity got the best of us and we decided to put the front spring bolts in the lower hole in the front SS spring brackets. We put the car back up on stands and raised the rear end with the floor jack, pulled wheels and the front SS spring bracket to frame bolts and dropped her down. We had to do this because I had the nuts facing outward and the frame rails were blocking the spring bolts... Duh... Took the bolts out of the springs and moved the springs to the lower holes on the brackets and with a bit of arm wrestling, got everything bolted back up. The rear shackles remained at 5 degrees to the rear and now the pumpkin sits at 7 degrees nose upward.
So, the question is, what now? What's the ideal degree for the nose of that diff? Moving the springs to the lower bolt hole did raise the rear a tad bit and I'd like it lower. The shock plate bolts are still pointing slightly downward but I can mount the shocks okay. Do I shim the spring perches? How much? or leave it as is?
Lindy
I’m listening.
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Re: SS Springs. What Am I Doing Wrong?
[Re: DPelletier]
#1203431
03/30/12 08:42 PM
03/30/12 08:42 PM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 12,291 Kent, Wa
340SHORTY
Truck Nut
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Truck Nut
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 12,291
Kent, Wa
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www.speedwaymotors.com has the shims in 2 and 4 degrees. I believe you are going to need more than 4 degrees to correct your problem. You dont stack the shims either. I believe you are going to have to cut the spring perches off and reset to the proper amount and reweld.
I am truckless..
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Re: SS Springs. What Am I Doing Wrong?
[Re: Joshs68]
#1203433
03/30/12 10:28 PM
03/30/12 10:28 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 892 USA
krw71ragtop
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 892
USA
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Quote:
They are cheap and you may need to try more than one set as they are sold in fixed degree increments. But not made to stack together
What do you consider cheap ? And where is this place you get them from "cheap" ?
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