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GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY #2853320
11/30/20 01:05 PM
11/30/20 01:05 PM
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Amherst
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plumcrzyTA Offline OP
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Amherst
Recently bought a 71 Cuda and for me the stance is a liittle low in the back.It seems to have stock type shocks in the back,Just wanted to know if there are any good shocks out there where I can adjust the hight of the rear end with out the old style air shocks.THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: plumcrzyTA] #2853325
11/30/20 01:11 PM
11/30/20 01:11 PM
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nowhere
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Sniper Offline
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The function of the shock is to control the spring's oscillation.

The function of the spring is to support he car's weight.

Using the shock to support the car's weight is contraindicated.

Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: Sniper] #2853335
11/30/20 01:33 PM
11/30/20 01:33 PM
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Grand Prairie,Texas
stumpy Offline
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Get the springs rearched or add a helper leaf.

Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: plumcrzyTA] #2853339
11/30/20 01:41 PM
11/30/20 01:41 PM
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Looking for a way out of Middl...
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While I totally agree with what Sniper said I have run Air Shocks for years on many of my cars.
2 tricks I use.
I run two separate lines to the shocks so air won't migrate from shock to shock.
Do not fill to the limit. They are OK to supplement the spring small amounts. Running them all the way up and jacking the rear end to the sky is asking for the shock to tear the mounts loose.

That being said, and because sniper is correct, what about spring re-arching?

When I was younger the cost of having the springs re-arched used to be pretty comparable to getting a great quality shock.

Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: plumcrzyTA] #2853384
11/30/20 03:00 PM
11/30/20 03:00 PM
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Bend,OR USA
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You will be a lot better off with the ride and handling by buying some better leaf springs for your car.
All the stock E bodies, 1970 to 1974, sat low in the front and rear stock shruggy
I'm not sure if Mopar is still offering their brand of new Hi Po leaf springs any more for any of our cars scope
I've used them (different part numbers) on both drag cars and street and strip cars, they worked well up


Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: plumcrzyTA] #2853388
11/30/20 03:07 PM
11/30/20 03:07 PM
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Indiana
MonGoo$e Offline
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Call ESPO, you can get stock, beefed, or beefed with a little extra arch 1" or 2" and its worth it. I like that old school look too but not big on the air shock supporting the rear.


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Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: MonGoo$e] #2853468
11/30/20 05:31 PM
11/30/20 05:31 PM
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SE-WI
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Over the summer I installed Eaton Detroit Springs HD leaf springs with a +1 over OEM arch and QA1 single adjustable shocks all around.
Increased ride height in back and improved all around ride quality on my 71 Barracuda.

Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: skdmark] #2853510
11/30/20 07:03 PM
11/30/20 07:03 PM
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Salem
Grizzly Offline
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I run air shocks on one of my E-Bodies because one side is sagging 3/4". They work to level the car, but the best solution is to replace the leafs in pairs.

If you are just looking to raise it 1/2 to 3/4" then sure, go ahead with air shocks. If you need more lift, get some AAR-spec springs. I've fooled around with my air shocks and there is a ton of air (like 90psi) needed to lift the car an inch and that is way too much stress to put on the shock mounts.



Mo' Farts

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Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: plumcrzyTA] #2853535
11/30/20 08:12 PM
11/30/20 08:12 PM
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Benton, IL.
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DaveRS23 Offline
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Here is the best fix for sagging springs that I have found. Hellwig helper springs. They are normally mounted under the springs, but I use them over so that they are not really visible. It takes a couple of small mods to the clamps to use them this way, but not much. With the helper springs, you can adjust the height that you want including side to side. There is not much change to the ride. And there is no air pressure to have to maintain. All for under $100.

After years of messing with air shocks, new springs, re-arched springs, etc, I tried helper springs 25 years ago and have had them on numerous cars since. The ones on my Cuda have been there almost 20 years themselves. I have adjusted them a time or two over the years, primarily due to different tires. But other than that, there has been no maintenance. Try that with air shocks.

Why guys go to air shocks that can bleed off or collapse, or go to all the trouble to re-arch springs that may or may not end up putting the car at the height they want is beyond me. The helpers are a much better and easier fix. twocents


[Linked Image]


Master, again and still
Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: DaveRS23] #2853589
11/30/20 10:22 PM
11/30/20 10:22 PM
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Millinocket, Maine
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JonC Offline
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Do you have a part number for those?


11B40
Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: JonC] #2853725
12/01/20 10:51 AM
12/01/20 10:51 AM
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Benton, IL.
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DaveRS23 Offline
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I tried to remember, but it's been 7 or 8 years since I bought a set so it's slipped my mind. So, I went to their website and it seems like it was one of the 2 below:

Part number 550 which is a 500lb helper
Part number 1250 which is a 1,000 helper but I only used 2 of the 4 leafs
www.hellwigproducts.com/product-list/helper-springs/

It may be that the difference is that the 1,000lb uses helper springs front and rear while the 500lb only uses one on the rear. I think that I used the 1250 on the Cuda because it had a pair of leafs that were longer than in the 550. I only used the longer leafs on my rear spring segments and used the shorter ones on another project later. I would suggest that you measure the rear of your leaf spring and call Hellwig for help.

The only mods that I had to make for mine was to mount the rear clamp facing up rather than down. The only reason that I did that was so that the threaded ends weren't visible. Look closely at the photo of my spring and you can see where I cut the shank of a bolt and welded it to the upper plate so that it fit into the rear of the helper spring rather than on it. I hope that makes sense. And I used nylon jam nuts on the the U bolts so that I could more easily adjust them rather than the supplied double nuts.

www.hellwigproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/product-digital-assets/135000153.pdf


Master, again and still
Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: DaveRS23] #2853765
12/01/20 12:41 PM
12/01/20 12:41 PM
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Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
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Originally Posted by DaveRS23
Here is the best fix for sagging springs that I have found. Hellwig helper springs. They are normally mounted under the springs, but I use them over so that they are not really visible. It takes a couple of small mods to the clamps to use them this way, but not much. With the helper springs, you can adjust the height that you want including side to side. There is not much change to the ride. And there is no air pressure to have to maintain. All for under $100.

After years of messing with air shocks, new springs, re-arched springs, etc, I tried helper springs 25 years ago and have had them on numerous cars since. The ones on my Cuda have been there almost 20 years themselves. I have adjusted them a time or two over the years, primarily due to different tires. But other than that, there has been no maintenance. Try that with air shocks.

Why guys go to air shocks that can bleed off or collapse, or go to all the trouble to re-arch springs that may or may not end up putting the car at the height they want is beyond me. The helpers are a much better and easier fix. twocents


[Linked Image]


I’m looking at this and thinking this would actually lower the car....not raise it???

Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #2853985
12/01/20 08:28 PM
12/01/20 08:28 PM
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Benton, IL.
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DaveRS23 Offline
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I can get 295/65 MT Drag Radials in there with the helpers on. Can't without them. And I can adjust the weight very accurately side to side with them, too. That was a big deal back when I was racing KOS at the local track.

They use the front mounting point as an anchor to pull the rear of the spring up. They do work and still let the Cal-Tracs do their thing on the front segment. I had thought about removing the short leaves in front to see how the Cal-Tracs liked it, but never got around to it.


Master, again and still
Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: plumcrzyTA] #2854028
12/01/20 09:34 PM
12/01/20 09:34 PM
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Post pics of your car if you can. Over the past few years I've been trying to determine which ride height, either stock or +1", would give me the appropriate rear height. I've seen cars that have "stock" rears that are slammed on the ground, where as some sit just right. I question which is actually stock. Curious to see yours, what you change, and what the fix looks like.


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Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: A39Coronet] #2854257
12/02/20 11:55 AM
12/02/20 11:55 AM
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central il.
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second 70 Offline
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Originally Posted by A39Coronet
Post pics of your car if you can. Over the past few years I've been trying to determine which ride height, either stock or +1", would give me the appropriate rear height. I've seen cars that have "stock" rears that are slammed on the ground, where as some sit just right. I question which is actually stock. Curious to see yours, what you change, and what the fix looks like.


Here's a few pictures of mine with stock height split mono's. Caltrac's and Calvert 9 way shocks. Rear tires are MT sportsman 28/11.5/15 front MT street 28/7.5/15. And 1 with factory springs, shocks,wheels and F60-15 tires.

60707118_10211901000115514_4500524336297279488_o.jpg19456631-5159-4E4A-B8C2-1C420B142B00.jpg45E84729-1BAA-4FE1-878F-FF2998D95E73.jpg!Bg-e1Sg!2k~$(KGrHqEOKj0Er)0G,n(BBLHJ(n81+!~~_3.jpg
Re: GETTING REAR END UP ON E BODY [Re: second 70] #2854519
12/02/20 07:43 PM
12/02/20 07:43 PM
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Posts: 257
Alberta
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Alberta
That looks like perfect to me. Beautiful car BTW! My Challenger sits low in the rear and I lowered the front to level it. That was after putting in xhd springs. It's OK, but I'd love to have the stance of Second 70's Cuda. One day I'll re-arch the springs...







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