Carter is right on with this. But I would insert one other thing. I
don't think that putting shims between the studs and the spring is such
a good idea. The reason is because while that machined part of the diff
casing distributes the forces along the entire area of the casing in
normal circumstances, the shims would put all that force on the stud
holes and you might experience cracks in those holes. That metal is
cast and therefore fairly brittle. It doesn't take much to break it
away.
Regards,
Joe
Carter Shore wrote:
>
> Mike,
> The spring also serves to locate the top of the
> suspension uprights fore-aft. That's why there are
> links on the bottom of the uprights, but not the top.
> The spring sits in a slot machined into the top of the
> diff housing. This transfers the forces from the
> spring into the diff, and then to the chassis.
> A simple flat spacer will not keep the spring from
> 'walking' under stress (heavy braking, cornering,
> acceleration, etc. i.e. the times you least want it to
> happen).
>
> You can address this problem in several ways:
>
> 1) Use sleeves on the outer four stud/bolts, thick
> enough to wedge the spring between them.
>
> 2) Use shims or spacers ground to fit very tightly
> between the outer stud/bolts and the spring, tap them
> in place with a hammer.
>
> 3) Weld onto the spacer 2 steel strips on the top to
> fit the spring, and one onto the bottom to fit the
> slot in the diff.
>
> 4) Design, fabricate, and install the top suspension
> links (called Kastner links BTW) to locate the top
> suspension uprights.
>
> 5) Have a spring shop de-arch the unit 2" for maybe
> $40-50.
>
> Just thought you'd like to know.
>
> Carter Shore
>
> --- MikeC <mikech@sprynet.com> wrote:
> >
> > Wow, I can't imagine dropping the rear of the car
> > almost 5"! I think I'm
> > looking for a max of 2". I did make a spacer today,
> > to go between the
> > spring and the diff. I took a 1/2" thick by 4" by
> > 1.75" piece of steel,
> > drilled a 1/2" hole in the center, cut a 3/4" length
> > of 1/2" rod. I used
> > the 1/2" rod as a locating pin on the top of the
> > diff, this held the spacer
> > in place. The original locating pin on the spring
> > then fit into the other
> > side of the hole on the spacer. The original studs
> > are just long enough for
> > this. It did indeed drop the rear by 1/2", but its
> > not enough. This week
> > I'm going to double up the spacer to get a 1" drop.
> > I'll just weld an
> > identical spacer to the one I already made. If this
> > isn't enough, I'll take
> > the spring to be lowered by 2" or so.
> > MikeC
> >
> >
> > >The early fixed springs are (according to the
> > manual) supposed to be
> > >dearched to 1".
> >
> >
> >
> Do You Yahoo!?
--
"If you can't excel with talent, triumph with effort."
-- Dave Weinbaum in National Enquirer
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