Major Noob, Fab'r here, Rear suspension fab true/level??????'s

[ESSVEE]

Hi all,

Going to relocate my rear axle and minitub, My question is I don't know a thing about how to level the car, too ground?
Maybe use a line level? I'm up in the dark here...any help on getting this straightned up. could use some step by step all the way through the project so I dont screw this up. havent really even used the plumb bob method.

Thanks, any help appreciated!!!

[ESSVEE]

Ok lots of you have looked still don't know a thing, come on guys any Help.
Thanks in advance. 

[74swinger]

I'm in the same boat on this one.  I am going to cut and chop the frame to relocate springs, plus put in tubs (existing wheel wells kind of rotten, want bigger tires).  Why do I need to "level" the car to do this work?  I understand about marking the position of the front spring eyes to ensure they return to original, but what do I level?  The car is up on jack stands, nothing on the body or frame is straight or square (quoted from Bill's Tech article on spring relocation).  As long as the front spring eye is returned to exactly the same position it was in before, isn't that enough?

Level?  I don't get it.  Comments.


 
 

[AAOUTLAW]

AWWWW C'mon....thats an easy one

[fourspeed]

There are a few point on the chassis that are important - you need to use those as reference points. The torsion bar socket in the crossmember is one, the front leaf spring eye is another.

Get the car in the air and make sure you have the same height from both spring eyes to the floor. Then check the torsion bar mounts and make sure they are both the same height from the floor. Measure the height of the rear frame rails where the shackle mounts and write it down (just in case).

Stick some jack stands under the rear frame in back of the rear leaf spring mount. Stick some wood wedges in there to fine-tune if necessary. This will support the back while you're working.

If your garage floor isn't reasonably level and flat, this won't work.

To align the front spring eyes, use two lengths of 5/8" ready rod and a coupler in the middle.

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[ESSVEE]

  Thanks Fourspeed, I wanted to center my rear axle in my fenders so I can use a taller tire. I was thinking of just moving my mounts back while I am relocating my springs. Thats why I was talking about a plumb-bob.  I have allready removed the rear end and didnt want to reinstall it. Is there a better way to move the axle back?   

My bad )(/*Duh   Measure from the floor, I honestly did'nt think of that however the floor really is not at all straight.

[74swinger]

There are a few point on the chassis that are important - you need to use those as reference points. The torsion bar socket in the crossmember is one, the front leaf spring eye is another.

Get the car in the air and make sure you have the same height from both spring eyes to the floor. Then check the torsion bar mounts and make sure they are both the same height from the floor. Measure the height of the rear frame rails where the shackle mounts and write it down (just in case).

Stick some jack stands under the rear frame in back of the rear leaf spring mount. Stick some wood wedges in there to fine-tune if necessary. This will support the back while you're working.

If your garage floor isn't reasonably level and flat, this won't work.

To align the front spring eyes, use two lengths of 5/8" ready rod and a coupler in the middle.

That's what I needed to see!  Thanks for the pics as well, pictures are worth a thousand words.

On another note I noticed you have "new" steel in the rear wheels, but they don't look like Competition Engineering (or others) tubs.  Did you use factory steel and widen them, replaced the factory wheel with aftermarket steel and widened them, fabricated from scratch?  Would you do anything different if you had to do it again?

Be patient and kind, I am new to this.             

I'm doing ( ) a '74 Swinger with a 400, 727 auto, but I'm just starting.  Don't even have a block yet!

[b569rr]

I positioned my springs similar to fourspeed. As for moving my rearend back, I decided to go about 7/8" back with my Dana. I dropped a plumb bob at the drivers side and passemger side torsion bar frame. I drew a line on the floor connecting the marks. This line is perpendicular to the length of the car. A long true straight edge helps. I then put the factory empty A body 8 3/4" housing with factory perches on my new relocated springs. Note the pinion angle of the factory rear. I dropped a plumb bob on the outside of the tubes and transferred this mark to the floor. I then made new marks on the floor about 7/8" back from the stock location. I took out the factory  8 3/4" rear and put the Dana up on its perches. My perches were loose and had not been welded to the axle tubes. I made measurements as to where I needed to redrill the perches to accept the leaf spring through bolt. I drilled the perches and the shock mounts. I also matched the pinion angle of the Dana + 1 degree and welded up the perches. My rear is within a 32nd side to side and front to back on each end.

As for the wheel wells, it doesn't have to be level. Just cut a little first because you can always trim a little more later. Follow the tech pages and it will be easy.

[b569rr]

Thanks .

Tom