Spring Alignment, help.

2100 Views 6 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Crazy68Dart, Mar 5, 2006

Crazy68Dart

Discussion Starter · Mar 5, 2006

So I was working on my spring issue today. I mocked up the Caltracs with the Monos on the pass side, which I have not yet done, and the back of the spring centered up real nice with the rear frame rail. Now, the driver's side, for some reason, the rear of the spring is inward. As you can see from the pics, I have taken the centerline for the springs directly from the stock mounts. I have the rod the whole way through the boxes and the old mounts.

So what appears to be the problem, is that the stock mount is not "square", like the factory messed it up or something when the car was welded together. Is this possible? I have looked and cannot see where the car has ever been hit on the driver's side to tweak the mount.

What do you guys think? I am all nervous that the car is twisted up or something...

Thanks,

Andy

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Crazy68Dart

Discussion Starter · #2 · Mar 5, 2006

FWIW, I thought maybe the springs were twisted, or the solid bushings were not drilled straight. Nope, switched the pass side to driver side, same issue.

Andy

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· #3 · Mar 5, 2006

do you have a long enough straight bar to go from one side to the other? actually, i think it would take 2 to get in there, but you could get 2 long enough to meet in the middle and see if the 2 sides line up with each other.

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fourspeed

· #4 · Mar 5, 2006

green67cuda said:
do you have a long enough straight bar to go from one side to the other? actually, i think it would take 2 to get in there, but you could get 2 long enough to meet in the middle and see if the 2 sides line up with each other.

Yes. Like this with two lengths of 5/8 redi-rod and a coupler:

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fourspeed

· #5 · Mar 5, 2006

Here's what I would check: With the reaar end out, mount the springs in stock hangers, if possible. Measure from the pin that locates the axle to the torsion bar socket on the opposite side of the car. Compare that measurement to the other side. Basically, you're checking for square.

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jet-taz

· #6 · Mar 5, 2006

do the springs line up without the axle in placed? take a look at the spring mounts on the axle?

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Crazy68Dart

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 5, 2006

jet-taz said:
do the springs line up without the axle in placed? take a look at the spring mounts on the axle?

When I lifted the axle up on the stands it shifted a little to the pass side. The perches are ok. Those D60s are heavy.

I cannot mount the springs in the stock locations. I flipped and welded my stock rear shackle mount into the rear frame rail for the relocation.

I think I figured it out. I measured from the centerline of the front eye, to the t-bar mount on both sides. They are identical. So the only thing I can figure is that the stock driver's side mounting pad/plate where the front eye hanger mounted, is out a few degrees. About the only way I could really say this for sure is to get a long enough piece of rod on each side to see how the centerlines line up. But I would bet that the driver's side rod would be ever so slightly towards the front of the car, compared to the pass side, which would pull the rear of the spring inward.

So I am just going to do what I had originally planned. Slot the inside eye hole and weld a washer to line things back up.

I just got spooked when I saw the pass side was ok and driver's side was not.

Andy

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