raising the Rear end

[Wart]

2) How was the camino designed any differently to use them? It was just a production Chevelle/Malibu chassis with the shocks added.

...
Luckily, you and I and others have learned the hard way to exert the effort in the planning/measuring phase, rather than on the mop-up phase. Personally, I learned a lot the hard way, but they were lessons well-learned.

....
You know, the coolest part of this board is that the opinions get argued, but we manage to avoid the all-out flame wars that every other board I've seen have nearly weekly.

1) The II spring plate, the part the lower part of the shock attaches, is flimsey low grade stamped steel. I've bent the shock tangs with Channelocks. IIRC the lower shock mount on the Chevell was ~ 3/16 plate bent for reinforcement and welded to the axle tube.

THe upper II bracket is attached to stamped steel unitbody. The Chevells upper is mounted to a bracket on an actual frame.

It may be coincidence the Chevell was structurally equiped for air shocks. The II is not.


2) You can talk till your blue in the face (or write till fingers are nubs) on the value of planning, measuring , measuring, measuring and planning. Did I mention measuring and planning? All the words won't be heard, or read, until someone really screws the pooch.


3) Last time I truly took someone to task, someone slegde hammering their firewall to make an engine fit, I was the one put on probation. They freak out, I'm the one that gets nailed.

Something personal there moderator(s) ??

Virturally everything posted in this forum is something I have experienced. But if someones going to get a bubbley nose over critisism and go crying to a mod, to hell with it, I'll watch people make mistakes, and I'll be amused because I know better.

 

[myfirstii]

Hey guys I Really appreciate all the replys. The Tires I have on there now are 235/60/15 with 7inch Convopros with 3 3/8 rearspacing. I was told that these would fit with out anyrubbing but i soon found out that the guy was wrong. But now Im stuck with the rims and tires so im going to have to make do. So i guess im going to have to look over all your suggestions and figure out what is the best and safest solution to my problem. Again Thankyou everyone for your help, you all have way more experience then I do and With out you guys I would be lost. Id Be like one of those ricers who takes daddys money and pays to have stuff done to it. I may mess up sometimes doing all the work my self but in the end its satisfying to know that i did it.

 

[THE COBRAMAN]

Actually, lower shock mount breakage on GM A bodies is fairly common, especially when used with air shocks for "clearance".

But I get your point, and it's one I also am cognizant of (in regards to the shock mount plate).

That's why I put limitations on my recommended useage.

The harsh truth is that NONE of the cars on the road are really engineered for the way people use them in the real world, and it gets worse every year. It's like the dodge intrepid commercial of several years ago where they bragged about driving it a million miles on the computer before the first one was built, and the door was cycled 1,000,000 times: they didn't simulate jackasses driving over foot-deep potholes @60MPH, or 300 pound drivers using the door for a leaning post, or slamming to shut them. Of course, to the average consumer, if the door is hard to close, you don't get it checked out by someone who knows what the hell is going on, you just keep slamming it harder and harder, until it rips the striker out of the jamb, or the hinge falls off.

Then they whine about the cost to fix it and how cars are junk and we're ripping them off.

Ahhh, feel better now!

I still agree, I would get a combo that fits.

 

[jeffnoel]

You can get air shocks from Checker Auto parts if you have them or online from CSKauto.com.

 

[1badII]

For the strip you can use an air bag between the axle and frame. Just make the bracketry so it can be removed when not stripping.

Hmm, I'll look into that. What kind of airbag would I use? The heavy duty kind that are used for air suspensions, or the kind you put inside coil springs and pump up with a schreder (sp?) valve?

 

[a351Must2]

??

How the hell does a panhard 'level out' springs? I know what they are. I know what they do. I can't imagine anyone using a properly installed panhard to do anything but lateral location of the axle.

Can't you read my damn mind when you read my posts??????

The lift shackles zwhitr showed can be used to locate the rear of the springs lower, which makes them almost even with the front of the spring.

The panhard bar would be used to keep the car from flopping all over the place (side to side) on top of the springs.

One of my friends did it with excellent results on a '74 Capri. He used long rear shackles to make the spring ends at the same height front to back. Used an aftermarket spring that essentially lowered the car back to about 2" lower than stock. The fabricated a panhard bar to keep the axle centered. ... The setup is pretty darn close to as good as independant rear suspension.

 

[77sleeper]

Something personal there moderator(s) ??

her neither I nor bernie said anything, TWAS the owner of the site the stuck you in the corner

 

[JonDawg]

Maybe this argument was already put to rest, (I couldnt read all of the thread)

I love My air-shocks. I dunno what brand they are, since they came with the car. They are really old and wore out, but Just add air, and WHOA NELLIE!! its like night and day.

Just be smart with em.

 

[Wart]

her neither I nor bernie said anything, TWAS the owner of the site the stuck you in the corner

I know that, I'm wondering which of these (name for a kitty cat, also used for reference to female gentilia, plural) went and got him.

I would hate to think you or McLean got Mike in order to hide or dodge a bullet. Well, I don't think you would do that. .....

 

[Wart]

Can't you read my damn mind when you read my posts??????

The lift shackles zwhitr showed can be used to locate the rear of the springs lower, which makes them almost even with the front of the spring.

The panhard bar would be used to keep the car from flopping all over the place (side to side) on top of the springs.

And keep them from collapsing in a corner. A very common thing years ago. I guess this lesson has been forgotten in the years since cars switched to link suspension.

One of my friends did it with excellent results on a '74 Capri. He used long rear shackles to make the spring ends at the same height front to back. Used an aftermarket spring that essentially lowered the car back to about 2" lower than stock. The fabricated a panhard bar to keep the axle centered. ... The setup is pretty darn close to as good as independant rear suspension.

Don't forget the caveat: Don't ever reverse arc a spring that wasn't designed to be used with a reverse arc.

I guess todays children haven't seen what was common when I was their age. That being a car with shackles and posative arched springs. A while later the same car with flat springs, a while later the car with the eye in a lower hole and reverse arced springs. On occasion I would see one of these cars in the junk yard with impact damage and snapped springs.


Allot of times I check locations to make sure these people aren't near me.

 

[danimaltheanima]

air shocks

sucks that you now are looking for air shocks. I had them on my II for a lil bit. I didn't mind them to much. I now have KYB's all the way around and actually threw the air shocks out. Stuped me I would have given them to you for free. I only used them for 1 summer and then the car sat. To bad so sad for you I suppose. I beleive they were monroe air shocks. I had bought them at a swap meet for $35 bucks brand new.

 

[a351Must2]

btw...if you're going to use air shocks, run a seperate air line for each side. If you only run one air line, the weight transfer in a corner squishes air out of one side and into the other, thus amplifying any body roll.

 

[jeffnoel]

myfirstii What was the outcome of this? What did you end up doing and how has it worked out?

 

[myfirstii]

Jeffnoal, Actually I havn't done anything yet. My car has been sitting since then because of a motor swap. Ya i know what your thinking. The motor swap took alot longer than I Planned. Do to Money issues and lack of experience. Plus being away at college. But it should be fully completed by thanksgiving. Then Im going to deal with the rear end. Ill keep you updated
Pat

 

[jeffnoel]

They got their bad reputation from the goofballs that stuck N50s under cars with no wheelwell on 10" reverse wheels, then pumped the shocks up to 100# to "clear" the wheel/tire combo.

Hey I resemble that remark. Twentysome years ago that's the combo I had on my 69 Fairlane lol. But I did install Gabrial Max-Airs last weekend and the II rides like a brand new car only 40lbs in the shocks and no more tire rubbing when I hit potholes. I say tryum youll likeum.