Welcome to Club Hot Rod!  The premier site for everything to do with Hot Rod, Customs, Low Riders, Rat Rods, and more. 

  •  » Members from all over the US and the world!
  •  » Help from all over the world for your questions
  •  » Build logs for you and all members
  •  » Blogs
  •  » Image Gallery
  •  » Many thousands of members and hundreds of thousands of posts! 

YES! I want to register an account for free right now!  p.s.: For registered members this ad will NOT show

 
Like Tree1Likes

Thread: Rear suspension question
          
   
   

Reply To Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 24
  1. #1
    MrChips's Avatar
    MrChips is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Coastal
    Car Year, Make, Model: 1937 Chevy Buisness Coupe
    Posts
    30

    Rear suspension question

     



    I have a 37 Chevy Coupe, it has a 73 Camero rearend with leaf springs. Springs are in good condition, problem is I bottom out fairly frequently, usually when there is a dip in the road like where a trench has been cut and refilled but at a lower road height. Basically both back wheels have to drop at the same time. Anyway rebound has me into the bump stops. So I am trying to figure out a way to fix it.

    My question is, can coil over shocks be used effectively with leaf springs on my set up? If so would they cure my bottoming out issue? if the answer is yes to those, then what # coil over would I need? If the answer is no to the combination, then any ideas....LOL?

    Thanks,
    Brett

  2. #2
    Dave Severson is offline CHR Member/Contributor Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Madison
    Car Year, Make, Model: '67 Ranchero, '57 Chevy, '82 Camaro,
    Posts
    21,160

    Sounds like the problem is in the design of the rear frame if it bottoms out that easily!!! How much travel do you have between the bump stops and housing???
    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, Live for Today!
    Carroll Shelby

    Learning must be difficult for those who already know it all!!!!

  3. #3
    cffisher's Avatar
    cffisher is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Constantine
    Car Year, Make, Model: 57 chevy 2 dr wagon
    Posts
    9,476

    A couple pictures of what your working with would help..I'm with Dave on this that coupe isn't that heavy(2700#) 73 camaro (3100#). Somthings in the wrong place.
    Charlie
    Lovin' what I do and doing what I love
    Some guys can fix broken NO ONE can fix STUPID
    W8AMR
    http://fishertrains94.webs.com/
    Christian in training

  4. #4
    MrChips's Avatar
    MrChips is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Coastal
    Car Year, Make, Model: 1937 Chevy Buisness Coupe
    Posts
    30

    I have the bump stops removed now, and in the right circumstance the driveline will now hit the floorpan at the rear yoke. I have about 5"-6" between the yoke and the floorpan sitting still.

    Like I say, it don't do it real often, but will hit when the rearend unloads and then rebounds. But both sides have to drop and rebound together, one wheel dropping and rebounding will not hit anything. I am wondering if my springs are worn more than I think they might be. Nothing is broken.
    Last edited by MrChips; 08-06-2011 at 05:50 PM.

  5. #5
    cffisher's Avatar
    cffisher is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Constantine
    Car Year, Make, Model: 57 chevy 2 dr wagon
    Posts
    9,476

    Air shocks will solve your problem but stiffn the ride. I had a 38 coupe and used chevy van springs longer and wider. but rear was narrowed
    Charlie
    Lovin' what I do and doing what I love
    Some guys can fix broken NO ONE can fix STUPID
    W8AMR
    http://fishertrains94.webs.com/
    Christian in training

  6. #6
    KennyG's Avatar
    KennyG is offline Registered User Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Honey Brook
    Car Year, Make, Model: 40 Ford Std Coupe, 54 GMC 1/2 ton PU
    Posts
    2

    40 same problem

     



    Seems to be a common problem, with this vintage Ford. The frame on these cars is too close to the body floorboards, and when you change to paralell springs , the rear end sits way to high. When you use a lower/flatter spring you have the rear or other parts hitting the floor boards. I have a 40 coupe with the same problem. My car always rode rough, going over bumps. One day I was looking over the rear suspension, and found a shock, that had broken off at the top mount. I removed both shocks and let the car off the jack and was surprised how much lower the rear of the cas was sitting. Turns out the car was riding on the two shocks which were bottomed out, and holding the car up for clearence. The guy who built this car apparenrtly could not figue out the problem either. With the car sitting just using the springs,the top of my 9" Ford rear has about 6" of clearence, till it hits the floorboards. I've talked to several people, but no one really has a good answer. I was concidering air shocks also which wound be an easy solution, if they make them short enough for this application. Gabriel does list many models but haven't had the time yet to call them.

  7. #7
    MrChips's Avatar
    MrChips is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Coastal
    Car Year, Make, Model: 1937 Chevy Buisness Coupe
    Posts
    30

    I was giving air shocks a consideration and then thought about coil overs. But after looking at the shock angle I am not sure coil overs would be the way to go. So will probably just stick a set of air shocks under it and be done.

  8. #8
    KennyG's Avatar
    KennyG is offline Registered User Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Honey Brook
    Car Year, Make, Model: 40 Ford Std Coupe, 54 GMC 1/2 ton PU
    Posts
    2

    Ditto.....Alot less money also !

  9. #9
    Dave Severson is offline CHR Member/Contributor Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Madison
    Car Year, Make, Model: '67 Ranchero, '57 Chevy, '82 Camaro,
    Posts
    21,160

    If the shock angle is too radical, and there's not enough suspension travel air shocks will be nothing more then a band aid!!!! Air shocks might stop it from bottoming out but ride and handling will suffer......
    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, Live for Today!
    Carroll Shelby

    Learning must be difficult for those who already know it all!!!!

  10. #10
    MrChips's Avatar
    MrChips is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Coastal
    Car Year, Make, Model: 1937 Chevy Buisness Coupe
    Posts
    30

    Not sure if it is too radical, or even beyond what angle is too radical. I could move the upper shock mount to decrease angle, but that would make for a very short shock. I am currently running a Napa 94005 gas shock, which is a pretty short travel shock. Sitting still the shock is just about the center of its travel range. Not even sure if someone makes an air shock that would work.

  11. #11
    shine's Avatar
    shine is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    bluff dale texas
    Car Year, Make, Model: 47 inderweed
    Posts
    2,136

    most shocks will only have 4 1/2 to 5 in of travel. pumpkin hitting the floor is common. especially with a 9 in or 10 bolt. just the price we pay to set low . shock angle should be 15 to 30 degrees. shocks mounted straight up are pretty much useless. if your springs are loaded and fairly straight you might try a heavy first leaf ( short one ). it will limit spring travel.

  12. #12
    roadster32's Avatar
    roadster32 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    watford
    Car Year, Make, Model: 26T Coupe, 32 Roadster, 41 Willys Coupe
    Posts
    2,363

    Gasser it
    cffisher likes this.
    Its aweful lonesome in the saddle since my horse died.

  13. #13
    MrChips's Avatar
    MrChips is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Coastal
    Car Year, Make, Model: 1937 Chevy Buisness Coupe
    Posts
    30

    Oh, NOOOO, can't gasser......LOL gotta keep the low and mean look. I will start calling shock companies tomorrow and see if I can come up with a set of air shocks that will work. Part stores can't do anything without knowing what car it is on, and in this case that makes no difference...lol Always something.

  14. #14
    ojh
    ojh is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Berryville
    Posts
    486

    You have 5-6" freeplay and teh yoke hits the floorboard? You must mean 5-6" with the car up on jackstands and the rear hanging free, right?

  15. #15
    jerry clayton's Avatar
    jerry clayton is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Bartlett
    Posts
    6,831

    or maybe the pinion isn't the right offset for the drive line tunnel--

    no bumpstops!!!!!

    And sounds like shocks are totally wiped and/or bottoming out

Reply To Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Links monetized by VigLink