Customs Why does everyone say direct fit

Hi, so i wanted to switch my '54 210 to an open driveline. So I made the mistake of following the internet rather than measuring my self. Bought a '68 camaro rear end cause everyone says 67-69 camaro and 68-up nova rear ends are direct fits. I went to mount it on my new posies springs and it doesn't fit, about 3" inches from mounting. So I measured the original rear end, approx. 45.5" center/center of spring perch. The camaro/nova rear end is 42.75" center/center of spring perch. If I try to push the springs in it puts way to much load on the spring bushing's to where they would wear out prematurely and not handle correctly. So why does everyone say their direct fits?

 

You're second sentence is the key!!


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Its just a pair of spring pads. Took you longer to write that than to move them.

 

Plus you get to dial in your pinion angle

 

The second most-common lie in hot rodding... 'It's a bolt-in.'

Number one? 'Rust free'... LOL

 

harbor freight has free tape measures.

 

it's all directly proportionate to the skills and tools available.

 

Guaranteed to not roll up once you pull them out.

 

'Rust is free',,,,,fixed.

 

On a rear axle, I'd assume direct fit means it will fit without being narrowed or any other major work being done. Minor stuff like relocating the spring pads is about as simple as it gets when putting a rear axle from a different model car in most anything.

 

Even if the spring pads were the correct distance apart, the spring tie bolt is too far forward.

 

... And the pinion angle probably sucks... Just weld on some pads. Oh, and as said, move the spring bolt location about 1 3/4" forward so the axle is in the right place. Then it will bolt in.

 

It is a direct fit. You just have to change some stuff.

 

Is that like "The same thing, only different"? And who the hell is "They said..."-MIKE

 

We all tried it, and 1 out 25, "they" get it right. Or they mean something different.

I been having same issue with my 29 Chevy dry lake build. I need a better and avalible rear end, and Chevy rear ends for sake these days over here is disc brakes mostly.

That means that I have to look for a good fit, and that takes hours of hard work, and the difficulty of teaching people how to measure leave spring the correct way.
Because if you just ask "normal" people the give you a half ass measurement between two points that is with in the length of shoes, ball park or nearest inch.
That sucks!!

Like when I asked a guy to measure between the center springpat, he put the tape tapemeasure on the one pad, measures around the pumpkin and over the other spring pad. Ha measurement will not fit my springs for sure.

To OP:
So sorry for you "heartache", and I know them all to well

 

Buy some new spring pads. If you buy the right ones, from a hot rod supply company, they have a second set of holes in them that mounts the rear forward the right amount. If not you just have to drill some holes.

 

like the term " universal fit " . if its a" universal fit" it will not fit anything in this known universe

 

Yes it fits, you had the right info. you have to move the spring pads. Get some weld on 1 3/4 spring perches and stick then on

 

Like one-size, fits no one.

Did you make it fit by know?

 

That may depend on which style his new Posies springs are, they are available with either
stock or repositioned center-bolts. We were looking at getting a set a while back and noticed
that there were two versions.

 

A square peg to a round hole direct fit kit is available from Harbor Freight also.

 

"Direct fit" to me (especially when talking about rear ends) means it's the right size (width) to occupy the space. I always assume I am going to have to move spring pads. Now "bolt-in" means something else to me. How many times have I seen a rear end from one make/model vehicle bolt-in another type vehicle without modification? Exactly never.

 

If building a hot rod was easy as "direct fit" my 7 year old granddaughter Veda would be building cars.

It ain't rocket science but it's not as easy as insert tab A into slot B. HRP

 

Someday she will, and someday it might be easier.

And to your second quote, something's is.

I spend a lot of hours on the www find the info I need.
So that I don't end up buying a lot of stuff, that I don't need. Like Nissan Patrol springs fit my build, but I need to pull some layers. But length, width and hight of the arc will fit. But it's way to heavy duty compared to a 1928 Chevy hot rod.

But it's the way we communicate that fails. And because not all people knows all the "unwritten" rules of motoring.

Like the Left side is always the left, regardless of where you stand, because it's seen from the drivers seat.

There is only on way to measure a leaf spring.

If you measure a rear end remember to specify the width is flange to flange, hub to hub, backing plate to backing or spring perch to spring perch. Better yet add them all so it's easier to match them up, when you don't have the rear end handy/yet.

This is one of the biggest reasons why people also gets wrong parts from there auto parts store. It's not the buyer, it's not the seller, it is how they communicate!

This is no rant. This is an observation, that I've seen a lot. I been on both sides of the argument, but I've learned a lot, over a long period of time.

 

This is hot rodding, not paint by numbers.

 

...and fold down before a 12" extension.

 

Those HF tape measures can really, too. I have quite a few of them in the shop, but i haven't seem one for months. Maybe they hibernate?

 

I thought #1 was "Ran when parked".

 

Tab A into slot B. Reminds me of helping my brother assemble Christmas presents at 2 am after
celebrating Christmas Eve with a few too many- there was nothing easy about assembly of some
of their toys!

 

I think it was Bruce Lancaster who said "All early Ford parts will interchange, except the exact pile you have in front of you".