Installing a dropped axle (socal narrowed forged) and Chassis engineering reversed eye leaf spring, shackles, sway bar, with a split wishbone. When I went to install the spring I did not need to spread or disassemble the spring to install it to the shackles. This raised concern to me. I called Reids rod parts where I purchased the parts from and he suggested installing it and put the weight of the car on it and see where the shackles ended up (should be about 45 degrees) So I did. Looks to be a little beyond 45 to me. What do all you more experienced guys think?
Looks about 45 to me from those pics (pretty close anyway). Is the spring the same width as stock? Is the axle the same width as stock from perch to perch? If either answer is no, you might have mis-matched some parts. Do the CE instructions come with advice on bending the spring perches after you have split the back end of the wishbone? If you spread the back ends apart from stock (most splitting kits spread them at least a little), the front perches will now be non-parallel and will need straightening.
Yes the front perches had to be tweaked (twisted) a little to be parallel. The axle is narrower than stock 47" kingpin to kingpin with perches 34" Axle is a SOCAL axle as chassis engineering no longer manufactures their own (they use SOCAL) C.E. makes the spring to go with this setup however they were backordered and this was one of the 1st ones delivered after the backorder so I was wondering if somehow it was slightly longer? C.E. was a bit surprised that it did not need to be spread to install.
That spring probably fits the old Chassis engineering axel that is no longer available. The perch centres are narrower on the So Cal Axel, so it needs a narrower spring.
I just looked at my invoice from CE and it just says " 35-40 spring for Socal axle". No part number so that is of no help. I have the same setup and my shackles look to be slightly closer than yours. Looking at mine the shock mount is slightly inboard of the wishbone eye while yours looks to be slightly outboard. Might just be the angle. The length between the spring eyes on mine is right at 35". I see you have an engine in the chassis, I do not. Makes me wonder if mine would look like yours if I had the body on and engine/trans in place. I had not even thought about the fact that my shackles are probably at the correct angle now without weight on the frame. I disassembled the spring to mount it so I don't know if I could have mounted it as you did. This does make me suspect of the spring. I have been a fan of CE for probably 35 years, but without Ray to guide them they do seem to be slipping in some areas. I will be watching your thread now for sure.
Well, I still think it looks to be about a 45 degree angle as it sits now. I'd run it and see how it sits after a hundred miles or so.
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