ok,i'm STILL workin on gettin the rear of the chevy lowered and i'm trying to find out the best way to get the blocks..i'm runnin a nova rearend hangin by either the nova or 54 leaf springs and i wanna say they're 2 inches wide or narrower..would i be able to pull off 2 and 1/8 blocks or would i have to custom make mine?i know i'll need square u-bolts but luckily pepboys near me cares em..i just need to know what size blocks i have to run..i've gotten PMs from guys who make their own but i wanted to make sure i'd have to go with them instead of store bought ones before i go that route because i know shipping can be quite hefty for solid blocks! any help or thoughts appreciated! thanks! creepy
I was going to make some out of 2inch square tube and box the ends. I got the idea from a HAMBer after a post like this . Although I didn't, I found some at the swap meet and the were like 2 x 2 1/4. I am surprised pep brothers carys square U bolts.
i was myself..i'd actually purchased a set of blocks before with round U bolts and i left it at a guy's garage and they managed to walk off..they carry the U bolts in the same brand they carry the block kits in as well as this older lookin pair that i dont think anyone wants so i think i'll be ok..i just need the blocks! creepy
If you''ve got a Nova rearend, why do you need square u-bolts? A later rearend should bolt in just the way it did in the car it came from, not the way the '54 rear bolted in. If the blocks are wider than the holes in your mount plates, it will spread the bolts out at an angle. (I know because I made my own blocks out of aluminum and now I've got to pull them off and mill off 1/8 inch). It doesn't matter if they're wider than the springs, it matters if they're wider than your u-bolts currently are apart.
1.75" wide for the torque tube leaf springs. 2" offset for the pin is necessary if you are using an open rearend. therefore, store bought blocks won't work, no offset built in, and they are too wide to use with your stock shock mount. I am using a 55 rear and 55 shock mounts, 3/4 wider than the springs. solid blocks were the only way to offset the locating pin, and hollow ones wouldn't have the surface area on the spring pad to keep me feeling safe anyway.
I made mine out of 1/4" x 1.5 or maybe 2" stock, can't remember. Just cut it up and stacked them up until I had 4", then ran two mig welds down each side. I used 1/4" at a time because I wanted to get the absolute max out of the longer U bolts I had. they were the longest bolts I could find so I wanted to only leave enough room to put a fucken nut on and that's it.
nope,that's not the case..i think it's the stock 54 springs with just the nova rearend cuz you can see where the mounting tabs were cut off and then different ones welded on creepy
damn dude you're still using 54 springs? that shoulda been the first thing you yanked when you went with a nova rear. Well I have the tube and the 53 rear end still in my bel air, my blocks worked great and I just drilled a lil hole for the tab on one end and welded in a small stud on the other. You're open driveline now man, get rid of those 54 springs before ya do anything else.
Some one else did this? This is the time to change it an make it RIGHT. Sounds like they cut the really odd 54 perches off the original torque tube rear and welded them to the Nova rear, just so they could use the stock shock mount and sqare u bolts. Open drive line on the cheap? If thats the case notice the 54 perch is only welded to the front underside of your axle housing. Wouldn't you feel better about an axle pad that actually cradled the whole axle, front to back. Nothing wrong with the nova rear, if it has the right gears that you want, but I would advise a different mount. That odd '54 mount was designed to work in conjuntion with the torque tube rear. Think of the original rigid enclosed drive shaft as a sort of traction bar, to keep the rear end from wrapping the thin original leaf springs. I currently have stock leafs on my car, with an a real nice axle pad and shock mount with round U bolts (from Buffalo Enterprises 360-652-7684). His axle perches are tall enough to give an inch or two drop. Plus they have multiple mounting holes, so you can get by using the 54 springs with the off-center locating pin. Then just add a regular lowering block for the rest of your drop. Just don't get your axle too far away from the leafs. I will probably end up pulling my stock leafs for a set of dropped Posies, if $$ is left after paint and assembly. Blocks would definetly be cheaper.
yeah take some photos. See I love my torque tube, but there are a few things I absolutely hate about it. Those nutty ass springs, having to run square U bolts and stupid ass shock mounts that are no where near secure enough. If I ever go open driveline it will be because I want 3.08's, dual leafs, regular u bolts, and to move my shock mounts. If they did a good job at keeping that junk and the welds look good then they knew what they were doing and there's nothing wrong with what they did. It just caused more work for you in the future is all. I think if they welded the perches to the axle tube, fuck it for now unless it's already buggin the hell out of you, in that case grind them off and redo everything they did wrong. I'm tempted to post some pics of my stock rear end setup so you can have something to compare to.
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