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Leaf questions for a fairlane wagon

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by sabtaj1, Jan 4, 2011.

  1. sabtaj1
    Joined: Nov 26, 2010
    Posts: 43

    sabtaj1
    Member
    from Iowa

    Hello all! This is my first post... Well thead... I have been researching but cant find what I am looking for so I have to ask. First off I have a 65 fairlane 500 wagon. I am in the process of doing air ride on it. I am currently working on the rear. I had to buy new leaf springs because one of the old main springs broke when taking them apart. I have replaced all the bushings front and rear of the leafs. The wagons had 6 leafs and i purchased the ones for a 4 door car. Same lengths but only 5 leafs. I removed two leafs wich leaves me three leafs total. I also got rid of all the rubber isolators and made new u bolt plates. I made two inch blocks and installed those along with the brackets for the air over leaf. I just got it all back together tonight and set it on the ground and it actually sits about an inch higher then it did before I started. (no bags installed). I am totally stumped??? I would like it to sit close to or just on the snubs and thats another 5inches lower. Any ideas and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance. Also, I dont wanna run to high of blocks, it has a pretty stout 306 with an AOD trans.
     
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2011
  2. slickhale
    Joined: Dec 19, 2010
    Posts: 772

    slickhale
    Member
    from Phoenix

    are the bags already mounted? make sure they arent interfering with suspension travel at rest if they are. also try loading the car with weight to make sure all the new spring bushings arent binding and holding the car up. i've had similar height differences with new springs (not as much as yours tho). new springs will usually settle an inch or so after a while. i ended up taking the new springs to a spring shop, kept the main leaf, added two flatter leaves and had the whole thing de-arched which made it the same height as my old broken springs. in the end i would've been better off doing a 4 link. and as far as the blocks go i've used 2 and 3 inch blocks with the same motor and the axle wrap didnt change.
     
  3. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Sounds like the best option to get what you want and the height you want is to call a custom spring manufacturer like detroit spring or eaton spring and have them made. Otherwise youll be stuck with a bunch of trial and error that can be just as costly with alot more time wasted.
     
  4. sabtaj1
    Joined: Nov 26, 2010
    Posts: 43

    sabtaj1
    Member
    from Iowa

    Thanks for the responses. The bags are not installed. no shocks are installed. It sits perfectly even. Im assuming that my old leafs and bushings being crap is the difference then. There is no binding, I have checked everything. I have read about de arching and may try that. As for making custom springs, I dunno. Hate to because these are brand new leaf springs already.
     

  5. sabtaj1
    Joined: Nov 26, 2010
    Posts: 43

    sabtaj1
    Member
    from Iowa

    I may have found the problem. I have read that somtimes when the everything is new the shackles go to far past forward towards the front of the car in which the leaf is almost then in a solid mount state and the shackle can not move. This is how mine are now. I am gonna try and get er solved and see how that works.
     
  6. sabtaj1
    Joined: Nov 26, 2010
    Posts: 43

    sabtaj1
    Member
    from Iowa

    sorry guys, Im an idiot.. The leaf shackles had flipped all the way forward and the rears of the leafs were up against the frame rails. I was able to pry them back and shove 2x4's in between them and get them to flip back with weight on them. Now its sits a half inch from the snubs. all is good. sorry if I wasted anyones time. Learning as I go. Have a great day!
     
  7. slickhale
    Joined: Dec 19, 2010
    Posts: 772

    slickhale
    Member
    from Phoenix

    no worries, the learning is the fun part anyway right?
     
  8. sabtaj1
    Joined: Nov 26, 2010
    Posts: 43

    sabtaj1
    Member
    from Iowa

    Thats for sure. This is the best site I have ever been on and everyone I have talked to is very helpful. Thanks
     

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