Chassis engineering rear end kit with lowering blocks, lower shock plates bending????

Added to theirs? Or just made a set?

 

Made my own.

 

Just straighten them and weld 1/4" by 3/4" or 1" pieces to each end. Like many (most) decent spring plates are made:

 

I see nothing wrong with the width of the blocks; they appear to be the same as the spring. Cheap-ass plates. Period.

 

The blocks are the same width, the plates are junk. For what they want for their stuff, I'm not impressed.

 

I just realized your shock mounts are to the top. Is this the way the instructions directed? On mine they are on the bottom. All you would do is switch them from one side to the other.

 

It said blots forward and angle on the plates up. I have their shock crossmember kit as well and the shocks are real short.

 

Ok on mine it was down and back.

 

I called and spoke with ce today. I was told a very common problem, I need to make myself some tube spacers. It should sit very low, not sure why I even want to run blocks. Have they never seen one of their kits installed?

 

When I answered I missed that the spring pads were the original Nova mounting pads. Someone mentioned spacers between the bottom plate and the pads. That would work fine as long as they are all the same length and square on the ends, and allow for a little pinch on the spring. They were designed to pinch up to the original pad.

I still like the idea of thicker plates that don't bend. Lots of good examples posted.

Charlie

 

Could you make them out of thicker metal and add some ribs? These are for a 51 Merc.

 

I'm suprised no one makes these. it is the only way to get maximum low and keep a safe scrubline with blocks alone. I did this on a car I had, I forget how big the blocks were but with 15" wheels the lowest thing was the head of the pin that keeps the leaves all together, and that was just above the bottom of the rim.

without this type of plates I would have had to raise it and inch or so to clear the nuts and U-bolt tips or have scrub line issues.

 

Not all steel plate is the same. There are different alloys for different jobs.
Thicker is usually better though.

 

You say it sits higher than before. Did you get a low ride setup or regular? Are your shackles sitting right? It will settle some after driving.

 

on the original car wasn't it a mono leaf spring that was trapped between two pieces of rubber notched to fit the spring. the plate would be correct because it would have been bolted tight.

 

CE must have changed their plates. I just looked at mine (10-12 years old) and they are much thicker.

 

C E are good folk with great products. Call them and voice your concern -- they've always come through for me whan any questions arose.

 

Read post #26

 

I bought a '40 with 30,000 miles on a Chassis Eng'g setup. I reworked the shock mounting arrangement & noticed the plates had bowed. I clamped a bigger plate over them & beat them flat. I welded flat bar strips similar to what 19Fordy did to his plates. If you look at Ford pickup truck spring plates they have their ends formed with lips to reinforce them.

 

I unpacked the C.E. spring plates I just received for my '36 Ford and they measured up at .270" or just over 1/4".

 

Here is my 10 bolt with 1 1/2" blocks. I left the rubber in.Lowest point on axel is 5 1/2 inch,lowest point on rear fender is 8 3/4" Torque on U bolts is 55 ft pounds, 1/2" U bolts. This car has been driven for 2 years,spring set is standered CE rear end kit. If I remember perch and spring have register hole or pin. You are dealing with a nova rear which are known to go down the road side ways if rubber deteriates. The torque was taken from nova guys site and Eason torque values for U bolts.Nova blocks are available, I got mine on ebay,steel and made for nova ,not cheap tho. www.novas.net//forums/showthread.php?t=15061?page=2 may help some.If torque is to much you either stretch U bolts or crush axel tube, you already know that. Thinking of removeing blocks on my 47.

 

Spacers scare the hell outta me, the point of the plates is to sandwich the leaf spring, spacers could reduce that. I would like to see some profile on the spring plates, flat plates will bend. Thicker plates may bend less, but if they are flat, they will bend some too. Unless you over kill the thickness. I doubt the lowering blocks have anything to do with it, as 85 lbs is 85 lbs, regardless where the nuts are on ubolts. I would call CE, send them a pic and see what they say.

 

I agree, these would be a great product. I may have to rework the ones I have on my merc.

 

From this picture, your plates look bent as well. I cut out a second set of plates last night to add to the bottom of the originals. I am going to add some ribs as suggested, and playing with the idea of putting washers in the spot between the plate and the axle housing just so I feel better knowing everything is pulled together metal to metal when torqued. Would you guys feel better knowing that everything is up against each other? I hate the way theres just a big gap and the u bolts are wide and dont touch the springs like normal.

 

With the bent plate issue solved I wouldn't worry about it. I have 85,000+ mi on mine without problems after I added the 3/8" plate to the bottom of mine

 

Those are great! I agree with the others about doing a patent and selling them to CE or others. I believe I will make mine like yours when I get to that point.