Rear Shocks and Springs: One Day?

[Big_John]

How about U bolts, do I need longer one to accept 7 leafs springs? Axle pads add some height too, or are they very thin? Please help me out to sort all the parts I need. I need to transport all the goods via container to the Europe to avoid 800USD air cargo bill, so its better not to save few bugs to find out some parts are missing or existing hardware got damaged during the exchange. But shackles are hard to be damaged, right?

Missed this one on the multi quote... LOL

The U-bolts don't have to be longer, but I always replace the U-bolts anyway. Lot's of guys don't, but they are cheap enough to replace and the old ones have been stretched for 50 years. The shackles are easy to break when removing. Your car looks pretty clean, so they might not... but again, they are cheap to buy and expensive for you to ship. I'd buy new ones.

 

[commando1]

I looked up in my '69 parts book and I was surprised that the '69 used the same shackle as the B-bodies etc.

That's extremely interesting.
I wonder what other change from something else required the redesign to the offset shackles.
Something else has to be different tween the 69 and 70 rear suspension.

 

[Big_John]

That's extremely interesting.
I wonder what other change from something else required the redesign to the offset shackles.
Something else has to be different tween the 69 and 70 rear suspension.

Maybe it was the move to the rubber isolated stub frame in 1970??? But the convertible (like mine) used a solid mount stub and I have offset shackles.

 

[commando1]

Maybe it was the move to the rubber isolated stub frame in 1970??? But the convertible (like mine) used a solid mount stub and I have offset shackles.

In truth, the shackles are not offset, per se, but one side is offset to make that end of the set wider. Does the wider end attach to the bracket or to the eye of the leaf spring?

 

[Big_John]

In truth, the shackles are not offset, per se, but one side is offset to make that end of the set wider. Does the wider end attach to the bracket or to the eye of the leaf spring?

View attachment 202003

True, but we've "assigned" that designation to the shackles in the 70 up Fuselage cars. The wider end is attached to the bracket bolted to the frame. I'll try to snap a pic later.

 

[commando1]

The wider end is attached to the bracket bolted to the frame. I'll try to snap a pic later.

So....
Can it be assumed that the 69 and the 70-73 bracket are different. Yes?
If so,
1. why the change, and,
2. can they interchange.

See where I'm going with this?.....

 

[Big_John]

So....
Can it be assumed that the 69 and the 70-73 bracket are different. Yes?
If so,
1. why the change, and,
2. can they interchange.

See where I'm going with this?.....

I do... Some detailed, crawl under the car, pics are in order.

 

[commando1]

I do... Some detailed, crawl under the car, pics are in order.

I got more...

 

[bajajoaquin]

A perfect example of what I love about discussion forums. The topic at hand has wandered from the original topic.

Please, continue!

 

[Slantsix]

Picture of my -69 Newport shackles. Also -69 has narrower rear end than 70->. But spring perch width is same on all.

 

[Little Pete]

I remember before many restoration parts were available as direct replacement people use to add an extra "helper leaf" to help with rear end sagging. Anybody every do that years ago?

 

[commando1]

Picture of my -69 Newport shackles. Also -69 has narrower rear end than 70->. But spring perch width is same on all.

I took the liberty of enhancing the image for clarity.
I dont understand what you mean by "69 has narrower rear end than 70".

Can someone provide an image of the same but on a 70-73?

 

[Polara_500]

I remember before many restoration parts were available as direct replacement people use to add an extra "helper leaf" to help with rear end sagging. Anybody every do that years ago?

My 65 still has an extra main leaf on each side. I have to run a shorter tire on the rear to keep from looking like a dive bomber going down the road.

 

[Slantsix]

I took the liberty of enhancing the image for clarity.
I dont understand what you mean by "69 has narrower rear end than 70".
View attachment 202194

Can someone provide an image of the same but on a 70-73?

Rear Axle widths, drum-to-drum: Sorted by body-type/model
C BODY ’65-’69: 61.75″
’70-’71: 63.0″ (Chrysler & Fury)
’70-’73: 64-3/8″ (incl. ’69 wagon)
Mopar Rear Axle Dimensions

 

[Big_John]

My '70 300 convertible. All pics of left (driver) side.

 

[Big_John]

So.... The '70 rear is 1 1/4" wider. If I had to guess, the shackle is offset 5/8" on each side to make up the difference.

What doesn't make sense is the axle pad dimensions don't change from '65-73 according to the chart... But! Charts are wrong, especially with Mopar stuff.

This chart says all the C-bodies have an axle pad dimension of 47.30 or just over 1 1/4" difference with the other chart. Hmmmm....
MyMopar - Mopar Forums & Information - Mopar Rear Axle Dimensions

 

[commando1]

C BODY ’65-’69: 61.75″
’70-’71: 63.0″ (Chrysler & Fury)
’70-’73: 64-3/8″ (incl. ’69 wagon

That is My C-body Weird Facts fact of the month.
I always assumed.... Never mind.

To offset the leaf springs .6875" out on each side to accomodate the wider axle.

That must mean the eye to frame bracket (i.e. front) must be different also.


Anybody want to check that out?

That shoulder on the '70 bracket makes it different from the 69 bracket.

 

[Slantsix]

Or does 70-> have wider upper shackle bushing? Because i think leaf spring is same width on all? Or does ->69 have parallel (if that is right way to say I I )leafs and 70-> has little V shape location on them?
Now for Dog Show, i post dimensions later.

 

[Big_John]

Or does 70-> have wider upper shackle bushing?

The rubber bushings are the same width. The shackle bolt is longer, but all 4 bushings (per side, 8 total) are the same.

Or does ->69 have parallel (if that is right way to say I I )leafs and 70-> has little V shape location on them?

That is what I'm thinking too. Back in the dusty archives of my brain, I'm remembering that angling the leaf springs slightly, rather than running absolutely parallel increases the effective spring rate when cornering. IIRC, other car companies angled their leaf springs, tapering them in the front. Perhaps, with the change to the rubber mounted stub frame, Chrysler decided to change the rear suspension geometry.

Now for Dog Show, i post dimensions later.

I would volunteer to make some measurements on my car, but my dance card is quite full for the next few days.

 

[commando1]

Seeing the 69 vs the 70-73 front brackets could answer my theories on the whole 69 vs 70+ rear suspensions.