I removed the 70GS's rearend again tonight in preparation for replacing the bushings with polygraphite's and adding no-hop bars this weekend. (see my "wheel hop thread" :gt: ) Anyways.... I've always felt the ride was very stiff in this car, and I'm wondering if it has aftermarket springs in it. And if so... are they "right-way-up" or "up-side-down"? The springs look like they are what I would call "variable rate". The coils at one end are about 4" apart and get closer together until you get to the other end where the last coil is only about 1" apart. (hope that makes sense) If that doesn't make any sense, I can post some pictures tomorrow. So my question is two-fold... #1- Are these stock? I doubt it. Besides the stiff ride, the car sits pretty high in the back. I also notice that when I jack up the car by the "pig" and put jack stands under the frame.... I only let the rear end down about 1" before it's out of suspension travel. So either the shocks are too short, or the springs are too high. #2- Assuming I'm still going to use these springs, depending on the answers I get to question #1......Which end is supposed to be up? Thanks! :beer
Rick, The rear springs have a large diameter facing towards the top and continue smaller as they get towards the bottom. Are the springs you have the same diameter all the way around? I can get a pic for you tomorrow if you like?
And while I had my camera out.. I can't help but take more pictures... Here's a sad sight... it was only hours ago I was romping it on the way home from work... now it's disabled again. :gt:
Rick, 1. Can't help, not sure if the cargo coils were available from the factory, but I don't believe they were. 2. In that photo, the right side goes to the axle. Hope that helps.
Thanks Jim That is the way they were installed. (tight coils up) Is anyone else using these type springs? Are they supposed to be so stiff? Should I get longer shocks? :beer
Rick, It looks like a Cargo Coil. They work great on a Sportwagon, but, I doubt on a sedan, unless you haul lots of stuff in the trunk. Also, the shock absorber should be about at half travel at curb weight. Matt
Grrrrr :af: :stmad: The no-hop bars don't fit the rear end. This is a 8.2 BOP rear end. I suppose the no-hop bars only fit the 8.5?? All the info I can find on them say they fit 64-72 GM A-body. No mention of rear end size. I'm getting very frustrated. Everything I touch on this POS turns to crap on me. Can anyone confirm or deny that they don't make a no-hop bar for the 8.2 rearend? Or is there some mod I should make to make them fit? I don't want to just start hacking on something as important as rear suspension. Looks like I'm also in the market for a set of stock rear springs. I don't like the rough ride, and it doesn't need to sit as high as it does. Maybe I'll just throw it back together like it was a sell it. Everything was fine when I stuck to my 67's.
Wow Rick! I feel I Jinxed you when I sold you the rearo No: It'll come together, usually this how it all goes when you start getting into it. It's amazing how some people keep there cars together, isn't it? At least you'll know once it's done, it's done right I always thought the no-hop bars worked for both the 8.2 and 8.5 rears as the suspension is the same for both.
Rob, you certainly didn't jinx me. I don't need any help in that department. :gt: The rear end has been great, there's just been a flurry of other crap that showed up at the same time. I decided to NOT even try to mess with the no hop bars. I'll either send them back, or keep them for the next car that needs them. Jeeze.. thats all I need is more parts laying around. p I spent last night boxing all 4 arms and putting the poly bushings in them. Talk about a pain in the rear! Those bushings are a bear! I used our 50 ton air-over-hydraulic press at work, and made several sleeves and arbors to do it. Huge BANG when they finally pop out! :laugh: Right now the rear end is back in the car with only the lower arms connected. I decided to take a break before doing the hard part (hooking up the top arms!) They never seem to want to line up right. I guess I should get back out there now. :Brow:
Rick.. Why exactly would the Lakewood no-hop bars not fit? Just put a set on an 8.5, and had to do a little "customizing" on one bar, and some serious fabing on another.. But they will go on.. Also have one of those new 12 bolt Moser rear ends in the shop, and that one will require just a little "customizing" to the bars to get them to fit.. It's an imperfect world.. roll with it.. You NEED those bars.. Also... Next time you put bushings in the rear, simply take an air hammer with a chisle bit, and work the metal shell of the bushing away from the control arm.. on both sides of the arm.. Then just a tap with a hammer will get them to fall out.. I guess that should be an article for the BPG newsletter.. if I could just find the time to do it.. JW
Jim My rear end is only an 8.2 It would be very hard to explain in words what would need done to make the bars fit. I'll snap a picture of the bars tonight and do some photo-editing to better explain what I was up against. I tried them on an 8.5 I have and they would have bolted right on. Basically the lower "web" is in a different location on the 8.2. Regardless....We've pretty much made up our minds.... The 455/TH400 is going to end up getting yanked from the 70GS and getting put on the Yellow 71. I'll then put the 350 from the Yellow 71 into the 70GS (technically it's a 70GS350 anyways) Then... I'll leave the 8.2 (3.23:1) in the 70GS behind the 350, and build a good 8.5" or chevy 12 bolt (I have cores of each) for the 71 with the 455. That's where I'll also use the no-hop bars. Why do all this? Mel really likes the 70GS better than the 71 post, but she doesn't care to have the 455 in her car. I really like the 455 and don't care which car it's in. If I swap drivetrains, we'll both be happy. Soooooo... looks like my winter is all booked up. I gotta get back to my 67 convertible and 67 race car someday too. :gt:
