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Adjustable Pinion snubbers

62440

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When l was first starting to build my car l purchased a MP adjustable pinion snubber. Later on l read that they are only needed on standard transmission cars. I came across it the other day and got wondering if l should put it on. What are your guy's thoughts about it ?
 
When i leave the line now, with my superstock springs, the rear of the car lifts three inches. With the old stock 62 leafs, it would lift at least five . The idea of the snubber is to contact the floor of the car to restrict axle rotation and spring windup. Tell me how it does that when its four inches away from the floor. At least on my car , there is no possible way it was doing anything, except adding about three pounds. I removed it.
 
The nice thing is, it's not a big deal to try it out for awhile; if you don't like it or don't think it's helping you can pull it out. My car is a '68 with a 727-backed 440. Making somewhere between 450-500hp. Street car, street tires, just XHD leaf springs. With enough throttle I would sometimes get the wheel hop. What a weird feeling...like there was a gorilla beating on the bottom of the car. I installed the MP snubber and it hasn't happened since. I doubt it's doing much for traction though? I had to trim about an inch off the snubber housing and I keep it around 1/2" off the floor pan. I figure nothing good's gonna come from that axle hopping like that, so I've kept mine on.
 
I also run Super Stock springs on my 63. When I put them on years ago I forgot to put the snubber back on and the car hooks great without it. So I never put it back on and my car is an auto. To me it may help if your car has older worn out leaf springs. Kinda like a bandaid. I feel if your car has a good working suspension then it wont help any. But if your suspension is not working it may help some. Ron
 
I don't know, but Mother Mopar didn't generally build something if it didn't work. My car still hasn't gotten enough miles on it to give it a test. I likely won't need it, my car has the 3400# SS springs with Monroe police interceptor shocks for a 78 Dodge Monaco iirc and l highly doubt I'll ever race it. But then again maybe a bit of Goofing around. I was just curious of people's thoughts or experience
 
Would not the snubber also lift the rear of the car beside restrict axle rotation and spring windup ? It would be interesting to test that at the track, hint hint :)

When i leave the line now, with my superstock springs, the rear of the car lifts three inches. With the old stock 62 leafs, it would lift at least five . The idea of the snubber is to contact the floor of the car to restrict axle rotation and spring windup. Tell me how it does that when its four inches away from the floor. At least on my car , there is no possible way it was doing anything, except adding about three pounds. I removed it.
 
IMHO Ma Mopar put snubbers on to protect the U joints & floor pan from contact during "jounce" over a bump, not really for improving acceleration. They decided it would help for that. Found that to be true on my street '70 Barracuda, no snubber, banged hard over big bumps. dealer installed the missing part, no problem after that. On my'65 Coronet drag car I took mine off once I got the right spring/shock combination. The snubber tended to cause bounce, load/unload cycles. 450 HP at that time. One of numerous things that Direct Connection recommended, didn't work for me. My '66 Satellite had a snubber, took it off immediately.
 
read the mopar chassis book and it tells you why to use and how to use it
 
The only time I have had wheel hop on a Mopar was from weak leaf springs. Specifically my 70 Duster with a 4-speed. A-bodies have the shortest springs and I was told by ESPO that they are inherently weak because of that. Played around with 2" and 1" over hd springs on that car and no hop. Problem was that I wanted the rear to set lower and didn't want to use lowering blocks. Installed a set of standard height hd springs and got major hop when hammering on it. Put on a Mopar adjustable snubber set at the lowest setting and everything is perfect.
 
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When i raced my '65 i used a pinion snubber, without SS springs.
and i ran an automatic. setting the snubber for an automatic and manual is a little different for the gap between the floor and the snubber. The snubber is designed to prevent the axle wind up as many have mentioned, but what it also does is lift the rear of the car under full acceleration (off the line) while the front end is trying to lift, causing the weight of the car to be placed on the rear tires for traction. I ran 10.00 with a 9" tire. I put it back on the car when i change it to a street car and didn't like it because it would bang the floor over bumps, and i am not racing anymore. i don't get any wheel hop (which should be limited with the design of the mopar springs anyway).
 
Way back in 1978 I went to a Direct Connection seminar in Ohio. (Anybody remember them ?)The class subject that came up was the pinion snubber.Way back then it was said, (This is a racing application) remove the snubber when using Super Stock springs.Let the springs do their job.If using stock springs, automatic cars use the adjustable snubber touching the floor at rest. If a stick car 1'' from floor at rest.The snubber debate is on going and is one of those subjects that the answer is, "What ever works for you".
 
Would not the snubber also lift the rear of the car beside restrict axle rotation and spring windup ? It would be interesting to test that at the track, hint hint :)
They probably would, if they actually contact the floor. When i looked at video of my car at the track, static height had the rear fender arch across the top two inches of tire. As I would load the converter, the rear body would rise an inch or two, and when I left the line there was three inches of space visible above the top of the slick. This was with, or without, the adjustable snubber.
When I put on the superstock springs , I moved the front spring eye mount down, to alter the instant center and anti-squat. That cut down on the rear lift and gave better front end reaction. But I still have more lift than a snubber could EVER provide.
Edit: I also had to use tapered shims to get the pinion nose down to the recommended angle, that puts the pinion even farther away from the floor.
 
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Darter, I remember DC seminars, didn't find all of their recommendations worked for me. My '65 had home built SS springs(copied the leaf arrangement from 02-03 SS on the stock '65 main leaf) with 3 way adjustable shocks. I also had to find out where the rear segment needed to be clamped to achieve the correct amount of rise for me. I also shim to get the correct pinion angle.
Darter, I agree "whatever works for you".
BTW, I have read the Chassis Manual many times.
 
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Yeah, at those seminars there was always some debate. I remember the Type F vs Dextron debate.
It was The Chrysler guys that were pro Type F for racing while the tranny guys swore up and down that "F" burned up the front clutch pack. Anyway that's another subject that we don't need to get into in this thread.:rolleyes:
 
read the mopar chassis book and it tells you why to use and how to use it
This.
They really do help plant the tire with a simple, cheap method, providing it is close enough to the floor pan, and your springs are working.
When you unclamp the rear segments, the action is increased.

They don't work as good as a Calvert/ Assassin bar system, but simple and easy for a guy that doesn't want to dump a bunch of money and wants to hook a lil better.
Here is a pic of my heap when it had a snubber and unclamped rears. It lifted the car probably 3 inches.
44942757_10156648848884788_5548783814387433472_n.jpg
 


This is a really good explanation of when to use them and when to not
 


This is a really good explanation of when to use them and when to not

Thanks for posting the video. That’s a great explanation. Not easy to make one decision for a street/strip car and expect the best performance using the same setup. I had never considered the tire sidewall aspect.
 
I can remember back to old Mopar Muscle issues, Landy did the tech-question section, he recommended the adjustable snubber with SS springs numerous times. For performance cars on the street or strip. Old school methods die hard I guess...or maybe he was just tryin' to help sell parts?:D Anyway RIP 'Dandy' Dick Landy!
 
I have nothing against a snubber, if it works for you, great! I just can't see how it can do anything on my car, waving in the air four inches from the floor.
 
I'll never use mine but it's been interesting hearing about all your experiences. I think the adjustable pinion snubber has its place on race cars and street and strip cars for someone younger than myself that can get under and out easily. :rolleyes: Finding the "Sweet Spot" is when they will show there worth. Cheers Guy's
 
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