leaf spring insulator for 82 diplomat to belvedere

[67belvedere/225]

So i'm installing the dodde diplomat diff with the new energy suspension insulators
the 67 has 1 more leaf than the diplomat , so i made a shim to go between the brackets
so they clamp on each other. i am doing a pre assemble on the stands to see the fit.
there is some play side to side with the leaf , is this normal or it shouldn't wiggle at all like if it was mounted with no rubbers.i m thinking once all boosted to the car it should not move or just a bit? i just finished leaving the shop and I'm beet so I'm throwing it out there and going to sleep on it.here are the pics with the original insulator and new ones

 

[67belvedere/225]

there is a gap between the rubbers and also room on the side I'm thinking putting a piece a flat bar to make it
more ridgid , any body ever do this swap , or should i just bolt it solid like the original one, and make a plate
for the lower spring seat

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Dang.... I have not done this swap, but I like your idea of putting some shims on the "sides" of the rubber isolators. It seems like your rear end might "walk" left/right and make the car "crab" down the road. I wish I knew more about these iso-link rear spring setups. It just looks odd to me since I'm used to having the pin on the leaf spring positively locate the rear end by fitting into the spring perch on the rear end. Maybe take a look at a late '70's Cordoba to see how they did it with the 9-1/4" rear ends?

 

[67belvedere/225]

i'm going to install it and put a panhard rod on it to keep it stable

 

[67belvedere/225]

just put the diplomat diff on today . the play in the axle on the rubber has basically gone away now that it is all bolted together. I'm still going to make a pan hard rod there seem to be tons a room
enjoy the pics