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Rear shackles sliders info

cbodybob

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I have a 69 B body bracket car. It has Mopar Performance SS springs & long shocks. The car sits too high in the rear. So I was looking at the Afco rear spring sliders. Have read that they will lower the car a bit & also free up movement over the stock style shackles. Your thoughts please. My car is a dedicated sataurday night drag car. Nothing special. Just always looking at things to improve it with.
 
Anybody know anything about these? Help a fellow Mopar guy out?
 
I hadn't heard of those before. I do know that the SS springs are designed to raise the car about two inches. You might check to see if a front spring hanger is available with multiple holes ( to adjust suspension height).
Wish I could be more help.

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Hey, I goggled it and came up with this but it doesn't look good for the sliders...

http://www.moparstyle.com/forums/showthread.php?20726-AFCO-rear-leaf-spring-sliders

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I just looked them up, I don't think you can just bolt those on without something to keep the rear axle in position. I have only seen those used with ladder bars and things like that. From the looks of it, seems like lowering is only a side effect of using the sliders. If all you want to do is lower, you can achieve the same result (cheaper) by using lowering blocks. People have been using them for years with no problems.
 
I have them installed on my '66 Nova. I think the installation would be the same for any car with leaf springs. The work okay and look great but they will make some rattling noise when the car hits a bump. I can send you pictures if you are interested.
 
Thanks Matt. I have the multi hole front hangers. When I put the springs in the top hole (to lower car) it threw my pinion angle way out. I think like 5 degrees up. So went to the bottom hole & now the car sits pretty high, but my pinion angle is now 1 degree up. So yes I could use lowering blocks & I may, but I also need to install some shims to get the pinion angle to 2 or 2.5 degrees down . So I was thinking the sliders would work to lower the car from the back which should prevent my pinion angle from going out of wak again & from what the manufacturer claims the slider will free up suspension travel. So I just wanted to see if anyone out here had any experience with these.

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I have them installed on my '66 Nova. I think the installation would be the same for any car with leaf springs. The work okay and look great but they will make some rattling noise when the car hits a bump. I can send you pictures if you are interested.

Yes please post pic's. Thank you!!!

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I have them installed on my '66 Nova. I think the installation would be the same for any car with leaf springs. The work okay and look great but they will make some rattling noise when the car hits a bump. I can send you pictures if you are interested.

Yes please post pic's !!!
 
They won't lower the car that much and you will be lucky to lose an inch with them. SS springs...nature of the beast. A few years ago I took out two leaves from a set and the car still sat high. These days I don't run them and just stack my own so I can get the height I'm looking for.
 
Well, just be careful. I would shim the pinion angle (cheaper) with the spring in the lowest height hole before I went with the sliders. I would be concerned about fore and aft axle movement if you aren't going to add any locating arms to hold things in place. I would be interested in seeing the Nova setup to see what he had there besides the sliders.
 
They won't lower the car that much and you will be lucky to lose an inch with them. SS springs...nature of the beast. A few years ago I took out two leaves from a set and the car still sat high. These days I don't run them and just stack my own so I can get the height I'm looking for.

Looked under the car & it looks like maybe they would lower it 3/4 of an inch. Not much. Still interested in any performance benefits they may offer.

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Well, just be careful. I would shim the pinion angle (cheaper) with the spring in the lowest height hole before I went with the sliders. I would be concerned about fore and aft axle movement if you aren't going to add any locating arms to hold things in place. I would be interested in seeing the Nova setup to see what he had there besides the sliders.

That's about 7 degrees of shimming. That's a lot. Wonder if I can use the blocks & the shims both? Would love to see the sliders on the Nova. Mancini Racing sells them. They usually don't sell crappy stuff. Must be something to em.
 
The amount of correction shouldn't really matter as long as you end up with the right angle in the end. You can run both shims and blocks, just make certain you are able to center the axle on the locating pin.
 
Several guys are using them on this forum...
I used them on a Limited Late model (Dirt tack) race car... They completely freed up the rear end!!!! Everything was just much smoother when compressing the rear, and rebound!
 
They work well with CalTracs, Mancini Racing has {had at-least} IIRC CalTracs use to recommend using them @ one time, they/MRE had a write-up on them on their website {if not contact CalTracs}, how they helped, it's not new technology, it frees up a little movement thru the spring arch... I haven't ever used them with S/S Springs or non-CalTracs type suspension... Dirt Or Paved oval track guys cars have used them for eons now, with leaf springs, they've had little to no issues with torsional side loading or breakage... It will lower the car about an 1", it did on my old 68 RR, you will need to shim the housing, to get the proper pinion angles back, I also used the Mancini Racing MRE adj. 2 hole front spring hangers to lower the front & attach the CalTracs too... You can put the sliders right on the frame rails in the rear of a B-Body, I highly recommend it be plated over for added strength thou.. Sorry I have no photos of my olds 68 RR set-up, I no longer have that car... I would suggest calling Mancini Racing & Calvert CalTracs... talk to a tech guy... Lower blocks like offered at Calvert CalTracs www.calvertracing.com might work too if all your trying to do is get the car a little lower...
 

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  • MRE 22 inch $67.95 Rear Spring Front Hanger Brackets.jpg
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  • MRE Mopar rear-axle-shims incl. 6 shims 1-2 & 3 degree 2 each MOPP4529536 $88.95.jpg
    MRE Mopar rear-axle-shims incl. 6 shims 1-2 & 3 degree 2 each MOPP4529536 $88.95.jpg
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The easiest way to lower and set the pinion angle is to fabricate a block with the angle built in. Thickness of the block is the exact amount you will lower the car. Run a dowel pin the same length as the block. The spring pin will push it up locating the axle. easy to make from
aluminum. Angle mill the top of the block to set the angle you need. In this hobby it's best to make friends with people that work in machine shops.
 
The easiest way to lower and set the pinion angle is to fabricate a block with the angle built in. Thickness of the block is the exact amount you will lower the car. Run a dowel pin the same length as the block. The spring pin will push it up locating the axle. easy to make from
aluminum. Angle mill the top of the block to set the angle you need. In this hobby it's best to make friends with people that work in machine shops.
Amen to the friends with machine shops !!
 
The easiest way to lower and set the pinion angle is to fabricate a block with the angle built in. Thickness of the block is the exact amount you will lower the car. Run a dowel pin the same length as the block. The spring pin will push it up locating the axle. easy to make from
aluminum. Angle mill the top of the blocus k to set the angle you need. In this hobby it's best to make friends with people that work in machine shops.

Are you saying to have a lowering block cut at an angle say in my case 3 degrees. Thus killing 2 birds with one stone approach?
 
On the leaf sliders, how did you guys route your gas filler tube? I just finished installing mine. in a 67 Coronet. It is mini tubed and now the modifications I made to the filler tube for the mini tub will not work. Has anyone already worked out a solution for this besides fabricating a gas tank, or putting one in the trunk.
 
I could machine you some blocks if you give me the needed info/drawing. You may need longer u bolts depending on how much you lower it.
 
I recently purchased the Afco sliders from Jeg's. I was 1st directed to Speedway . They offer a house brand for $40 each and the afco for $95 each.When I asked if the $40 one was a Chinese made one,he just replied that the afco was better quality.
So I bought the afco ones from Jegs where you have a choice of Chivvey or MOPAR. The MOPAR spring eye bushing does NOT fit Caltrak . So if you have caktraks and want to go to sliders,buy them from Caltrak so they come with the right bushing.
Eliminating the stock shackle might lower the car a 1/4 or 1/2 inch.I will also raise the front spring eye and hope to lower the car an inch.If I want more than a lowering block might come into the picture.SO,,do what your gunna do and then check the pinion angle.
 
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