Installed rear hotchkis leaf springs. The rear now sits way higher than stock. Do the leafs have to settle in or do I need to install blocks to lower stance? I thought I would see 1.5" drop but I got just the opposite.

Installed rear hotchkis leaf springs. The rear now sits way higher than stock. Do the leafs have to settle in or do I need to install blocks to lower stance? I thought I would see 1.5" drop but I got just the opposite.

Do you know for sure that the old springs were stock? The Hotchkis springs are excellent and they'll give you what they promise; 1.5" lower than original stock height.

Yes, the leafs will settle, but probably not that much...if you ended up an inch higher. Did you tighten then rear shackles when the car was suspended or on the ground? Personally, I don't think it'd matter for more than a few minutes after driving or moving it, but others will ask this...so I did :). You can always use lowering blocks later if you have to, but you shouldn't have to...and they're not an optimal way to lower a car.

So tell us, when you tightened up the shock plates, did they end up touching the perches all the way around? Or is there a lot of space between the two?

Yes,original mono leafs. Tightened up shackles after car was on the ground. I am a little unsure about your reference to the shock plates. I drilled them out to accept the larger u-bolts, then installed the new urethane pads after narrowing the pads a .25". Tightened to over 100ftlbs per nut, leaving the urethane pads about a .25" in a compressed thickness. It seemed if I tightened the u-bolts any further the plates would start to bend. I hope I answered you questions, because I do not really want to use blocks to lower the car.

Yes,original mono leafs. Tightened up shackles after car was on the ground. I am a little unsure about your reference to the shock plates. I drilled them out to accept the larger u-bolts, then installed the new urethane pads after narrowing the pads a .25". Tightened to over 100ftlbs per nut, leaving the urethane pads about a .25" in a compressed thickness. It seemed if I tightened the u-bolts any further the plates would start to bend. I hope I answered you questions, because I do not really want to use blocks to lower the car.

Sounds like you did it all the right way. At this point, I don't know what to tell you. This same scenario has happened to countless others and I'm not sure anyone knows why, other than the obvious fact that each car is different to some extent. I still don't understand how there can be such a large discrepancy between our cars. You'll have to wait for someone wiser than I to go any further here.

There may be the option of drilling new holes in a higher location of the lower, rear shackle to draw the leaf up. I know of at least one member who has done this (I believe he swaps the hole positioning between racing and street).

If you were expecting a drop over 40 year old mono leafs, then I can see why you were disappointed. My car is on stands right now, but I believe the Hotchkis spring should put you around 15.25" from wheel center to wheel opening lip.

Ditto on the last post. Factory monos from 68 will have sagged well beyond the cars original stance. I did the same replacement on my car but I knew I had a lot of spring sag to begin with. I like the stance with the hotchkis replacements.

I fully understand the old leaf sag. The new hotchkis leafs make my car look like it just popped out of the 70's real high rear end low front. When it get out of the paint shop I will measure the height. I also have a fully restored 69 z28 and the rear of my 67 is even higher than that car.

You didnt mention whether you did the full Hotchkis swap...fronts as well or are you still stock.I'm gonna do some offsite mental engineering and say that if the front springs are old,and the spring rate is not what it use to be that the new springs on the rear are causing the nose to be lower...think of a see-saw, only you're pushing up on one side...just a thought and a theory.I installed the hotchkis TVS...the whole kit,front ,rear springs,sway bars etc and my cars stance and handling are absolutely awesome.I did notice a small drop after I reainstalled my gas tank and you didnt mention if the car had that or interior,spare tire, jack etc all of which will have some effect.If it helps this is what my car has in terms of measurements: Front: 225/60/15 tires on 15 " ralleys is 26" off the ground and 14.5" from center wheel to fender lip. Rear:235/60/15 tires on 15 " ralleys is 28" off the ground and 16" from center wheel to 1/4 panel fender lip. Hope this helps..

That does help. I have the full TVS kit too. The car still needs to have the gas tank and full interior installed. Hopefully the added weight will settle the springs. Thank you.

Even with out the fuel tank and interior, it sounds like it's still sitting too high. Here's a pic of mine with the hotchkis springs, 255-60/15 BFG's with no fuel tank or interior installed.
http://inlinethumb49.webshots.com/34096/2591777010064162442S425x425Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2591777010064162442PxtkID)

Thanks for the pic, your car sits exactly like mine....it just seems so high. I really wanted a narrow "window" between the top of the tire and and the fender lip. Maybe I should go with a four link rear.

I installed the hotchkis TVS...the whole kit,front ,rear springs,sway bars etc and my cars stance and handling are absolutely awesome...
I'm seriously considering the TVS, could you post some pic's of your car's stance?

I'm seriously considering the TVS, could you post some pic's of your car's stance?

You can view several by checking out the sticky thread in wheels forum. Most people listed stats that gave their car the stance it has, as well as what product(s) helped achieve is.

I too switched my old mono's out with Hotchkis...now I am wondering if I should have used the DSE 3" drops, seems like my old springs were sagging 2" or more and the new ones raised the rear of the car...not what I was looking to do. I do a lot of things on this car more than once!!!

I have the same issue and even had Hotchkis send me a second set which still didnt change the height. I am going to have them dearched.

After doing a search on this issue, some people have reported that the springs take sometime to settle into their proper stance. It also seems like this mostly happens with 67's and 68's. All the 69 cars look perfect.

I'm seriously considering the TVS, could you post some pic's of your car's stance?
I have not learned how to post pics yet...just havent had the time.BUT something i forgat to mention on my install but i remember now because someone said in a later post about settling. I finished my car ate one evening and let it back down on the wheels with the suspension still loose or not torqued,the next morning the car appeared to have settled some over night. At that point i rolled the car back and forth about 30 ft each way 2 or 3 times...I think JimM had suggested this to someone else on a post where they had a height problem on a lowered car and i just did it because it sounded like a good idea anyway my car sits really good and has that low over the front...and back tire

I'm seriously considering the TVS, could you post some pic's of your car's stance?
I have not learned how to post pics yet...just havent had the time.BUT something I forgot to mention on my install but I remember now because someone said in a later post about settling. I finished my car late one evening and let it back down on the wheels with the suspension still loose or not torqued,the next morning the car appeared to have settled some over night. At that point I rolled the car back and forth about 30 ft each way 2 or 3 times...I think JimM had suggested this to someone else on a post where they had a height problem on a lowered car and I just did it because it sounded like a good idea anyway my car sits really good and has that low over the front...and back tire

my car sits really good and has that low over the front...and back tire
If you get a chance could you measure the distance from the center of the wheel up to the edge of the wheel opening? I'd like to compare it to some of the other measurements I've seen posted.
Thanks

You didnt mention whether you did the full Hotchkis swap...fronts as well or are you still stock.I'm gonna do some offsite mental engineering and say that if the front springs are old,and the spring rate is not what it use to be that the new springs on the rear are causing the nose to be lower...think of a see-saw, only you're pushing up on one side...just a thought and a theory.I installed the hotchkis TVS...the whole kit,front ,rear springs,sway bars etc and my cars stance and handling are absolutely awesome.I did notice a small drop after I reainstalled my gas tank and you didnt mention if the car had that or interior,spare tire, jack etc all of which will have some effect.If it helps this is what my car has in terms of measurements: Front: 225/60/15 tires on 15 " ralleys is 26" off the ground and 14.5" from center wheel to fender lip. Rear:235/60/15 tires on 15 " ralleys is 28" off the ground and 16" from center wheel to 1/4 panel fender lip. Hope this helps..

Its in this 1st post I did...hope it helps

Its in this 1st post I did...hope it helps
My reading skills aren't what they used to be...Thanks.

Did you use the Hotchkis shackles?
They are reported to be a different length than the stock ones.
David

I used the Hotchkis shackles....I never thought about measuring the lengths on the shackles. Thanks a bunch I think you might have nailed it. Only negative might be the Hotchkis shackles seem much more beefy.

I did the Hotchkis TVS kit, shocks and all ,mine sit higher than I like ,I was hopping it would settle, but hasn't, with my 28in dia g Force drag radials ,it doesn't look bad ,but when I put my g force 26 dia street rubber on, the opening is big, just half to wait and see next summer ,if I don't like may take a leaf out, Merry Christmas and Happy motoring

I took the rubber isolators out and added a 1" drop block and my car's stance with hotchkis is perfect

On our second gen Camaro with Hotchkis leafs, I had to shim the housing to get the pinion angle back to spec. I had to add two 4 degree shims on each side. This lowered the car by around 1/2". If you have any vibration problems, check your pinion angle.
David

On our second gen Camaro with Hotchkis leafs, I had to shim the housing to get the pinion angle back to spec. I had to add two 4 degree shims on each side. This lowered the car by around 1/2". If you have any vibration problems, check your pinion angle.
David

I didn't put an inclinometer on the rear ,but I only got her up to 55 a couple times,local and smooth as silk, I suppose I should check,so my u joints last,thanks David, Merry Christmas ,P.S. Is spec. in your site ??