I've got my 68 up on stands at the moment trying to figure out why my pass side of the axle is 2 inches forward.... Found out why, but now I need to know how to fix. The pin is a makeshift unit, and when they put the unit back together the only pad they used, looks like it is a top pad with a hole in the center used on the bottom, and NO pad on the top... Not enough shim to keep the pin in the hole... I hate it when this happens...

How important is it to have a pad on the bottom? Could I put it back together and drive it until the pad set arrives, or should I leave'r hangin?

Thanks again and in advance...

If you have stock mono's on your car, they are only located on the bottom by two little "nub's" on the bottoms, one on each spring!!

There is no hole in your rearend housings welded on spring mounts so if by chance you want to go multi's, you will either have to get under your car and drill holes for the through bolts hex heads or use long threaded carriage bolts that have the square under the heads ground off then beat into position so that the head is about as flush as you can make it and then locate off the bottom nut like stock mono's..

Been there, done that!!

For a short while, I would just take all the rubber out and put her together until your new pads show up and you should be fine.. Just don't get ta playing the "Dukes of Hazard" thing!!! Imho..

pdq67

LMAO!!! Aaaahhhhh... Many thanks! This will make it easier! btw, it's gonna be awhile, but I'm looking for a sale at vettebrakes.com for new springs... I like their 3 leaf alternatives...

Thanks again,
Aaron

Aron,

Didn't mean to be funny, but still glad you gotta laugh!!

Please check out JCWhitney's '68 Nova 3-leaf mono replacements if you are in the market for them. AND to me they are good price vs value!!

I have them on my car and they fit fine, however I AM going to add the second and third leaf's from my worn out '68 Firebird multi's so they better match my spring # 5536, about 500 or so pound front colis..

pdq67

Oooooh!! Almost forgot, ditch the little bitty "T" bolts if you are still running them and buy a set of good 1/2" "U"-bolts for SAFETY!!!!!

Or at the least one "U"-bolt per side.....

pdq67

Your Dukes of hazzard comment is what made me laugh... On my ride home I always see tire marks where people have been whippin cookies or candycanes... While I don't usual drive like that, but I do find it entertaining...

Already got the U-bolts! They came installed with a crappy pair of traction bars.

Hey pdq67, what else is needed to bolt in those JCW Nova 3 leafs? Do they come with pads or bushings? My 68 monoleafs are shot so I guess it's time to go multi.

PDQ,

With those springs what is the dimension from the center of the rim to the fender lip, please.

Jeff,

They come with stock rubber bushings pressed in them.

I told JCW to ship me the needed poly bushings b/c you need mono bushings for the three leaf mono replacements, not multi bushings!!

I then burnt them out with my trusty propane torch and installed the poly stuff.

As for pads, I went poly and used a box knife to cut the lips off each side. AND BE CAREFULL B/C YOU CAN CUT H-LL OUTTA YOUESELF!!!!!

C,

I will lower my car down off the front jack stands tomorrow and then take my rearend off my floor jack so it will sit as close to right as it can w/o my motor in it and measure it and post back..

I had it up at the rear to help Chicane out with a shackle measurement..

pdq67

Appreciate it. I am curious to how it will compare height wise with the VB springs.

CFunk,

About 14" from center of the wheel to the underside of the center of the fender lip chrome.

I left it up b/c it's compressed just like it would be if it was on the ground.

pdq67

That's really interesting. The VB springs I have installed are about 2.5" higher then the JC Whitney springs.

Do you have a JC Whitney PN? Is the locating pin on the bottom and not at the top like the Hotchkis springs?

I think I bought PN 94ZS2669X b/c It's been a while ago.

I have the receipt stuffed away somewhere??

I also bought the Prothane mono spring bushings..

pdq67

PDQ- Hey Cfunk asked a good question... Is the locating pin on top or bottom?

Thanks! I may be interested in these springs...

Both, b/c it's a through bolt..

I took mine apart and had the extra second and third leaves from my worn out stock, '68 Firebird multi springs in them and chickened out and pulled them out so am now going to put them back.. That way they will better match my about 500 pound coils..

I am using carriage bolts by grinding the squares off that's under the heads, then put them together with the help of a long thin screwdriver as a guide-pin and a medium sized C-clamp and tightened the bolt down like a clamp and cut off the excess and then pein the heads as flat as I could get it even though I have drilled my rearend housings spring mounts for the bolt heads. That way I didn't have to mess with cutting a hole in the new poly pads, that's all.

And I ditched the little steel rings that fit in the bottom pads b/c the nuts weren't the right size to seat in them AND I was too lazy to file fit..

I have to say that I am really torn with my car's ride height thing b/c I have had my car set up "old-school" so long that I just hope it does't look funny to me, what with my rear tires tucked in and my lower rearend height..

pdq67

Well, I ordered the JCW 3 leaf mono replacements and they're here. They have a countersunk bolt that goes through from the top so it's flush on top and the bolt comes through the bottom where there is a nut holding them together. It looks like the extended part of the bolt and nut will go right through the centering hole in the bottom spring plate. It looks like the best thing to do is run the springs with none of the flat rubber mounting pads. It looks like a pretty sweet, inexpensive replacement for the stock monoleaf springs.

After installing the new springs, remove the trunk stuff, spare tire, jack, etc., and measure from the axle hub center up to the fender flange, the very bottom first rolled edge, or to the lower corner of the rear windshield. Let me know the gasoline level in the tank.

Thanks, I've been thinking of buying their, JCW, springs. But, Eaton Spring is an excellent choice, as are the rest. Too damn many choices!!

I'm not sure when I'll be getting around to doing the springs, my water pump is off and I need to swap out the optispark distributor on the LT1 and that's my first plan of action. I got the springs from JCW with one of their 10% off coupons as well so they were around $135 delivered I think. Don't forget, JCW sells a lot of name brand stuff, they just don't advertise it with the name. I wouldn't be surprised if these springs aren't one of the major spring builders like Eaton.

Mine came in a box marked something like S&R Spring from out east.. Something like that??

pdq67

Yours were in a box? :confused: Mine were 2 springs with my address taped onto them. I'm sure my mail lady was thrilled to carry them up my driveway and leave them at the front door. :D