Driving my car last year with the new 3-leaf springs, shocks, and poly bushings, I noticed the rear was quite stiff. Not much give at all. At the track, I got horrible traction, and it seemed to be poor weight transfer and/or rear suspension bind.

When I took out my axle housing, I noticed the shackles were so tight I couldn't move them by hand. I remember seeing on here a torque spec for these things, and I followed that (some 40-50lbs-ft). Well, it squishes the shackle plates so tight against the poly bushings that I can't move them at all. I actually had to smack them out of the way with a hammer so I could get a wrench up there to loosen them up.

Is everybody else's the same way? How loose can I make them and still have safe street manners?

I think stock ones run self-locking nuts and are basically snugged up tight, but yet can easily move properly.

pdq67

On my del-a-lums, you tighten until the nut makes contact and go another quarter turn. I know you have poly's but this may help. Or call the mfr.

I emailed Energy Suspension and we'll see what they say, and I'll post an update. If anybody else has ideas, please chime in!

I am in the process of installing my new 3 leafs with poly bushings. Mine are from Hotchkis and i had the same question on how tight to tighten the shackles. I emailed hotchkis and asked them for some torque specs. Here was there response,

"We really do not have any torque specs. Good and tight. Drive on them about 5 miles than retighten."

I am curious to hear what Energy Suspension has to say, keep us posted.

Here's what Energy Suspension said:
"You are doing the right thing. They should be torqued to factory specs but
you should tighten them with the car on the ground. This should take care
of your binding prob. Also lube them very well. This should also help"

I don't think he actually read my question. I did tighten them on the ground, and I did use lots of their lubricant. With the stock torque specs, it just seems way too tight.