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Shock plate location

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PH2024

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hey everyone. New to the site and hope you all can help me. I recently bought a 69 camaro and it had hotchkis lowering springs on the back. I hate the lowered look. While I was at it I replaced the rear gears with 3.73 and put on 5 leaf OEM springs. Just finished install and now I realized that my shocks are about 3 inches too short. Even the OEM ones I bought are too short. They measure 22 inches. I have multileaf shock plates and I am pretty sure they are on correctly. Is it because the rear is still on jack stands? Is it best to measure with the wheels on the ground? Ill post 2 pics of the plates. Let me know what the best way is to get this right. Thank you! 1st pic is passenger side looking towards the front. 2nd pic is drivers side looking towards the rear
Image

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#2 ·
If you’re shock eyes and mountings are new….I would get it bolted, torqued on the ground.
It will take some “ exercise “ to settle in so to speak
Then you can see if you’re close to the mid point of shock travel. They shouldn’t be at the end point of their full extended or fully compressed travel limits.

I hope that makes sense.
 
#5 ·
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PH2024 said:
Thats a greqt diagram thank you. So now I know I have them on correctly. So you are saying to torque the u bolts and plates down only when the car is on the ground, is that right?
Click to expand...
The point is that the assembly will nest as it’s loaded. It needs to be tight enough to hold its place on the pins of the springs, then you can load it and torque the plates.
it’s common to see them deformed from over tightening the shock plate so be aware of that.
Notice the flag note on the diagram sent to you by 1969RSCamaro
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Yea the multi leaf plates are pretty thick so not too worried about bending them. So loosen both upper and lower rear shackle bolts? I have the upper rubber pads installed and the lower rubber pads installed with the leaf springs. There is a gap between the mount plate and perch about 1/3 - 1/2 inch. With no bottom rubber pad the plate mounts up flush to the perch. Should I just leave the lower pads out?
 
#8 ·
PH2024 said:
Thats a greqt diagram thank you. So now I know I have them on correctly. So you are saying to torque the u bolts and plates down only when the car is on the ground, is that right?
Click to expand...
You can torque the shock plates with the car up the only ones you need to leave loose is the rear shackles upper and lower bolts until you are on the ground.
My stock shock plates bow too even at minimum torque 35lbs. I’m going to replace them with DSE plates . I’m still thinking on leaving the rubber cushions in not sure yet.
My shocks are stock AC Delco I jack the differential up to install them on the mount plates.
I’m getting parts together to install 1” lowering lowering blocks because my ride height is to high in the back.
 
#9 ·
#11 ·
“With no bottom rubber pad the plate mounts up flush to the perch. Should I just leave the lower pads out?”

I wouldn’t….I would replace all the isolators to get the intended capture, but that’s just me.
there may be an alternative solution that I’m not familiar with.
 
#12 ·
The goal is to apply the proper torque to the entire spring stack regardless of pads, isolators or nothing other than the spring. The perch does not need to contact the shock plate, thats how shock plates get bent when some believe they need to touch. I prefer they don't touch. That way I know when I torque the U-bolts and I reach the required torque the spring stack is compressed between the perch and shock plate and, if done right using retention pin, not going anywhere.

If you simply tighten until the shock plate and perch touch and hit the proper torque value you have no idea how much if any torque was applied to the spring stack.

Also I left my rear shocks out, put the car on the ground, leaf spring shackle bolts loose, then I could really bounce the car assuring everything was fully nested before tightening the leaf spring eye bolts/shackles. Then put the shocks back in and checked the travel.
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
Did you have such a large gap between the shocks and the mounting position in the trunk before you put the car on the ground? I have my car jacked on the rear subframe near the leaf spring front mount and there is approx 3-4 inch gap between the tip of the shock and the hole in the trunk where it mounts.
 
#14 · (Edited)
BTW all those AIM pics show mono leaf setups. If you are supporting the car on the frame, the axle hangs a lot lower than at ride height. Once you have torqued your shock plates, support the car on the axle and measure to estimate where the shock length will be near the mid point of the shock's travel.
 
#15 ·
PH2024 said:
Did you have such a large gap between the shocks and the mounting position in the trunk before you put the car on the ground? I have my car jacked on the rear subframe near the leaf spring front mount and there is approx 3-4 inch gap between the tip of the shock and the hole in the trunk where it mounts.
Click to expand...
When lowering your axle without shocks attached be careful not to over extend the brake hose.
 
#16 ·
PH2024 said:
Yea the multi leaf plates are pretty thick so not too worried about bending them. So loosen both upper and lower rear shackle bolts? I have the upper rubber pads installed and the lower rubber pads installed with the leaf springs. There is a gap between the mount plate and perch about 1/3 - 1/2 inch. With no bottom rubber pad the plate mounts up flush to the perch. Should I just leave the lower pads out?
Click to expand...
The pads are made for a reason, so no....do not leave them out.
 
#18 ·
Fairfax makes a good point. I use the pads. Some don't but maybe they are racing? I don't see any benefit to not using the pads.
 
Discussion starter · #20 ·
Ok so I got it all together. I used the rubber pads on bith sides and it snugged up pretty good with maybe a 1/4 space between the the perch and the shock plate. Stance looks wayyyyy better, at least to me. Checking the shocks with the car on the ground shows that the top spindle of the shock protrudes about 1/2 through the mount hole in the trunk so Im think maybe 2 inch extenders? I wish they made shocks 2 inches longer than stock for these cars but I had no luck finding any. Next step is 2 find front springs and get those lowering springs out of there. My car is 502 bb, no air, th 400, power brakes and power steering. Ive researches front springs and people seem to be all over the place with what they needed. Seems like trial and error but this stuff isnt free and Id like to do it only once if possible. Any recommendations? And a big thank you to all who have helped so far. My car also has the common 1/2-3/4 inch driver side lean or tilt that drives me nuts but something I may just have to live with I guess.
 
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