So I installed the aerostar springs this weekend and car looks awesome with them in. But when I went to install the 2 inch lowering blocks I got from Speedway Motors I discovered the ****** on the leaf springs was much bigger than the ******/hole on the lowering blocks. ****** on leaf springs is almost 1 inch. Any suggestions?
Have the blocks machined to fit the spring pins. You'll need to measure the diameter and height of the pins for the machinist. A tight snap-in fit is what you want.
Just need to make the hole in the lowering blocks bigger. I used a stepped drill bit to open mine up enough. The blocks are aluminum right? Shouldn't take long to get them to fit. Just get a drill bit about the size of the ****** on the leaf spring and open up the hole to the right size. I mean I guess if you wanted to take it down to a shop to have a guy with a drill press do it for you you could but it's nothing you can't do yourself with a drill and the right sized bit
I have two concerns will drilling out the blocks. After I drill the opening out, I will be left with barely any metal left. Second while I can make an opening to fit over the ****** on the leaf spring, the ****** on the lowering block is much smaller than opening in axel mounting bracket. Worried that since there will be play there, even with the u-bolts firmly secured, this could still allow axel to move (e.g. good pot hole, RR tracks) and not be straight. Am I worrying over nothing?
No, you're not worrying over nothing. When I got my 55 Merc I had the same issues you describe. I machined the alignment pin holes to fit the pins on the springs. Then I did a little creative shimming with some thin wall AL tubing to make the pins on the blocks fit in the holes in the axle mounts. Without doing this the axle will squirm around no matter how tight you get the u-bolts, and the blocks can actually pop out.
the blocks go on top of the spring , then the top plate with the rubber "anti-squeak" and then the axle, RIGHT? anebody got a pick?
The "******" on the block would fit in the female side of a rubber isolator pad, which has a larger "******" on the reverse side that fits into the larger hole on the plates. You should have two per side, along with a thin metal retaining plate. Below is a link to a recent thread with a good image showing how it all goes together... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/lowering-blocks.949333/#post-10678141 The blocks go in between the top of the spring and the top rubber isolator pad. You can get both the rubber pads (link) and the plates (link) from Macs for not too terrible of a price. Although if you didn't want to use the pads you could probably find some Delrin bushings that would act as spacers.
Ok, got that figured out, all I need is to figure out a "spacer for block to top of spring - ie; hole in block to big...right size pipe o.d. & i.d. cutoff 1/2" to make a "collar" should do it
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