Technical 53 Cadillac rear suspension issue. But why?!

Hey gang. I installed 3” lowering blocks. And when i did…i made absolutely sure I did not touch anything else. I was super careful. Took the car for a test drive and the rear just hops now when i hit a tiny bump. I got out and pushed up and down on the rear bumper with all my weight (200lbs). It does not budge. Any ideas on why?
MANY THANKS!

 

Is it sitting on the bump stops or at the end of the travel on the shocks? Does it move if you lift it up by hand on the bumper?

 

Not sitting on bump stops. The shocks are definitely not the issue either. I tried removing the shocks and it’s exactly the same: its kinda like the leaf packs are suddenly SUPER stiff.

 

Im not familiar with Caddys, is there a snubber on the front of the diff housing?

 

Both sides look exactly like this.

 

I'm with Moriarty on this. And Oneball, too- lol.

The shocks shouldn't be affected at all since the relationship between leaf and upper shock mount hasn't changed.

If it's got a pinion snubber on the front of the diff, like a mopar, then it would be riding on the bump stop, basically.
If the shackles flipped on the end of the leaf so they're facing the wrong way, that would be causing leaf buckle at each bump. Post pics of both areas.

Really sharp looking car, bud!

-rick

 

Yup your second and third pics show your leaf shackles all the way forward, it should be pointed to the rear bumper down about a 45ish degree angle.

You have no leaf travel at the moment, except for if they buckle a bit on bumps.

You may be able to flip them without dis***embly, but possibly not. Be safe!

-rick

 

Well done @69fury and @Moriarity

 

Guys…..thank you! And i friggin swear the car got a little higher after installing the 3” lowering blocks. This is probably why. What are the steps I should take to fix this you think?

 

I am wildly grateful. Man I love the HAMB. I literally have 6 hand tools from the hardware store and my angle grinder. I was able to buy my holy grail car for $9k. I wired it up, ***embled all the trim & bumpers and got it running. Runs great actually. She still has zero interior though. But it’s my dream car, my daily driver, my only car. I’m the full time caretaker for both dying parents so I can’t work. I have virtually no income. So I’m getting this car going on a true shoestring budget. This thing brings me so much joy. And to have the support of you amazing *******s here on HAMB …it allows me to keep the progress going. Super grateful. Thanks again.
TED

 

Such a great ride Ted and for the price of a 90s Caprice with the advantage that you can fix anything with a Birmingham screwdriver*

*this side of the pond thats a nickname for a hammer.

 

Nice Cad !!

 

MAJOR UPDATE!
I jacked up the car …and with just a screwdriver i was able to move the shackle to about 45 degrees. Lowered the car back down.
And boom.
The car is MUCH lower. Exactly where i want it.
And the suspension is ****er soft again.
Now I’m going to cut the front coils.
1.5 coils = ~3”.
I did this on my 55 Cadillac and it worked perfectly. Handled just fine.
Thank you fellas.

 

Are you aware of the scrub line? NSRA will not safety p*** a car that has something hanging down to low. Imagine your car without tires. Set it back down on the ground. If anything hits before the rims, that's scrub line. Your shock mounts appear too low. Personally not a big deal. If you have a flat tire that shock mount will make some sparks. You'll probably not loose control. If it happened on the front you could loose your steering. Just something to think about doing 70 down the road. Glad the shackle thing worked out easy.

 

I reckon if you were to remove and flip those existing mounting plates (L-R as well) ,that would bring the lower shock mounting point higher.

 

Yessss! I was thinking that same thing.

 

When I've cut coils in the past, I cut 1/2 to 1 loop at a time, (depends on spring ends), re-install and drive it for a bit to see how it sits and rides. Takes some time, but it's better than taking too much off.

 

What is aal the debris between the spring pad and the lowering block?

It looks like cardboard, if (when) that stuff comes loose your shackle bolts are doing to be loose too!

 

Remember to LOOSELY bolt the front end together after making cuts on the coils. If you tighten everything up at full droop, it will sit higher than your true intent. the rubber may settle back down under the weight of a big car driving, but all the bushings will be pretwisted and strained.

I'd say cut half of what you want and bolt it loosely and bounce it or even better, drive to end of block to get the front end to settle out (tires get knock kneed inwards at full droop-takes maybe a couple car lengths to set back out to full width). If after the short safe test idle the car sits right, crawl under and tighten. Not low enough, cut another half coil...

You may also want to verify your leaf springs out back are loosened up and jounced several times, then retighten.

No one wants to set it where they like, then have it move after a bit of driving.

-rick

 

Thank you. Can i ask…you say to only loosely bolt the front end back together,….this includes the sway bar bushing, the lower shock mount and the lower/outer a-arm attachment? Those 3 things correct? So you’re saying to finger tighten, lower the car back on the ground, then wrench tight. Yes?

 

Anything pivoting point. Some things will have to be tighter than others to hold in the right place for alignments etc. but yes just give it a snug so it can handle driving a few houses down at most.

Tap the brakes to get the nose to dive, then do it in reverse to get the rear to dance and settle.

The rear is just the pivot points, but the front also includes the tires from being tucked in during droop from the jack stands. That only takes a car length or so of rolling to be sorted.

The bushings will take some actual bounce action to settle into their new spot.

Nothing to sweat over- just dont go reefing on your bolts while everything's drooped. You want them tightened while at the new ride height.

I knew a guy that cut a full coil off the springs of his OT car and had it all tight tight. Looked higher than when he started, took another full coil off and then another half. When all was said and done he needed new coils.

-rick

 

….i think i smell what youre cookin’.

 

It looks to me like something that was used on both sides of the leaf spring, originally, probably for NVH control. And should still be on both sides of the spring, not between the block and the spring perch.

 

That is factory material, it’s actually super stiff. Yes it looks like soft cardboard or something but its some kind of hard rubber or something like that.

 

The top of the leaf spring has the round nub sticking up that perfectly fits into the hole in the bottom of the aluminum block and locks it in place. That material that is like a hard rubber, presumably from the factory, if i put that between the leaf and the block….then that pin wouldn’t lock into place the block. I’m not saying you are wrong. I am just saying something i noticed when i ***embled it. And remember I’m a novice mechanic with a slippery grip on common sense.

 

If it's too thick to go between the spring and the block, then you should just leave it out completely.