Anyone running lowering blocks with a Nova style perch?

Got my CE rear kit installed and sits way too high for my liking. Running a 74 Nova rear and only option is to throw in some blocks. The springs already are 3" down from stock. I am a little nervous about the way a Nova rear uses the rubber pads, anyone running blocks with this setup?

 

Anyone?

 

This is what I mean with the rubber on top of the block. Does this setup look safe?

 

Thats whats in my 36. I didn't know what it came from. Mine had rubber pads on the top and bottom of the 3" lowering blocks but not below the leaf pack.
Is that wooden lowering blocks?
I am reversing my main leaf and then the same 3" lowering blocks with no rubber at all. Several people who I trust told me no rubber.

I don't see how your setup wouldn't be safe. I ran mine and it rode and drove great.
It will be interesting to see what others say.

 

Just to be clear this is not my setup with a wooden block or whatever it is. I got this off Googlei images just to show what I am talking about.

 

I can see which diection this is going to go...I guess I should have picked a better picture

 

I don't see any problems with that setup. other than the wood lowering block.

 

I agree, I would leave out the rubber. I assume you have registers on the lowering block to keep the axle housing located on the spring. I haven't used a monoleaf spring, but the multi leaf springs from my CE kits always "settle" some. You may want to wait for the suspension to settle before installing the lowering blocks.

 

How much "settle" did you get. Mine is higher than when I bought it totally stock. I was gonna go with 3 and see where it ends up.

 

About leaving the rubber out the hole on the rear end is bigger to fit the locater surrounded by rubber into. May work though.

 

So I got a good deal on some 3" cast iron blocks. They are angled a little on top, thats fine, I don't mind. Problem is the way the Nova perch is the bottom plate has to pull up square to keep everything aligned. Would you guys be afraid to drill the perch holes a size or two bigger to let the u bolts come through the perch square? They are completely through the perch and around the axle so I don't see what it could hurt, just curious if its the right thing to do or not.

 

ran aluminum lowering blocks on a nova. no issues, drove the car hard. remove the rubber.
also drilled the hole in lower plate larger to run "aftermarket" u bolts that were larger diameter. No issues.
If you cant find u bolts, find a heavy truck suspension shop in your area, this is standard stuff for them.
If you find a heavy truck suspension shop, ask them if they can dearch your leafs, the one Ive dealt with will usually give you 1 redo for free to creep up on the height. Drive your car there if you can, everyone likes cool cars, more interesting than a big truck.

 

I was going to use the rubber. Some say leave it and some say remove it. The rubber is brand new energy suspenion poly.

 

There was a thread where the Cat's rear shackles flipped down, basiclly zeroing out what he tried to accomplish with the blocks. I didn't see where you mentioned that. Worth looking at.......

07Bobber

 

Saw a write up on a different thread from rod and custom on this swap. They say it will settle I think a inch after driving for a while. Tried to find the thread but couldn't. Keep that in mind when picking the size of you blocks.

Post some pics of this swap and the kit you used, thinking of going this route.

 

This kit is nice. I can get you the specs if you want them PM me. But $500 is a chunk of money too. I went with 3" blocks and after settle will be down. As long as it sits like my old springs you have I will be happy. I'll try to get you some pics of my setup.

 

I threw away the rubber blocks and used blocks- worked like a charm- on a 1939 Ford-

 

I say the rubber is fine to keep. Just do the obvious and make sure you tighten all of the nuts in a manner that insures your pressure is evenly applied to the rubber and block and not squeezing it in any particular direction. I ran this setup on my Nova about 15 years ago and it accomplished exactly what I hoped for. In addition, I had fairly wide tires in the back so I also ran air shocks so that if I piled a bunch of buddies in the car I could swing by the gas station and ad a shot of air to avoid any bottom out of the tires to the inside of the fender. Best of luck!

 

I used home made steel blocks, no rubber. Sized the pin on the block to match the plate on axle.
Rubber is part of the OEM set-up and engineered to fit stock spring in conjunction with the stock lower clamp plate, not the multi-leaf C.E. spring and lower clamp plate.

 

How can I add aftermarket blocks without rubber and deal with the bigger perch hole in the housing? I have a set of nice cast blocks, just need to get them in. I will use the rubber if its safe to do but dont care if its there or not.

 

Check to see if you're shackles flipped. Pretty common deal.

 

I want to ditch the rubber, how are you guys staying centered up on the rearend with a larger hole after the rubber is gone?

 

Make a bushing for the hole; ID to fit spring center bolt, OD to fit axle mount, then weld it to the axle mount or braze to your cast iron block.

 

I have the C.E. multi-leaf suspension in my wagon, I up graded to larger U bolts, witch I reamed the mount holes larger for them to pass thru, & have 3'' blocks also. It settled down another 1'' sits nice &low now check your shackles as said eariler

 

CE instructions suck. Get a copy of street Rodders Chassis & Suspension handbook ,that wiil show how they installed Nova rear with CE kit.Shackles hang straight down. CE recomends 1 1/2" blocks max. Nova U bolts are 3/8 or 7/16,drill to 1/2" and buy after market bolts. I used rubber. top of block and bottom of spring.Some say toss and some say use.What is the reason to discard? I never found out the reason why to not use them. I put a nova rear with CE leaf springs in 47 ford with 1 1/2" blocks,if you want a pic Ill post. Good luck.

 

The rubber pads are made fit the dimensions of the stock spring and capture it in the specifically sized space between the saddle on the rear axle and the OEM lower plate. This was was done as part of the original suspension engineering.

When you install the C.E. springs and mount plate you no longer have two parts of the system, and you are just compressing the rubber as much as you tighten the u-bolts. I do not think you can get the proper torque on the U-bolts against the rubber.

I sure there may be an exception; but every other leaf spring set-up that I have come across on car and both light and heavy trucks has always been metal to metal.

So, in my opinion, it just seems like common sense to leave the rubbers out.

 

I hate the idea of the rubber. Post your pics, im curious how it looks.