I'm running some pretty close tolerances between my banjo center and rear crossmember so I need to know how much travel you are getting and what your basic setup is. I prefer real numbers from actual road miles if you can tell me. Maybe by measuring the "clean" part of the shock and giving me some numbers and angles to work with? Pictures if you've got 'em. Thanks. Here's my setup: Model A, eleven inch kick, flat crossmember with a suicide mount, 48 Ford rear with the stock spring in the stock location (spring behind). This puts the center right under the cross member so I've got about 4 inches to work with. It WILL bottom out sometimes I'm sure. My guess is that the standard response of "about four inches" for suspention travel on a hot rod is a little much.
My roadster has less than that, and has gone well over 100K miles. On my car, the point of interference is the frame above the axle. There is about 2 1/2 inches of suspension compression before contact.
Model A truck 8" Z in frame Ford 8", Coil overs, triangulated 4 link 2 1/2" up and 2" down 2 1/2" from the top of the axle to the bump stop. I hit the bump stops only on big bumps Most of the suspension is the 225/75/15 White Wall Radials, these marshmallows help make a cushy ride. 20k miles of comfortable driving last year TZ
I only have about an inch and a quarter between the axle housings and bump stops on my roadster, running the bottom five leaves of an A spring and it never bottoms out.
Hell yeah - thanks. I've got plenty of room then. Keep posting measurements if you want or anyone else feel free to hijack this post for your own needs - there's enough info in the first two responses to make me happy. Here's a question that could take it in a different direction. What do you use for bump stops and how do you fix it to the frame or axle? I've got an idea but maybe you have a better one?
Right at 2 1/2" on my 32 before it bottoms out on the rubber pads. I'd say snubbers, but pad is the right word here. Said pads being Drake re-pro's of the 32 rear axle bump stop. They bolt to the frame with a couple of bolts going up into the bottom of the frame rail. A threaded bung would be nice here, but with my bobbed in the rear boxed frame you can get in there with a wrench for backup. The pads are about 1/4" thick. The 31 is running Energy Suspension rear snubbers. Polyurethane and conical in shape. What's nice about these is they are height adjustable - for a small amount anyway, the stud length is what limits you. On the 31 the snubbers sit inside the frame on a gussetted bracket and point down. Height adjustment done by shims if necessary, but as is looks like it will work ok. The 32's ride is also helped by the 285/70R-15 BF Goodrich passenger car radials in the back. Bout 30" tall with 8" tread width fwiw. I run 20# pressure in these tires (30# in front, 295/70R-14's). You don't want to run the full max rated 35# on these back tires, it would make them way too hard for the weight that's on them - 1000# for both - as well as the tread would not make full contact with the road surface and in fact would be overinflated for the weight involved. It's all about weight and heat where tires are concerned. Once your car is up and running, tinkering with the inflation pressures will get you where you want to go. Anyhoo, the 32 rides pretty good and when it does bottom out the cushy rear tires help a lot. Not to mention the deep foam seats....
I am using cone snubbers mounted inside the frame on gusseted bracket. Actually a piece of square tube cut diagonally made brackets for both sides. I searched all over looking for cheap snubbers and finally stopped in at the local 4X4 shop, low and behold $15 for the pair. Next time I see a set of $5 traction bars at the swap I am getting them for the snubbers. TZ
I get my snubbers from Autozone, but just about any parts house that has a HELP section should have them. The ones I use for rear suspensions are cone shaped and are about 2.5 in tall. They say Chrysler on the package. they go for about $3 a piece.
Grim, If you have 4" you are fine just use the 1/4" flat bumpers so you don't use up any travel with them--TV
i have less than 2" down, and use the base of the lever shock as the bumpstop tp p.s. got your part done finally!
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