Author Topic: Rear Leaf Spring Ride Height, Help Me Out  (Read 7297 times)

69OlympicGoldSS

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Rear Leaf Spring Ride Height, Help Me Out
« on: November 21, 2006, 12:25:21 AM »
1969 Camaro owners I need your help.

I am in the market for a set of new leaf springs for my '69 SS Camaro. I like the 70's Big-n-Littles rake look and will be buying a set of 15 inch TTO's and new tires. Rear will be the metrified equivalent L-60-15 , front E-70-15.

Here is where I need your help. I need to determine how much extra arch I need before I order my rear leaf springs. (I don't want to run air shocks.) So if you have a '69 Camaro with newer leaf springs could you measure the distance from the axle c/l to the top of the wheel well opening? I am hoping to get a consensus of what a stock spring ride height will be so I can adjust accordingly. Based on what I have gathered here on the Team Camaro website I am thinking 1-1/2" extra arch will be good.

My Camaro's current 37 year old springs are sagging so I can't get a point of reference without some help. The reverse rake look with 14" white wall ralleye's just ain't cuttin' it.

Any help would be sincerely appreciated.
See the USA, in your Chevrolet.

hotrod68

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Ride Height, Help Me Out
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2006, 05:45:21 AM »
I can't speak for the springs, Gold, but I can tell you it'll be hard to stuff an L-60-15 inside the stock wheelwells without having them rub! I went thru this on my '68 and found it's all in the backspacing of the wheels to get the tires to fit. I got a set of 11.5x28 Hoosiers under my car, which are about the same height and a little wider than an L-60, but I had to order 8" Weld Pro Stars with 5-1/2" backspacing, and it's still a dang close thing. The things to look for are clearance on the outer wheelwell lip and spring and shock mount clearance on the inside. The extra arch you're talking about would certainly help, but with a tire that tall you might wind up with '69 that looks like a Funny Car! I'm using stock monoleaf springs in the rear with no problems, although I have Comp Engineering traction bars that keep the car from squatting and actually make the rearend rise under acceleration. The car has 15x5 Pro Stars in the front with the equivalent of E70-15 tires, and the car has a nice forward rake. But that's just my car, and they're all different. Hope this helps you in some way and good luck!
HotRod'68  1968 SS350 coupe undergoing frame-off resto/rod. 386/350/4.11s
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69OlympicGoldSS

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Ride Height, Help Me Out
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2006, 02:36:04 AM »
Hot Rod, thanks for your input.  I will also be installing a set of Competion Engineering traction bars.  They allow relocating the shock to the inside of the spring. I have used these on second generation Nova's and they are a quality product. From what I understand and have seen the '69 rear quarters allow for a wider tire than the 67 / 68 design.

The plan at this point is to buy a set of eaton springs with about an inch of extra arch & the CE traction bars.... then buy a set of 275-60 R15 tires.... set them centered in the wheel well and determine the required back spacing.

Gotta have a plan, right?
See the USA, in your Chevrolet.

hotrod68

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Ride Height, Help Me Out
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2006, 05:20:55 AM »
Sounds good to me, Gold! I'm pretty much igonorant with '69s, so I just learned something about the clearance. Thanks.
HotRod'68  1968 SS350 coupe undergoing frame-off resto/rod. 386/350/4.11s
Butternut Yellow    black standard interior