2" spacer blocks for front suspension

[Lin]

2" spacer blocks for front suspension

Hi gang. I am full of questions and problems today. I feel a little foolish asking this question, but I always swallow my pride to be able to do the job right. When I assembled my front suspension I put the 2" spacers ( I used wooden blocks) between the shock platform and the shock arms to set the proper height. I am now finally ready to set the car on the floor.

The engine/gearbox is not now in the car (hopefully, next week). Because the front end of the car doesn't have the weight of the engine, when I jack up the coil spring bottom plate I just lift the entire car rather than compressing the spring - so I get no slack enabling me to remove the wood block. Is there a way to do this? Or, do I have to wait until I get the engine/gearbox in?

I should mention that I have Putzke's Bilstein tube shocks installed at this point.

Lin
1960 BT7 in restoration
1959 Bugeye

 

[John Loftus]

Re: 2" spacer blocks for front suspension

Lin,

You should be able to remove the blocks after you put the car back on the ground. You might need to 'bounce the suspension' a bit to get the clearance i.e. use your hands and body weight to activate the suspension .. if the block doesn't just fall out you may need to tie a string around the block and have someone pull when you bounce above the shock!

At any rate, I wouldn't put the motor/gearbox in while it is on jack stands. Too precarious!

Cheers,
John

 

[Keoke]

Re: 2" spacer blocks for front suspension

Hi Lin, I wouldn't worry about removing the blocks now. The blocks will fall out when you get the engine and gear box back in the car and set it back on it's wheels.--Fwiw--Keoke

 

[Lin]

Re: 2" spacer blocks for front suspension

Thanks, fellows. I'm getting close and just don't want to mess up now. I actually have the car off the jack stands now John. Wheels and tires on and they are sitting on those dished metal rolling dollies so that I can move the car around easily in the garage.

Lin
1960 BT7 in restoration
1959 Bugeye

 

[anthony7777]

Re: 2" spacer blocks for front suspension

Hi Lin, I wouldn't worry about removing the blocks now. The blocks will fall out when you get the engine and gear box back in the car and set it back on it's wheels.--Fwiw--Keoke

keoke, im curious as always, mind splainin whats goin on with them 2" spacer blocks ive gotten really good at doing front ends and rather enjoy doing so, but never employed this method what up wit dat? never to old ta lurn ya sumtin, come on ill buy ya a "rum and mango" /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbsup.gif

 

[GregW]

Re: 2" spacer blocks for front suspension

Good mornin’ Anthony,
That block is to set the suspension in the middle of its travel before you tighten down all the bolts. You want the rubber bushings to flex equally on both compression and extension of the control arms. If you tighten everything while the suspension is hanging, the bushings will twist too much going over things like speed bumps. Same thing applies to the leaf springs.

 

[Keoke]

Re: 2" spacer blocks for front suspension

Hi Anthony, Greg gave you a good splain. I only want to expand on the concept a bit: These blocks set the loosely assembled front suspension component at or near their normal ride height. Consequently, when you tighten the lower A arm trunnion bushes, upper arm bushes and the lower A arm bushes it relieves the strain on the rubber parts as Greg mentioned and allows the lower A arm trunnion bushes to go all the way home aligned. It is noted that the spring is not installed when this final assembly of the suspension is done.--Fwiw--Keoke