rear spring shackles

[57 imposter]

can anyone tell me what correct distance between the two pivot or mounting holes is on stock rear spring shackles. Mine look home made and have been flipped so this would be a goot time to put them back correctly......Thanks

[RICH MUISE]

2 1/2". New ones are readily available...15ish each include bushings

[57 imposter]

Thanks Rich that's what I needed to know. Don't really know why they were flipped in the first place because they had to use lowering blocks to get it back down. maybe the springs have lost some arch. going to install them correctly tomorrow, get rid of the lowering blocks and see where I end up. There may be a new set of springs in my future.

[57 imposter]

Went out this morning to check on putting my shackles back where they belong and noticed I only have 4 leafs. Is that correct? I seem to remember people talking about either 6 or 8 as being the two options.. if these are wrong, I don't want to use them so if anyone has a correct part number and supplier for the correct springs I could really use it. This work is having to be done outside so I am starting to race the weather to get it moved back inside to finish the interior    Thanks

[Jeff Norwell]

4 leaf on Pass. cars 6 leaf on wagons,couriers and the like.

[lalessi1]

A change to 6 leaf springs is a great upgrade in my opinion. McVeigh springs sells Dayton for $220ish a pair.

[RICH MUISE]

What they said x 2. The 6 leaf from McVeighs is what I replaced my 4 leafs with. The six leafs will raise the car 1" higher than new4 leafs. The key word being new 4 leafs...no telling how much our old leaf springs are sagging. The 6 leafs will do a better job of keeping the car from swaying I'm told, and it give an inch more clearance for tire changes...assuming the shocks will let it drop that far. My thinking was the 6 leafs seems to be a better choice, as Lynn mentioned, and if it raised the car too much, lowering blocks could be used to get it back down. The 6 leaf springs require longer u-bolts, also available at McVeigh's

[57 imposter]

Thanks for the input but due to some time restraints, I am going to have to try and make the 4 leaf spring work, at least for now. I have all new shackles and bushings coming overnight from Dennis Carpenter so I should be able to get the springs rebuilt and reinstalled on Saturday. The car has always ridden very well so if I can just come out with an acceptable ride height, they should be ok. I am also installing new Monroe air shocks. So as with everything in this hobby, do the repair, stand back and see how it turned out and if its wrong, fix it.

[RICH MUISE]

"So as with everything in this hobby, do the repair, stand back and see how it turned out and if its wrong, fix it."
Truer words never spoken.
I needed a road trip (already)...went to Oklahoma City today and picked up some new rubber spring insulators, new shackles, and 2 of the 4 metal insulator retainers I needed. I'll have to order two more from Concorse.
Doug..don't lose the info on the Monroe shocks...I may need it soon.
A note of caution for anybody ordering spring shackles from Classic auto in OK City...they have the front spring bushing/sleeve/bolt listed in the rear shackle column. If you order the number they have listed as a  shackle (they have two numbers listed), you may get a bushing insted. Have them phsically check the number you're ordering to make sure they're sending what you need.

[57 imposter]

Rich the shocks are Monroe # MA-705.  I ordered them thru Amazom Prime  $67.00  and free freight.  That number gets you the shocks and all the plumbing.

[RICH MUISE]

Doug..you mentioned your shackles looked homemade. These are my new ones, and a pretty accurate reproduction, so you can compare. Love that new stuff!!