Been checking out the ride height of the vert and the hardtop.
When we took pics a long time ago I noticed that the hardtop was a little bit lower.
Checking out the vert on the rear I noticed 1 side was lower. The difference between left and right is 3cm.
Is there a way to adjust this on the rear?
I found the bolt that adjust the torsion bars so the front is not a problem but I want to have the rear levelled correctly first
There arer no afjustments to the rear ride height, I would check to see that your shackle bushibgs are all good, if so, then you probably have a leaf spring that has sagged slightly. This is common for the driver’s side, as the weight of the driver over time can cause this.
It sounds like the difference is slight, and will not cause any issues, as re-arcing the springs can be costly.
Just a reminder from the prior owner, that after years of believing I had the correct leaf springs on the car, Tom Fox finally came to the conclusion that while the donor car sat at a “friend’s” house, the “friend” removed the correct leaf springs and replaced them with incorrect ones. The replacement ones were too long, the shackles pivoted to the rear and the car’s rear end stuck up in the air.
Just before I sold the car, I located some springs in a local salvage yard (from a '63 Fury HT) and put those on the convertible. Those springs must be, as John Fowlie says, sagging to one side after years of use.
I suspect you are going to have to save up and buy some correctly arced leaf springs.
Roger, I know I checked the topic of the leaf springs from that time.
I am putting the springs on from the Fury. If its too high again, i will swap them back.
Did the passenger side and it looks pretty good. A little bit too high but they mounted an non original spring on it so I will take that off.
The springs from the Fury are originals as the part number is still on there so we will see
I swapped out the drivers side this morning. Looks like the car is levelled perfect.
They one mounted a 6th spring onto the original 5. Not sure if I need to take that off
Matthew - One last resort. Switch the drivers side spring to the passenger side and the passenger side to the drivers side. Then when your abundant butt is driving the car will be level.
Always willing to help.
Dick.
I never did determine how many leaves were on a factory original SF CVT.
I had a pair of shortie leaves (which would have made it 6 per side). Maybe I sent them along with the car.
Matthew, What you have there in your photograph, is the good ol helper spring. I havent seen these for many years. They do work, in some cases they are just a crutch. You would jack up the rear of the car and bolt them on, thus adding to ride height and load capacity.
Matthew - I would not take them off. I have helper springs on my Desoto and Green SF and even then sometimes when someone is in the back seat it will bottom out.
Dick.
It’s OK to leave them on especially if John Q and myself are to ride in the back seat. When they are set correctly ,you do have to have the front end alignment checked and possibly adjusted. This is your choice and there is no harm leaving them on as long as they are a matched pair and no other leaves are broken.
Rick and I do loan ourselves out for rear spring testing. Just send us airline tickets and a nice hotel to stay in and we are good!
Rick and I rode in the back of his wife’s Pink Panther 70 Challenger Convertible and it did not sag or bottom out. (miracle I know!) Ron and Marjo enjoyed a ride in last summer too!
Ralley suspension components! Tori and brother Max Stragand love to go for drives in Deb’s Challenger. If you look close above the Challenger you can see Pam and John Quinn’s Belvedere convertible.