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1967 Cougar leaf spring problem

This may be a bit off topic here and if it is I appologize.

The car was sagging so we replaced the rear springs. New springs and perch pads to be exact. Got it back together and took it for a drive

- first turn to the right and I had tire rub on the driver's side. Checked it and the driver's tire was moved way back towards the rear of the wheel well from when I left the driveway.

Came home and pulled that side apart - the top pad was not completely aligned with the hole in the perch. Realigned it. Measured it and both sides were equal distance tire to body. Backed the car up and came forward twice. Remeasured and the driver's tire had cut the distance to the fender in half. All four nuts on the u-bolts are tight. The bottom perch is against the block that goes over the leaf yet something somewhere is moving.

Any insight is appreciated.

Reply to
ReddDawg
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This may be elementary, but are you sure you used cougar, and not mustang springs?

Reply to
vince garcia

Yes. Searched for awhile to find springs that said such.

The bizarre part is they line up great - then we move the car and the driver's side moves back right at an inch.

Reply to
ReddDawg

The rear shackle and front mount and bushings ok? The U-bolt and mounts to the axle you wrote were tight...

How about the connection to the shock? The shock will act to control some of the movement of the axle, if it was left disconnected that could be it.

Reply to
Brent P

Since the front spring eye CAN'T move, and everything lines up on assembly, what's happening is the axle is walking on the spring when you get underway. The spring's through-bolt is what registers the top of the spring to the bracket on the axle. (The U-bolts keep the shock- mount plate where it needs to be.) It sounds like your through-bolt is not sticking out high enough to register on the bracket on the axle. It's easy enough to remove the through-bolt and replace it with a longer one, using washers or a steel spacer to make it stick out higher on top. YOu might want to use a C-clamp to keep the pack together while you do this. Or you could omit the rubber pads, and that might do the trick. Those pads might take a little harshness out, but if you're going with 4-leafs or bigger and/or you're running the KYB Gas-A-Justs you're not going to notice the difference.

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Reply to
one80out

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