LFZ

After lowering the rear of my car, I found that the halfshafts weren't parallel anymore. Instead, they were pointing up. I then raised my car an 1" in the back to get the half shafts parallel. I'd like to know how i can bring my car down an inch, and still keep my halfshafts parallel? Is there a de arched spring VBP can make? Any suggestions? Thanks.

427V8

I've heard that you can remove the rubber dushings from the diff crossmember to gain another inch.

but I imagine it would become very noisy!

norvalwilhelm

The spring has nothing to do with 1/2 shaft alignment. It simply means your car is too low for the fixed housing.
How racers overcome this is by raising the housing an inch higher up . This takes a modified crossmember that allows the housing to sit up higher and a modified front mount.

norvalwilhelm

If I was doing it I would knotch the crossmember. The stock crossmember is about 2 inches thick and hollow. The rearend bolts to the bottom with bolts accessed through a hole in the upper part of the crossmember. If you built a knotch in the crossmember to move the bottom of this crossmember up, a recess that the rearend sat in you would still have the rubber mount on the ends but the crossmember would sit 1 inch higher.

Crazyhorse

Does it really matter what angle they are at ?

I can see the U-joint working a bit more but anything else?

LFZ

that doesn't sound like an easy fix..

norvalwilhelm

To a fabricator it is easy. Pulling the rearend is the hard part, not making a knotch in the crossmember.
If you want it right then that is the way to go.
Again springs have nothing to do with this. You could just adjust your car higher so the 1/2 shafts are parallel to the ground or put up with the increased angle on the universals.

redvetracr

the easy way to move the diff up in the car is to remove the rubber and plate over the hole, then your rearend crossmember bolts directly to the frame......or in the case of my car we built a new (lightweight) crossmember out of square tubing. Until you cut those two crossmembers out of a car you have no idea how much they weight.
....redvetracr

PS: I have a real nice factory crossmember that has been plated if anyone reading this is interested (e-mail DIRECT!! redvetracr@msn.com)

LFZ

Thanks for info on the spring.....what would the increased angle on the universals do? especially not really getting on it, no burnouts, or such...only normal driving around town.
I had planned that on days at the track or dyno, i'd just get down and raise the bolts...takes me like 5 minutes anyways.

75 BBC Stingray

If you have the VBP dual mount spring, make sure to raise those mounting brackets up as well. They sit outboard from the differential

norvalwilhelm

It just makes life harder on the universal. On launch the rearend drops even further really putting alot more load on the universals due to the increased angle you operate through plus the increased load.
For normal driving it shouldn't hurt.

427V8

Any pics of the lightweight crossmember??

BigBlockk

Run tires that are two inches shorter.

BigBlockk

Later.....

LFZ

I'm running a 26" tall tire right now..i don't think i want to go any shorter in diameter.

norvalwilhelm

Part of lowering the car is reducing the space above the tire to the fender lip. Dropping tire diameter down is defeating the purpose, the car drops but the gap increases. All you loose is ground clearnace, looks goes down hill.

BigBlockk

I never said anything about it looking right but it will lower the car by 1". Personally I don't think anything under 27" diameter LOOKS right. Also, I don't think a little bit of an angle to the half shafts is a problem.

BigBlockk

Later.....

flynhi

I ran some 40 series tires on 17" wheels for a while and they looked pretty stupid even with max lowering. I'm back to a 50 series with about 26.5" diam. Looks better, rides better.

mandm1200

Nice easy solution. Gotta get me a welder and some steel.

Will raising the differential have any adverse effect on the driveshaft? What about the strut rods? Will the bracket have to lowered?

litevette

Yeah man, I'd like to see too. I always like to shave weight!

427V8

Hmmm, I think it would affect all of that. I bet it would be a whole can of worms