Beachrat

I have just started assembling the rear end suspention on my 68. After installing the trailing arms ,half shafts, and spring I find that the shocks are not long enough to install without jacking up the trailing arm. I dont't believe the shocks should be holding the arms at full extention. I have not installed the rear anti sway bar yet [ wating for the new bushings] and need to know if it is the anti sway bar that keeps the
trailing arms from resting at there lowest point under spring pressure or something else.

Thanks

mapman

Is the weight of the car on the tires? The weight of the car, held up by the spring, should compress the suspension so that the shocks are NOT at the limits of their travel.

Twin_Turbo

the arms are usually kept from hanging down further by the shocks but sometimes the interrference in the bushings will also do it, depending on what bushings you have. If you have little to no friction like with heim ends or properly lubed poly bushings the shocks will limit the droop, with rubber usually also but it may take some time to sag with no spring pulling on them. This is perfecly normal and it isn't a problem.

Beachrat

The car is up on jack stands. I have been putting on polly bushings to replace all the old rubber ones. I have well lubed them when assembled. what I under stand you to say is that wenever I lift the rear end off of the ground the shocks will fully extend and will be what is holdig the weight of the rear end. If this is the case , when I go over a bump and the rear end bounces up , the shocks will become fully extended and I would think this would rip them apart. Does the anti sway bar controll this? the bar is 9/16 dia. and will have poly bshings al
so.

thanka again..

Mike Ward

The shocks are indeed what controls maximum extension, that's the way it was designed.

If you're driving hard enough for the rear wheels to come off the ground, the shocks falling apart will be the least of your worries.

Wrencher

I think the point is that he doesn't want to damage the (probably WAY better than stock) shocks by hanging the suspension on them. This is indeed the way it's designed. You will have to rig up some sort of limit cable/chain/rope/etc... to prevent damage to a pricey shock, although it's a pretty common practice to use this design. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it unless it's long term.

I agree with Mike that if your getting air, your on the wrong road...

Hans

vho69

I must ocasionally drive on the wrong roads

rcread

You can stick a long socket between the bottom of the trailing arm and the frame to keep the trailing arms at ride height while you are working on the suspension.

chris75stingray

it shouldn't hurt the shocks at all. just like when you jack up the car to change a tire it doesn't damage the shock

raider21

Are the struts in yet? That should also limit the T arm from hanging too low.

LeapinLizard

Yeah, when they hit the exhaust!

You could get some huge ground straps from tractor-trailer rigs or from industrial machinery, maybe battery cables, with ring ends on both ends (for adding batteries), sized the same as your shocks almost fully extended, then mount them alongside the shocks. You'll want to pick up some big grommets too, or recycle drum-brake cylinder seals, to minimize the 'slap'. (Old 4-wheeler trick from an old 4-wheeler.)

But to answer your question, the wheels & tires hold the trailing arms up!