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What does the offset trailing arms give you clearance from? My rear wheels are too close to the leaf spring, and I'm looking at either buying new wheels, getting offset trailing arms (if that will help) or getting a shortened leaf spring from VB&P. It seems like selling my wheels and getting ones with a better backspacing would probably be the most cost effective. I currently have 18" wheels, and to compensate for the backspacing I have the leaf spring hardware tightened and the ends are resting inside the wheels. Would the offset trailing arms help with this? And besides being stronger than stock, are there any other benefits?
That clamp on the spring visible on the left side of the picture should be removed.
What exactly are the measurements of those 18" wheels, backspacing, width, offset?
What size tires are you using?
Are you using spacers?
With those bolts that are too long if you get a sudden lose of tire pressure you will have a disaster.
With the current adjustment on the bolts are the half shafts roughly parallel to the ground and if not which way do they angle?
If my notes from when I purchased them a couple years ago are right, the wheels are 8.5" wide with 5 1/8" backspace and 10mm offset. I am not running spacers or adapters. The long bolts are from VB&P to lower the car and worked great with the stock wheels. I'll have to check the half shaft angles tonight when I get home. And both of those clamps come off? There was nothing in the installation procedure about that! Thats good to know
The clamp on the spring does NOT need to be removed. Unless you want it off because it just does not look good to you. What these clamps do is keep your leaf springs from rotating. Because they can a little bit. I would leave them alone.
I have few customers who have rear leaf springs that are close like that and there has been no problems at all.
Different trailing arms are not going to change the mounting surface of where the rotor and wheel are attached...unless you use a spacer or adapter.
You should not need offset trailing arms unless the inboard sidewall of your current tire is rubbing your stock T/A. I'd also verity that the parking brake cable and bracket clears the tire. If not, have it re-located to the top of the existing T/A.
If you're happy with the rear ride height, I'd cut that extra long thread off the bottom of the bolt at about 3/4" below the nut and drive it. If you want to go lower, back off the nut until you get the rear to the height you like and then cut the extra length off the bolt.
It doesn't hurt anything for the end of the spring to be within the inside diameter of the wheel hoop.
From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
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Another option, which I'm considering, is shortening my leaf spring by cutting off the ends and drilling new holes for the spring bolts. Another member here recently did this and posted how he did it. He claims the car rides the same as before the ends were cut.
Another option, which I'm considering, is shortening my leaf spring by cutting off the ends and drilling new holes for the spring bolts. Another member here recently did this and posted how he did it. He claims the car rides the same as before the ends were cut.
FYI. If there is 1/2" or more clearance between the End of the main leaf spring and the wheel AT NORMAL ADJUSTMENT you are O.K.
I BOUGHT A "blank leaf" and drilled holes 1/2" farther from each end than the original bolt holes. That solved my clearance problem with the 295 wide tires.
Offset trailing arms won't help your situation, you need a shorter spring. But if your wheels are truly 8.5" wide with 5.125" backspace then they must be sitting well inside the wheel arches (outer lip would be .625" further inside the wheel arch lip than stock by those measurements)? A large spacer (I would think 0.5"-1") may be the better option if you want to keep those wheels?
Last edited by Metalhead140; Jan 9, 2017 at 03:01 AM.
I have offset arms and coilover shocks...no leaf spring at all. It's a little stiffer than stock but still rides great. The install was easy...you have to weld in upper shock mounts and change the sway bar but that was it. Just FYI.
If you would like to move it further away I would use 1" adapter plates. I like 1" because they bolt on using your wheel studs and they have there own studs for the wheels, eliminates the need for longer studs. And in some states anything over 1/4" spacer is not legal has to be an adapter.
Offset Trailing Arms Question
I have seen them closer than the 1/2". AS close as slightly past 1/4".
