2" rear lowering block for a 63?

I bought a 2" drop spindle disc brake kit from CPP which I need to return. The spindles they sent had oversized holes for the lower ball joint???

I'm sure I'll have that resolved with CPP. In any case, my post is actually to inquire where I can get 2" rear lowering blocks for a 63. I have a stock rear end (single leaf spring). I've read an article from someone who didn't have luck with the blocks he bought.

cut and paste link below for article
http://www.theyellowduck.com/progress/073101.html

Has anyone had a successful experience with lowering blocks? Are they a simple bolt-on? Who sells these for Novas?

Thanks in advance,
IRIE

The disc brake spindle was probably designed for a 68-74 Nova and a 1st gen Camaro, which have larger lower ball joints than the early Novas.

You should have no problems using a 2" lowering block on the rear axle, just don't use the rubber pads and use the u-bolts that come with the lowering kit. The u-bolts will probably be 1/2", so you'll need to drill out the holes to fit.

Dito I Have done this to many novas.

Dito I Have done this to many novas.


Thanks Mike G and 63II.
63II, So you had to drill out the holes as well? Where can I find the blocks?

Pep-Boys-Autozone-jegs-everywhere-kit usually comes wit u clamps <longer> nuts washers etc. Or you can buy all parts seperatly. Usually the u clamps are larger in diameter so you need to drill .Good luck

Pep-Boys-Autozone-jegs-everywhere-kit usually comes wit u clamps <longer> nuts washers etc. Or you can buy all parts seperatly. Usually the u clamps are larger in diameter so you need to drill .Good luck

Thanks again.
Any idea about the problem with the locating pin? I also found this on the article about problems with lowering blocks.

Quote from article:
A bigger difficulty is caused by the location of the pin on the mono-leaf. The spring perches are setup so that the locating pin on the spring is on the underside of the spring pointing towards the ground. This causes a problem because the block needs to be placed on the top side of the spring in order to lower the car. Not only is there no place for the pin to go into on the bottom side of the spring perch on the axle housing, but this also means there is no way of preventing the lowering block from sliding around.

dont use the rubber pads? :confused:

The pin locates in the bottom plate and when u bolts are tightened it self alining. I have never had a problem. The block pin goes in pad on housing and bottom goes through the bottom plate-Not rocket science .It does its own alighnment when tightened. Make since? Ive done this on race cars and street car for 35 years and no problem yet.

The pin locates in the bottom plate and when u bolts are tightened it self alining. I have never had a problem. The block pin goes in pad on housing and bottom goes through the bottom plate-Not rocket science .It does its own alighnment when tightened. Make since? Ive done this on race cars and street car for 35 years and no problem yet.

Thanks again.
I believe what the "dude on the article" was referring to was that the pin located on the block itself does not have any place in the top-side of the leaf spring. There is no notch on the top of the spring for that pin to fit in to. Now the locating pin on the spring itself is on the bottom of the spring, where in this case the block would sit on top of the spring. So the question the "dude on the article" had was - "Now where would the locating pin on the block go?".

Hope this makes sense. Sorry if it doesn't.

IRIE_63

I used blocks from autozone and had to grind off the extending pin on the block. The pin is on the bottom of the spring and therefore you leave that and it goes into the lower spring mount, the housing pad has no hole and niether does the top of the spring (where the block is placed) therefore you must have the block flat on both sides, there's really nothing but pressure to keep it in there.

-Aaron

63II,
My apologies as I must've overlooked your reply.

The block pin goes in pad on housing and bottom goes through the bottom plate-Not rocket science

So the pin goes in the pad - I see.

Again, my apologies.

I used blocks from autozone and had to grind off the extending pin on the block. The pin is on the bottom of the spring and therefore you leave that and it goes into the lower spring mount, the housing pad has no hole and niether does the top of the spring (where the block is placed) therefore you must have the block flat on both sides, there's really nothing but pressure to keep it in there.

-Aaron

Ok. I need to take the rearend off again and see for myself - LOL. So you're saying there is no hole on the pad and the pin may need to be grinded off? So basically, other than the pin held to the bottom plate... there's nothing else keeping it from slipping (on top)? Just relying on the pressure to hold it? Is this safe? :confused:

yes on my housing (stock 8.2" ten bolt) the pad welded to the housing is solid and has no hole for a pin. The stock design uses a hole in the lower pad and pin on the bottom of the spring to keep it all centered and together. Since the block is not placed between the spring and lower pad there is no place for a pin on the block. I forgot when I replied before but I actually did not grind the pin on the block off entirely. I have the block installed with the pin facing up and have polyurethane spring insulators placed on both top and bottom of the block. I drilled a hole in the upper isolator for the block's pin to go into. Now the pin on my block was taller than the thickness of the isolator so I had to grind down the block's pin to where is it a little shorter than the thickness of the isolator. That way it hopefully won't bottom out on the top spring mount when the rubber isolator is compressed. So the only thing that keeps the block in there is the pressure of the tight bolts and the fact that the block kind of sinks into the polyurethane spring isolators and the stub of pin i stuck into the rubber pad. I've run this setup for probably over 6 months now and I drive it everyday to school and work, with no problems. But I only have a six cylinder so things may be different if your doing any racing with alot of torque.

-Aaron

http://www.bcae1.com/images/jpegs/plexibanddbit.jpg

As long as you have the drill motor out enlarging the holes for the u-bolts, drill a hole in the center of the spring perch to accommodate the centering pin on the lowering block. I use a Bullet drill with the short pilot point as shown in the pic so the axle housing doesn't end up with a hole in it.

I agree! If at first you don't have a hole, then drill.drill one. I welded on new pershes when moving springs in.