Adjustable spring plates

I gather your car is IRS; access to remove and install spring plates on swingaxle cars is not a problem.

I thought they were only for looks on a replica - even on IRS one.

WOLFGANG posted:

I thought they were only for looks on a replica - even on IRS one.

Some replicas didn't have them but they look great with them; even if they're non functional.

Correct, I have IRS and mine is a widebody.  So I'll be in the area of the contour, which is going to make it even more of a challenge. 

56widebody posted:

Correct, I have IRS and mine is a widebody.  So I'll be in the area of the contour, which is going to make it even more of a challenge. 

I added them to my car and used the original type covers from SMC.  However, I expect it will be much more difficult on a widebody.  

Have you tried removing the torsion bar covers?  I am wondering if there might be enough room because of the flared area.  

My VS has them, but they don't line up with anything suspension-wise, so they're decorative only for me. Mine's an IRS...

@56widebody

The purpose of those access holes is to R&R the torsion bars. I don't think you need to remove the torsion bars to switch out spring plates.

You should be able to simply remove the torsion bar covers, mark your spring plate's position on the torsion bar, after unloading the tension carefully pry the spring plate off the torsion bar (leaving torsion bar in housing), replace with adjustable spring plate back onto corresponding marks on torsion bar spline. There are videos on YouTube.

This pic is of a swing axle spring plate.

This is the basic process. I'm sure there will be more knowledgeable SOCers who will chime in with more info. 

MusbJim posted:

@56widebody

The purpose of those access holes is to R&R the torsion bars. I don't think you need to remove the torsion bars to switch out spring plates.

You should be able to simply remove the torsion bar covers, mark your spring plate's position on the torsion bar, after unloading the tension carefully pry the spring plate off the torsion bar (leaving torsion bar in housing), replace with adjustable spring plate back onto corresponding marks on torsion bar spline. There are videos on YouTube.

This is the basic process. I'm sure there will be more knowledgeable SOCers who will chime in with more info. 

If I recall correctly on IRS models the torsion bar is different and the outer piece has a long cylinder sticking out. You need to pull it out in order to install the inside bushing as well as the new springplate. That is my recollection; many years ago a friend with a CMC car on an IRS pan had bought all the bushings and when we went to install them we could only install the ones on the outside. Your photo is of a swingaxle assembly. On those cars replacement of the bushings and installation of spring plates poses no problem with respect to the body.

Impala posted:

MusbJim posted:

@56widebody

The purpose of those access holes is to R&R the torsion bars. I don't think you need to remove the torsion bars to switch out spring plates.

You should be able to simply remove the torsion bar covers, mark your spring plate's position on the torsion bar, after unloading the tension carefully pry the spring plate off the torsion bar (leaving torsion bar in housing), replace with adjustable spring plate back onto corresponding marks on torsion bar spline. There are videos on YouTube.

This is the basic process. I'm sure there will be more knowledgeable SOCers who will chime in with more info. 

If I recall correctly on IRS models the torsion bar is different and the outer piece has a long cylinder sticking out. You need to pull it out in order to install the inside bushing as well as the new springplate. That is my recollection; many years ago a friend with a CMC car on an IRS pan had bought all the bushings and when we went to install them we could only install the ones on the outside. Your photo is of a swingaxle assembly. On those cars replacement of the bushings and installation of spring plates poses no problem with respect to the body.

You are right- the irs torsion bars are 4? inches longer, hence the need for the extended length spring plate and cap. I've modified swingaxle springplates and use swingaxle torsion bars and caps on my irs suspension and have no problem re-indexing springplates to change ride height. I believe someone has said before that there is enough room to re-index irs springplates as well. And Jim's pic above is of an adjustable swingaxle springplate- stock are flat and 1 piece, without the adjusting block. Al

@56widebody what @Impala and @ALB say is the correct info for your situation. 

“ I believe someone has said before that there is enough room to re-index irs springplates as well.”

Re-index, yes.   Get the longer end cap completely off without boring a hole in the side of the car, no.