So I want to lift my rear end about 2 inches because I'd like to get some slightly bigger tires in the rear to give it that more muscle car look in my opinion. I've been told the best option would be to find a new pair of leaf springs. Any info from personal experience or general knowledge would be great! *attached images of what Ive got now.
You don’t make room for bigger tires with a lift as there needs to be room for the tires under full squat/ compression. Wide rear tires means the correct offset wheels and preventing lateral movement of the rear axle (improved spring bushings or Panhard bar or what’s link).
This thread should be in the main forum where more will see it. Moderator?
Looking at the pic you provided I would have expected your question to be how to lower it. Maybe it's the front end you should be focusing on. :nerd:
Show us a pic of the whole car in full side view. Then sit back and read all the awesome advice you'll get on suspension modifications you can make, mostly easily, to give it not just a more aggressive stance but handle much better too.
If your goal is to stuff really wide sticking-out-of-the-body dragster type rubber back there for that sort of look, pay no heed to anything I might say. >
Then there's the Mutton Chops, cheezy mustache, gold chains and shiny button up shirt with the top three buttons undone. Don't forget the lowrider bell bottoms to complete the picture, Oh yea, gotta have the girlfriend with Farrah hair ;o)
Stock height springs give people more lift than they expect. He might have 205 or 215/60 tires that are only 23" tall or so. Get OE height rears and chop the fronts for old school rake. Don't ruin the ride with longer shackles.
The rear of my car seemed a bit low when I got it. I installed some cheap "helper leafs" on the springs. They actually worked quite well. Raised the rear a bit and firmed it a bit. After I did the Arning drop the rear was too high. Took off the helpers and the stance was perfect. Probably didn't need the helpers to begin with.
As others have pointed out, shackles and air shocks is the old way of doing it but I would not go that route. You can add lift blocks to the springs but I would not go anymore than 1 to 1-1/2", you can get wheel hop and poor handling after that. Not sure how old your springs and bushings are but that is probably the best way to get the stance your looking for if they are old and weak. If the tire is rubbing on the inside or outside and everything you have is in good shape, then rolling the fenders for outside clearance or a BFH for the inside, this also plays into whether you have the correct wheel and tire setup. Also would like to see the car in full side view, maybe you need to lower the front or something else is going on. Anytime you start going higher, you loose some handling. Makes me wonder why you need to lift it 2" or why a taller tire? You would need to provide some more details as to why you want to lift it before anyone can give you a good answer. Good luck, Jim
Whatever you do, make sure you follow everyone else's opinions and never do the car the way you would really like to, or heaven forbid, you may wind up with something like this.
I bought a parts-store shackle kit and cut them way down. I drilled a hole that made them 1" longer than stock shackles, for about a 1/2" of lift at the axle. Also 5-leaf springs. Worked like a champ. Front end is lowered with a Pro-Motorsports control arm drop and wedge kit and Eibach springs.
I love the rake. That said, I did have Keystones on it at first, and I still have chops. So consider the source.
No because I'm not so sure they would hold the new arch for very long. I've read mixed reviews and opted to just replace with stronger springs, thus the extra lift.
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