El Camino project car

[hotrodalex]

Bolt to bolt while laying under the car.

[FoMoJo]

The front is okay?

[hotrodalex]

Yup.

[FoMoJo]

Kinda sounds like the frame has a bit of a twist.  Switching the springs with no difference would indicate that the suspension is okay.  If you weight one side so that the back is even and the front is still even, or not...

[Soup DeVille]

Put sand bags in the drivers seat to simulate your weight and see how close it is.

[hotrodalex]

Can I just have my dad sit in it?

[Soup DeVille]

Sure.

[hotrodalex]

http://www.ridetech.com/store/1964-1972-a-body-coolride-rear-system.html

Only $400 and maybe fix the problem? I'm not sure, could potentially disrupt the front if I raise one corner. Maybe I'll try to fit a spacer on the regular coil spring and see if it fixes the problem, then upgrade to air if it does.

Of course the springs are $400 but a compressor to change height on the fly is $1000. Guess I could just do it with the one in the garage and leave it be.

[FoMoJo]

http://www.ridetech.com/store/1964-1972-a-body-coolride-rear-system.html

Only $400 and maybe fix the problem? I'm not sure, could potentially disrupt the front if I raise one corner. Maybe I'll try to fit a spacer on the regular coil spring and see if it fixes the problem, then upgrade to air if it does.

Of course the springs are $400 but a compressor to change height on the fly is $1000. Guess I could just do it with the one in the garage and leave it be.

Don't you need a compressor and other doodads to go along with those?

[MrH]

You don't want to ride around on bags without a way of inflating them on the vehicle.

Sounds like a bent frame or an uneven loading.  Shocks aren't affecting this at all, and if you switched the springs to the other side and still have the problem, the springs aren't the issue either.  Are you sure the thing is balanced side to side?  I highly doubt it is.  i don't know what your spring rate or suspension ratio is in the rear, but I don't think an inch difference side to side is drastic enough to rule out weight distribution as the cause.

[hotrodalex]

See a couple of pages back for weight distribution. Something like 30 pounds more on that side. That's enough for about 1/10" difference...

If the springs use a regular valve stem for inflation I could use the same portable compressor we have for tires. Maybe.

[hotrodalex]

I've wanted bags in the back for a while, but I was unaware that Ridetech sold those type of springs (thought it was all the more expensive shockwaves) so put it off for a few years. Would be nice to have for when I want to put stuff in the bed. Right now the rear is a little higher than I'd like, just for practical purposes. Can't have it riding low on regular springs and expect to pack up all my possessions in the back and drive across the country without scraping off my bumper. But air bags would allow for that. And if they could fix the unevenness, that'd be a no brainer. So I just have to figure that out.

If the frame is bent and I used the bags to even it out, would it affect the front? Or is it too hard to know without trying.

[Soup DeVille]

See a couple of pages back for weight distribution. Something like 30 pounds more on that side. That's enough for about 1/10" difference...

If the springs use a regular valve stem for inflation I could use the same portable compressor we have for tires. Maybe.

You can use a bicycle hand pump with a long hose if you have to.

[FoMoJo]

If the frame is bent and I used the bags to even it out, would it affect the front? Or is it too hard to know without trying.

It would affect something.

[hotrodalex]

This website has them for $300.
http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/RideTech-by-Air-Ride/Air-Suspension-Kits/Chevrolet-El-Camino-RideTech-CoolRide-Rear-Air-Spring-&-Bracket-_-Kit-_-11224099/868135/

and $309 on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/RideTech-11224099-CoolRide-Rear-Suspension/dp/B005JVE9NE

Tempting, even if it doesn't actually fix the issue.

Need to go look at the portable compressor and see what its max PSI rating is.

[Soup DeVille]

This website has them for $300.
http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/RideTech-by-Air-Ride/Air-Suspension-Kits/Chevrolet-El-Camino-RideTech-CoolRide-Rear-Air-Spring-&-Bracket-_-Kit-_-11224099/868135/

and $309 on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/RideTech-11224099-CoolRide-Rear-Suspension/dp/B005JVE9NE

Tempting, even if it doesn't actually fix the issue.

Need to go look at the portable compressor and see what its max PSI rating is.

Well over what you'd need for an airbag. If it's good enough for tires, it's more than enough for airbags.

[hotrodalex]

Well Tire Discounters can go fuck themselves. Can't get a lug nut off, the stud is spinning. So they'll get to fix that. Of course most of me doesn't even want them touching it again. This is what happens when other people touch my car. Never going to them again, already was fed up with them when I got the wheels on and they aligned it to stock specs instead of what I told them and had them re-do it. (No, I don't want 1 degree of positive camber and no caster)

[hotrodalex]

Waited two hours and they didn't look at it yet. Left it there overnight.

They followed me on Twitter after I mentioned them. Told me to send them a message, not gonna bother unless it doesn't get fixed tomorrow.

[hotrodalex]

All fixed. They ordered a new set of lug nuts, but I brought in same spares (that don't match) so I could drive it in the mean time.

[Soup DeVille]

Waited two hours and they didn't look at it yet. Left it there overnight.

They followed me on Twitter after I mentioned them. Told me to send them a message, not gonna bother unless it doesn't get fixed tomorrow.

LOL, simple mechanical problems are now apparently also social network/public relations problems as well. Can't say if that's good bad, or just a waste of bandwidth: but it sure is bizarre.

[hotrodalex]

Well simple mechanical problems are a public relations problem if they get out there. Don't blame em.

[hotrodalex]

Will do the clutch sometime in the next week, so I'll also pull the tailshaft and replace the speedometer gear. Only one problem - apparently there are also multiple different options for the # of gears for that one too. And I have no idea what number is currently in it, but want to order it now so I don't have to wait... blahhhhh

[hotrodalex]

I think I found the problem.





Flywheel bolts and clutch springs were hitting. Not sure if that's just due to wear or what (possibly flywheel has been resurfaced too much and is too thin)

[hotrodalex]

Autozone doesn't have a 10.4" clutch/pressure plate kit that shows up when I search for a '69 Chevelle. But the flywheel option they give me is for a 10.4". But if I change the engine to a '69 w/ 5.0L 4 barrel carb, it shows up.  Have to order it, not in stock. 

Unless someone wants to send me a larger bellhousing to fit an 11" clutch.

[hotrodalex]

LOL and for the '69 5.0L, the flywheel it gives me is for an 11" clutch! This system is seriously a mess. Good job, Autozone. Way to mis-match literally every single part.

[280Z Turbo]

Autozone doesn't have a 10.4" clutch/pressure plate kit that shows up when I search for a '69 Chevelle. But the flywheel option they give me is for a 10.4". But if I change the engine to a '69 w/ 5.0L 4 barrel carb, it shows up.  Have to order it, not in stock. 

Unless someone wants to send me a larger bellhousing to fit an 11" clutch.

I could but it's cast iron

[hotrodalex]

I could but it's cast iron

If I'm going to put something heavier on, I'd prefer 24k gold.

I got a 1/2" spacer for the rear passenger spring. It's a 1-1 ratio for spacers in the rear. Still isn't totally level, but all I've done is bounce the car a bit. Need to drive it and then see where it sits.

[hotrodalex]

Clutch is gonna get here Wednesday, I think. In the mean time, I put on the new ball joints. Got a tool from Harbor Freight that made it super easy to get the old ones to pop out of the spindle. Which saved me, since I seem to have a stomach flu and wouldn't have finished if it was as much of a pain as it has been in the past. Alignment still looks decent, gained a bit of positive camber and toe at ride height but it will just need a shim or two.

Still need to pull the tailshaft and count the threads on the speedometer gear so I can get that ordered.

[hotrodalex]

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFf

I cracked the side cover.

[hotrodalex]

Two on ebay, fastest I can get it is like next Wednesday. I was supposed to be leaving on Tuesday. FML.