What do you guys think is the best way to raise the rear of a '70 an inch or two? I've noticed a lot of comments about air bags but I'm concerned if I can get 1 1/2 to 2 inch lift out of them. I'm also curious as to how do they affect the ride quality. My ride is stock height in the rear and I'd like to lift it a little.

Thanks.

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Dave Knapp
TC #388
ACES # 3474
'70 SS 396

Add a 1 1/2 inch spacer to the top of your rear springs. Very little expense, easy job. No parts to wear out, no chance of air leakage.

Ride is not affected, BUT anytime you change ride height, even in the back, you will affect front end alignment settings. Raising the rear will change the caster up front. It may not change enough to matter, and if the rear springs have sagged, the spacer may only bring the rear up to the height it should have been at all along!

Best of all, the shock mounts are not required to carry any of the vehicle weight.
Shock mounts on most cars were not designed to carry weight-just the dynamic forces of pushing oil through the shock passages.

If you wanna get tricky, use a 1/2 inch taller spacer on the right side to improve straight line traction. This is the same principal as inflating an air bag on the right rear.

[This message has been edited by Schurkey (edited 12-30-1999).]

go with the air bags in the summit or jegs catalog,,,I am running them in my 72...they work good...you can hook them up to one air line or seperate air line to each,I am running a seperate air line for each bag with 28lbs in the right side(pass.) 5lbs. in the left

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Bob West
Monett,Mo.
72 Chevelle 461 ci.

can you use a spacer on a 66 and where do you get them..


66ss

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Paul Guglielmo

Stay away from air shocks! In order to get the ride height you are looking for, the ride quality is going to suffer. And as an added bonus.....you'll probably start experiencing the dreaded wheel hop if you run airshocks at any kind of pressure.

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Steve

72 Chevelle SS402/4sp

Air bags willwork for what you want. I installed a pair in my 67. They raised the rear 2" with the minimum required air pressure, 5 LBS. Air shocks are not a good choice. The spacer idea Paul suggested should do the job, also, just not as elegant.

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Pat Kelley
66 El Camino, daily driver
67 El Camino, STRIP/street

Use air shocks only if you Hate your car. I wouldn't put air shocks on my mother in laws car (get my meaning?). http://www.chevelles.com/forum/rolleyes.gif



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Bob (Pa.)

1963 Impala 283
1966 Chevelle SS 409
1969 Malibu 307
1972 Malibu 307
1969 Chevy stepside 350

Bob's 409 Chevy Page

http://members.spree.com/entertainment/mr409/bob_s_409_chevy_page_index.html

Keep in mind that anytime you raise the rear end of your car you will also be changing the pinion angle. After you make the change, IF you experience any vibrations while cruising, you can almost be certain that its' due to an altered pinion angle. But with your goal of 1.5" increase in height, you 'should' be vibration free.

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1970 Malibu - 383 'Fog Fed' Brute Force Chevelle. Houston, Texas...Gold Member #39