Need suspension info/help

[tbone]

I put 3" lowering springs on the rear of the 51 Special and it dropped it pretty much 3". My question is in regards to the shock links. I put new/rebuilt shocks on, but the link arms I bought are about an inch longer than the originals. Is this going to be an issue with the set up as is? It repositions the shock arm slightly, I'm assuming, but will this be affected or compensated for, by the lowering of the body? ~T~

[chub chub]

Hey tbone,
I just went out and had a look at my set up (still stock). It seems that dropping the car with springs would force the shock arm into a lower than standard resting position. A longer shock link would seem to lower the shock arm even further. I don't know how much travel there is in the shocks before they bottom out, so I don't know if you're in danger. Do you already have them installed? If not, I would think you would be better off with original length or pbobably even shorter if you can find them. Take a look and see if this makes sense to you. These are just my thoughts, not experience.

[tbone]

Chub Chub, Makes sense, and thats what I was afraid of. I have another set of short links, and I greased the taper when I put the longer ones on so I could remove them, but they are not coming off easily. Maybe a gear puller will work. It hasn't bottomed out yet. Lots of options with pipes, If you do Smithys, go shorter than I did if you want sound. ~T~

[Quijote]

Lowering rear mean shortening the shock's travel. Would be fine switching the viscosity, if original SAE-1O, to stiffer action SAE-20. I did it, and works surprisingly.

[tbone]

When you talk of viscosity, are you talking about the hydraulic lever arm shocks? You put a differant oil than hydraulic fluid in them? Mine were built stiffer for a race application, so would you think the one inch longer arm will be ok? ~T~