Leaf Spring mounting setup

[MustangGT 11]

I think I know the answer but wanted to check with the masses to be sure.

 

I am pulling back to together the parts for the car and started cleaning up the rear leaf spring mounting stuff. I thought about just replacing the parts since they were fairly rusty and the years weren't kind in spots -- but haven't had much luck finding the parts. So, it got me thinking that maybe, just maybe, somewhere in the car's past life a bit of creative engineering/parts swapping occurred.

 

In the pics of the U-bolts are the ones that I took off the car and the brand new ones that are supposed to be for the 68-73. Well you can see there is a huge difference in size both in length and width.

 

I have also attached pics of the rubber pads that were inside of the stacked mounting hardware. I found a site that list new replacement pads for a '69 Mustang but at +$50 I may just clean these.

 

The stacked and spread out pics are the parts I pulled off the car. The leaf springs were sandwiched between the rubber pads inside of the stack with the lower piece being the shock mount.

 

Anyone seen this setup before? Are parts available?

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[buening 63]

Strange, never seen that before. I should just be the bottom bracket that bolts to the axle housing mount. That u-shaped bracket and rubber things are not factory according to everything I know about these cars.

[dennyb68 11]

I just took a peek at the Osborn Chassis Assembly book and they show those parts on the front cover. The inside of the book shows them as for Cougar Only except the 65E Mustang which is the Grande.. Hmmmm

Edited February 19, 2013 by dennyb68

[Cruzzar 22]

Does your car have a Versaille rear end? Those type of rubber cushions are found on the Versaille rear ends. I don't recall a mustang having that type of rubber cushion but I could be wrong.

[MustangGT 11]

Not a Versailles rear end - it is an old fashion drum setup. I think the parts were from a Cougar - although I don't understand the why someone would have done it. The Marti report shows the car having a 9" with 3.00 gears in it -- which is what the rear end tag shows as well. So very odd. Plus the parts were so in there (read rusted all to Hell) that it seemed like they had been in there for 40+ years.

 

Now I need to decide if I scrap all of it and go back to the real setup or put those parts back on. I have a new set of Scott Drake 1" Drop 4.5 leaf Mid-Eye springs that I want to use.

 

Every corner on this rebuild brings new surprises. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[buening 63]

Indeed they were from a cougar

 

These could have been swapped early in the car's life, so don't look to far into it being rusted on there. Its not correct for a Mustang, so I wouldn't put them back on there. It relocates your shock mounting a few inches lower, which affects your shocks performance assuming you use Mustang shocks and not Cougars, and it also puts the shock plates lower to the ground which in my opinion reduces the ground clearance in that area and can damage something if you catch it on a pothole.

[RogerC 136]

Indeed they were from a cougar

 

These could have been swapped early in the car's life, so don't look to far into it being rusted on there. Its not correct for a Mustang, so I wouldn't put them back on there. It relocates your shock mounting a few inches lower, which affects your shocks performance assuming you use Mustang shocks and not Cougars, and it also puts the shock plates lower to the ground which in my opinion reduces the ground clearance in that area and can damage something if you catch it on a pothole.

 

X2, part of what provided a softer more luxurious ride for cougars.

[MustangGT 11]

I was afraid the answer was going to be the "C" word. Grrr Cougar parts.

 

Well, I just measured my rear end and there is no way I am going to get the correct U-Bolts to fit (even if I bought the Mustang lower shock mounts). The axle arm is 2.75" inches wide and the stock U-Bolts are only 2.25" wide.

 

I got a new set of Grab-A-Track rear shocks and they are the same for Mustangs and Cougars so the shocks themselves shouldn't be a problem.

 

Without buying more parts I am not sure I have much of a choice except to go back the way it came with the new leaf springs and shocks.

 

Anyone have any other ideas on another course of action? Besides the shock plates sitting a little lower and the fact that they are Cougar parts (except for 65E cars like DennyB found) are there any other serious Cons to using the Cougar setup.

Edited February 20, 2013 by MustangGT

[MustangGT 11]

The pain continues...

 

As I have been jumping back and forth in my mind on whether to use the Cougar setup or not I have been stopped by the fact that the '68-'73 "Concours" correct bolts from Scott Drake are way to narrow.

 

Tonight I double checked to make sure I didn't click on the wrong item -- well I didn't I got it right. The write-up on CJ's site:

 

"Mustang Scott Drake Leaf Spring U Bolt Concours Correct 1968-1973

Part Number: LSUB5

Scott Drake Part Number: C8ZZ-5705-A

 

Scott Drake Concours Correct Leaf Spring U Bolt for 1968-1973 Mustangs. Replace your old original u bolts with this concours correct u bolt from Scott Drake. The u bolt measures 3-3/8†from center to center and includes two color correct nuts. A total of 4 u bolts are required per car. "

 

Well the key phrase is 3-3/8" from center to center -- all four of the ones I have in the original packaging are 2-3/4". I doubled checked the sticker from Scott Drake and CJ's - they say they are for '68-'73. They have been mislabeled by Drake -- they are actually for a '65-'66.

 

As it turns out they don't have any in stock and I need to call back in the morning to get a manager to authorize the return since I bought them in early Nov. '12.

 

As least if I want to skip the Cougar 'wraps' I will be able to once I get the correct U-Bolts. Unless you call convince me that I don't really need to skip the Cougar stuff.

[MustangGT 11]

Well, CJ is out of stock on the right U-Bolts. Won't be available until next week (fingers and toes crossed). They will ship me out a new set no charge and told me to just keep the wrong ones. So, I guess now I need to try and convince the wife we need to buy a '65-'66 since I have a free set of U-Bolts.

 

Lastly, still looking for Pro's/Con's to sticking with the Cougar "wraps". Also, anyone know if the shock mounting plates are the same for Cougar/Mustang? Need to know if I need to order new shock mounting plates before the new U-Bolts get here if I decide to ditch the "wraps".

[buening 63]

Not to dog on a vendor, but that is why i rarely use CJ Pony. Everytime I placed an order, at least half of that order was on backorder and took a week or two to arrive.

 

I say ditch the Cougar parts. You will need Cougar shocks, which you won't have as many aftermarket choices. The rubber pads will also give the suspension a spongy feel IMO.

[MustangGT 11]

Buening - do you know if the shock mounting plates (Cougar/Mustang) are the same? Looking at pics I have found online I can't really tell if there is much difference. There is a local guy that has a set of Mustang ones but I won't be able to see them until this weekend.

 

Shocks I should be good to go since I got Grab-A-Trak and the part numbers for Mustang/Cougars are the same.

[buening 63]

Slightly different. I'm not sure about the actual dimensions though, but the shape is different

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MustangGT 11]

Thanks! for the Pics. Helps alot.

 

Anyone able to measure the shock mounts? I know the holes are approx 3-3/8" but I would like to know other dimensions. The local guy that has a set isn't sure what year the ones he has are. I don't want to end up with the wrong plates.

 

I am leaning towards dropping the Cougar stuff and going back to the original Stang setup.