98 SNAKE EATER

Some of you have already seen my 69 RR jacked up on Super Stock springs.

I plan on going back to OEM stock height springs and original steelies with skinny redlines, but would like to know how big I can go with the stock height?

Currently running 29x12.5 MT Sportsman and would like to be able to slap them on for strip time if possible after returning to stock height.

Mr.4spd

I fit 29x10.5-15s on my 69 b-body. Also 275/60/15s fit no problem. After you get the new springs fitted up you should try the 29x12.5s back on just for kicks, you never know.

Moparod

275/60/15's on my Bird, fit with plenty of room.

98 SNAKE EATER

That's the thing, I'll most likely get the stock leafs (leaves?) before the new wheels and redlines, so I kinda need to be certain on this before I pull the trigger

BTW, what are the original wheel and tire sizes?

Currently I have a pair of skinny 14's up front and extra wide 15's in the rear

This is what I'm after



Yet, I wouldn't mind having this for the strip lol

Moparod

The six pack cars had a 15x6" wheel, plain black with no poverty caps just chrome lugnuts racecar style like in the pictures, G70-15 tires, whatever that translates to in a radial. Hemi cars were the same size but with wheel covers or poverty caps, depending how they were ordered. If I'm not mistaken they were painted body color with the poverty caps and black with full size wheelcovers. Standard 383 cars were 14x5.5" steelies or 14x5.5 road wheels with trim rings, not chrome. Disc brakes got you 15" wheels automatically, 14 inchers wouldn't clear. Friend of mine got bookoo pissed when he got back from Vietnam and found his '68 Hemi Charger R/T he ordered from a foxhole came with 15" steelies and poverty caps instead of the road wheels he ordered, took the salesman some time to calm him down enough to explain that 14" wheels weren't available with the Hemi package. Must have gotten used to them, he still has the car 45 years later.

98 SNAKE EATER

Hmm, that's interesting.
My 69 was originally a 383 car and has 14's up front w/disc brakes and they clear fine.

*sent from my android powered string cup*

jacilynn_s

Moparod is correct. Then again so are you. Not all the rims are exactly the same. Drop center five spoke rims would clear just fine but stock ordinary rims would not because of the angle on the back.

There is also two types of disc brakes. The 11in disc had problems with the rims where the 10in disc generally did not.


The Hemi cars also came with 12 in disc brakes on them. 14 in rims just wont fit on there no way no how.

Just thought I would add that little bit.

Note: I think Moparod calls Dog Dish hub caps as poverty caps. Not sure what he means by road wheels though. I don't think they were even offered on b bodys in 68. Five spoke rims or steel regular rims and an array of hubcaps yes.
This is a road wheel.

Moparod

Snake, if it has the Bendix 4 piston calipers that were used until '68 or '69 depending on who you ask, 15's were part of the package. If it has the later model single piston discs then yeah the 14's would fit fine.

Yeah dog dishes are poverty caps, lots of folks call them poverty caps because they were the cheapest, or poverty, option back then.

The 5 spoke wheels are the road wheels I'm talking about. Many people incorrectly call them by thir Ford name, Magnum 500. Chrysler called them road wheels. Kinda like people saying posi (GM) instead of Sure Grip (Mopar). Chrysler only offered them in 14", and they only came chromed for '67 and early '68, after that they used trim rings. Code W21, an $86.15 option on my '69 RR.

98 SNAKE EATER

Wow
Thanks for all the info, guys
I definitely have a lot to learn here.
Not sure what kind of calipers I have as I only pulled the wheels for a quick peek at the pads and to give the joints a shot of grease.

I'll be going with the 15x6's, but now that I'be seen what the redlines are going for nowadays, it may be a while
Are there any alternatives to achieve the "look" of the factory tire? (obviously there must be going by the prostreet pic in my last post)

I remember buying a set of GoodYear polyglas rubber from Coker for my 70 RAIV Trans Am some 15 years ago at less than half of what they're asking now and thought it was a rip then

Also, a question on the stock leafs.

Apart from possible rubbing with my current 29x12.5 Mickeys, will I run into other issues like wheel hop?

My 70 T/A had it sumthin fierce until I added traction bars, which looked like $#!te


*sent from my android powered string cup*

jacilynn_s

Wheel hop should not be a problem. Gm's the axle is mounted under the springs, actually dodge trucks are mounted the same way. Cars are mounted over the springs. It changes how the rear reacts by quite a bit.

Most people run regular cheap 235/75/R15 or 245/60/R15 in the rear on 15 x 7 rims. Blackwall for driving around.

You can also go with the cheaper radial redline tire instead of the polyglass bias tires.

The four piston calipers are prone to leaking you would know if you had them.

98 SNAKE EATER

My T/A's leafs are mounted below the axle with staggered shocks and drop links from the sway bar.

Even with all new hardware, axle tramp was a big issue after slapping on sticky meats.

On the Polyglas, the only issue I had was smoking them through all the gears and not going anywhere lol.

Have info the cheaper radial redline tires?

Moparod

Challenger T/A or Trams Am T/A? I've never had any problem with wheelhop on any car from my '70 340 Cuda to any of my big block Chargers or Road Runners. One of the benefits of Mopar engineering, have you noticed how far forward the axle is mounted on the springs in your Runner? Reducing the amount of spring in front of the axle means less spring to bend when you hammer it. Does your car have a pinion snubber? Great for reducing axle windup. I'll dig up a vid of my Charger launching and you'll see what I'm talking about.

I swapped out the sagged leafs on my '68 Charger with a set of heavy duty springs, basically the R/T springs with the extra half leaf. Rode fine, no stiffer than the standard duty stockers and definitely worth the effort. Mopar Performance pn
P4452982 RH side, P4452983 LH side.

98 SNAKE EATER

T/A as in Trans Am (the RR is my first MOPAR with wheels)

I'm pretty sure I spotted a pinion snubber while I was under it, but I'll make sure when I get her back on the lift.

Question on the spring mounts.

The rear clamps measure ~4" from bolt to bolt

Are these stock pieces?

Moparod

Yeah, about 4" sounds right.

Still huntin for the vid, it's pretty cool to see how the back of the car raises up when the snubber bumps, then squats just a little when I hammer it. Just the way nature intended

You want to see some bad wheel hop, watch Bullitt with Steve McQueen. The axle in his Mustang is jumping so hard you expect something to break...

Doololly thing wouldn't let me upload my video, file is too big.

98 SNAKE EATER

Yeah, I remember the Stang lol

I just got a quote from my local Dodge dealer for $110 for each leaf spring shipped next day to my shop.

This sound about right or can I find them cheaper elsewhere?


*sent from my android powered string cup*

Moparod

$110 sounds about right, Summit has them for $105 plus shipping, plus an extra $8 surcharge because of the size and weight.

You'll be glad you made the swap.

98 SNAKE EATER

OK, I'll order them first thing Monday

As for the stock 15x6 wheels, I've been searching, but there appears to be a few different versions when it comes to backspacing

Which are correct and where would be my best bet on getting a clean set of 4?

98 SNAKE EATER

Yep

Spotted it while replacing U-joints and a tail shaft seal earlier today

Thing is, it looked pretty tall and was wrapped in electrical tape

Appeared to be adjustable (had a hood pin poking out through the tape)

How close to the body does it need to be?

Moparod

About the wheels, if you're going with the six pack look, plain black without rings or caps, I might even consider going new; a used wheel would likely have gouges where the hubcap clips dug in. You wouldn't want to see that on a clean uncovered wheel. I've bought from Stockton Wheel a couple of times, their service and prices are good. If you go used, as long as all four are from the same car I don't think you'll have an issue. I used a 15" wheel from a 70's New Yorker as a spare in my Road Runner, had no clearance or other issues.

The stock pinion snubber is basically a stamped piece of steel with a rubber bumper on it, pretty flat. It's been a long time since I traded my last musclecar for the street rod but as I recall it was somewhere around an inch, maybe a little more, from the plate. You want it far enough down so it won't hit every time you go over a speedbump but close enough to contact when you need it to. I never had an adjustable on a stock suspension, can't say if it will adjust down far enough. Worst case you may need to get a stock one if the adjustable one won't give you the clearance you need.

jacilynn_s

Actually what he has might be a stock one. They produced a few cars with them. It's the normal snubber with a short piece of square tubing welded to it. It's not heavy tubing. Stands about 3 inches tall but can be adjusted to like 5. Top has the same rubber bumper as normal. Ive seen a few over the years. The pin should be 7/16 with flat end on one side and other with a small 1/8 clip on it. Factory color was satin black with orange or yellow paint swipe on the pin.

I might suggest one thing. 15 x 6 rims are good for bias ply tires in the rear but if he runs radial tires the 15 x 7 is a better option for more stability. The new yorkers had them. The center where the rim sits is smooth later years the center actually drops inwards about an inch from the inside of the rim.

98 SNAKE EATER

Could you post up some comparison shots of the original bias ply on 15x6, radial redlines on 15x6 and radial redlines on 15x7?

Not too worried about actual drivabilty on the redlines as they'll most likely be be for show and I'll save the Mickeys for go

Just want them to look as close to the original 6-pack car as possible (within a reasonable budget of course)

98 SNAKE EATER

Would these be correct?

http://www.specialtywheel.com/mopar-...coat-15x6.html

I've seen them with 5 holes and 10 holes