put my new 9" in but....problems

12sec67

Active Member

Oct 6, 2003

1,301

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36

San Diego, Ca

Jun 15, 2004

#1

• Jun 15, 2004

• #1

put my new currie 9 inch in using brand new 1" lowering blocks and new u bolts. well, cruising around was fine durring the break in period but when i got on it i had some problems.

i decided to give it a go, rolled from a stop sign- nailed it hit second gear and bam! the lowering blocks shattered, the nine inch twisted up, my driveshaft u joints split and the driveshaft dented my mufflers along with denting my driveshaft

the only thing that stopped the rear end from twisting more was the rear caliper bolts that hit the leaf spring. i got under the car today and noticed dents in the floor board.


i'm so pissed

thanks for listining
rich

 

R

Ronstang

New Member

Apr 4, 2004

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Houston Texas

Jun 15, 2004

#2

• Jun 15, 2004

• #2

That is the craziest thing I have ever heard. Are you sure you tightened the u-bolts enough? Were those blocks the cheap cast type that are hollow or were they milled from solid aluminum?

 

2nd Mustang

Founding Member

Feb 24, 2002

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Southern California

Jun 16, 2004

#3

• Jun 16, 2004

• #3

Ronstang said:

That is the craziest thing I have ever heard. Are you sure you tightened the u-bolts enough?

Click to expand...

.......or maybe you tightend the U-joints TOO TIGHT? It doesn't take much torque to tighted up the universal joints. If I remember right, it was something like only 14 foot pounds of torque. Others have said that when they torqued the universals too tight, it crushed the cups causing the bearings to fail inside, thus the universal breaking.

Sorry to hear of your problem.

 

Hack

15 Year Member

Mar 23, 2004

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69

Minneapolis

Jun 16, 2004

#4

• Jun 16, 2004

• #4

I don't understand. You broke a Currie 9 inch rear with your 306 on street tires? Or the failure of the lowering blocks just allowed the rear to rotate and hit your car? Is the rear end still ok, or did it break?

I'm sorry to hear that your car broke. Just trying to understand.

 

12sec67

Active Member

Oct 6, 2003

1,301

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San Diego, Ca

Jun 16, 2004

#5

• Jun 16, 2004

• #5

Hack said:

I don't understand. You broke a Currie 9 inch rear with your 306 on street tires? Or the failure of the lowering blocks just allowed the rear to rotate and hit your car? Is the rear end still ok, or did it break?

I'm sorry to hear that your car broke. Just trying to understand.

Click to expand...

the 9" is fine-

i tighten the u bolts that hold the rear end in place to 95 lbs of torque( what it calls for) using the lowering blocks.

i never use them again (lowering blocks)

 

Max Power

Active Member

Jul 31, 2003

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St Paul

Jun 16, 2004

#6

• Jun 16, 2004

• #6

Keep in mind that if you install new u-bolts and they aren't perfectly vertical, they will loosen up after the install. I always drive about a mile, pull it back in the shop and re-tighten. It's amazing how much more tightening I have to do sometimes.

 

M

Mosse

Founding Member

Oct 22, 2002

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Finland, Tampere

Jun 16, 2004

#7

• Jun 16, 2004

• #7

Loose U-bolts, without lowering blocks caused my 8" to blow up... Loose bolts let my rear to bounce and vibration cracked pinion gears inner support... I lost rear´s case, driveshaft, rear U-joint, both silencers, and Radiator. I also have HOLE and some dents in the floor... Consider yourself lucky..

I think proper lowering blocks are safe to use.

 

F

ForceFed70

That's why they call it "dope"

Founding Member

Dec 6, 1999

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69

BC Canada

Jun 16, 2004

#8

• Jun 16, 2004

• #8

Lowering blocks shouldn't be a problem so long as you don't use weak cast meterial. A 1" thick chunk of solid steel would be the best.

And yes, the ubolts need to be re-torqued. I'm guessing this is what happened..the bolts loosened putting the stress on 1 side of the lowering block...some wheel hop from getting on the pedal, and all hell breaks loose. Maybe look at some 4x4 websites.. lotsa lift block info (same as lowering block).

Also... when you put lift/lowering blocks in, you increase the amount of axle wrap..so you'll want to keep an eye on this.

 

1

10secgoal

Active Member

Dec 1, 2003

2,801

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49

San Diego

Jun 16, 2004

#9

• Jun 16, 2004

• #9

Mosse said:

Loose U-bolts, without lowering blocks caused my 8" to blow up... Loose bolts let my rear to bounce and vibration cracked pinion gears inner support... I lost rear´s case, driveshaft, rear U-joint, both silencers, and Radiator. I also have HOLE and some dents in the floor... Consider yourself lucky..

I think proper lowering blocks are safe to use.

Click to expand...

HA let's not go into this. Ok I'm going to anyways. I twist a driveshaft into almost 3 pieces(2 completely) on the dyno at about 115 mph. Let's just say my next mod was to be a safetly loop because I just bought et streets.

The bloodly thing takes out both flowmasters,both pipes,tailshaft,bellhousing shatters into 6 pieces, that allows my tranny to shift pushing the stalls studs into the motor plate dstroying it, ripping out two arp studs in my stall,snapping the stator of my pump in my stall and last but not least destroyed the front planetary carrier. So there I'm madder than you.

How did it take out your radiator ?

 

HistoricMustang

Active Member

Apr 11, 2003

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Confederate States of America

Jun 16, 2004

#10

• Jun 16, 2004

• #10

Did you install the "wedge" blocks to keep the pinion angle correct after putting in the lowering blocks? You can get them from Speedway.

HistoricMustang
ww.historicmustang.com

 

69PaleHorse

Member

Feb 3, 2004

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Ventura County, CA

Jun 16, 2004

#11

• Jun 16, 2004

• #11

10secgoal said:

How did it take out your radiator ?

Click to expand...

He was driving in reverse, GISS style!

 

M

Mosse

Founding Member

Oct 22, 2002

229

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0

Finland, Tampere

Jun 17, 2004

#12

• Jun 17, 2004

• #12

Yep, a good one.

While my rear exploded, it pushed toploader and engine a little forward, but it was enough for fan to hit radiatopr.