# Raising Rear End, Bump Stops & Shocks question



## Atarchus (Aug 4, 2020)

I recently added a set of 2.5" spring spacers to the rear which gave me about 1" total rake. I like the look but I noticed that the spring spacer is higher than the rear bump stop. Has anyone ever found larger rear bump stops? I'd prefer if I ever bottomed out the rear suspension that it bounced off a bump stop rather than just smashing the spring. I found some different size bump stops online but most are for Chevelle/Camaro and there is no mention of GTO/LeMans compatibility. Is this something I should be concerned about or am I just over thinking this?

Side question, after the spacer install there still seems to be plenty of travel in the rear shocks, both up and down. I also bought the 2" rear shock extender, but it doesn't look like I actually need to use it. Has anyone used these or not used these in conjunction with the spring spacers? Thoughts?


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

I just completely redid the suspension on my 67. I replaced the springs (front and back) with UMI coils. The previous owner had load leveler shocks in the back, so they were compensating for the rear spring sag. The front went way up and now the car sits so close to level, that maybe the front was a little too high... so I bought 1" spacers for the back as well and I put them on last night.

I like the front to be high... I know that's not popular. 

Anywho... yes, you can simply add a spacer to the bump stop, although if you went up 2.5", you likely removed the bump stop from the equation. I need more info... What is the condition of your suspension? Old sagging springs? New ones? Did your spacers fit right in or did you have to disconnect the shocks and raise the car way up?

Usually you'll know if the car needed shock spacers, when the body goes up. If the shocks arent long enough, they probably won't bottom out on a bump, they'll max out on the upstroke.

Here's what I used.


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

You're not wrong to overthink it. It's unlikely that you'll bottom out the spring... You'd have to really be flying over a questionable surface to do it, or be overloaded. However, short shocks do concern me. If you go over a bump and the body cannot go high enough to disperse the inertia, then the shocks will pull the rear up... and your tires along with it! So, don't drive like the Dukes of Hazzard until you're sure.


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## Atarchus (Aug 4, 2020)

Suspension should still be good overall, the car had a rotisserie restoration ~10 years ago by the previous owner and was barely driven since, there is barely any dirt under there. The springs/shocks could pass for almost new by appearance. As it sits with the 2.5" spacer, the shock is just about right in the middle of it's travel. So, it could travel up or down an equal length before topping/bottoming out. I used the same spacer, just taller and I disconnected the shocks on a 4 post lift, then used a transmission stand to push up one side of the differential, slid the spacer in the other and repeated on the other side. Once I jacked up one side of the diff, it was a piece of cake to get the spacers in the other side.


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

Atarchus said:


> Suspension should still be good overall, the car had a rotisserie restoration ~10 years ago by the previous owner and was barely driven since, there is barely any dirt under there. The springs/shocks could pass for almost new by appearance. As it sits with the 2.5" spacer, the shock is just about right in the middle of it's travel. So, it could travel up or down an equal length before topping/bottoming out. I used the same spacer, just taller and I disconnected the shocks on a 4 post lift, then used a transmission stand to push up one side of the differential, slid the spacer in the other and repeated on the other side. Once I jacked up one side of the diff, it was a piece of cake to get the spacers in the other side.


With my car raised and my shocks diconnected, I was barely able to install the 1's, so I'm shocked that you fit the 2.5 in. This made me wonder if the springs were wooped... but it sounds like no. If the shocks are an issue, you'll know quick. It'll bang/ jolt and make noise over bumps. I don't believe that you'll bottom out a newer spring and 2.5 spacer, easily... but in the interest of "doing it right" I would think that the chevelle bumper would work?


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## Atarchus (Aug 4, 2020)

Keep in mind I didn't just slide them in with the shocks disconnected, I also jacked up one side of the diff, which significantly lowered the other side and made it easy to get the spacers in. A 3" spacer would definitely require a little more work as the 2.5" was a bit of a squeeze. I was thinking the Chevelle bump stops might be the same, but I was hoping someone with experience could chime in before I spend money on them.


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