Worried about my rims with 3” drop leafs

[Steve Firebird]

I have 18 X 9 rear rims with 5” BS and 255/45 18 tires on my 1968 Firebird. I picked up a set of 3” DSE drop leaf spring and plan to install this fall. Now that I am looking at the tires it seems like they will hit the rear quarter lip on my car if I lower it that much. I think it will be OK until I hit a bump in the road and then I will have the inside of the rear quarter lip making contact with my tire. What are my options? I could roll the lip but the car is painted and I am worried about messing up the paint. Where did I go wrong? I did a lot of checking and every thing I read told me this combo should fit on the wheel well.

[Boulder69]

I had to trim the lip of the rear fenderwell. I dressed it up with some under coating (tape line keeps it straight and looking good) to prevent rust on the edge. No more contact.

If I had it to do over again I would have done the 2" springs. Not much bump travel with the 3" for the crappy roads around here. Good luck!

[Steve Firebird]

I think I am going to go ahead and put in the 3" drop leaf spring and then see how it looks . If I need to trim the lip or maybe get a set if blocks to raise it back up 1.5 - 1 inch I may go that way.

[eville]

Blocks can only be used to lower... Not sure how the track width of the Bird compares to the camaro, but most camaro guys run a 5.5bs on a 9.5 wheel.

[Steve Firebird]

Blocks can only be used to lower... Not sure how the track width of the Bird compares to the camaro, but most camaro guys run a 5.5bs on a 9.5 wheel.
I think rear axle should be the same for a camaro or firebird. I had read that a 9.5 rim with 5.5 BS worked well thats why I expected the 9" with a 5" BS would have been OK. I am not sure about the blocks only good for lowering. I have seen alot of trucks and jeeps with blocks used for rasing them up. I guess i better reserch that more...

[eville]

With trucks the housing is mounted below the spring when they are lifted.
On your car, the housing is mounted above the spring. Installing a block between the top of the spring and the bottom of the housing will lower the car.

[6'9"Witha69]

With trucks the housing is mounted below the spring when they are lifted.
On your car, the housing is mounted above the spring. Installing a block between the top of the spring and the bottom of the housing will lower the car.Correct.

[Steve Firebird]

OK. I see what you are saying. I guess I will have to see what else I can come up with if I feel the need to bring the rear back up a little. Maybe a rear shackle kit like back in the day jack up your bitchin camaro :firefire:

[Magntik]

I went with 18 x10's with 6" of b.s. and 3" DSE drop leafs,

Massaged the inner wheel well a little and rolled the lip with Eastwood's fender roller.....No problems.

Frank and I determined the rear on my '67 Firebird was an inch wider then what he had the Camaro has being.

[class67]

If you trim the rear lips, you should be OK. I have a 18x9 1/2" rim with 5 3/4" BS on my 67 Camaro and have no problems with 3" drop. I have a 265/40/18 on the back.

[Steve Firebird]

Thanks that makes me feel better. I have a 69 mach one 9" and it's suspose to be 1/4" narrower thtan a stock 68 camaro rear so hopefully allittle triming will be all I need.

[vanzuuk1]

Use two pairs of adjustable wrenches to slowly bend the lip up, when you get to where the wrenches wont bend the lip any further use a deadblow hammer and pound away...I did it, no paint damage,this is how dse does their cars.

[Steve Firebird]

Use two pairs of adjustable wrenches to slowly bend the lip up, when you get to where the wrenches wont bend the lip any further use a deadblow hammer and pound away...I did it, no paint damage,this is how dse does their cars.
That sound scary man but I will give it a try thanks for the tip.

[aany001]

I have a set of 2" dropped DSE leafs and I am willing to trade ya for your 3" drop leafs.Let me know.

[Steve Chryssos]

Unlike coilovers, it is normal to experiment with leaf springs after the car is built. You might have tow or more sets of leaf springs lying around before the car is perfect. Or you will get friendly with a local leaf spring shop by having them fine tune the arch. Or you will need to roll the lips. That fancy fender roller tool is about the same price as a second set of springs. Be patient, put the car together and then refine or swap the leaf springs from there. The alternative is to have skinny tires and undesirable ride height. That is the safe approach--not my style. If you seek the perfect stance/tire size--and it sounds like you do--then you will have no choice but to refine the combination. But wait until the car is done. Try not to worry about it until then.

Edit:
This is a 285/35x18" tire on an 18"x10" wheel with 5.5" backspacing and DSE 3" springs. The rear is a Moser 9" narrowed 1" overall. A .200" spacer is required on one side and the wheel arches are rolled. That's what it took to get my combination right. On my first try, the car sat like a stinkbug and the wheels sat under the wheel arches--way out there. It took a lot of refinement to get things right. No rubbing on the wheel arches and minor rubbing on the inside of the tires to wheelhouse, but only during racing/high laterla loads.
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[Steve Firebird]

Thanks Steve. If I can get my car to sit like yours and not have any issues I will be very happy it looks great. I am going to put on the parts I have. Which are Speedtech upper and lower contol arms,QA1 coil over convertion on front. DSE rear leaf springs (3" drop) and the QA1 adjustable shocks. Like you said i will get it together and see what I have.