Miscellaneous Technical Modifications - Contents

Modifying Hotchkis Leaf Springs (part no.24366) for Mopar B-body

For those who want Hotchkiss leaf springs, but don't want to lower the rear of the car by 1 inch. Here is a solution.
This is about the Hotchkis leaf spring set 24366. Maybe it works on other springs as well. It works probably on all springs with the same front hanger principle.

Modifying time! Take out your tools

The original Chrysler front spring hanger. Note that the pivot bolt is in the middle of the hanger.

The Hotchkis hanger has the pivot bolt a lot higher. That's the 1 inch which lowers the rear end of the car.

By turning the hanger upside down, you get your 1 inch back. Probably more because the location of the pivot bolt is lower than the factory location.
The hanger, in the first picture, is how it should be installed, according to the manual. But we want it like the bottom picture.

One thing is holding back a quick install. The upper holes are closer together than the lower holes.

The solution is simple. Just take a file and enlarge the holes, in such a way the hanger can be used upside down. Or use a milling machine.
Please look closely to the top holes (of the below photo), they are rather large after filing the holes larger. That's because Hotchkis made one pair as slotted holes. So when you're done filing or milling, those holes are pretty large. Again the solution is simple, you have to use a large washer, not too thin either. The Hotchkis bolts are long enough to use these extra washers.
(In this photo the holes are already modified).

When these hangers are installed on the car again (at least in my case, again, they were already on the car), the cars rear end is at least 1 inch higher than installed the Hotchkis way.

Old OEM spings. The rear of the car is a little low.

New springs, with upside down front hangers. And the rear is a lot higher.

Hotchkis leaf spring set 24366 is for:
70 Dodge Super Bee
70 Plymouth Roadrunner
70 Plymouth GTX
70 Plymouth Satelite
70 Dodge Coronet
70 Dodge Charger
66-69 Plymouth Satellite
66-69 Plymouth Roadrunner
66-69 Plymouth GTX
66-69 Dodge Super Bee
66-69 Dodge Coronet
66-69 Dodge Charger