dropped center link

gnicholson · 01-23-2012, 11:24 AM

i have a 70 chevelle with a bbc and moroso kick out pan which ive modified for centerlink and inner tierod clearance. the center link has also been milled to gain clearance, right now with the wheel centered i have about .060 clearance between the pan and link. ive contacted dre about a diaper and i need to drop the link in the center. what have some of you guys done in this situation. i could go to a rack but if lowered enough to work the outer tie rods would also be way down from the knuckle. any ideas

1320racer · 01-23-2012, 02:53 PM

Motor mounts or motor plate?

Tom Goldman · 01-23-2012, 05:40 PM

I've fabricated dropped centerlinks for clearance,but bump steer geometry can be time consuming to correct.
Old school,we used to cut the link and weld in a drop center, common mod on Tri5 Chevies.
As 1320 suggested, putting in a motorplate and raising the engine a small ammount is the easiest , and most economical route.

1320racer · 01-23-2012, 05:51 PM

raising the engine on the motor plate or mounts is the fix.

Using Moroso #62515 solid mounts with a Moroso pan #21047 clears the stock/unmodified crossmember by .060+

shimming the engine up another 1/8"(.125) should gain you the additional clearance to easily fit a diaper.

BTW, just recieved my DRE custom fit diaper and it's well made and thin.

gnicholson · 01-23-2012, 08:50 PM

the engine is in the stock location front to rear but the trans has been moved up in the back to correct driveline angle. i dont want to raise the engine.. ive spent alot of time getting the driveline angles right as well as the crank heighth is a bit high. dont want to make it worse.the car has a front and rear engine plate.looks like my options are modify the centerlink, the pan orput a rack in it

1320racer · 01-23-2012, 09:02 PM

what was wrong with the driveline angles?

I spent no time trying to get the driveline angles "right".

Used the stock trans mount and crossmember as well the Moroso motor mounts mentioned. IIRC, the engine/trans was 3 1/2" degrees down.

Seemed to work well, running a best of 10.07 n/a and 1.28 60 foot, launched off the footbrake and through a full exhaust with a cast iron oval port headed 11:1 468 backed by a stock gearset turbo400 in my 3880 lb. Chevelle.

gnicholson · 01-23-2012, 11:21 PM

the rear 14.5 32 tires and ladder bar suspension are up in the car a lot higher than the original rear.the trans was moved up in the rear to corect the crank angle.in other words the drive shaft would have ran up hill.you can still make the crank and pinion angles parrellel plus the 2 degrees or so you run the pinion angle down but u joint angles start getting to extreme limiting drive shaft rpm. thats the case on my car anyway. your chevelle has some impressive numbers

1320racer · 01-24-2012, 07:16 AM

thanks, sold it 3 years ago.

gnicholson · 02-05-2012, 02:34 AM

i ended up getting an aluminum pan from billet fab. after i verify it will clear everything ill send it to dre for a diaper

01-23-2012, 11:24 AM	#1
gnicholson Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 101 Likes: 13 Liked 4 Times in 3 Posts	dropped center link i have a 70 chevelle with a bbc and moroso kick out pan which ive modified for centerlink and inner tierod clearance. the center link has also been milled to gain clearance, right now with the wheel centered i have about .060 clearance between the pan and link. ive contacted dre about a diaper and i need to drop the link in the center. what have some of you guys done in this situation. i could go to a rack but if lowered enough to work the outer tie rods would also be way down from the knuckle. any ideas

01-23-2012, 05:40 PM	#3
Tom Goldman VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Allentown,PA Posts: 2,438 Likes: 786 Liked 703 Times in 206 Posts	Re: dropped center link I've fabricated dropped centerlinks for clearance,but bump steer geometry can be time consuming to correct. Old school,we used to cut the link and weld in a drop center, common mod on Tri5 Chevies. As 1320 suggested, putting in a motorplate and raising the engine a small ammount is the easiest , and most economical route. __________________ Tom Goldman 1500 SG , 1506 STK

01-23-2012, 05:51 PM	#4
1320racer VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,793 Likes: 73 Liked 424 Times in 204 Posts	Re: dropped center link raising the engine on the motor plate or mounts is the fix. Using Moroso #62515 solid mounts with a Moroso pan #21047 clears the stock/unmodified crossmember by .060+ shimming the engine up another 1/8"(.125) should gain you the additional clearance to easily fit a diaper. BTW, just recieved my DRE custom fit diaper and it's well made and thin. Last edited by 1320racer; 01-23-2012 at 06:02 PM.

01-23-2012, 08:50 PM	#5
gnicholson Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 101 Likes: 13 Liked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Re: dropped center link the engine is in the stock location front to rear but the trans has been moved up in the back to correct driveline angle. i dont want to raise the engine.. ive spent alot of time getting the driveline angles right as well as the crank heighth is a bit high. dont want to make it worse.the car has a front and rear engine plate.looks like my options are modify the centerlink, the pan orput a rack in it

01-23-2012, 11:21 PM	#7
gnicholson Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 101 Likes: 13 Liked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Re: dropped center link the rear 14.5 32 tires and ladder bar suspension are up in the car a lot higher than the original rear.the trans was moved up in the rear to corect the crank angle.in other words the drive shaft would have ran up hill.you can still make the crank and pinion angles parrellel plus the 2 degrees or so you run the pinion angle down but u joint angles start getting to extreme limiting drive shaft rpm. thats the case on my car anyway. your chevelle has some impressive numbers Last edited by gnicholson; 01-23-2012 at 11:29 PM.

01-23-2012, 02:53 PM	#2
1320racer VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,793 Likes: 73 Liked 424 Times in 204 Posts	Re: dropped center link Motor mounts or motor plate?

01-23-2012, 09:02 PM	#6
1320racer VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,793 Likes: 73 Liked 424 Times in 204 Posts	Re: dropped center link what was wrong with the driveline angles? I spent no time trying to get the driveline angles "right". Used the stock trans mount and crossmember as well the Moroso motor mounts mentioned. IIRC, the engine/trans was 3 1/2" degrees down. Seemed to work well, running a best of 10.07 n/a and 1.28 60 foot, launched off the footbrake and through a full exhaust with a cast iron oval port headed 11:1 468 backed by a stock gearset turbo400 in my 3880 lb. Chevelle. Last edited by 1320racer; 01-23-2012 at 09:09 PM.

01-24-2012, 07:16 AM	#8
1320racer VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,793 Likes: 73 Liked 424 Times in 204 Posts	Re: dropped center link thanks, sold it 3 years ago.

02-05-2012, 02:34 AM	#9
gnicholson Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 101 Likes: 13 Liked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Re: dropped center link i ended up getting an aluminum pan from billet fab. after i verify it will clear everything ill send it to dre for a diaper