I’ve moved most of my ham radio content to its own website. Still, those of you who’ve been here for a while know that I’m carrying a bit of extra weight in the car, probably an additional 200-300 lbs (300-500 kg). That alone can introduce some squat in the rear suspension, especially since most of that weight is behind or near the rear axle. This photo shows how the car has sat for quite a while, with just a touch of squat. The cool kids call this “reverse rake.” There’s a solution to this problem in the form of “Reverse Rake Spacers” by EMD Auto.

Before I go into details, I’ll share that I’m on 100% stock suspension. In fact, not only is it stock, IT’S ORIGINAL! Yeah, that’s a shock for me, too! My favorite mechanic told me that he’s never removed a failed set of factory shocks. Most people remove them either as a preventative measure or to upgrade to a different setup. “Challenge Accepted!” I told him. 😀 Knowing that I’d want to stay with a factory-like setup for the long haul, I figured I’d run the original equipment for as long as I could.

Here I am, 228,000 miles later, and the originals are still in working order. There’s no knocking or creaking in turns; the bushings and control arms are good, too. The ride height has settled ~1 inch (25mm) over the years; so, the mounts MAY be worn, but not enough to justify replacement. I will budget for a suspension replacement, but I’m going to run this setup for a while longer. Still, I wanted to lift the rear a hair to level the car and perhaps give me a little extra space to prevent bottoming the rear suspension on rough roads.

With that shared, EMD’s spacer is simply a plastic disc that mimics the flange of the spring’s mating surfaces. Here is a photo. I’ll admit that the flaws in the edges are a bit of a letdown, but they don’t appear to be able to impact performance. I’ll be happy so long as the material is strong enough to last over time. The spacers fit between the top spring pads and the car’s body. They lift the rear end ~11/32″ or 10mm, which is perfect for my application. I’ve shared some before and after photos in the photo album below.

This photo shows the installed spacer. I think that just about anyone who knows how to use a spring compressor can install these spacers at home. I don’t have one. My car was in the shop for other work; so, I just paid them a little extra to install them. There may be a very small change in the feel of the suspension when I drive over railroad tracks or rough patches… MAYBE. There were times when I’d hear a little creak over uneven driveways. That noise may have been the bump stops being met. The 10mm lift of the spacer provides just a little more room for suspension travel. But I may be experiencing a placebo effect, too. Regardless, I’m pleased with the product.

Reaching New Heights!

Scott