I'm gathering some parts for an iso clamp elimination on my 79 Aspen (7 1/4 rear). I have two sets of shock plates which I believe were from 7 1/4 rear A-body cars, but the bolt holes are 3" apart. Were 3" u-bolts used on 7 1/4 rear ends, or were a smaller size stretched to fit the 3" holes in the shock plates?

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Blair Furlotte
1979 Dodge Aspen 225 "Super Six" 3-speed
Original owner

The A body u-bolts on a 7 1/4 were smaller - I want to say 2.5" vs 3" of the rest. Not interchangeable, stretchable, etc. My guess is your extra shock plates are not from a 7 1/4" like you thought they were. I haven't looked at one up close in a while.... if there's any extra meat around the boltholes maybe you can hog them out or re-drill to take the smaller u-bolt?

The holes in the 7 1/4 shock plates will be 2 1/2" to the inside of the holes as the bolts fit around the outside of the 2 1/2" axle tubes.

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Joshua

Josh, you are correct, these are indeed 2.5 inches from inside bolt hole to bolt hole. I was measuring from center to center, which appeared to be about 3". Don't know what I was thinking there for a minute. I think what threw me off was the bolt holes on the iso clamp setup are three inches apart, and the u-bolt is "stretched" to fit. I recall another poster finding a similar setup. I suspect Chrysler used the same iso clamp setup on both 7 1/4 and 8 1/4 rears the save money. I don't know if all F-bodies are like this, but I do know mine is factory - I've owned it since new. I think they were cutting a lot of corners in '79.

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Blair Furlotte
1979 Dodge Aspen 225 "Super Six" 3-speed
Original owner

Starting around 1980, all F/M/J bodies had 7 1/4 and 8 1/4 rear axles with the same diameter axle tubes (except where the 7 1/4 tube size stepped down at the pumpkin). Not so with the A bodies.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.