Chevelle rear suspension

[jake72ss]

My idea is to eliminate the binding by adding either a torque arm as I mentioned earlier, or fabricating a bracket that mounts to the differential cover that would allow me to straighten out the upper links similarly to the steeda setup. In my own simple way it seems to me that if the upper links stay at the same angle from a side view, that the critical points such as instant center, and such wouldn't change it would just allow me to mount a watts or panhard bar to relocate the roll center height. I may be way off and I am not about to cut on my car just want to get some feedback on the ideas floating around in my head.

[jake72ss]

http://image.automotive.com/f/projec...suspension.jpg
If I fabricated a torque arm like this what would I need to keep in mind, where would be the best location for the front mounting point? I mean how bad could I screw things up, what would I trade off by doing this?


http://www.steeda.com/store/images/p...stem-mus-1.jpg

The Steeda 5 link is designed for fox mustangs but since their rear suspension is similar to A bodies that is where I came up with this.

[exwestracer]

Originally Posted by jake72ss

My idea is to eliminate the binding by adding either a torque arm as I mentioned earlier, or fabricating a bracket that mounts to the differential cover that would allow me to straighten out the upper links similarly to the steeda setup. In my own simple way it seems to me that if the upper links stay at the same angle from a side view, that the critical points such as instant center, and such wouldn't change it would just allow me to mount a watts or panhard bar to relocate the roll center height. I may be way off and I am not about to cut on my car just want to get some feedback on the ideas floating around in my head.

Ok. You had also mentioned "or add a watts link or panhard rod with the stock configuration", which was my concern. Personally, I'm a big fan of the torque arm rear suspension. Other than a little more unsprung weight, it is a very simple and effective design. Your main problem will be mounting the arm securely to that cast center section of the rear end housing. There are obviously kits out there to do this. Most use a beefy aluminum rear cover with the arm mounts built in.


As far as the front mount location, your options are pretty limited with that perimeter frame design. Box the frame around the trans crossmember, beef up the crossmember itself, and mount the front pivot to that. Just remember the torque arm has to be free to move front to rear slightly and the front pivot must have some rotation capability, but it doesn't need much. Something like a leaf spring shackle extending up from the crossmember with a large rubber bushing or heim end on the arm should work fine.

Then just remove your stock upper links, install that Watts link, and go.

[Blake Foster]

Our torque arm could easily be made to fit the A body, all that would need to be fabed is a front torque arm mount
we could do a combination of the rear coil over conversion, torque arm, and lower trailing arms and sway bar.
it would be almost identical to our F body torque arm set up.

[ProTouring442]

Originally Posted by killer69

Our torque arm could easily be made to fit the A body, all that would need to be fabed is a front torque arm mount
we could do a combination of the rear coil over conversion, torque arm, and lower trailing arms and sway bar.
it would be almost identical to our F body torque arm set up.

Don't happen to make that for a 9" do ya? My 442 has a 9" and I would love to go the Torque Arm route.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

[Blake Foster]

Originally Posted by ProTouring442

Don't happen to make that for a 9" do ya? My 442 has a 9" and I would love to go the Torque Arm route.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

sure do