Rear suspension overhaul....

MYBAD79 said:
got the 10" upper rods today:

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.

tack welded the upper outer bracket in place, seems to line up very nicely....

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Click to expand...

Excellent work!

Where did you get those spacers for the rod ends? Did you make the "L" tabs, or did you buy them pre-made? An upper link is on my short list of modifications still to do.

I'm surprised that I've never seen an Oldsmobile Toronado-style CV joint system for the back end of the C2/C3 cars. It seems like it should be more than strong enough if it can stand up to a 455 Olds engine.
 
thanks :D

the spacers are from Summit or Jegs, I usually buy from one of the two, whoever has the parts in stock... search their website for "tapered spacer" or "rod end spacer"
The bracket is a modified coilover mount, these are $6.99 ... can't cut and fabricte for that low price :)
 
Same as the lowers, 3/4 threads if i remember right, holes are 5/8 with reducer sleeve to 1/2. Same rod end with 1/2" hole is way more expensive .
 
Karsten -
Were you able to find some bolts that fit "tight?" I was very disappointed with many of the bolts, pins etc I tried and still had slop in the bolt to sleeve interface.
Now have gone over to spherical joints instead.
That's coming together nicely BTW.

Cheers - Jim
 
When I did my lower links, I had very good luck with 5/8" grade 8 hardware bolts from the local ACE store. They fit fine with no discernible slop.
 
The lower inner bolts are the ones that came with my MidAmerica poly junk strut rods..... the bolts are useable, there's just enough clearance to get anti seize compound in between the bolt and sleeve.
The upper inner and outer bolts are the ones that came with the coil over brackets, they have a shank that is not threaded (just like the other bolts) and they fit fine.

Slop: without the upper rods in place I was able to push/pull the top of the wheel .020" - that's the end play on the side yokes. I highly doubt this is noticeable when using rubber or poly trailing arm bushings. Withe the JohnnyJoints it is very noticeable.
Now, what does this do to the strut rod bushings if it's left at that ?? Probably one reason these things wear like crazy, most guys have no idea how much the wheel can move or tilt in/out....

btw, I am still waiting for the new slip/spline half shafts... they had to order parts and that delayed the whole job a few days.... oh well, what is a few more days? :shocking: ....
 
Finally another update:

I received the slip shafts from Curtis Tatton in Utah.... true pieces of art.... I painted them black/gold

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.

although it was late tonight, I had to get at least one half shaft in there to see how it fits....

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awesome stuff..... :D :D :D
 
Carsten -
Those look sharp. I got some Tatton's too - waiting to get as far along as as you have.
Curious - and I haven't got a reply from him yet.

What do you reckon a reasonable limit for extending the the slip half shafts would be?
Say move the track out an inch - or so? I am building making new uprights etc and could widen the track a bit with the flares etc.

Beauty.

Cheers - Jim
 
Jim, the trailing arms are still limiting track width. The more you move the wheel out, the more toe in you get. The shafts have a few inches travel, I asked Curtis for 1/2" - 1" travel "in" at 13 7/8" length (stock half shaft length).
 
Yeah I gotta find my notes to him.
I'm elminating the TAs so won't have that issue. So that was my dumb question of the day -- well, maybe the first. !t was early!

Cheers - Jim
 
phantomjock said:
Carsten -
Those look sharp. I got some Tatton's too - waiting to get as far along as as you have.
Curious - and I haven't got a reply from him yet.

What do you reckon a reasonable limit for extending the the slip half shafts would be?
Say move the track out an inch - or so? I am building making new uprights etc and could widen the track a bit with the flares etc.

Beauty.

Cheers - Jim
Click to expand...

Jim do you have any photos of what you are doing?
 
JE - no pictures yet -- but I have a few diagrams (cheezy paintbrush mods) in my images.
When I get a bit closer will fire up a thread.

Cheers - Jim
 
FINALLY back on the road..... well at least for a 20 minute test drive :D

It feels like very different car now, huge improvement although the alignment is only eyeballed and both rear brakes leak :bonkers::bonkers:

I'll have to check all the bleeders and the brake line connections, have a feeling I didn't tighten the lines.... :crap::crap:

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Finally got around to checking the brakes today... bleeder screws were leaking and I had to tighten them quiet a bit to stop the leak, brakes seem to be fine now..... took the '79 out for a 10 mile test drive: alignment is way off and it pulls to the right but other than that it's great, the rear suspension feels awesome.... I see a front monospring conversion in my future.....


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ANY empty parking lots nearby - say Skid Pad?

Awesome Karsten.

While you're at its... The SPC Front Uppers are nice -- and adjustable too. With the longer BJs should really improve the front end too. Jealously watching yours completed.

Meanwhile, I got 1/2 of my rear diff remount done this weekend. Next the pinion end. (building a new mount - not the saddle)

Cheers - Jim
 
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