69 camaro with homemade 4 link

[corvettekid1973]

I bought a 69 project car that has a 4 link style rear suspension really similar to a coil spring chevelle. the lower long bars are straight and the top two short bars at my best guess are running at about 85 degrees +/- outward from the rear end to the car. my question is that enough angle to not require a panhard bar? i cant get the car up high enough to take pics or I would post some

[Twentyover]

I think you need at least something like 30 degrees (60 degrees) before you can talk about using the convergance to locate the rear end laterally

[exwestracer]

I think you need at least something like 30 degrees (60 degrees) before you can talk about using the convergance to locate the rear end laterally

That's about right, 60 degree included angle or 30 from chassis centerline on each side. Factory setups are closer to 90 included.

Corvettekid, if you meant 85 degrees included, or "V" angle; you should be ok. If you meant they are only 5 degrees out from chassis centerline (10 degree "V"), that isn't enough.

[corvettekid1973]

sorry guys im new to this. i was using the rocker panel as the 90° and the bars are narrower on the rear end and run and a 85° angle towards the rocker. I guess I'm talking more closer to about 30° total V. the top bars have very little angle. which would be best. change the angle or add a panhard?

Oh and Thanks for your help.

[exwestracer]

Well, you are pretty much halfway between the two... There is enough angle to cause a bind if you JUST add a panhard, so you might have to do both. Looking from the SIDE with the car sitting at ride height, which way are the UPPER bars tilted? Down to the frame, level, or down to the axle...and how much?

[corvettekid1973]

Well, you are pretty much halfway between the two... There is enough angle to cause a bind if you JUST add a panhard, so you might have to do both. Looking from the SIDE with the car sitting at ride height, which way are the UPPER bars tilted? Down to the frame, level, or down to the axle...and how much?

I just went and looked. the top bars look very level

[exwestracer]

I just went and looked. the top bars look very level

If it were mine, and the top bars were close to level, I'd rebuild the top link brackets so they met near the center of the housing. Try to get that 60-90 included angle we talked about earlier. Keep in mind that the mounting brackets will have to be angled so the bolts are square to the bars at whatever angle you end up with. You should also use rubber bushings or heim joints, not urethane or delrin, as the bar will need to twist around the mounting bolt for proper operation.

[rustomatic]

Lose one of the two top bars. Relocate it further toward the center, and add a panhard. This seems to be close to what 5.0 Mustang guys do with their factory four-link setups. You may want to look in 5.0 (older) Mustang areas for more on this...

[corvettekid1973]

thanks guys. all the bars have heim joints. I'll also check out the stang set ups. this car was started as a street strip car. they mini tubed it, did that 4 link set up we talked about on a spooled 9" and coil overs. so I'll have to do some work on the top bars and figure out a sway bar set up.

this is a pic I took with my cell when I got the car home

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/10/IMAG0675-1.jpg

[exwestracer]

thanks guys. all the bars have heim joints. I'll also check out the stang set ups. this car was started as a street strip car. they mini tubed it, did that 4 link set up we talked about on a spooled 9" and coil overs. so I'll have to do some work on the top bars and figure out a sway bar set up.

this is a pic I took with my cell when I got the car home

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/10/IMAG0675-1.jpg

With that all steel housing, you should have no trouble moving the top link mounts closer together. See where the horizontal weld seam meets the diff cover? Make a mark right above that and see what kind of angle you get from that point. Much closer and you'll start running into height issues and too much down angle on the upper bars.

[corvettekid1973]

With that all steel housing, you should have no trouble moving the top link mounts closer together. See where the horizontal weld seam meets the diff cover? Make a mark right above that and see what kind of angle you get from that point. Much closer and you'll start running into height issues and too much down angle on the upper bars.

Yes I'll check that out today. I don't think there is much room to move the body mounts for the bars any further out if that is an option. you see any other issues like shock location? those shocks don't have any name on them but I think they are Strange, so they will have to hit the road

[exwestracer]

Nothing obvious from that picture... Personally, I'd like to see them a little closer to the wheel, but at least you've got some room to go wider on the tires.

[corvettekid1973]

Yeah I like that also. I bolted some 17X11's on with 315/35 and there is still room to play