Corvette C4 suspension

[TurboLark]

Does anyone have the geometry data for the corvette C4 suspension for Suspension analyzer? It has 2001 C5 design, but not C4 stuff.
Thanks.
Phil

[Texas Hotrod]

I have an '88 C4 and I'm installing a C4 IRS into a 68 Camaro.
What angles/measurements do you need?
I'll surely help out if I can.

Gene

[TurboLark]

I have an '88 C4 and I'm installing a C4 IRS into a 68 Camaro.
What angles/measurements do you need?
I'll surely help out if I can.

Gene

Thanks Gene, but I was hoping someone had done the work before. I dont want to trouble anyone to take measurements for me if not done already. I will be picking up a 1990 C4 front suspension on Friday, so I can just take measurements myself once i get it.
Thanks again, Gene.
Phil

[Mark Smith]

stock c 4 alighnment specs are 0.5 camber,1/32-1/16 toe,8degrees caster .hope that helps

[ProdigyCustoms]

88 to 96 are the wrong years, 84-87 fit much better as they are a lot shorter. Also, putting the front K frame from a C4 is a fantasy / Nightmare i lived. Adapting to the stock subframe was another. When the day was over, and new frame from scratch was in order.

[TurboLark]

88 to 96 are the wrong years, 84-87 fit much better as they are a lot shorter. Also, putting the front K frame from a C4 is a fantasy / Nightmare i lived. Adapting to the stock subframe was another. When the day was over, and new frame from scratch was in order.

What did you try to put it in? I look to have 72" of width outside to outside of the tires to work with. I was planning that I would need to make new front frame section anyway. The WMS to WMS on the vette seems to be 62" so i should have room. Will find out once i get it pull the car apart LOL.

[Texas Hotrod]

Sorry, I got the wrong idea. I didn't realize you meant IFS.

I agree 100% on that one Frank.
I had a C4 clip (if you'd actually call it a clip) at one time, it was sawed out of a wrecked car so it had a lot of sheet metal still attatched. After I trimmed off all of the excess, I saw where the head aches would begin. One major issue was that it had rear steer. No wonder people pay big bucks for the frame kits.
I put it off for a long time and ended up selling the front unit to a friend that needed it.

A while back I started working on the car again, and I hit it w/a different attitude and a better time schedule.
I started looking for another suspension unit, but wasn't sure what to go with. One of the local police cars was in the shop for a busted rack & pinion, so I took some track measurements and looked at the whole design of the thing. Presto, that's what I needed. I found the same unit in a local salvage yard that was really clean and 100% complete (a whopping $250).
I originally had thoughts of modding the stock subframe to accept the new unit, but it would've been just plain ugly. I ended up making my own subframe that somewhat mimmicked the original and looks really clean. Using the Ford's (Crown Victoria-cop car) mounting points, I have it bolted to (the bolts go through the frame) my frame with four 5/8" grade 8 bolts (I forgot exactly what size, but they are big bolts). Except for the upper CAs and the twin piston calipers, everything is aluminum and it has front steer. It even has a coil-over shock design (sort of). I plan on using my 18X9.5 Z06 wheels, so I roughly needed another 4" in track width and that's about what I ended up with.

The Ford wheel hubs wouldn't quite fit the Vette wheels. I had to disasseble the wheel hubs and machine the wheel flanges. The bolt pattern was different, so it got redrilled and Moroso studs installed. The last issue was body mount bushings. I whittled out some aluminum round stock to the proper thickness/diameter.

It was far from easy, but then again it really wasn't too difficult. The car is on a roll-around table so I have easy access to all of my equipment. The main thing is to build the frame level w/the body, keep is squared up at several different points and build it at ride height. There is no way to make precise calculations if the suspension is in droop or if nothing is 100% level. Just pay close attention to what you're doing and it'll work out.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

[TurboLark]

Sorry, I got the wrong idea. I didn't realize you meant IFS.

I agree 100% on that one Frank.
I had a C4 clip (if you'd actually call it a clip) at one time, it was sawed out of a wrecked car so it had a lot of sheet metal still attatched. After I trimmed off all of the excess, I saw where the head aches would begin. One major issue was that it had rear steer. No wonder people pay big bucks for the frame kits.
I put it off for a long time and ended up selling the front unit to a friend that needed it.

A while back I started working on the car again, and I hit it w/a different attitude and a better time schedule.
I started looking for another suspension unit, but wasn't sure what to go with. One of the local police cars was in the shop for a busted rack & pinion, so I took some track measurements and looked at the whole design of the thing. Presto, that's what I needed. I found the same unit in a local salvage yard that was really clean and 100% complete (a whopping $250).
I originally had thoughts of modding the stock subframe to accept the new unit, but it would've been just plain ugly. I ended up making my own subframe that somewhat mimmicked the original and looks really clean. Using the Ford's (Crown Victoria-cop car) mounting points, I have it bolted to (the bolts go through the frame) my frame with four 5/8" grade 8 bolts (I forgot exactly what size, but they are big bolts). Except for the upper CAs and the twin piston calipers, everything is aluminum and it has front steer. It even has a coil-over shock design (sort of). I plan on using my 18X9.5 Z06 wheels, so I roughly needed another 4" in track width and that's about what I ended up with.

The Ford wheel hubs wouldn't quite fit the Vette wheels. I had to disasseble the wheel hubs and machine the wheel flanges. The bolt pattern was different, so it got redrilled and Moroso studs installed. The last issue was body mount bushings. I whittled out some aluminum round stock to the proper thickness/diameter.

It was far from easy, but then again it really wasn't too difficult. The car is on a roll-around table so I have easy access to all of my equipment. The main thing is to build the frame level w/the body, keep is squared up at several different points and build it at ride height. There is no way to make precise calculations if the suspension is in droop or if nothing is 100% level. Just pay close attention to what you're doing and it'll work out.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

I'm not sure what you had, but if it reqired cutting alot of sheet metal it wasnt a C4. the C4's entire front suspension unbolts fron the chassis pretty much in 1 piece, and it is a front steer rack and pinion.
look in the "Project Update" forum at slow4dr's Nova post to see what it is like. Really simple to hook up.

[Beach Cruiser]

I was going to put that in my first gen, but switched over to the C5 stuff instead, I have the suspsention anylazer file I did with the C4, if that would help.

[Texas Hotrod]

I work on so many different makes, sometimes I get confused on what's what. The Vette is front steer,I posted incorrectly. I was thinking of something else.
I had a choice of different year models when I purchased my C4 unit (it was indeed a C4 unit). Mine was from an '88, the '88-up has dual piston calipers and speed sensors. The pre-88 has single pistons and non-ABS.
Yes I had to remove sheet metal. Since the motor mount pedistals and other parts of the cradle that weren't needed are constructed from pressed metal, it's far from being the thickness of 1/8" steel plate. I guess it all depends on what you/I consider sheet metal. The pieces that I cut off were thicker than tin and thinner than plate.

I have the convenience of pulling 4 bolts and dropping the unit, and removing 6 more and pulling the clip. That's how I wanted mine, just something that wasn't possible w/the Vette's. I strive for cleanliness and perfection in my builds. Like I said earlier, the Vette cradle would have been out of place (ugly) in my car. I took a different route.

4door's car looks ok. Just not how I would build it. I hope it's not set at ride-height. If it is, he has some major suspension issues to deal with.
Whatever you decide on, I hope it works out the way you want it. Correct alignment and correct ride-height is necessary for accurate fitment.
What are your measurement allowances anyway?

[TurboLark]

I was going to put that in my first gen, but switched over to the C5 stuff instead, I have the suspsention anylazer file I did with the C4, if that would help.

That is exactly what I was looking for. How could I get it, email maybe? [email protected]
Thanks.
Phil

[TurboLark]

I work on so many different makes, sometimes I get confused on what's what. The Vette is front steer,I posted incorrectly. I was thinking of something else.
I had a choice of different year models when I purchased my C4 unit (it was indeed a C4 unit). Mine was from an '88, the '88-up has dual piston calipers and speed sensors. The pre-88 has single pistons and non-ABS.
Yes I had to remove sheet metal. Since the motor mount pedistals and other parts of the cradle that weren't needed are constructed from pressed metal, it's far from being the thickness of 1/8" steel plate. I guess it all depends on what you/I consider sheet metal. The pieces that I cut off were thicker than tin and thinner than plate.

I have the convenience of pulling 4 bolts and dropping the unit, and removing 6 more and pulling the clip. That's how I wanted mine, just something that wasn't possible w/the Vette's. I strive for cleanliness and perfection in my builds. Like I said earlier, the Vette cradle would have been out of place (ugly) in my car. I took a different route.

4door's car looks ok. Just not how I would build it. I hope it's not set at ride-height. If it is, he has some major suspension issues to deal with.
Whatever you decide on, I hope it works out the way you want it. Correct alignment and correct ride-height is necessary for accurate fitment.
What are your measurement allowances anyway?

Ok, now I understand what you meant. I'm not looking to build a super show car, nor a ultimate track beast. I just want better than what the A body has stock, and the C4 should fit the bill just right(as well as costing less than my GW upper control arms..LOL).
I'm with you on the looks though. The crossmember aint pretty.