rear susp (trailing arms, sway bar, etc) upgrade ques.

[jeff5347]

Hey everyone.
Was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on manufacturer and what parts to buy or not. Im looking at upgrading my rear susp with new upper and lower trailing arms, sway bars and chassis reinforcement. I have been looking at umi for the trailing arms as my driving will be mostly street and maybe the strip given its a good distance from me. Im looking to take the boat feel out and make the ride feel tighter and more predictable. Im curious on the spherical end trailing arms but worried about the wear and ive read they transmit some harshness. I don't mind the ride being tight but don't need my teeth broken. Will spherical be good on the street and will they survive. This wont be an everyday car ...maybe a few times a week.

http://umiperformance.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8_60_74&products_id=94

rear sway bar as well as a beefer front sway bar

http://umiperformance.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8_66&products_id=75

http://umiperformance.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8_66&products_id=722

what is the difference between the two besides bolting to the trailing arm or the chassis
I was thinking of adding the braces for the shock tower and the trailing arms but didn't know if this was needed, overkill, or not even needed

http://umiperformance.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8_404&products_id=911

http://umiperformance.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=350

thanks for any and all advice
Jeff

 

[Doober]

I don't have any experience with the aftermarket arms, but I'm running all new bushings (body mounts are poly, all other suspension is new rubber) with some handling upgrades (bigger sway bar, rear sway bar, boxed in stock trailing arms, F41 braces underneath with a GP bar across the frame horns, Hotchkis lowering springs) and there is very, very little body roll. I still plan to get the 4 underhood braces someday, or make my own.

 

[Trick Chassis]

Hi as for trailing arms i build the same combination with the poly on one side and the rod on the other.
They use Energy Suspension bushing.

Mine are $358 for the set and you can get them in Red or black powdercoat.



I also have double adjustable with poly mounts on each end. They use energy suspension bushings, a much better material than stock! They are $399

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Find quality GM drag racing suspension packages and automotive components to spruce up your ride. If you’re looking for housing and axle packages or the popular 8.8 swap kit, take a look at Trick Chassis.

www.trickchassis.com

 

[mean78malibu]

I run the trick chassis sway bar and it would be great for the street since it has greasable bronze bushings and all parts are easily replaceable.

Most of the manufactures offer poly or delrin ends on the same control arms. I wouldn't run heim joints on the street, but some do. If was mostly a track car, i'd do it but I'd want a nicer ride if it was mostly street.

 

[jeff5347]

Thanks guys. I just ordered from kirban the trunk brace and fender brace. Gonna get the sc&c front frame brace tomorrow. Now just gotta get the trailing arms, sway bars, trailing arm braces and shock tower brace. Oh and shocks. What are some good shocks ( non adjustable or not) but at an economical price?

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I STRONGLY advise against any poly bushings on a triangulated four link. They cause more bind than stock rubber, many squeak (evidence of binding) and eventually they all turn to mush...

Tommy

 

[malicad]

With 4 Malibus and 1 Monte Carlo SS under my belt, I will say I had Energy Suspension kits on all of them, front and rear, with zero issues. No squeaking, no binding. Two Malibus had the 7.5 inch rear, one had an 8.5 GN rear, the other a aftermarket 9 inch, and the Monte had a 7.5, too. I don't understand how changing the material of the bushing could affect how the suspension articulates or how it would change the arc in which it travels. Rubber bushings deflect more, therefore those would be more prone to suspension bind. Those experiencing suspension bind by switching to poly bushings probably have another underlying problem, like bent control arm mounts, bent control arms, or an out of square frame near the rearend. 20 plus years using poly bushings, and no issues for me. I'll continue to use them.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

With 4 Malibus and 1 Monte Carlo SS under my belt, I will say I had Energy Suspension kits on all of them, front and rear, with zero issues. No squeaking, no binding. Two Malibus had the 7.5 inch rear, one had an 8.5 GN rear, the other a aftermarket 9 inch, and the Monte had a 7.5, too. I don't understand how changing the material of the bushing could affect how the suspension articulates or how it would change the arc in which it travels. Rubber bushings deflect more, therefore those would be more prone to suspension bind. Those experiencing suspension bind by switching to poly bushings probably have another underlying problem, like bent control arm mounts, bent control arms, or an out of square frame near the rearend. 20 plus years using poly bushings, and no issues for me. I'll continue to use them.

Malicad, you know I'm not into flaming people, but your statements are contradictory. You say you don't know how bushing material affects the suspension, but then say how you have no binding. If you don't know how the suspension is affected, how do you know what has changed, or if it changed in a negative or a positive way? Did you take measurements and run tests before and after? The suspension companies and OEM designers that advise against poly did. That's how they found out. They also found out they turn to mush. Those are just two of the reasons why ZERO production vehicles use poly bushings.

Your thoughts on rubber bushings are backwards, too. Rubber bushings deflect more, so they allow MORE articulation than the stiffer poly bushings. That's where the increased bind comes in. Not from something being bent. Every semi solid bushing in a triangulated 4 link causes some bind. The stiffer the material, the more bind. Can you use poly? Sure. A zillion guys do. Doesn't make them "wrong". The best way to go is still some sort of spherical bearing.

Tommy

 

[malicad]

Tommy, If you re-read my post, I state rubber bushings tend to deflect more than poly bushings, therefore increasing the chance of suspension bind, by keeping the rear end from traveling in it's natural arc during compression and rebound. The suspension on our cars is "triangulated", or more precisely, as the GM engineers called it, "splayed" to keep them from using a track bar to keep the axle centered. Rubber bushings are used by OEM as a matter of cost and to reduce nvh (noise, vibration, harshness). If you look closely at any major manufacture's poly bushings, you will see the inner metal sleeve being a hair wider than the actual bushing, so when installed and torqued to spec, there is a minute amount of clearance between the control arm mount and the bushing itself. This allows for a small amount of side to side movement. I haven't taken any measurements or collected any empirical data to support my claims of poly bushings being superior to rubber bushings, but I side with companies like Edelbrock, Hotchkis, Global West, Spohn, UMI, Detroit Speed and Engineering, Energy Suspension, Prothane, Allstar, Moser, Currie, and QA1 who have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, countless hours of research and development, and who have. I do agree with you that the "roto joint" or "johnny joint" would be the best choice for a high performance street car, but in MY personal experience, I'm just saying I never had any suspension related "gremlins" arise when using poly bushings. My brother's 70 Chevelle 396 also has poly everywhere, for the past 10 years or so, and they haven't turned to "mush"...whatever that is. That car runs low 11's all day long...

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Sorry. I did misunderstand what you said about rubber. All of those manufacturers sell poly as a price point. Global West will even flat out tell you so and that they do not recommend poly. Considering the owner was a GM suspension engineer and has offered those parts long before almost all of the others I tend to trust his word.

Does poly work? Yes. is there anything "wrong" with it? Depepnds on your application. Drag guys use it all the time on GM A & G bodies. They don't need rotational articulation. Handling guys do. Not knocking it, I'm just putting up the negatives, that's all

Tommy