rear suspension squat--stiffness

[dirty joe]

I have dbl adjustable uppers, and solid, non adj lowers, all with rubber bushing in my 79 grand prix with a ford 9". But, i also have coil-overs with 110lb springs. I push down on the rear of the car with force, and it does not move much at all. But, how much should it move? Maybe it moves enough, and im just thinking it needs to move more. My car should go low to mid 10's n/a, and mid to low 9's on the spray. It is mini-tubbed and frame notched with 29.5/10.5 slicks. When I push on it, it makes a squishy sound (like a rubber bushing sound). I am thinking the rubber bushings are binding up preventing it from squating. What do yall think? My instant center is right about in between half of the door, and the rear of the door, and the lowers are about parallel with the ground.

Sorry for the book, figured I would try to get all the info out there first. Thanks, Joe

P.S. This is for a street race car, not a track race car, so softness is better.

 

[79malibusbc]

you may have tighted the bolts for the control arms to much..try loosing them up a little and then see what you got

 

[Betcha618]

i DON'T THINK Loosening the trailing arm bolts is a good idea. I would advise against this. maybe your springs are too stiff.

 

[art]

Regarding the bolts and thier tightness. When oval track racing we used to completely disassemble the control arms at both ends, Lubriplate everything, put them back together, and double nut the bolts. That way we got all the travel. It may not make any difference for you, however it is an inexpensive fix to try.

 

[crd89stang]

i also do not over tighten control arm bolts and use plenty of grease on bushings i use the locking nuts on mine and check them often have never loosened up

 

[Jeff.Mc.KC]

maybe your shocks are working ????????? Try to set them loose so the shocks dont slow it down

 

[KEVINS]

maybe your shocks are working ????????? Try to set them loose so the shocks dont slow it down

I agree, my $$ is on the shocks. The shocks do more for making the suspension feeling stiff than the springs do. Maybe they are working normal or maybe the setting's too stiff or maybe one/both is locked up.
Leave the springs as-is.

ks

 

[dirty joe]

the knobs on the shocks are all the way to the left, so that would be the softest right? so, if the shocks are locked up, how would you go about on gettin them unlocked? or does that mean my coilovers are junk now?

p.s. for some reason i was thinkin shocks, but figured since they only have about 100miles on them, noway.

 

[COPO 572]

I could be way off here, but on the softest setting I thought the shocks would extend easily (so the tires hit the track faster) and be difficult to compress (so they hit the track longer). This means pushing down on the car would be very difficult right now. Try lifting up!

No?

 

[Jeff.Mc.KC]

If they are a doubles then you should be able to make them soft each way but the wont be equal and the street kills shocks take them off un-spring them, see if they are locked most quallity shocks can be rebuilt you need to soften them before hitting the Street