Trailing arms for a road car?

[Norm Peterson]

My malibu wagon will be lowered, with over sized sway bars to start with. I will play with it from there and see where I go. I need to get the motor done and get it on the road before I know what I want to do. I have a 15 minute ride to and from work on a very windy switch back highway to figure out how I want it. With spine damage, I am a little picky about how they ride. To stiff, I can't walk when I get out, I just kinda wobble around like a drunk.

The first order of business here should be to find better seats. I've had a few severe episodes of lower back pain and lots of not-so-severe ones, so I have a vague idea what you're going through. Don't be afraid to look outside the GM parts catalog - I've got 1987 Maxima seats in mine now and you couldn't pay me enough to swap the GM originals back in and make me keep them there.

You'll also like poly/rod rear LCAs a lot better than poly/poly.


Everybody has slightly different approaches to setup, so detail differences in setups are to be expected. But there are some general considerations that are better to work with than fight against.


Norm

 

[cttandy]

My malibu wagon will be lowered, with over sized sway bars to start with. I will play with it from there and see where I go. I need to get the motor done and get it on the road before I know what I want to do. I have a 15 minute ride to and from work on a very windy switch back highway to figure out how I want it. With spine damage, I am a little picky about how they ride. To stiff, I can't walk when I get out, I just kinda wobble around like a drunk.

The first order of business here should be to find better seats. I've had a few severe episodes of lower back pain and lots of not-so-severe ones, so I have a vague idea what you're going through. Don't be afraid to look outside the GM parts catalog - I've got 1987 Maxima seats in mine now and you couldn't pay me enough to swap the GM originals back in and make me keep them there.

You'll also like poly/rod rear LCAs a lot better than poly/poly.


Everybody has slightly different approaches to setup, so detail differences in setups are to be expected. But there are some general considerations that are better to work with than fight against.


Norm

YEP YEP. I am thinking of going with seat from a pontiac sunfire or honda CRX. I have found however, if I stay with a factory seat with an arm rest, I do best. I can put my arms down and relieve some stress from my back. I think that's killed me in the 04 Mustang GT. It had great lower back support, but when it came to the upper back, arms and neck it sucked. Having to drive laying down didn't help matter either.

I now stick primarily to older cars, the older style seats are more comfortable to me. The old school spring suspension seats, rather then compressed foam, makes my life a little easier as well. But they don't offer much in way of horizontal performance!

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Sta-bar, rear - 22 mm
27mm and playing with a second 22mm,yep running 2!

Shotgun, are you running a 2nd rear bar for elimination of body roll on drag launches? If not, am I to assume you like a car with a lot of oversteer?

Tommy

 

[shotgun]

Tommy, the car handles pretty well for what it is.

Maybe the near 50/50 weight distribution and larger rear tire helped?

With the dual bars, it is much more stable in turns and when going straight. On bumps it does tramp more in the rear. No problem with oversteer until it gets wet out, then it happen quick. In the wet I can get it to push at low speeds also.
It was fun in the snow, I kinda have fun drifting the tail around. :mrgreen:

With the single bar, the ride is much nicer, less jarring over bumps. The oversteer is gone but the tail end leans more.

I keep swithing back and forth to see which I like best.
The second bar may stay off for now, since my wife will be using the car and I don't want her being "surprised" in the rain !!!

May consider trying a stiffer rear spring to get a feel for the "stiffer spring/small bar" vs "softer spring/big bar" deal.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Tommy, the car handles pretty well for what it is.

Maybe the near 50/50 weight distribution and larger rear tire helped?

With the dual bars, it is much more stable in turns and when going straight. On bumps it does tramp more in the rear. No problem with oversteer until it gets wet out, then it happen quick. In the wet I can get it to push at low speeds also.
It was fun in the snow, I kinda have fun drifting the tail around. :mrgreen:

With the single bar, the ride is much nicer, less jarring over bumps. The oversteer is gone but the tail end leans more.

I keep swithing back and forth to see which I like best.
The second bar may stay off for now, since my wife will be using the car and I don't want her being "surprised" in the rain !!!

May consider trying a stiffer rear spring to get a feel for the "stiffer spring/small bar" vs "softer spring/big bar" deal.

Cool. Thanks for th info! For my tastes, the no oversteer with some body lean would be my preference, but everyone has a different "seat of the pants". I just prefer a car to be as neutral as possible & use throttle/brakes to bring on oversteer.

Tommy

 

[shotgun]

Just thought I would update.

I was parting a Elco and noticed it had beefy rear springs, don't know what brand. The wire diameter is bigger then the Moogs and they a progressive design.

So I stuck them in.

Ride height stayed with-in half an inch.

The car now handles more like the 2 bar set-up but with a slightly nicer ride, no tramping.

I like it.

Only been a few days, will update after it rains. :mrgreen:

 

[malibu795]

like this info!!!

 

[Doober]

I'm not sure how I missed this one :shock:

 

[malibu795]

anny news shotgun?

im runing 1" solid rear bar with 14x175lbin QA1 springs in the back.. and mog 5608 un molested up
havent gotten matching tires yet... running 235/60/14 cobra gt up front and 245/50/15 out back

i get very ;little rear roll right now... waiting for the 14" tires to were out got another set of 15x7 waiting for new tires whenthe frotn wear out.

 

[malibu795]

Btt
Anynew one anything?