Rear suspension and aftermarket rear ends

[IronOutlaw]

I want to start working on rear suspension now. Probably just lower control arms, relocation brackets, and panhard bar. Ill see where that gets me before changing torque arms.

MY question is if I get a 12 bolt, 9 inch, or S60 can I use my suspension stuff from my 10 bolt? I dont want to do suspension twice, if I cant reuse everything Im just gonna keep stock parts until I can afford a rear end...I dont know which one Ill get yet neither, Ill probably just wait until I can find something for a really good deal used.

Im pretty sure all of the rear ends cant use the stock style torque arm though, but Im not sure.

[Fastbird]

I know with the 12 bolt you can. Most likely with pre fabbed nines and the S60 your stock stuff would work too.

Posted from my Rezound

[IronOutlaw]

Thanks Sean. I guess ill go ahead and order some adjustable parts since I'm planning on running bigger tires and a different rear eventually.

[96LT1355Z28]

Depending on what 9" you get it may or may not work. I sugggest looking at the suspension packages Eric at Midwest Chassis has. His prices are very competitive if you get a package and 100% American made. UMI, BMR are also good choices and US made, IDK about the others. Shon Herron I believe can get you setup with a package if you decide to go with something other than MWC, Shon is a sponser here.

BTW, be careful modding the suspension, once you start it never stops!

[IronOutlaw]

Depending on what 9" you get it may or may not work. I sugggest looking at the suspension packages Eric at Midwest Chassis has. His prices are very competitive if you get a package and 100% American made. UMI, BMR are also good choices and US made, IDK about the others. Shon Herron I believe can get you setup with a package if you decide to go with something other than MWC, Shon is a sponser here.

BTW, be careful modding the suspension, once you start it never stops!

I think everything is addicting on these cars once you start modding them. lol.

I HAVE to get some suspension and tires though before the track opens back up. Last year I met up with some guys off of LS1tech, a Mach 1 Mustang, and a bolt on LS1 car. I was way slower than I wanted to be and would like to make it interesting when we meet back up this spring. Id love to cut some sub 2.0 sixty foots for a change.

[96LT1355Z28]

Tires will help alot but your going in the right direction looking at a new rearend. With your M6 the 10 bolt won't like you much!

[joelster]

I cut some 1.4's with a best of 1.42 and you wouldn't believe how much stock stuff I still have out back, lol. Stock rear springs, stock rear swaybar, stock LCA's that are boxed in, stock torque arm that has been boxed in, comp engineering rear shocks ($75). I have ZERO ability to adjust anything right now, so I will be purchasing a bunch of goodies this year as well. Probably why my left front tire comes up 8" higher than the right front, lol. All of the stock stuff bolts right up to my S60 rear.

[IronOutlaw]

I cut some 1.4's with a best of 1.42 and you wouldn't believe how much stock stuff I still have out back, lol. Stock rear springs, stock rear swaybar, stock LCA's that are boxed in, stock torque arm that has been boxed in, comp engineering rear shocks ($75). I have ZERO ability to adjust anything right now, so I will be purchasing a bunch of goodies this year as well. Probably why my left front tire comes up 8" higher than the right front, lol. All of the stock stuff bolts right up to my S60 rear.

Damn...Thats moving out. Truthfully I dont know how much someone would charge me to box in my stock stuff. I cant weld, my fabrication skills are zero.:cry:I think I could get some Founder Performance stuff cheaper minus a torque arm. Im glad to hear your stuff bolts up to the S60 because that is really what I would like to get.

So how much do rear shocks help? I thought shocks were a lot more than $75. How are those on the street?

[joelster]

It's really not worth it to box in the stock stuff, there is no adjustability when you do that. I'm finding that out now. It's better to buy the good stuff with rod ends so you can tweak it as you need to. My shocks are 3 ways and I just leave them set at 50/50.

[Joker Z28]

S60 is built exactly like stock 10 inch except bigger and stronger. When I did the S60 everything I had bolted right up no problem. I am about 50/50 with stock and aftermarket stuff.

[96LT1355Z28]

Only thing with the S60 is it requires a shorter driveshaft. The seller of your rear can probably help you address that though. Otherwise the S60 is a very strong rear end and a good choice if your planning to transfer 10 bolt suspension pieces to and aftermarket rear. Many of the 9" except the MWC (must use his TA) require you use an adapter plate for the TA, the S60 doesn't.

[Joker Z28]

I heard my S60 is weak tho ;(

[96LT1355Z28]

I heard my S60 is weak tho ;(

Who said the S60 was weak?!!! Probably stronger than some "built" 9" out there!!

[Joker Z28]

I have a Detroit true trac.

It also has a minor whine

[96LT1355Z28]

I had a Trutrac in my 9'' and kept hearing bad things about them. With the M6 I ran it for 4 years on slicks and had no problems with it. It wasn't till I got new rear shocks and started getting my 60's on the 1.5's that it started to "click" when I would back up and turn or make a forward hard right turn. Running a spool now but I can't say the trutrac is junk, I was pretty hard on it! Other than that I don't see how the S60 is "weak"?!!

OP sorry for getting off topic.

[IronOutlaw]

^^^Thats no problem at all man. Any information I can come across and absorb is welcome. :D


I just ordered some single adjustable LCAs and bolt in relocatation brackets. Also ordered a pair of Competition engineering adjustables.
Hopefully Ill be able to hook at the track this season and get some real times. Im tired of spinning my way to 14s in a 13 second capable car.

[Joker Z28]

Just a question, does anyone run the ebiach pro drag springs? The blue ones?
If so how do you like it?

[IronOutlaw]

Finally got my parts in. Founders performance Adjustable LCAs and LCA brackets. Competition engineering 3 way shocks.
I hope the shocks hold up ok for street use. Im not sure how many miles guys are putting on them. Ill see if these budget parts do what they are supposed to in March. Id like to get a Torque arm to but Im not sure what will clear my duals Im about to install.

8545

[IronOutlaw]

I got everything installed today. The car rides a little rougher as I expected. I can feel the dips in the road alot more. I was very happy with the install of the Founders parts. Everything went in easily and looks great.

I tried a couple of launches on the street with everything in. I still break traction from a dead stop pretty easily but it doesnt keep spinning like before. It grabs a lot quicker. Im happy. Now I just have to get tires and pray for the 10 bolt.

[OVA1]

I've got a Strange S60 and as noted above, it's pretty much identical to the 10 bolt, except it's not a POS...I. It's a Spool. :)


That was the most recent change I've made to that end of the old broad, and everything that was there bolted right up, of which everything is aftermarket, including the soon-to-be-gone UMI adjustable torque arm... it has the tranny mount and that's becoming problematic with the power she's laying down lately.

[OVA1]

I got everything installed today. The car rides a little rougher as I expected. I can feel the dips in the road alot more. I was very happy with the install of the Founders parts. Everything went in easily and looks great.

I tried a couple of launches on the street with everything in. I still break traction from a dead stop pretty easily but it doesnt keep spinning like before. It grabs a lot quicker. Im happy. Now I just have to get tires and pray for the 10 bolt.

I see that this is an old thread... Didn't note the date when I chimed in.

But I also just installed a new set of Mickey Street Radials and VIVA Le DIFFERANCE! I've got probably 150 miles on them... and to be sure, they are gonna go quick... but they hook. I have yet to tromp her from a dig, as it's just not something that even comes to mind after so many years of driving on the usual street crap, but where it counts, that has not been an issue, since I've never had a problem beating what pulls up from a drive-out dig, with a second gear GO.