'79 Rear Suspension
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
'79 Rear Suspension
I am doing a 'sympathetic' restoration on a 79 L-48 (my first vette) and am about to start replacing bushings in the rear suspension. This car has adjustable Strut Rods, which I believe replaces the camber cam bolts because they are no longer installed.
I noticed that there is NO rear stabilizer bar or hardware for one on this car and no evidence that one was ever installed.
Did the 79's come without it?
I noticed that there is NO rear stabilizer bar or hardware for one on this car and no evidence that one was ever installed.
Did the 79's come without it?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,678
Likes: 3,129
From: Shamong, NJ
Only cars with the optional Gymkhana Suspension package, came with a rear sway bar. Gymkhana also included different springs, shocks and a bigger front bar. The standard suspension had a front bar only.
The only Corvettes that ever came standard with rear bars, were the 65-74 big blocks.
The only Corvettes that ever came standard with rear bars, were the 65-74 big blocks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,116
Likes: 598
1978 no sway bar but I installed one.
I am doing a 'sympathetic' restoration on a 79 L-48 (my first vette) and am about to start replacing bushings in the rear suspension. This car has adjustable Strut Rods, which I believe replaces the camber cam bolts because they are no longer installed.
I noticed that there is NO rear stabilizer bar or hardware for one on this car and no evidence that one was ever installed.
Did the 79's come without it?
I noticed that there is NO rear stabilizer bar or hardware for one on this car and no evidence that one was ever installed.
Did the 79's come without it?
I purchased a slalom kit from VBandp
http://www.vbandp.com/C2-C3-Corvette...t-1978-79.html
Which included the hardware required. I had the stock trailing arms that had the mounting holes on the top back of the trailing arms. There also where the mounting holes on the frame. Needed to clean the threads but the kit installed without any modes required. Only problem I had with the kit was the mounting plate was for a 2 1/4" spring where my car came with a 2 1/2" spring. They sent me a new plate and I made some spacers similar to what you can purchase. You can buy the stabilizer bar as a add-on as well.
Also while you are doing the rear suspension check your diff yokes. Once your half shafts are removed check the play moving the yokes in and out. There should be very little. Mine had .125 on one side. and the other was .008. After removing the rear cover I noticed the yoke was ground down to the c clip.
Last edited by cagotzmann; Sep 6, 2012 at 12:21 AM.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Holy Cracked Rubber Batman!
Just pulled the Strut Rods off.
On one side, the only thing left of the top bushing halves was the sleeve.
The other end of the rod had one half of the bushing pair left and it crumbled when I touched it.
The other Strut Rod had both end bushings ~25% intact. The rest was gone. They also crumbled upon touch.
Looks like they were polyurethane bushings in these adjustable strut rods... that is depressing since I just ordered polyurethane replacements for overnight delivery. (Yes, becuase they were cheaper)
I'm not sure how old the strut rods are but they are not near as dirty as the rest of the rear end components.
I hope I get a year out of the peice of crap parts I think I ordered!
BTW - I did not buy this car... it was my Dad's, who passed a couple of years ago and my Mom couldn't look at it anymore. It mostly sat in an outdoor portable carport when he had it and then sat in my driveway for 1-1/2 years. Is it possible that all that sitting caused the bushings to deteriorate this bad?
Just pulled the Strut Rods off.
On one side, the only thing left of the top bushing halves was the sleeve.
The other end of the rod had one half of the bushing pair left and it crumbled when I touched it.
The other Strut Rod had both end bushings ~25% intact. The rest was gone. They also crumbled upon touch.
Looks like they were polyurethane bushings in these adjustable strut rods... that is depressing since I just ordered polyurethane replacements for overnight delivery. (Yes, becuase they were cheaper)
I'm not sure how old the strut rods are but they are not near as dirty as the rest of the rear end components.
I hope I get a year out of the peice of crap parts I think I ordered!
BTW - I did not buy this car... it was my Dad's, who passed a couple of years ago and my Mom couldn't look at it anymore. It mostly sat in an outdoor portable carport when he had it and then sat in my driveway for 1-1/2 years. Is it possible that all that sitting caused the bushings to deteriorate this bad?
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
Holy Cracked Rubber Batman!
Just pulled the Strut Rods off.
On one side, the only thing left of the top bushing halves was the sleeve.
The other end of the rod had one half of the bushing pair left and it crumbled when I touched it.
The other Strut Rod had both end bushings ~25% intact. The rest was gone. They also crumbled upon touch.
Looks like they were polyurethane bushings in these adjustable strut rods... that is depressing since I just ordered polyurethane replacements for overnight delivery. (Yes, becuase they were cheaper)
I'm not sure how old the strut rods are but they are not near as dirty as the rest of the rear end components.
I hope I get a year out of the peice of crap parts I think I ordered!
BTW - I did not buy this car... it was my Dad's, who passed a couple of years ago and my Mom couldn't look at it anymore. It mostly sat in an outdoor portable carport when he had it and then sat in my driveway for 1-1/2 years. Is it possible that all that sitting caused the bushings to deteriorate this bad?
Just pulled the Strut Rods off.
On one side, the only thing left of the top bushing halves was the sleeve.
The other end of the rod had one half of the bushing pair left and it crumbled when I touched it.
The other Strut Rod had both end bushings ~25% intact. The rest was gone. They also crumbled upon touch.
Looks like they were polyurethane bushings in these adjustable strut rods... that is depressing since I just ordered polyurethane replacements for overnight delivery. (Yes, becuase they were cheaper)
I'm not sure how old the strut rods are but they are not near as dirty as the rest of the rear end components.
I hope I get a year out of the peice of crap parts I think I ordered!
BTW - I did not buy this car... it was my Dad's, who passed a couple of years ago and my Mom couldn't look at it anymore. It mostly sat in an outdoor portable carport when he had it and then sat in my driveway for 1-1/2 years. Is it possible that all that sitting caused the bushings to deteriorate this bad?
Your vett is 33 years old.... Every single piece of rubber has rotted or is rotting.... Bushings, hoses, gaskets.... All of it.....
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
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