Global West Rear Trailing Arms
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Overland Park, KS
Global West Rear Trailing Arms
Looking for possible reviews of Global West rear swing arms with front pivot bearing for 1980 C3. Anyone have any thoughts good/not so good? Are they worth the extra money vs. front rubber/poly bushing? Getting ready to tear down and rebuild rear suspension and not sure which way to go for the control arms.
Thanks
Thanks
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,364
Likes: 1,588
From: los altos hills california
I had an early production set with the spherical bearing. The emergency brake cutouts were wrong and I had to hog out a hole and complained about it. I also had to shorten the emergency brake cable. That was actually my first post on this forum if you can find it. Others commented there too so that thread should be helpful to you.
GW soon fixed that problem in production and even offered me another set but by that time they were already on my car. There were some other minor fitment issues. I didn't weigh them but suspect they are considerably heavier that the stock arms. They seem very robust and I've had no complaint since.
Here: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ficulty-2.html
And here: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ling-arms.html
There's more from others
GW soon fixed that problem in production and even offered me another set but by that time they were already on my car. There were some other minor fitment issues. I didn't weigh them but suspect they are considerably heavier that the stock arms. They seem very robust and I've had no complaint since.
Here: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ficulty-2.html
And here: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ling-arms.html
There's more from others
Last edited by ignatz; Oct 29, 2019 at 07:52 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,176
Likes: 3,992
From: Connecticut, USA
I have setup these TA in the past, had the same issue as above and also the studs used with them are not the knurled type like GM used. The holes in the caliper bracket have to be drilled open. I haven't built a set in a few years so I don't know if they resolved these things. They are a nice strong arm but we have drag raced with stock arms without a problem as long as they were not rotted or bent.
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Overland Park, KS
I have setup these TA in the past, had the same issue as above and also the studs used with them are not the knurled type like GM used. The holes in the caliper bracket have to be drilled open. I haven't built a set in a few years so I don't know if they resolved these things. They are a nice strong arm but we have drag raced with stock arms without a problem as long as they were not rotted or bent.
Thanks...………...Don
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,176
Likes: 3,992
From: Connecticut, USA
Don,
You need studs to hold the support and bracket to the arm. GM used 3/8-24 knurled studs and they work great. The studs that came with the GW arms were plain grade 8 hex bolts, I think they were 7/16 so the holes in the support were not large enough. There is no issue drilling them out but I personally like the GM setup better. Our car was just about ready to break into the very high 10's and still had new stock arms without a problem. When we sheared off both the LH inner and outer Solid Spicers joints the shaft destroyed the drag vette loop and bent the arm. I went to Tom's offsets and 1480 12 bolt to resolve the issue.
You need studs to hold the support and bracket to the arm. GM used 3/8-24 knurled studs and they work great. The studs that came with the GW arms were plain grade 8 hex bolts, I think they were 7/16 so the holes in the support were not large enough. There is no issue drilling them out but I personally like the GM setup better. Our car was just about ready to break into the very high 10's and still had new stock arms without a problem. When we sheared off both the LH inner and outer Solid Spicers joints the shaft destroyed the drag vette loop and bent the arm. I went to Tom's offsets and 1480 12 bolt to resolve the issue.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,364
Likes: 1,588
From: los altos hills california
Don,
You need studs to hold the support and bracket to the arm. GM used 3/8-24 knurled studs and they work great. The studs that came with the GW arms were plain grade 8 hex bolts, I think they were 7/16 so the holes in the support were not large enough. There is no issue drilling them out but I personally like the GM setup better. Our car was just about ready to break into the very high 10's and still had new stock arms without a problem. When we sheared off both the LH inner and outer Solid Spicers joints the shaft destroyed the drag vette loop and bent the arm. I went to Tom's offsets and 1480 12 bolt to resolve the issue.
You need studs to hold the support and bracket to the arm. GM used 3/8-24 knurled studs and they work great. The studs that came with the GW arms were plain grade 8 hex bolts, I think they were 7/16 so the holes in the support were not large enough. There is no issue drilling them out but I personally like the GM setup better. Our car was just about ready to break into the very high 10's and still had new stock arms without a problem. When we sheared off both the LH inner and outer Solid Spicers joints the shaft destroyed the drag vette loop and bent the arm. I went to Tom's offsets and 1480 12 bolt to resolve the issue.
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Overland Park, KS
Don,
You need studs to hold the support and bracket to the arm. GM used 3/8-24 knurled studs and they work great. The studs that came with the GW arms were plain grade 8 hex bolts, I think they were 7/16 so the holes in the support were not large enough. There is no issue drilling them out but I personally like the GM setup better. Our car was just about ready to break into the very high 10's and still had new stock arms without a problem. When we sheared off both the LH inner and outer Solid Spicers joints the shaft destroyed the drag vette loop and bent the arm. I went to Tom's offsets and 1480 12 bolt to resolve the issue.
You need studs to hold the support and bracket to the arm. GM used 3/8-24 knurled studs and they work great. The studs that came with the GW arms were plain grade 8 hex bolts, I think they were 7/16 so the holes in the support were not large enough. There is no issue drilling them out but I personally like the GM setup better. Our car was just about ready to break into the very high 10's and still had new stock arms without a problem. When we sheared off both the LH inner and outer Solid Spicers joints the shaft destroyed the drag vette loop and bent the arm. I went to Tom's offsets and 1480 12 bolt to resolve the issue.
I do have a question for you since you seem very knowledgeable concerning the rear suspension. When looking at parts for the rear suspension I notice a lot of times they want to know if you have Auto or Man Trans (I do have a 350 Turbo currently). Does it really matter once you get to the differential whether you have an Auto or Manual trans?. Are Manual Trans parts possibly more heavy duty than Auto trans? Will the OE 1/2 shafts and U-Joints hold up to the HP OK?
I do appreciate your time
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