C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

Rearend and half shaft position

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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 08:03 AM
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Default Rearend and half shaft position

Hi all,
I need technical help on the position on the half shafts in relation to the third member. Are the shafts slightly forward, slightly back or centered off the third member? We are mocking up mounts for our cobra build and with the shafts centered there is a binding issue with the toe rods and the upper mounts of the bat wing.

Also, under normal conditions, ie, car sitting parked on a level surface do the half shafts run down toward the tire/wheel, up or are they pretty much level with the ground?

Thanks all.
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 10:35 AM
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The 1/2 shafts point downwards slightly (never more than 11 degrees is the rule of thumb). The 1/2 shafts should go 90 degrees from the main driveshaft so do not put multiple angles with 1/2 shafts as you will get vibrations or destroy parts from the miss alignment.

How about some pics of the project?

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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 11:01 AM
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Originally Posted by engle1147
The 1/2 shafts point downwards slightly (never more than 11 degrees is the rule of thumb). The 1/2 shafts should go 90 degrees from the main driveshaft so do not put multiple angles with 1/2 shafts as you will get vibrations or destroy parts from the miss alignment.

How about some pics of the project?

thanks for the help. i can start troubleshooting my binding issue from that. i tried posting pics but i think my account is limited.
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 11:26 AM
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I think I figured out the picture thing.
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Last edited by jasonmckay; Feb 9, 2010 at 02:44 PM.
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 11:37 AM
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yeah, you've done something wrong there.

The Dogbones should be much lower than the batwing mounts. There are only the mounting of the Dogbones and the Batwing, you get those dimensions correct and everything else will fall in line.
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 11:43 AM
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Originally Posted by jhammons01
yeah, you've done something wrong there.

The Dogbones should be much lower than the batwing mounts. There are only the mounting of the Dogbones and the Batwing, you get those dimensions correct and everything else will fall in line.
Not sure I follow. I thought the dogbones were the connecting bars that mount on the hub and go forward. Were you referring to the toe bars as the dogbones?
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 12:00 PM
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that's what he is saying. The dogbones are the connecting bars that mount on the hub and go forward kind of like a 4 link deal. By eye it looks like the "batwing" needs to be relocated up a few more inches into the frame.

I was actually going to measure the 1/2 shaft angles on my '89 (it's recently been lowered 1" in the rear) yesterday but never got around to doing it. I can do a quick measurement tonight and post back here on this thread what my 1/2 shaft angles are at the ride height if that helps.

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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 12:16 PM
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Originally Posted by jasonmckay
Not sure I follow. I thought the dogbones were the connecting bars that mount on the hub and go forward. Were you referring to the toe bars as the dogbones?
That's right, the four Dogbones hook to the hub.

You take the Roll bar off.....take the Shocks off....and the only things holding the D36/44 to the car are the four Dogbones and the two batwing mounts......

(No I didn't count the C-beam...he is not at that point yet)

What you need to do is find out how much higher the two batwing supports are from the top of the upper Dogbone and you'll have that part licked.
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 12:19 PM
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In the picture below the dog bones are the two rods extending forward of the caliper, one upper and one lower on each side.

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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 12:20 PM
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*edit* ^^See his rear end?? That is almost what your rear end should look like. See how much higher the Batwing is from the two Dogbones?? You need almost that much delta in height. *edit over*

Just looking at that pic again....The two mounts you made for the batwing, they seem to be about 4" long.....Just guesstimating, you need to shorten those mounts and actually have the Batwing mount directly to the frame....removing that 4"(possibly more)



But wait, you don't have a spring on there......is it there and I cannot see it??

Last edited by jhammons01; Feb 9, 2010 at 12:25 PM.
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by jhammons01
*edit* ^^See his rear end?? That is almost what your rear end should look like. See how much higher the Batwing is from the two Dogbones?? You need almost that much delta in height. *edit over*

Just looking at that pic again....The two mounts you made for the batwing, they seem to be about 4" long.....Just guesstimating, you need to shorten those mounts and actually have the Batwing mount directly to the frame....removing that 4"(possibly more)



But wait, you don't have a spring on there......is it there and I cannot see it??
This is helping a lot guys! I am following now. So I need to shorten my batwing mounts to allow it to mount higher up in the frame. That will force the half shafts downward. I was told they should be level. Your info makes sense. Also, no mono spring. I will be using coilovers. That mono spring is too stiff for the kit cars.
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted by jhammons01
*edit* ^^See his rear end?? That is almost what your rear end should look like. See how much higher the Batwing is from the two Dogbones?? You need almost that much delta in height. *edit over*

Just looking at that pic again....The two mounts you made for the batwing, they seem to be about 4" long.....Just guesstimating, you need to shorten those mounts and actually have the Batwing mount directly to the frame....removing that 4"(possibly more)



But wait, you don't have a spring on there......is it there and I cannot see it??
HArd to see if there is a spring mounted or not. I agree on the long batwing mounts but sure would like to know if the spring is mounted or not.
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 12:36 PM
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Here are some closeup shots of the binding.
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 01:11 PM
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Here is another view, note that the angles shown here would be typical of the stock suspension with wheels hanging, the halfshaft angle is less when the weight compresses the transverse leaf spring.

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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 06:54 PM
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You need to poke around some very experienced chassis builders sites and just study the images. These people build a fine tubular chassis utilizing a C4-D44. Just open some of the links here and you'll see what direction you need to go. As your chassis and the C4 rear sits presently. I linked you towards a C3 build but using the links to the left just "poke around"!

http://www.sriiimotorsports.com/196382corvette.html

It seems your attempting to replicate "someones" chassis! Whose?

Here's a project done by an acquaintance and in his snapshots there's a very good mounting image of his D44/C4 in an SRiii chassis!

http://www.vettetech.com/projects/c3gs/c3gs113006b.jpg

Here's a link to his website, click on projects and check out Franken-sport.

http://www.vettetech.com/

Last edited by WVZR-1; Feb 9, 2010 at 07:04 PM.
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 07:17 PM
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Originally Posted by WVZR-1
You need to poke around some very experienced chassis builders sites and just study the images. These people build a fine tubular chassis utilizing a C4-D44. Just open some of the links here and you'll see what direction you need to go. As your chassis and the C4 rear sits presently. I linked you towards a C3 build but using the links to the left just "poke around"!

http://www.sriiimotorsports.com/196382corvette.html

It seems your attempting to replicate "someones" chassis! Whose?

Here's a project done by an acquaintance and in his snapshots there's a very good mounting image of his D44/C4 in an SRiii chassis!

http://www.vettetech.com/projects/c3gs/c3gs113006b.jpg

Here's a link to his website, click on projects and check out Franken-sport.

http://www.vettetech.com/
Very nice links! Tons of great help guys. I'm not trying to replicate anyone's chassis. I bought a cobra frame and body from B&B Manufacturing with the plan to remove all mustang II suspension mounts and use a real sports car for the build. We are striving to keep things like the C4 as much as we can.
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 07:38 PM
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http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1552629355-post1.html

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1552649271-post16.html
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Old Feb 9, 2010 | 10:31 PM
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Originally Posted by engle1147
By eye it looks like the "batwing" needs to be relocated up a few more inches into the frame.

I was actually going to measure the 1/2 shaft angles on my '89 (it's recently been lowered 1" in the rear) yesterday but never got around to doing it. I can do a quick measurement tonight and post back here on this thread what my 1/2 shaft angles are at the ride height if that helps.

I measured mine:
Measuring vertically from the ground up to the center line of each of the two outer "batwing's" frame mounting bolts I get 17". My 1/2 shafts are @ 4 degrees.

Also it looks as if your batwing frame mounts need to be about ~1" - 1.5" forward from their current positon to get the 1/2 shafts more perpindicular to the driveshaft.....your wheel base should not be affected much if any and this will free up some room for the up and down travel of the toe linkage as well. Looking again at the close up pics you posted....if you still need more clearance with your batwing to frame bolts for your rear toe rods when the suspension squats.....reverse the bolts 180 degrees (put the nut on the front side of the batwing.....yes I see that your frame is in the way to do this) to allow more room for suspension travel.

Good luck with the project.


Last edited by engle1147; Feb 11, 2010 at 11:23 AM.
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