Rear suspension question?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 947
Likes: 0
From: Middletown N.Y.
Rear suspension question?
Before I ask my question I wanna make sure I'm correct about certain things about a C4 rear suspension, although it probably bodes the same for the front, we'll stick to the rear. 84-87 C4's have a shorter track than 88-96's correct? What parts did GM change to make the track longer on the 88-96. Are the halfshafts interchangeable? Spindles? Wheel bearings? Outer axle shafts? I know the brakes are diff on a 88-96. I have a D44 from a 86 and I know the diff is the same but what about the lower arms (left to right) It looks like the( front to rear) upper and lowers are the same for all years. I have a 89 and I wanna save time and install my new bushings on the 86 control arms, but I'm wondering if they are the same? :confused:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,281
Likes: 5
From: Boston
Re: Rear suspension question? (JUAN J SANCHEZ)
The difference is .2" from 60.4 in 84 to 60.6 in 60 which mihgt've been the wider tires besides this its the same for all years except for the ZR1's which were wider in 90-91
http://corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/zr1/zr1specs.html
[Modified by Darkness, 7:53 PM 11/5/2003]
http://corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/zr1/zr1specs.html
[Modified by Darkness, 7:53 PM 11/5/2003]
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 947
Likes: 0
From: Middletown N.Y.
Re: Rear suspension question? (Darkness)
That looks like they are talking about thread (tires) I'm looking for how they widened the overall track. If you put ZR1 wheels on a 84-87 they won't stick out as a matter of fact they fit perfectly. Now if you do the same on a 88-96 the ZR1 11" wheels they would stick out, which means the track is longer. On ZR1's it's just the rear part of the body thats wider that's why the wheels tuck in nicely. What did GM change to make the track wider on the rear suspension? The front is also wider What did they change? I wanna know what parts are interchangeable in the rear suspension between 84-87 and 88-96? Thanks for the reply.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,172
Likes: 11
From: somers, ny
Re: Rear suspension question? (JUAN J SANCHEZ)
Juan this is a good question. I have a 93 rear in my 85 and i can tell you that the knuckles are different. but the rest of the stuff seems to be interchangable. The front is a completely different story....everything different.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 947
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From: Middletown N.Y.
Re: Rear suspension question? (ralph)
Thanks Ralph! The knuckles are probably what pushes the wheels out further! Still curious about the wheel bearings and the outer axles?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Re: Rear suspension question? (JUAN J SANCHEZ)
The wheel bearings are the same. According to my parts book, the spindles and the knuckles are different part numbers, but of course a parts book, doesn't say why, or in what way. Only different part numbers. Good luck, and///
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,251
Likes: 2
From: Thomson Georgia
Re: Rear suspension question? (CFI-EFI)
I changed over to a 87 D44 in my 89, had to drill bigger holes in the mounts but the alignment was the same, I marked everything before dissassembly and put it back the same during reassembly, took it to the alignment shop and everything was dead on. The offset on the Zr1 wheels is different, the tires will stick out of the wheewells on whatever year you use, I want to say about 3/4" each side.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 947
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From: Middletown N.Y.
Re: Rear suspension question? (johnnyevans)
Thanks for the reply's guys! If the wheel bearings are the same and the knuckle(rear) is different now all I need to know is if the outer axles are the same or different. It makes sence for all the arms and mount positions to be the same if the knuckle is different because the knuckle would bring out the bearing causing the track to go out further without having to change alot of parts, but the halfshafts (which I believe are all the same) or the outer axles have to be different, thats my last dilema, are the outer axles the same? :confused:
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 947
Likes: 0
From: Middletown N.Y.
Re: Rear suspension question? (JUAN J SANCHEZ)
Ok! Figured it out. I went to the Tom's diff site and looked up their cold treated outer axle assemblies and they say they will only fit 88-96. Which means the knuckle and the outer axle are what GM changed in order to increase the track. Bingo! Thanks for all the info guys! Gotta go pull the outer axles outta my 89 and get e'm heat/treated. :thumbs: