Hello I have a 95 Corvette suspension in a 65 corvette and have an issue where the bolt holding the upper rear trailing arm is hitting the tire and shredding it. I looked up the part numbers for both rear trailing arms and 652224 is 13 inches long (this is the lower trailing arm) and the upper is 11 inches long. Is there any way that I can use another lower trailing arm that is 13 inches long to replace the 11 inch long one? This would move the bolt away from the tire. Am wondering what effect this might have on the suspension geometry or travel? Or if there is any way that another type of replacement arm that is maybe 12 inches long could be ussed from a different car? Please let me know what the effect on the rear suspension would be? or if there is any other way to get the bolt so it doesnt hit the tire? Thanks A
Hello,
My name is XXXXX XXXXX X am a Corvette Specialist with over 50+ years of technical expertise.
So, with that being said, let me study the two different ( pretty much the same) rear suspension systems to see what kind of a modification we can come up with so that you do not have to change tires and/or wheels.
I have been here before on a car I built up in Alaska ( called the "Alas-Car) that ran on the ice lakes in the winter. We raced on Sandlake in Anchorage as well as Lake Wasilla where Sara Pallin resides. The Alas-Car had Sting Ray rear suspension and I was running 12" Mickey Thompson Aluminum Mags with ( as I recall ) a 3" or 4" offset to clear the upper and lower trailing arm. So I am VERY Familiar with that area of the Transleaf Suspension.
Would it be possible for you to snap a couple of pictures of the Wheel & Tire as well as a shot of the suspension from a rear 45 degree angle so I can see where the tire is rubbing the bolt. maybe shoot those and then pull the wheel and shoot a picture at a 90 degree angle so I can see it from that view as well.
There are some options here but we want to keep the Camber, Caster and Toe somewhere in the middle of the adjustment scale for further alterations and/or adjustments, down the road ( so to speak).
So I still can study the two suspensions ( I have the detailed pictures/schematics/diagrams of the rear suspensions) but it would really help if I was able to see your particular set up. It would just make it easier for me. Customer support can help you post any pictures that you may take.
Let me know how you feel about snapping some pictures for me. There are some specific modification kits available but again we need to MAKE REAL SURE about the Geometry so as not to mess up the handling and tracking from the rear trailing arms vs the entire vehicle tracking and handling specifics. This IS a sensitive area of any Corvette. To most tech this is NOT an area that they study a great deal, but I just happen to know this area of a Corvette Extremely well.
The Alas-Car was a very special vehicle with 1/2 Chevelle frame and 1/2 Corvette frame sectioned together. FYI- It had a LT1 Z-28, 327, 4 bolt main small block setting right in the middle of the frame. :-)
135 + mph on the ice :-).
Have a Blessed & Productive Day!
Sincerely,
Dale
PS- I will just wait for your response.
Hi thanks and the alascar sounds interesting. Will take me some time to get pictures but will get what I can. We had to grind the back of the caliper to clear the wheel so it took me a while to get the wheel and tire back on after repairing the flat so not that keen on going through the whole process again but will see what is the easiest way.
A
Thanks for the reply,
I understand about the wheels.
What in the world are you running for wheels that you have to grand the caliphers to get the wheels to clear? Also what is the inner offset of the wheels and where did you get them? What is the tire size?
Hello Again,
Still working on getting the pictures? I am going to post some schematics of the two different but similar rear suspension systems for you and I to discuss.
Sit tight and I will get them out and posted asap. Is this your daily driver? I would think not but I need to know the urgency of the problem.
I am still waiting for you to respond so I can show you the pictures/schematics that I have.
Where are we at Bud?
Sort of lost track of what you need me to do beyond comparing the two systems? I have done that so?????
Did you figure it our or ????????