Race fans, hot rodders, After a frustrating night at the track, years of abuse, neglect, high torque, I think I need to think about rear suspension work on the Electra 225. Starting with lower trailering arms. Since nobody has listings for my car, I need a custom solution. C body 77-92 Buick 77-84 Electra 225 80-83 Estate Wagon Cadillac 77-84 DeVille 77-92 Brougham Oldsmobile 77-84 98 Yeah right! Find THOSE cars in a performance suspension catalog!! :ball: I stumbled across this company that might be an economical start for updated lower trailering arms. http://www.ubmachine.com/index.html http://www.ubmachine.com/trailing.html I talked to a tech there today, and they think they can help me out. Why start with trailering arms? I have had a feeling that the rear isn't in quite tight. Transitions between power and deceleration give a "squirmish" feeling. It's not like I broke a spider gear,( been there, done that) but a changing rear alignment issue. Secondly, I think I can handle the R&R of the Eaton style positraction unit and either personally deliver, or UPS it to a re-builder who can set me up with new clutches and MORE spring pressures. I'm running 26X10.5 Hoosier Quick Time Pro tires. What do you guys think? ElectraJim 77 Buick Electra 225, 4 door, 455 1.781 60', 12.31 @ 109 last night, peeling thru 1st. 86 GN
As someone who also doesn't have a lot of choices in performance parts (because of my oddball combination), I have some thoughts. First, let's frame the discussion. I assume you can do these modifications yourself since aftermarket parts are not available. I also assume you are on a budget and would like to do this as inexpensively as possible. Lastly, I am not familiar with your particular car so I assume it is a traditional four link coil spring rear suspension. Having said that, how 'bout redoing your existing lower control arms? You can box them yourself by adding a steel plate across the bottom. This will add strength, since the lowers are in compression under acceleration. You can also replace your bushings with a less compliant material. I have solid steel bushings in my lower control arms, which might be a bit harsh for street/strip use, but you could get some polyurethane or polygraphite aftermarket bushings. If you are really on the cheap you can drive nails into your existing rubber bushings. The additional surface area of the nail diameter compresses the rubber and makes it effectively harder (this is a real old school trick - last resort only). No changes are required of your upper control arms, because they are in tension under acceleration (assuming they are in acceptable condition). Check your frame while you are under there and make sure there are no cracks around any of the control arm attaching points (upper and lower). Make sure all of the bolts are in good shape or replace them while you have it apart. I also suspect your car is heavy and would benefit from a change in the rear suspension instant center location. You could purchase some "anti hop bars" that fit your rear axle and install those. Or, again - if you are "on the cheap" the same affect can be made by redrilling the upper control arm forward attachment. A move of .75" lower to 1" lower will approximate the same instant center change as would be had by installing the aftermarket parts (this is not "optimized" but would be directionally correct for your car). This results in less "squat" and more body separation upon launch, improving traction and 60 ft time. Again, I am not familiar with your particular rear axle, but making whatever changes you deem appropriate in order to get power to both rear wheels goes without saying. I've made these changes as outlined above to my car. It has a best of 1.400 60 ft time, best run is 10.001 at 135 mph; 10.5" M/T slick at 3950 lbs. K
Also (me again...) - There is a guy in Ohio running 10 flat in a yellow '78 Cadillac. We should try to get ahold of him and see what he recommends. K
Ill be watching this :Brow: I need to do something similiar in my wildcat, i was thinking of going with a 4-link, was also thinking box the lower control arms and put in a sway bar, air bags in the coils, and torsion bars (would have to make brackets as they bolt to the leaf springs) Let me know how it goes with UB Machine and your car :TU:
For starters, Thank you for your genuine concern. I appreciate all the advice I can get from fellow Buick dudes! I can do "most" mods myself. I don't weld, but can make arrangements if needed. As far as the budget goes, I don't want to go cost crazy and "back half" the car, just to hit the 11's again. I'll spend whatever it takes :eek2: (gulp) to make things work, or there is no need to build Big Buick torque!! I'm trying to get away from excuses like the track wasn't prepped right, or I didn't get a good burnout. Heads up aint my thing. Bracket's are more appropriate for my car combo, class and budget. The car is a standard coil spring suspension. About the lower control arms. I have at one time, years ago, replaced them with OEM rubbers, but may need to be replaced again by now. (need to inspect closely) I have an add-on Addco sway bar that I put on many years ago. This add on style incorporates a steel plate that is bolted into the "U channel" of the lower trailering/control arm. This sway bar greatly improved the car's handling, and will be missed and eliminated if I box the arms, or simply replace them with aftermarket arms. I think I'll leave the nail in the bushings trick for someone else. :TU: I may have to try something like this, if I replace the LCA's http://www.hrpartsandstuff.com/products/rearend/swaybar.htm Again, something that I don't know if I can make work for my C-body As for my upper control arms, one was "slightly clearanced" for my 3" exhaust. I'm not against replacing them too. Again, a custom application I assume. The rear end is a 10 bolt, slightly different that the 10 bolts most are used to. Factory, it had the "scallops" in the cover, and NO C-clips. The bearings are pressed on the axle, and retained with a plate at the axle ends. I've heard that anti-hop bars aren't all they're cracked up to be. Maybe that's bad or old info. I'm not getting wheel hop, I'm just peeling out all thru first gear 'till she grips! I've tried different launch RPM's etc. UBM said they can set up anything. Catalog is in the mail. Thanks to all, ElectraJim
I was looking at that HRPartsNStuff sway bar, but couldnt decide if i could make it work. Let me know how that route goes if you do it. I was looking into going this far with my wildcat. This Ladder Bar Crossmember with These Adjustable Ladder Bars, being held center by This Crossbar (maybe custom make one as an X?)
Although I have a skylark and not an electra I can assure you the antihop bars work, I think because of my combination of things, (anti-hops,hotchkins springs, stock non gas shocks), and (aluminum heads, intake, radiator= light nose) the car hooks extremely well even with street tires. I can feel the rear get pushed towards the pavement. I also credit a well built converter, hope you can get yours hooked and see how low you can go. :TU: Steve
Jim,have you checked with the same years B Body options out there?The B and C platforms are basically the same and there are parts being made for the Caprice/Impalas that "should" fit our cars.I've been trying to find some myself but I haven't really talked to any of the companies yet.I believe that on the new Hot Rod magazine there's a press release on a company making some tubular upper and lower arms,they are pitched for lowered cars(tubular=more clearance) but it says that they will work on stock height also.I don't have the rag with me so I can't post a link.I've been told that the '94-'96 Impala SS aftermarket pieces "should" fit our application also,I believe that Hotchkins started making some for them last year,may be worth a call.If you find any concrete information on these parts please post it here,I'll be very interested in your findings.Good luck hunting.
