Boattail Suspension Mods

Discussion in 'A boatload of fun' started by theone61636, Jan 2, 2017.

  1. theone61636

    theone61636 Well-Known Member

    Haha, yeah, gotta pay to play i guess. I think the stock parts or at least the new steel stamping are up to the task for most folks. As much as i would love to spring for the tubular offerings, i think adding Delrin bushings to the stock arms will probably improve the performance plenty for me. I might even box the lowers in case i ever pull the front wheels on launch. :rolleyes:
     
  2. DavidC77

    DavidC77 "Matilda" 1970 Buick GSX

    I found a few things for ya:

    https://www.carid.com/1972-buick-riviera-suspension-systems/ub-machine-bolt-in-ball-joint-upper-inner-shaft-control-arm-229883841.html

    https://www.carid.com/helix/helix-tubular-narrow-control-arm-set-266445812.html

    I'd say to contact ROS as well, they are normally A Body but they might be able to help

    http://www.ros6872parts.com/ROS_68-72.php

    I would also suggest trying the ROA, those folks live and breath Riviera's http://www.rivowners.org/

    I found this website also, The Riviera Performance group http://rivperformance.editboard.com/forum

    Good luck, I hope this helps...
     
  3. Lucy Fair

    Lucy Fair Nailheadlova

    Roto-joints are a way to go, polybushings in rear suspension are a no go. In my 66 i made this mistake, ride was very harsh even poly in panhard was not good. I made rear arms from 7075 aluminum rods and panhard from cromoly pipe using roto joints all around and i must say i couldn't choose better. Ride is quiet and silky smooth despite Billsteins b6 and i now can controll when the Riv wants to Drift and she want's it a lot:3gears:.

    As for the front i went with delrin in upper a-arms, i guess You could also use delrin in lower arms on Boattail since it's moving only in one plain not like in 2nd gen where it moves in 2 arcs and delrin would bind. Polyurethane is good maybe for engine and body mounts. In fact i am really disapointed in polybushings.




    Peace,
     

    Attached Files:

  4. theone61636

    theone61636 Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the recommendation on the roto-joints! Here are a couple pics of the differences between the upper a-arm bushings of the Impala and Riviera. As you can see, ill be using Delrin bushings in the front suspension. As for body bushings, the stock ones look pretty good still other than the radiator supports. I had toyed with the idea of going solid but i dont want to go through the hassle of trying to lift the body off the frame.

    15975312_10154981711725337_6610321290728297072_o.jpg 15936716_10154981711910337_6019060753443547327_o.jpg
     
  5. Lucy Fair

    Lucy Fair Nailheadlova

    Jason,
    one thing to remember when purchasing rotos is to get their spanner wrench, otherwise You won't be able to preload them. I used joints from Spohn.

    Peace,
     
  6. theone61636

    theone61636 Well-Known Member

    Here's a view of the stock (top), Impala (middle) and Global West offset cross shafts.
    15994499_10154985711285337_6870413670158268779_o.jpg 16106065_10154985711735337_176614856037644630_n.jpg 16114103_10154985711585337_3288694927742930254_n.jpg

    Here are the new tierod adjustment sleeves from Global West.
    15994869_10154985713110337_3998910605700502821_o.jpg
     
  7. theone61636

    theone61636 Well-Known Member

    Here's a pic of the new MOOG idler arm. Looks quite a bit beefier than the stock unit.
    15977110_10154998213565337_3109556853130010621_n.jpg

    Also, the new disc brakes for the rear conversion will need the interior of the hub machined a .15" to clear the axle flange. Just cant seem to find a 1" thick rotor in a 5x5 pattern that fits. There are plenty of thinner rotor out there but they wont work with the calipers i have. Oh well, off to the machine shop they go.
     
  8. 71GSX455-4SPD

    71GSX455-4SPD Nick Serwo Magic Car

    Would this Caddy rear rotor work?

    http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=391037&cc=1409385&jsn=541

    What fitment issue are you running into? I have a posi rear I'd like to add disc brakes to before installing, so curious. Thanks!

    Also, it's been several years since I replaced the front end components on my boattail, but I recall that the MOOG idler I bought had the wrong taper (diameter or angle, can't remember). I think I ended up keeping the one that was in the car as it was still tight and never figured out if I had a defective part of if the taper was just plain different. Fuzzy memory, but worth checking before you install.
     
  9. theone61636

    theone61636 Well-Known Member

    I think that rotor might be too thick to work with the calipers i got. The rotors im using are just over an inch wide and that leaves me with, maybe, a 1/6" of either side of the rotor with the piston all the way in the caliper. I wanted to use the 95 impala rotor but it was only .78" wide and while they fit perfectly, i don tknow enough about the working ranges of calipers to want to take the chance of it not being right..plua the thicker rotor should dissipate heat much better. I measure the opening on the old and new one and loosely checked the idler and it seemed to be the correct one. I wont really know for sure until i torque everything down so ill be sure to keep an eye on that. Thanks for the tip.
     
  10. theone61636

    theone61636 Well-Known Member

    Here are the Impala upper A-Arms with the Del-a-lum bushings.

    [video]https://www.facebook.com/jason.wehmeyer.3/videos/10155035461000337/[/video]
     
  11. 71GSX455-4SPD

    71GSX455-4SPD Nick Serwo Magic Car

    Nice!
     
  12. theone61636

    theone61636 Well-Known Member

    Finally, finished boxing in the lower a-arms. I also reinforced the end link mounting area since i intend on increasing the sway bar size. Now ill just get them powder coated, install the bushings and ball joints and I'll be ready to reinstall.

    16406672_10155059666800337_3043304760808818371_n.jpg 16406953_10155059666730337_4962244754869162081_n.jpg 16508114_10155059666625337_2047132341301315360_n.jpg
     
  13. Steve Schiebel

    Steve Schiebel Well-Known Member

    FWIW, I used the rear disc brake setup from a 1976-78 Cad Seville (5 on 5" bolt circle) on my '71 Riv. It took some minor mods to the caliper mounting bracket to match the holes in the axle flange. I did not use the Cad parking brake-style calipers, but instead an identical set of calipers as factory front '71 Riv calipers. Fit right in, cheap even fully loaded, and same pads all four corners. Downside, no p-brake, but it's an automatic xsmn. In pawl we trust.
     
  14. theone61636

    theone61636 Well-Known Member

    Do you have a thread or pictures?
     
  15. Steve Schiebel

    Steve Schiebel Well-Known Member

    Not much in attachments here. Let me dig though some old files and get back to this.
    One photo here is before I installed the splash shields that protect backside of rotor from road debris.
    I did use a '71 Cad Eldo salvage yard proportioning valve (disc/disc) also.
     

    Attached Files:

  16. theone61636

    theone61636 Well-Known Member

  17. theone61636

    theone61636 Well-Known Member

    Driver's side is all put together.
    16804284_10155102721460337_1085542754586319831_o.jpg
     
  18. 71GSX455-4SPD

    71GSX455-4SPD Nick Serwo Magic Car

    Looking great! Thanks for the pics and updates!!
     
  19. theone61636

    theone61636 Well-Known Member

    Cleaned and painted the stock calipers and got some EBC Red Stuff brake pads. New stainless hoses should be here in a couple days.

    16819235_10155114240305337_7146455586751571587_o.jpg 16797007_10155114295740337_9055939637795152043_o.jpg
     
  20. theone61636

    theone61636 Well-Known Member

    WiIlwood kit 220-11372. I tried the 14" kit (11371) first and while it matched the stock line length perfectly, because of the crimped metal hose ends, at max rotor turn the line didnt have the flexibility of the stock rubber lines and had a very sharp bend in it that i didn't care for so i went with the 16" line kit instead. I'll probably make hose holder to keep the hose from resting on the upper arm but i don't think its really necessary. Another side note, the Dorman spindle dust covers are made in China. I was a little disappointed with that.
    16681813_10155119234695337_596883351534806384_n.jpg 16806871_10155119234780337_2286003326266772174_n.jpg
     

Share This Page