[cutrone]

I want to upgrade the stock rear suspension on my 69 G.P. (mostly for strength and consistency )

461 cu. th400 3.73 500+ hp 60ft. 1.60 4200 lbs.

Current set up is: original non boxed control arms , air bags in springs,Edelbrock shocks.

I was looking at the UMI Performance rear control arm kits. Looks like decent prices ?

Do I want the square box or tubular lower arms ?

Do I need adjustable uppers ?

Are the different joints (roto,spherical rod) worth the $$

Should I use a rear sway bar ?

Goal : Street / Strip et's mid 11's

Thanks in advance for any advise.

[goatracer]

Edelbrock adj uppers are great. Strong, lightweight, dbl adj for easy pinion adjustments. For the lowers, factory style boxed with urethane bushings will work fine, but tubular's are little lighter...your choice. I ran my GTO the airbags with a 461 combo a few years back. I thought they worked good.

As for the rear sway bar, IMO, unless it's the style that connects to the frame, the factory rear bar shows little advantage at the strip. That's another 10lbs that could be dropped.

Bryan

[ponjohn]

google Dick Miller

[T Syron]

Bernie, IMO go with adjustable uppers and lowers. UMI looks like quality stuff.

From Hotchkis website:
"Adjustable upper and lower trailing arms work together to positively locate and control the rear axle. Launches are quicker, smoother and more consistent by reducing wheel hop. The adjustable upper control arms arms allow for easy pinion angle changes to better tune your vehicle."

Also, get the brace that connects the upper and lower mounts together. I have no experience with a rear sway bar but I do have an anti roll bar in my car that works great.

Good luck, Tom

[02Hawk]

Also look at putting a large ajustable sway car out back.......I put one from BMR on my Goat....big difference in launch characteristics

[RUDOLFSSON]

x2 on the edelbrock adjustable uppers..

[cutrone]

Ok thanks guys.
So, if I'm replacing uppers go adjustable so I can set pinion angle . Ok.

And a sway bar that just bolts to the lower arms will not do as much as say H&R or Sphon
type bars.

Thanks again, I will let you know how it goes.

[lust4speed]

The 1.6 60' time with a 4,200 pound car sounds like you really don't have any problems. I'd measure the pinion angle before taking things apart because it can't be far off from perfect as it sits - at least this will give you an excellent starting point after installing the adjustable uppers.

[ejw]

if you decide to replace rear control arms, look up UMI Performance. Their quality and prices are great. all components are powder coated and have grease fittings. i just finished my 69 cutlass using their control arms, braces and sway bars. they also sometimes offer package/shipping deals. hotchkis (sp?) components are way overpriced. jmo

[PrimeredPontiac]

How many of you guys use the edelbrock adj upper arms? mine lasted a few years before pulling the threads out of the aluminum adjusters.
Anyone else had any problems with them?

[ejw]

just received email from umi performance, and all their products are 15% off from feb 15-21

[Mike S]

I would go with the boxed lowers with poly bushings. I have tubular and rod ends on the 10.0 car and they are noisy. Wouldn't recomend them for the street.
I would just put the boxed lowers, some type of anti roll bar and a set of double ajustable shocks.
I went 1.48 60's with stock uppers, boxed lowers, air bags, stocktype sway bar and stock replacement shocks

[Mike S]

I have had the edelbrock upper arms for one and half years now. No problems what so ever. That is launched on a trans brake anywhere from 2500 to 4000. 60's in the 1.38's.

[Hammertime Mike]

This is a good read ,as I'm in the same position of needing to go beyond a basically stock rear control arm set-up.

[cutrone]

Originally Posted by ejw

just received email from umi performance, and all their products are 15% off from feb 15-21

Thanks .

That will save some $$$

[PrimeredPontiac]

not trying to bash the edelbrock control arms, but heavy cars break stuff.
here's a pic of mine after we "fixed" it on dragweek. it broke on the drive between tracks. got a 1.37 60ft with it welded like that.
the other broke a few days later goin out for pizza.
I think cornering is harder on them than drag racing.

I would reccomend adj. uppers and adj lowers. (the adj. lowers are nice to be able to keep the wheel centered in the wheelwell.)
I would also add an anti roll bar, It made a huge differece with my car.

[quick66]

x2 on the anti roll bar..my car has home built uppers and southside machine lowers ...but the biggest improvement was changing from stock springs to koni double adjustable coil overs and the anti roll bar. 60' dropped from 1.35-136 to 1.30-131. With the anti roll bar you eliminate the air bag in the spring..because you use that for pre load....I had an air bag go bad at a race once...Gene

[DiamondJim]

Originally Posted by quick66

x2 on the anti roll bar..my car has home built uppers and southside machine lowers ...but the biggest improvement was changing from stock springs to koni double adjustable coil overs and the anti roll bar. 60' dropped from 1.35-136 to 1.30-131. With the anti roll bar you eliminate the air bag in the spring..because you use that for pre load....I had an air bag go bad at a race once...Gene

I agree. Anti roll bar if you are making power. I have BMR adjustable uppers, HO racing sway bar and air bags but my 60's are only 1.65. Great looking 66 GGTO, can you post a larger pic? Thanks -Jim

[PontiacMatt72]

I installed a Hotchkis kit on my 72 Lemans, but none of the adjustable components. Never raced this car, and at the time didn't plan on doing any racing. (That's already changed). Now I'm thinkin I might start doing alittle racing, but not "alot" for a while. (probably no more than 10 passes this year.)

Also installed stock replacement springs and a set of Monroe shocks (air).

Car rides and handles 10X better than it did before all this took place.
Don't know how it will do at the track, hopefully i'll find out sometime this summer.

Here's a few pics of everything in the car.











-Matt

[68 Goat]

What about pre-loading the right rear with 3/4 to 1 full turn with the upper adjustable? I was told this works better than the air bag. My 68 GTO would launch with the front end level with this set up.