4 link rear suspension

[Sal Lubrano]

Our cars have a triangulated 4 link rears suspension. Most vehicles are made with a parallel 4 link with a tracking/pan-hard bar. Both will hold the axle centered but what is the advantage of one over the other. I can already guess a triangulated is cheaper but are there any performance gains from one to the other. Just curious why the f-body got the parallel 4-link?

 

[jdpolzin]

RIDE QUALITY!!!! G-Body cars werent made for high performance handling. F-Bodies were. Triangulating the rear control arms gives the car more flex, more flex equals less chance your going to feel it in your butt!

 

[novaderrik]

the triangulated 4 link is a compromise- a paralell 4 link or a 3 link with a panhard bar or watts linkage would be better, but by angling the upper links outward, they center the rear end without the extra weight, complexity, and cost of a separate locating device. they also had to compromise the length of the upper links to allow for a back seat, which also causes more binding issues.

which F body has a parallel 4 link?
every F body i know of had either leaf springs (67-81) or a torque arm with lower control arms and a panahrd bar (82-02).
the new Camaro has an independent rear suspension, but i don't think anyone calls them F bodies any more...

 

[GlockandRoll]

What's the best way, assuming I lower it and go w/lower profile tires, to improve handling? Are there any affordable bolt-on parts?

 

[charlief1]

Do a search for "How to make a G body handle" in quotes and you'll find a very big thread explaining how to do it.

 

[Sal Lubrano]

Novaderrik my fingers were typing faster than my brain could think. Thank you for correcting me. Good information.

 

[jdpolzin]

I thought the 84-92 camaro's had a parrellel 4 link?

 

[novaderrik]

I thought the 84-92 camaro's had a parrellel 4 link?

every 82-02 F body had the same rear suspension that had lower control arms out by the axle flanges just like a GN, but with a long torque arm that goes from the center of the differential up to the tailhousing of the transmission and a panhard bar to locate it laterally.
for 20 years, they used a rear suspension design that was first used on a 74 Vega, which is ok since the 75 Camaro was supposed to be what became the Monza.