Southside lift bars

[turbo1962]

Is anybody using them? I have a pair off a monte carlo that a friend gave me and i was wanting to use on my 87GN do i leave the ears on them or take them off and let it take the place of the lower control arm. looks like the rear end willbe able to move around????

 

[RATROASTER]

People are starting to get away from the Southside bars for solid lower control arms like METCO because of the strain on the frame, but don't quote me on that. I'm not certain I would go that route. I don't believe they manufacture SouthSide bars anymore.

 

[turbo1962]

Southside Bars ??

So can i take the ears off and use the for boxed control arms?

 

[RATROASTER]

So can i take the ears off and use the for boxed control arms?

Good question, will they be the same length as the stock control arms?

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Do yourself a favor, and return them to your friend.
Then, as suggested, buy a set of Metcos, etc.

 

[nonosv6]

what's so bad about the south side bars?

 

[unix_punk]

I had this question a while back...thats why mine are still on my shelf. From what I've heard, unless you weld on extra support at the frame where the bolts hold the arm, the arm will elongate the bolt holes due to them having no bushings or give in them... Wanna buy another set?

 

[Madcat455]

I had a set on my 72 GS with a 12:1 455 (high 11's, real low 12's)with these on. I never had a problem with them, and think they worked very well. Had 4.10 gears and launch pretty hard

Rear suspensions are practilly identical between the A and G bodys, so I doubt I'd have problems with these on my 85. I have a set waiting to go on, but I'll weld in the supports and extra metal on the inside bolt holes like others have suggested, to be extra careful.

Just have to get rid of my leaky gas tank before I do that

I'll also put a set of those rear end braces in when I do it... like the A bodys have. That should help keep everything straight.

 

[unix_punk]

Rockauto.com has gas tanks, and the correct ones with the pan in them...Thats what Im running cuz mine was junk, cost $125 or so I wanna say +$20 for the new straps as I had to cut my old ones and grind off the bolts...

Which rear end supports are you referring to?

PS - Sorry for the off-topic-ness...

 

[Madcat455]

Bars that connect the inside of the LCA bolt to the UCA bolt.

Here's a pic of them on a A body.

Edelbrock sells a set at summit, and a nicer looking set is on there also.

 

[unix_punk]

Nice, I'll have to look into that since I'll be doing both sets of arms in the near future.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Yep..

I had this question a while back...thats why mine are still on my shelf. From what I've heard, unless you weld on extra support at the frame where the bolts hold the arm, the arm will elongate the bolt holes due to them having no bushings or give in them... Wanna buy another set?

The "protective shims" they have, [thin plastic] do absolutely zip toward protecting the insides of the mounts. That, and the "solid bushings", raise hell w/ the integrity of the mount ears, and holes...
I have taken at least 5 sets off of cars I've done suspension work on, and put them in the $5.00/100# pile!
On at least 2 cars, I had to tig large, flat washers onto the sides of the mounts, to repair the damage..

Bottom line: That's the reasoning behind my other post.

 

[boostedturbotom]

Rockauto.com has gas tanks, and the correct ones with the pan in them...
what pan the little one in the bottom or a big baffle like oem i had to buy one three years ago from napa it was same model poston sold, and got it cheaper, but it was a short pan that big baffle is better cause you dont need to have half or better to run so you dont lean thats ? so did they make a better design. it would be nice i get rid of this one quick

 

[unix_punk]

I guess I'm not 100% sure, but I've whacked my car with less than a quarter tank and never saw the fuel pressure budge let alone run lean. The new tank has a metal pan in it where as I think I remember the stock one having a plastic pan. But like I said, I guess I can't be 100% sure if it large or small. Its just the one they sell for the turbo cars/V8s.

 

[turbo1962]

Southside Bars

I will leave them off,box the ones on the car. THANKS for the help:biggrin: