check the front diff mount with rear suspension upgrades

daveL82

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
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231
I've had my 5 link on the car for a bit and the car handles so much better. The car was great under normal driving but if I but the power down fast I seemed to have a bit of rear steer that wanted to turn the car to the left. Not terrible but it was there.

I looked at the trailing links and no problems as they aren't under much stress during accelleration. The toe link is in parallel with the camber link and everything looked tight and wouldn't move with pry bar. I then decided to check the front diff mount while under neath and it was coming a part even though it was 6 months old. This allows the front of the diff to move 1/4 of an inch to one side with the pry bar and probably more from torque. This would not normally be a big problem except the rear toe control has moved from the old T-arms to links on the diff.

I think my solution is a solid front mount. The engine has solid mounts and the trailing links are solid so I can live with it. Heck it's built for fun not a cruiser anyway.

If you are using the diff to anchor toe links make sure the front diff mount is up to the job.
 
Might want to build one of those traction bar things, it might just work for you.
 
The car plants the tires real well and I angled the lower trailing link up further that top link to help reduce squat which seems to be working better than I thought it would.

I thought about adding a link from the frame to the front diff mount bolt to help located the diff but I think a solid mount might be what's required.

The folks that use the 5 link with the steering link mounted more to the center of the diff link the designs posted here (aka C4 style). This may not have as much of as problem as my solution that uses two parallel lower toe links which places the toe link further back and more suceptable to diff rotation at the front mount (side to side play).
 
Yes, a solid mount would be required but the additional brace would help with the bracket getting flexy and possibly torn off the frame.
 
I then decided to check the front diff mount while under neath and it was coming a part even though it was 6 months old. This allows the front of the diff to move 1/4 of an inch to one side with the pry bar and probably more from torque.

Do you have the batwing or the earlier cross mount? If the diff is moving side to side at the front I have to think its moving equally at the (batwing/cross) mounts. I didn't think that was possible
 
BB yeah I have the batwing and I'm sure it's also moving some in the end bushings some. I will add the front solid mount and a link this week. Not sure if I have the time to do the batwing solid mounts as I'll need to have them turned on a lathe.
 
I made the front solid mount and also added a link from the frame to the diff. I'm trying to find a samll oil leak near the front on the Canton RR pan and timing cover so once I figure that out I'll have it back on the ground to see if the mount and link helped.
 
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