i have a 1986 trans am with the ws6 suspension package, and it came to my attention recently when repairing my exhaust that i had twin ibeams on my rear axle. i havent seen anything about this in forums or in magazines, is this the normal set up for trans ams or firebirds, or just for cars with the ws6 package?

ive also been curious as to the rarity of ws6 trans ams from 1986, so any historical information would be super too.

 

I have twin I-beam suspension on the front of my 2wd truck. I think you may be confusing terms.

http://www.hemmings.com/hmn/stories/...feature19.html


You'd also be better off posting in the suspension section rather than the history/originality board about the clunk your rear end makes.

I'm sure it wouldn't take too much effort searching to figure out '86 WS6 production numbers either.

 

no,it looks like that except on a solid axle... the i beams are a lot thinner but im pretty sure its there so it acts more like it has an independent rear. i can post a pic sometime tommorow.

edit: oh also ive found some pretty detailed lists about what was included with the ws6 and my car has the thickest front and rear sway bars along with that 9 bolt limited rear slip... too bad they only gave my car 205hp from the factory. ive just never seen anything on i beams so i was curious what kind of option it was.

 

I think your looking at the panhard bars. These keep the rear end aligned with the body of the car.

 

There is no difference between the design of the "WS6" suspension in that car, compared to any other of these cars.

All that "WS6" was, was the choice of springs and sway bars, and maybe shocks & struts in some years. However every bit of it is completely interchangeable in every way with every other 3rd gen Camaro or Firebird.

There's nothing the least bit "rare" about "WS6". Nobody even really cared all that much before they started putting the almighty STICKERS!!!! on Firebirds starting in 98 or so. It was merely the top-line spring & shock package of its day; totally outclassed by anything aftermarket, even by stock replacement stuff such as Moog. Not anything to get excited about.

You can be assured, that whatever it is you're looking at that you're calling "twin I-beams", is absolutely identical in every way, right down to the part numbers, to every other 82-92 (and maybe up to 2002, since those are all the same too in alot of ways) Camaro and Firebird.

 

Twin I- Beam's !! Bet that thing drives like a old ford truck !!

 

the most sought-after option on Wayne's Trans Am is the legendary WS6 performance package. The WS6 group of factory-designed modifications substitutes 16x8 Hi-Tech aluminum wheels matched to Goodyear Eagle P245/50VR16 blackwall tires for the standard 15-inch rolling stock and adds disc brakes in the rear. Also included is a special suspension package with stiffer MacPherson struts up front and a thicker 36mm front stabilizer bar. In the rear, specially valved gas-charged shocks are employed, as is a 24mm stabilizer bar. A limited-slip differential was also part of the package.