I just finished upgrading the rear suspension on my '91 Z28. Sway bar, end links, control arms, springs, and shocks. I also put on new brake shoes, wheel cylinders, and drums. Anyway, I just finished this project and put my rear passenger side wheel on and noticed that it moves in and out ever so slightly. Like about 1mm. Moving in and out- meaning that if you grab it in the center you can pull on the wheel and it comes out about 1mm, you can then push it back in. Can anyone help me with what's causing this and how I fix it? I have no idea if this was a problem before I started this project, but my guess would be that it was. Also, how much should I worry about it? Is it something that I can put off for a few hundred miles of cruising this summer or something I need to take care of now? I attached a video.

 

Normal for a C-clip rear end. Nothing to worry about, if it's only 1mm (.040" more or less). Both wheels will do it, although the amount may differ between them.

While you're changing your rear axle fluid this weekend, as you clearly need to do, take a look at how it works. It's quite clever actually; there's nothing holding it together, it just ... can't fall apart.

 

Sofakingdom, this was the answer I was hoping for. All hail the king.

 

One more question. I was just reading a thread about lowering springs. My springs in the back lowered the rear end 1.25". I put a stock panhard bar back on and non-adjustable lower control arms. Is this okay or am I in a world of hurt?

 

Thanks for the good word.

Panhard bar might not be the right length, and might not be "centered" when at rest. Those are cheeeeeeeep and eeeeeeeezy though, hardly the stuff of nightmares.

LCAs are irrelevant.

The ONE THING you will probably need the most, is LCARBs. The rear suspension geometry is defective in these cars from the factory, and lowering makes it worse. LCARBs are the cure. Most especially if you expect to make any kind of serious power, and be able to hook it up.