Hi gang!

Not being overloaded with cash, I want to go the cheap but effective route and pre-load my rear axle so that it simulates a posi rear end.

How is this done?

I assume that it must involve placing spring spacers in the driver's side rear coil so that it remains more highly loaded under torque and thus transfers extra load over to the passenger tire that spins too easily.

Is this correct?

If anyone knows the exact parts and procedures that work well for a 3rd gen, please post them for me.

 

The best way I've seen is an airbag in the right rear coil spring. You can then adjust the preload to get it just right. It actually works pretty good for straight line traction.

 

It takes a bit of fine tuning but the air bag can make an open diff hook up like a posi.

Spacers won't help since the car will want to lean over but you could put a stiffer spring in the passenger side to help.

 

Thanks for the reply.

But shouldn't the air bag or coil spacer be on the driver side, to prevent that side from squatting and lifting up the passenger tire?

Perhaps I haven't imagined the sequence of events correctly but it seems to me that the torque of the drivetrain is planting the driver's side tire quite well, but making the passenger side twist upward thus allowing that tire to spin.

 

That's why you put an air bag in the pass side... it helps push the right side of the rear end down.

 

When a differential is under acceleration the torque wants to twist the housing counter clockwise forcing the driver's side down and lifting the passenger side up. It has nothing to do with the body, just the diff. By putting a stiffer spring or air bag into the right rear side, you're adding resistance that the diff has to push against. The stiffer it is, the less the diff will want to lift up. That's why an open diff one wheel burnout is always on the passenger side tire. It's lifted off the ground and spins easier because there's not enough force pushing it down and making contact with the pavement.

The same thing happens with an engine. The majority of engines rotate counter clockwise. When under accelleration the drivers side of the engine wants to lift up. That's why torque limiting chains are always attached to the left side of an engine.

In a very flimsy chassis with a lot of engine torque the left front will rise and the right rear will rise. That's why a properly tuned chassis will get better ET's. It will make a stiffer ride but will transmit that rotational force to the ground better. Watch a car that lifts the front wheels off the ground. If both front wheels come off the ground the same then the chassis is doing it's job. If only the left front comes up then there's still too much chassis flex.

Since there's a lot you have to do to keep the left front from twisting up, just focus on that right rear. Even something simple like a rear anti-sway bar works. When the drivers side wheel is trying to push down, the forces are transmitted across the anti-sway bar to help keep the right side from lifting.

 

How about welding the spider gears together. Just take it easy on the turns. I know guys that have run them like that for 5 or 6 years like that without breaking.

 

OK, thanks guys

I already have Z28 front and rear sway bars installed, courtesy of Apeiron

Now I'll just have to figure out how to do the rest of this for a really cheap price.

 

I was browsing a 3rd gen camaro web site about cost effective suspension mods a while back. One thing on the list was to shim the left side of the front sway bar with washers. "4-5 washers is a good reference point. Place them on each side of the bushings." The guy claimed that the washers alone will lower the 60ft time of a stock camaro by .6-.9 seconds. I have no idea why or even if this will work(maybe someone can explain it to me), but it's worth a try. I'm gonna give it a shot next weekend. I don't know if I will be able to notice a difference on the street though.