Back-halved suspension?'s
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Back-halved suspension?'s Anyone back-halved their car on here? I'm wanting to do it to my car with some Sportsman Pro's on it. Anyone have pics of this set up on a LS1 car? Anyone know who does it or how much it'll cost? I'm thinking ladder bars with AVO coil overs.
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From: Hot Rainy Humid +2000 DA South Florida
Re: Back-halved suspension?'s The suspension parts and the wheels tubs aren't that much money. For like $900 you can get ladder bars, x-brace, a diagonal link, new frame rails and single adjustable coil over spring and shocks. Wheel tubs run about $90.
Now you have to completely redo your entire fuel system. The new frame rails are going to run down the center of your rear right where the stock fuel cell is. Also if you are going through all the trouble to backhalf you might as well go with a small race tank like 5 gallons. So you need a new fuel cell, pump, lines, regulator etc etc, depending on how crazy you go your looking between $500-$1000 on the fuel system.
For the rear end, if you currently have a 12 bolt or 9" you could have the axles shortened but I wouldn't do it. The reason is you are going to have to cut off all of the welds on your current fbody rear end for the LCA's, springs and shocks etc. Then re-weld in new brackets for the ladder bars and coil overs after you cut your axles tubes. I would suggest you keep your current rear in tact and sell it, then just buy a built rear end already shortened.
Now comes the really fun part.. Cutting the **** out of the back of the car. A plasma cutter is a big help when the sawzall don't have the *****.
Before you cut out the stock frame rails weld in a support bar in the *** end of the car, so it has like legs back there to support the tail. Then you can weld in the x-brace and new frame rails and weld it to the back. Then you bring down your roll bars from the main hoop and weld those to the frame rails. After this you can remove the temp legs and the back end of the car will be solid. Next you fit the rear end in there and the suspension pieces etc.
Once everything is done you install the tubs and sheet metal everything up.
It is a tremendous amount of work. I hope my post makes sense its 10am and I haven't had my coffee yet.
Good luck if you decide to go for it!
Lee
Now you have to completely redo your entire fuel system. The new frame rails are going to run down the center of your rear right where the stock fuel cell is. Also if you are going through all the trouble to backhalf you might as well go with a small race tank like 5 gallons. So you need a new fuel cell, pump, lines, regulator etc etc, depending on how crazy you go your looking between $500-$1000 on the fuel system.
For the rear end, if you currently have a 12 bolt or 9" you could have the axles shortened but I wouldn't do it. The reason is you are going to have to cut off all of the welds on your current fbody rear end for the LCA's, springs and shocks etc. Then re-weld in new brackets for the ladder bars and coil overs after you cut your axles tubes. I would suggest you keep your current rear in tact and sell it, then just buy a built rear end already shortened.
Now comes the really fun part.. Cutting the **** out of the back of the car. A plasma cutter is a big help when the sawzall don't have the *****.
Before you cut out the stock frame rails weld in a support bar in the *** end of the car, so it has like legs back there to support the tail. Then you can weld in the x-brace and new frame rails and weld it to the back. Then you bring down your roll bars from the main hoop and weld those to the frame rails. After this you can remove the temp legs and the back end of the car will be solid. Next you fit the rear end in there and the suspension pieces etc.
Once everything is done you install the tubs and sheet metal everything up.
It is a tremendous amount of work. I hope my post makes sense its 10am and I haven't had my coffee yet.
Good luck if you decide to go for it!
Lee
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 179
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From: Grand Rapids, MI
My chassis is chromoly tube from firewall back but this picture shows what was done after one week. This picture doesn't have all the tubes but will give you a good idea of the worked required.
www.gofastzone.com/members/The_KING/012_21a.jpg
www.gofastzone.com/members/The_KING/014_23a.jpg
www.gofastzone.com/members/The_KING/012_21a.jpg
www.gofastzone.com/members/The_KING/014_23a.jpg
Last edited by Gofast; Oct 24, 2003 at 03:20 PM.
