Offset Trailing Arms?

[Carnalsupply]

I just picked up a pair of 10" wide rims for my '70 LT-1 and was going to install a set of the offset Trailing Arms.
Has anyone got any experience with these arms? Will they actually handle a 10" rim or should I go down to 9-9.5" (the rims are 3 piece Compomotives)?
What type of back spacing would you recommend when using the offset arms?
Thanks

 

[john wilson]

I just got done putting offsets on my 80 vette. it was quite time consuming and a little tricky I also rebuilt my bearing assembly. This job can be done by the home mechanic. I put 17"x101/2" rims on my car with 315x35 tires on the back. if this is what you are interested in please let me know. also you might want to read my last post. JOHN

 

[Carnalsupply]

Hey John,

Thanks for the info on the offset trailing arms. I found your previous link and found the info posted by other members to be of great assistance.
Now I just have to decide which brand to buy! Which brand did you finally go with?

 

[jsimpson]

Moving the emergency brake brackets will allow mounting of 275's. 275'ds will provide enough traction to break everything back there, so why offset trailing arms? Wider rubber for looks?

 

[Carnalsupply]

Aesthetics are 1/2 of the reason I'm going to the 10" rims, as is the fact this car is one of the most demonic handling things I've ever had the pleasure of owning, and I'll take every last millimeter of rubber under the rear end I can get.

 

[jsimpson]

Biggest improvements I made on the handling of my 78 were the galss spring in back and changing the front tires from 255's to 235's

 

[Carnalsupply]

I've got 235's on there now (all the way around), and the glass sport spring, as well as a rear bar and urethane bushings.
Fact is, Vette's are not forgiving handling cars, so I'm going to ease up on the rear bar, add some tire, lower the car an inch, increase the tire size in the rear, and hold on

 

[john wilson]

FOR MY MONEY IT IS VETTE BRAKES PRODUCTS AND SUPPORT IS THE BEST KEEP IN TOUCH LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP. JOHN

 

[jsimpson]

I never use a rear bar on a rear wheel drive car, or a front bar on a front wheel drive car. The drive wheels stay glued to the road a LOT etter if there is no bar lifting one of them in turns!

 

[Carnalsupply]

no sway bar

While I can certainly see certain times/applications where I wouldn't want a rear sway bar attached to my car (experience has taught me that), but making an "all or nothing" judgement like "no bar on the "drive" end" is not a policy I'm willing to consider.
Please don't get me wrong, I appreciate any and all feedback people have to offer.

 

[inferno-vette]

I never use a rear bar on a rear wheel drive car, or a front bar on a front wheel drive car. The drive wheels stay glued to the road a LOT etter if there is no bar lifting one of them in turns!

This is true under acceleration but under deacceleration the tires are not "grabbing".
Paul

 

[jsimpson]

It was enough to propel me from an also ran never-placing driver to the ASCC autocross championship in 1976. As long as both drive tires are planted on the ground, accelerating or decellerating, you have better traction. But experience is the best teacher, so try every combination. But rty it on the track, where real time and speed measurements tell the truth when seat-of-the-pants impressions are lying.

 

[Carnalsupply]

I'll definitely be trying it on the track, and again, thanks for the advice, I do appreciate it.

 

[Glassman]

I run 10" rims on my 69 autocross vett with stock trailing arms, but they are a 3 5/8 offset with a .300 spacer for caliper clearance
and you may need to add fender flares for tire clearance. unless you run a low profile tire. I am running the 275/60 street TD on all
four wheels.