[Tom S]

My 72 elCamino SS had braces from where the lower trailing arms bolt to the frame to the upper trailing arms. I thought they went to where the uppers bolted to the rear housing. If they went to the rear housing, wouldn't that cause the rear to bind. Were they made to flex?

Thanks
Tom

 

[BillsCamino]

The braces "triangulate" the forward frame mounting points of the upper and lower control arms.
They do not bolt directly to the rearend housing...

 

[Tom S]

If they go from the front upper to the front lower, would it be better to beef up these braceses? They don't look very strong?

Tom

 

[BillsCamino]

...would it be better to beef up these braceses? They don't look very strong?Tom

Tom,
If you're referring to the OEM stock, stamped sheetmetal braces...yes, agree, not very rigid are they .
The aftermarket ones are considerably stronger....and tubular.

 

[riskyvt]

Here's a picture of HOTCHKIS TUBULAR BARS on my '72 SS BBC502 Chevelle. They now make another style which has an adjustable end to compensate for minor chassis tolerances.

 

[Tom S]

Greg,

Thanks for the pics. What are brackets around the rear wheels?

Tom

 

[Bill Rose]

They're dollies to roll the chassis around. You just can't see the little casters in the pic.

 

[Tom S]

Once you know what you are looking at it is obvious. At first it did not look like the tire was on a dolly, it looked like a frame around the mid section of the tire. I thought it was some ingenious way to determine rear housing width.

 

[Keith Tedford]

These bars are doing their major work under tension, not compression. Have never seen one break.

 

[1966_L78]

These bars are doing their major work under tension, not compression. Have never seen one break.

I have not seen one break either, but I have seen several that were starting to crack around the bolt hole. Probably metal fatigue/work hardening from being 35+ years old (and being so thin)...

 

[Doug Garland]

I think I actually have 2-3 sets of the stock ones. They usually bring $25-35 a set. I've never seen any break either.

 

[BlueSS454]

I have about 3 sets of the stock ones myself. I made a pair for my 70, beefier than the Hotchkis ones. I'll have to try and get some pics of them.

 

[riskyvt]

Tom's got a good point! Get some steel tubing from any steel supplier, and weld up a set just like the Hotchkis. Send to a powdercoater after fabrication and save a lot of money. These are not rocket science.

 

[BlueSS454]

That's what I used, solid steel tubing welded to flat stock at the ends at the appropriate lengths. The back half of that frame will never twist with those things on there!