The axle shaft universal joints are also an integral part of the suspension camber control. On a rough road, it may require a stop at the closest bathroom for a change of underwear. The rear steers left or right on the throttle, and it steers the opposite direction off the throttle. Those who have experienced the loss of a trailing arm bushing or complete loss of toe shims in a C2 or C3 know the feeling of rear steer. Vehicle stability will be compromised, but due to its design, there will be no rear steer to send you off the road. If an axle shaft breaks from extreme torque loading, you can expect maximum negative camber immediately resulting, with the tire rubbing on the inner fender well. There was a major cost savings with the use of fixed length axle shafts instead of plunging axle shafts (constant velocity) that the C5 Corvette later used.įrom a performance standpoint, there are a couple of interesting facts to be aware of. It did work quite well despite the lack of upper control arms at the rear to keep the spindle in control. Unfortunately, the rear suspension was not much different than the C2-C3 Corvette, with the suspension pivoting on the differential’s pinion shaft. The body (uni-body) structure could be dropped down on the assembled chassis and be a rolling C4 Corvette within minutes on the assembly line. The design allowed entire suspension and driveline installation/removal by simply removing sixteen bolts. Rear vehicle weight was supported by a transverse spring that bolted directly to the differential rear cover. The differential was mounted with two large bushings at the outer uni-body rear frame area. The lack of a transmission crossmember added another twist, with a torque arm supporting the transmission and connecting it directly to the differential. The front suspension subframe was bolted to the frame rails while providing engine mounting points. This made for an interesting driveline mounting installation. Two front frame rails integrated into the first ever Corvette uni-body construction. It eliminated a perimeter frame to support the suspension and driveline. The fourth generation Corvette was a radical departure from General Motors early Corvette engineering. Click to view the second article, Click to view the third article This is the first installment of a C4 suspension overview series.
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