Experience with truckarm (or centerdrive) style rear suspensions???
Does anyone out there have any experience with a truckarm (or centerdrive) type of rear suspension. . .especially as compared to a 4-link or 3-link setup using a panhard bar or Watt's linkage and also compared to IRS.
I have a '67 Pontiac Firebird 400 that I'm getting ready to start a Pro-Touring build with and I'm trying to decide what I want to do with my suspension. The truckarm seems to have some pretty good pros to it from what I have been able to dig up and the price is much less than an IRS or 3-link and Watt's linkage and almost exactly the same as a 4-link suspension.
I haven't had a whole lot luck finding many opinions on the truckarm suspension thought besides from Hot Rods to Hell who make the system.
Give Kip Valdez a call at metalworks performance in denver co. he is the only person I know with actual time and testing on this system and the truck arm set up I have seen them build are quite nice.
I have been in contact with Hot Rods to Hell and I have written to Metalworks Performance (I'm waiting to hear back from them on the availability and price of their kit. . .on the website it is still listed as coming soon). I was hoping that perhaps some individuals who were not associated with either place might have driven (or actually have) a truckarm equipped vehicle and I could get their opinion of how the car handled. I have heard that HRTH has a test car that they are more than willing to let individuals drive to test out the truckarm suspension and they are located in Burbank which is only about 2-2.5 hrs North of me. . .guess I'll have to start saving my money now and go up there to drive the test car when I get enough saved to buy one!
Ok I have driven a truck armed camaro recently and I disliked it greatly, although I will say I didn't put it though it's performance paces. I hate to come in here bashing something as that is not my intention, but you asked so I thought I should at least give you my perspective. Here is what I thought about it. I thought it tracked poorly, maybe from poor fab work perhaps or the inherent problems with such a design. I hit a few corners at less then half way though in the throttle and could not tell what the rear end wanted to do. It felt as if there was a lot of play, even more then stock leaf springs, again maybe something to do with poor fab work, but it looked hideous, and didn't seem to do anything I wanted in the short drive that I did. It also wheel hopped like a bunny rabbit. I don't know who did the fab work or who designed it, but it looked similar to hot rods to hell setup. Honestly, I would stick to leafs if I was in your shoes and beef up the performance of those.
maz, probaly should find out whos kit it is and who installed it before you make assumptions, there are alot of maybes in your opinion.
i would like to hear about truck arm also
maz, probaly should find out whos kit it is and who installed it before you make assumptions, there are alot of maybes in your opinion.
i would like to hear about truck arm also
He asked a question, I gave an answer. I have heard of others not liking it as well, but he asked a general question and I gave an honest answer.
i HAVE heard a few negatives reviews on truck arm setups in a few street cars.... mostly stuff suggesting that there was little to no feedback, and even one person claiming that his 60 foot time had slowd down after switching to a truckarms setup...
but ive also heard from someone i spoke to at hot august nights, that his truck arm setup on his camaro race car was in his opinion perfect, and that he wouldent have it any other way. so i dunno.
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
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Experience with truckarm (or centerdrive) style rear suspensions???
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