rear end shaking
 

i gotta 88gt conv... when i take off and the tires start spining my rear end starts hoping around allot and shakes alot... any ideas why? its all stock in the rear end, but everything seems to be fine... exept there is this weight that goes around the diff. someome told me it was a "dogbone" i noticed that the rubber bushings on it wore out and the weight fell off and is not there anymore... when i first got the car it was fine (when the weight was on there) could this have that big of an impact on it? i just repleaced the shocks too.

RE: rear end shaking
 

you really should replace the dogbone with new rubber bushings as it is a form of vibration dampner to help reduce vibrations in the drivetrain. the other problem sounds like wheel hop, which is normal with a stock rear set up. you need to check/replace all the bushings in the control arms and make sure the 4 shock set-up is still in place. the outside shocks help prevent the axle windup that causes bad wheel hop. another solution is traction bars or a pinion snubber or a combination of both along with new rear control arms.

RE: rear end shaking
 

OK, here's a question for you. I know mine didn't come with the quads stock but I was under there the other day and there is an empty bracket for something on the axle and then there's two threaded holes on the framerail behind the axle facing towards the outside of the car. Is that empty bracket supposed to be for a quad setup and could I get a bracket for the frame and add a pair? Could this also mean the axle's from a later year that had a quad setup?

RE: rear end shaking
 

sounds like you kinda got what i got. 2 long studs facing down, that the dogbone bolted up to, but the rubber wore out and the weight fell maybe.... so is there a website i can buy a new one? or a updated one? or a heavier one (if it helps) and i replaced the 2 shocks, what about the side shocks, the real little ones, can i just go get those at any auto store? what are those called? thanks

RE: rear end shaking
 

is the bracket on the top of the axle tube just outside the fenderwell? if yes, then it could be the shock mount bracket for the axle. the two holes on the frame are for the other mounting bracket that has a stud on it that the quad shock pivots on, so it sounds like you've got the hook-up, just not the shocks. look at a car you know has them and you'll see what I mean. you can probably find the brackets on a junkyard car and maybe even the shocks too. make sure you save the mounting bolts as they are fine thread metric ones that fit into a captive nut inside the framerail. it takes a 15 mm socket and a lot of elbow grease to remove them, at least it did on mine. I eventually removed mine as the 9" slick would rub on the shock tube when I turned off the track if I was going really slow. then I got a new 9" rear end, so they weren't needed. this really helps lessen wheel hop when you get on the loud pedal.:D

RE: rear end shaking
 

best bet is the junkyard for the dogbone weight, think it only comes in one size. the little shocks are called quad shocks or outside shocks, I think. you could also try www.stangparts.com for the dogbone weight. a pinion snubber will also help prevent the upward rotation of the nose of the rear end which contributes to wheel hop. Competition Engineering sells one that I use and they're in Summit and Jegs catalogs. it's easy to install and adjustable, so you can lower it down at the track and raise it up for the ride home as it will bottom out and hit the rear on the street going over bumps and it makes for a rough ride if you don't raise it up and away from the rear.