Four Link Suspension Install - First-Gen Camaro - Backside Bolt-On

Although the leaf spring pocket is reused, it doesn't mean the leaf spring will be reused as well. Instead, Heidt's uses the pocket as the front mounting position for the bottom four-link bar. Before the setup was installed we bolted the four-link bar, with the adjustable portion of the bar inside the pocket, to the pocket using the appropriate spacer and nut and bolt.

One of the upgrades Heidt's offers is a fully chromed coilover setup; the shock and the spring are chromed. We set the adjustable coilover where we felt was a good starting point and tightened down the set screw on the nut.

The top of the coilover mounts to the crossmember, which was the first thing we installed. On the bottom of the shock a bolt is slid into the bottom eye of the coilover toward the front of the car, and then the proper spacer is slid over the bolt.

The only OEM part that has to be used is the front leaf spring pocket. Once we removed the leaf spring we had to open up the mounting hole on it to 5/8 inch in order for the Heidt's hardware to fit.

With the pocket assembled, we reinstalled it into the car. The pocket mounts in the same position as it did originally. As a side note, the lower four-link bar should face toward the outside of the car.

One of the upgrades Heidt's offers is a fully chromed coilover setup; the shock and the spring are chromed. We set the adjustable coilover where we felt was a good starting point and tightened down the set screw on the nut.

The other option our kit included is the Currie 9-inch. The cool part about going this route is Heidt's pre-welds the brackets that the four-link bars and Panhard bar mount to before shipping the axle housing. The other route is not going with the 9-inch and welding the brackets to your own ride. When mounting the coilovers to the rearend there are three optional ride height positions that allow for suspension tuning. We went with the lowest ride height possible.

With the axle housing installed, the lower four-link bar is next on the agenda. Bolt up the housing to the lower four-link bar.

To center the rearend Heidt's provides an adjustable Panhard bar. The bar mounts to the upper crossmember and to the axle housing. Center the rearend by adjusting the bar.

Since we are running a new 9-inch, we needed a third member, which we got from Randy's Ring & Pinion. The member comes preassembled, and all that's required for operation is to bolt it in and pour in some gear lube.

The upper four-link bar mounts next, again with the adjustable end of the bar toward the front of the car. With all the four-link bars installed, set the proper pinion angle by adjusting the bars and setting the locknut.

The OEM bumpstops were tossed, and these new Heidt's bumpstops were bolted to the upper crossmember.