Heidt's Pro-G Independent Rear Suspension Install - Going Independent

Sucp 1201 02 Heidt Pro G Independent Rear Suspension Install

Here is the Pro-G IRS from Heidts. The system starts with a Ford 9-inch-based centersection that uses CV joints to transfer the power out to the wheels. Since it is a 9-inch-based unit, it uses a drop-out centersection so gear swaps are much easier than a 12-bolt Chevy style. The control arms are made from DOM tubing, and all the other brackets are constructed out of good quality steel. The setup is true bolt-in installation, with only a few holes needing to be drilled. It comes complete, but disassembled with multiple spring and shock combinations available. It retails for $7,999.95.

Here is the Pro-G IRS from Heidts. The system starts with a Ford 9-inch-based centersectio

In last year’s September issue we ran a tech piece on Randy Johnson of D&Z Customs installing the Pro-G front clip from Heidts Hot Rod & Muscle Car Parts into a clean little ’66 Nova. The bolt-on front clip is a racecar-designed system, not just a reworked street-rod setup. With extra crossmembers, rack-and-pinion steering, QA1 coilovers, improved geometry, and more room for wider tires, the Pro-G front stuff has all the elements needed to carve the road. With all those improvements up front, the rear would need to be brought up to snuff. This time, something pretty special was added to match the performance and cool factor.

Well, Heidts didn’t snooze at the line. As a matter of fact, the company cut a perfect light with its Pro-G independent rear setup. Working off the company’s already proven Camaro system, the Pro G for the Nova is a bolt-in unit that only requires a few new holes be drilled in the subframe for installation. No welding or custom fabrication work is required to put in a very sophisticated rear suspension system into what is basically a dinosaur.

1 We have skipped to just the good stuff, but as you can tell all the factory suspension and rearend were removed. The first new parts to go in are these saddles. They line up with factory points and require new holes drilled for the hardware.
1 We have skipped to just the good stuff, but as you can tell all the factory suspension
2 The saddles end up providing the mounting points for the top crossmember, which has the mounting points for the upper links and the third member itself.
2 The saddles end up providing the mounting points for the top crossmember, which has the
3 The hardware to hold the third-member in place drops in from the top of the crossmember. A little threadlocker is applied before the third member is bolted up.
3 The hardware to hold the third-member in place drops in from the top of the crossmember

4 The center-section for this car is a Strange unit with 3.70 gears and a Truetrac limited-slip diff with 31 splines. It came fully assembled and ready to be slipped in, just like any other 9-inch centersection.
4 The center-section for this car is a Strange unit with 3.70 gears and a Truetrac limite
5 These five studs are threaded into the housing leaving 1 1/8 inches sticking out. A liberal coat of grease is applied to the splines and seal area.
5 These five studs are threaded into the housing leaving 1 1/8 inches sticking out. A lib
6 Now the stub axle seals go into the housing with a seal installation tool to make sure the seal is squared up. The seals will bottom out in the housing.
6 Now the stub axle seals go into the housing with a seal installation tool to make sure

What’s the benefit to an independent rear suspension? Well, much like why all vehicles have independent front systems, its does almost everything better. As the name suggests, the left and right sides are now independent of each other. That means unlike a solid-axle car, when it goes into a corner the outside squats which in turn lifts the inside. Now the outside can squat without affecting the other side. This can improve handling if all the other things like spring rate and sway bar stiffness are tuned correctly. Another good thing is when one rear tire hits a bump it will also not affect the other side of the car, providing a smoother ride on the highway. Also there will be no pinion angle change under acceleration, and because the brakes are now inboard the car sees a reduction in unsprung weight. So why don’t all cars come with independent rearends? We are sure it has a lot to do with cost.

Like the front system, this is a new product for Heidt's and Randy Johnson of D&Z Customs will be doing the wrench work. Randy has built a few wicked projects, including the second-gen Camaro that we had on our January 2011 cover. Randy was helping Heidts out by doing a bunch of R&D work on this system to help integrate it into the Nova.

7 After a liberal coating of grease, the stub axles slip into the third-member. The stub axles are different sizes and the longer of the two goes in the passenger side.
7 After a liberal coating of grease, the stub axles slip into the third-member. The stub
8 The caliper plates now slip onto the studs, with the threaded inserts in the caliper plates toward the stub axle flanges. They are secured with the supplied Nylok nuts.
8 The caliper plates now slip onto the studs, with the threaded inserts in the caliper pl
9 The pinion plate goes right where you would expect, on the front of the pinion. The same bolts that hold the pinion to the third member hold it on.
9 The pinion plate goes right where you would expect, on the front of the pinion. The sam

10 After the front pinion support bracket (arrow) was bolted to the frame and to the front pinion plate, the lower control arms could be installed.
10 After the front pinion support bracket (arrow) was bolted to the frame and to the fron
11 The outer upright assembly/spindle hooks to the end of the lower control arm.
11 The outer upright assembly/spindle hooks to the end of the lower control arm.
12 After Randy assembled the 10.5-inch Wilwood rotors to the hats on the bench, they were installed on the center-section ...
12 After Randy assembled the 10.5-inch Wilwood rotors to the hats on the bench, they were

13 ... followed by the CV joints. The splines were greased up before being slipped in.
13 ... followed by the CV joints. The splines were greased up before being slipped in.
14 Now the uprights are manhandled so the CV joint could be fed into the hubs and secured with this big nut. Then Randy went back and secured the other end of the CV joint to the brake rotor assembly with the supplied hardware.
14 Now the uprights are manhandled so the CV joint could be fed into the hubs and secured
15 Now the upper link arm is hooked between the mounts on the upper crossmember and the top of the upright. The upper arm has Heim joints for smooth articulation and is adjustable to set up the rear alignment.
15 Now the upper link arm is hooked between the mounts on the upper crossmember and the t

16 The Wilwood Dynalite four-piston calipers are mounted to the caliper plates. These can be ordered in numerous colors, but this is the only size available. Trust us— they are plenty big. Heidts also offers an e-brake setup for an additional charge.
16 The Wilwood Dynalite four-piston calipers are mounted to the caliper plates. These can
17 The IRS is available with a different number of coilovers and spring combinations. For this car, Randy chose to run a set of double-adjustable QA1s with a 350lb spring. Since these coilovers allow for compression, rebound and ride height adjustments, the suspension can be fine-tuned to just about any track or city street.
17 The IRS is available with a different number of coilovers and spring combinations. For
18 These subframe connector bars hook between the front leaf-spring mount and the front unibody framerail and will stiffen the chassis to provide one more layer of handling improvement. These bars also have multiple holes for the trans crossmember and a front pivot point for the next part to come in.
18 These subframe connector bars hook between the front leaf-spring mount and the front u

Sucp 1201 23 Heidt Pro G Independent Rear Suspension Install

The Rollers
This project is going to roll on a Forgeline/Nitto setup. The rims are all 18x9 with the fronts having 5.7 inches of backspace and 4.7 in the rear. The Forgeline DS3P rims are a three-piece design with 6061 forged centers. All Forgeline wheels are built to order with a three- to four-week turnaround time, which is pretty dang fast in the wheel industry. The centers can be ordered in polished, machined, or any color powdercoat. The rubber is Nitto’s Invo line, measuring 275/35ZR18 all the way around. The Invo tires feature 260 treadwear, AA traction, and A temp ratings. The Invo tire has a stiff sidewall for a street tire, so it’s more predictable in cornering situations. It also has four distinct tread patterns that are designed to all provide traction in one way or another.

19 This lower strut bar runs from the lower control arm to the front pivot point and keeps the rear arm geometry true to prevent any type of bumpsteer.
19 This lower strut bar runs from the lower control arm to the front pivot point and keep
20 Here you can see the multitude of holes Heidts provides for the trans crossmember, so it will work with just about any transmission you have.
20 Here you can see the multitude of holes Heidts provides for the trans crossmember, so

Here is a shot from the underside of the car. As you can see this stuff looks wildly exotic and allows for total adjustment: caster, camber, ride height, compression, and rebound.
Here is a shot from the underside of the car. As you can see this stuff looks wildly exoti
In a pulled-back shot you can see that the Heidts front and rear combined to make the Nova a wolf in monster’s clothing.
In a pulled-back shot you can see that the Heidts front and rear combined to make the Nova

SOURCES
D&Z Customs Kewaskum WI 262-347-9741 http://www.dandzcustoms.com/	Nitto Tire 6021 Katella Avenue Suite 250 Cypress CA 90630 877-565-8448 www.nittotire.com
Heidts Hot Rods 111 Kerry Lane Wauconda IL 800-841-8188 www.heidts.com	Forgeline 3522 S. Kettering Blvd Suite A Dayton OH 45439 800-886-0093 www.forgeline.com