rear end brace?
 

ok i was talking to a friend about my noise my rear has been making since day one. After talking to him he told me it sounds like my brace needed to be adjusted to hold the pinion angle better. I said what brace and so he sent me a picture
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNj...SmotE/$_57.JPG

i said i have those in a box of parts but i have no idea where it goes. He told me he is not sure but it helps hold the rear in place so the pinion doesn't get out of wack. any truth to that? and where does it go on my 69 chevelle?

They go from the lower control arm to the chassis. It's a brace meant to help stiffen the mounting point and reduce flex. I believe it was first introduced on 66' SS 396 cars.

Strangely enough... my 72' which was a factory 350 2bbl/TH350, has them. My 69' factory 300 HP 350 4 speed car does not have them. (I intended to add them)

Here are some pictures...
http://www.66ss396.com/rearend/

They won't help the pinion angle. If you are getting noise most likely something in the rearend.

Here's where they go.

http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/y...me/Frame10.jpg

thanks for the info. I guess when i take my rear off to take it to the shop to be over hauled i will add it then

I'm betting the '72 is an ATL built factory A/C car. I have yet to see an ATL Chevelle with A/C that didn't have the braces...regardless of drive train.

Baltimore built, didn't have AC, I added it. Had power drum brakes and manual steering.

I agree with Ray, just put a good set of Monroe shocks on it. Shocks with springs are good for towing package. If you put those on for normal driving it will be a stiff ride.

I put a new set of those on my 71 Malibu now that it has a 396 in it. I read where they were put in the cars to help stiffen up the rear crossmember because the cars with bigger horsepower motors in them were breaking the welds on that crossmember.

That's my understanding of why they were added. The upper arms pull on the cross member during acceleration causing it to flex and possibly break welds. Putting them on won't chance the pinion angle put will help it from changing during acceleration. Adjustable upper arms or changing rear ride height are the way to change pinion angle.

Like I mentioned...from my personal experience...including 4dr models.