Quote:
Originally Posted by whynot
There was a lot of pontification by Wheels, Modern Motor, ABC Torque, et al during the 1980's about suspension and braking setups. At one time the target was the leaf springs in the XC and XD Falcon, and the snap roll steer in the Watt's linkage rear setup in the XE. Another time it was against the drum brakes, dangerous understeer followed by roll oversteer of the Holden HJ. Then there was a massive push by the motoring journalists towards sedans (e.g. Commodore and Falcon) having independent rear suspension. Journalists also whinged that engines too had to have more power and more refinement.
Yet, here we are four decades later. And the public has clearly voted with their wallets. Leaf spring rears, rear drum brakes (on selected models), high centre-of-gravity, slippery tyres, gutless and clattery diesels. And, as others have pointed out, policing that seems to turn a blind eye to clearly illegal vehicle mods (as long as it is a banged up 4WD). Fortunately, the various electronic systems keep some of dynamics in check.
But ... still ... Peter Wherrett and Bill Tuckey must roll in their graves at times.
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I remember the
IRS bleating from the 90s, and everybody having a go at the antiquated Falcon's Watts link rear suspension. Drum brakes have not been available on a Falcon sedan/wagon since 1986, and I'm not sure about Commodore but they have definitely had discs all round since 1988.
Not too many cars have
IRS these days. Heck even the Ranger only finally, just now, got a Watts link rear. The FWD stuff is mostly all torsion beam (even models that got
IRS in the past like the Mazda 3).
Also...a bog standard 4.0i OHC from 1992 or so is more refined than any Thai Special engine on the market, excluding specific performance ones like the Raptor.