staggered shocks

when G.M. staggered the shocks on the Camaro, was it for performance or because one mount would fit both sides?? I always thought they pulled one over on the auto writters with that one. How much have they saved since then??
sssamiam old timer

 

Ford did it on the Mustangs too - '69 & up Boss & big-blocks and/or drag pack (I think)

Not sure how effective it was...

 

The shocks were stagged to combat wheelhop. The theory was the staggared shocks would help dampen the axles ability to rotate up and down. The right rear shock controls upward rotation of the axle by way of compression dampening, and by virtue of it's piston traveling upward during the dampening process it would help to slow the inherent squat to the right rear common on all rwd chassis. Which is why on a factory staggared shock arrangement the passengers side shock will always be forward of the axlehousing. The left rear shock was placed aft of the axlehousing to counteract the downward rotation of the housing as it unloaded.

 

So how much did it help? Enough to make it worth doing, or was it more wishful thinking?

 

I can't believe it - I was coming home from Conn. Saturday and was stopped behind a pick-up with staggered shocks and said to myself "I bet someone on the HAMB will know why the hell they did that." Sure enough, now we all know.

Viva the HAMB!!!

 

They did it on 55 chevy trucks too!

 

In a lab I'll bet it made a big difference. Mock it up... wrap the axle like a car would, yeah, shock location would make a difference. Real world driving? Not so much as to make you notice.

But I'd like to think the process of it went something like....

At Chevrolet: "Hey, this'll work better" ... "I don't really see a difference" ... "Should we change it back?" ... "Nope 'cause then it'll look like it didn't work.

At Ford: "Hey look at what their doing"... "We should do that to so our cars'll be just as technologically advanced" ... "I don't see much difference".... "Let's change it back mid year"

At Dodge: "What the hell are we supposed to do now!?!?!?!"

 

At AMC: "What do you mean GM can't supply us with right side shock plates anymore??? Is there some way we can use two lefts?"

AMC...built tough...with everybody's stuff.

 

I still think some poor guy on the assembly line screwed it up with two lefts, it worked saved a ton (do the math at 10 cents a bracket) he most likely got his ass in a sling and some white shirt got a move up