Cavaliers have different rear axles? - Suspension and Brake Forum

Forum Post / Reply
You must log in before you can post or reply to messages.
Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 8:30 PM
I need to replace my rear axle from an incident a long time ago. I would rather buy new and I was looking at gmpartsdirect for prices. I will be purchasing it without brakes but there seems to be two options. They list one axle as a handling package and the other as a soft ride package. The soft ride is considerably more money. Are there different types of rear axles for our cars? I am guessing the handling package would be a stiffer axle.

The website wouldn't let me post a link.
Here is a screen shot of what mean.




Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 5:18 AM
If you mean the torsion bar axle, yes there are different versions. The soft ride axles were just the steel beam while the handling package axles have a stabilizer bar welded to them, making it stiffer.


----------------------------
<<<<<2003 Sunfire Sedan>>>>>

Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 9:51 AM
So what would a 2005 cavalier base model have? and if the handling package has an extra stabilizer bar welded to it, why would it be cheaper?
Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 2:42 PM
darestie wrote:So what would a 2005 cavalier base model have? and if the handling package has an extra stabilizer bar welded to it, why would it be cheaper?


i think the ls sports where the main ones that came with the stabilizer bar welded on...either one will work though...but for a quarter of the price you could get one from the junk yard


____________________________________
Primer Counts as Custom Paint Right?
BTW: This is my Sig.

Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 3:15 PM
got one-- $50 plus shipping from 50060




Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 4:17 PM
My uncle works for GM so I am hoping to get a nice discount. If not I will probably go with a junkyard one however I would rather buy one new. Less chance of it being bent with a new part.
Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 4:47 PM
Theres almost no chance of it being bent if it comes from a yard either. Unless the car was rear end damaged, I doubt you would see any problem with it.



Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 5:09 PM
James Cahill wrote:Theres almost no chance of it being bent if it comes from a yard either. Unless the car was rear end damaged, I doubt you would see any problem with it.


I may do that.
Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 6:36 PM
well blow me down, i never knew there was a 'soft ride' rear axle or a 'handling package' rear axle before....

do the 95-99 z's have them or is it an 03-05 LSS thing only?



Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Thursday, July 31, 2008 3:46 AM
the z's have the "handling package.....
Well I believe they do because my rear axle was beaffer than the brothers base 04 cav.


PRND321 Till I DIE
Old Motor: 160whp & 152ft/lbs, 1/4 Mile 15.4 @88.2
M45 + LD9 + 4T40-E, GO GO GO
Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Thursday, July 31, 2008 4:01 AM
You leanr something new every day... jesussss.



My Cav
I give up...
i'm buying a VW those people love trees, so they should love eachother too... "Andy"

Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Thursday, July 31, 2008 5:13 AM
Not sure if they would fit but don't second and first gen J's have even stronger axles than that? I believe that was one part where they took strength/weight out for the third gens.

But i didn't know the difference in price... maybe i should take my soft ride to the junkers and swap it for a handling package + cash haha

On a side note when are those TTR rear axle bushings going to be finished??


----------------------------
<<<<<2003 Sunfire Sedan>>>>>

Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Thursday, July 31, 2008 5:17 AM
To add some thing too.
If memory serves me right, the axle have changed through out the 10 year life span, the older rear axle had no half dollar size holes on it, while the newer ones did, all to save on some weight.

But yhea FE0 FE1 had the "soft ride" setup, while FE2 was part of the "handling package."



>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----

Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Friday, August 01, 2008 2:06 PM
Does anyone know the diameter of the factory rear swaybar (the one welded in the rear axle) for the third gens?

-Gary


2005 Sunfire, 2.2 Ecotec, 5-speed, Silver
Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Friday, August 01, 2008 4:20 PM
From GM specifications.
FE2: R-18mm (95-02 J and 95-05 Sunfire), R-19mm (Cavalier only 03-05)



>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----

Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Friday, August 01, 2008 4:57 PM
Mr.Goodwrench-G.T. wrote:From GM specifications.
FE2: R-18mm (95-02 J and 95-05 Sunfire), R-19mm (Cavalier only 03-05)


Thanks man! I am probably going to go that route instead of the aftermarket rear stabars that can double as aircraft landing hooks. Going to do some calculations to see what front bar i should use with that, as I've got my balance dialed in with springs, just need some additional roll stiffness.

-Gary


2005 Sunfire, 2.2 Ecotec, 5-speed, Silver
Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Friday, August 01, 2008 5:07 PM
If clearance is an issue, the progressive rear sway bar, which is what i use, connects directly to the shock bolts and does not hang down at all due to no endlinks. I don't think stiffening the rear torsion bar will give you the same effect. It does not change the stiffness of the connection to the trailing arms because you will be using the same rear axle bushings, where as the sway bars are all one piece so the effects on one side directly affect the opposite side. I would look into doing both


----------------------------
<<<<<2003 Sunfire Sedan>>>>>

Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Friday, March 31, 2023 12:21 PM
Please can you help me if you know if the rear axle is the same one used by the Cavalier and the Sunfire, or if there are different versions of the rear axle for the Cavalier, thank you very much

darestie wrote:I need to replace my rear axle from an incident a long time ago. I would rather buy new and I was looking at gmpartsdirect for prices. I will be purchasing it without brakes but there seems to be two options. They list one axle as a handling package and the other as a soft ride package. The soft ride is considerably more money. Are there different types of rear axles for our cars? I am guessing the handling package would be a stiffer axle.

The website wouldn't let me post a link.
Here is a screen shot of what mean.



Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Friday, March 31, 2023 12:35 PM
Peter Pan wrote:Please can you help me if you know if the rear axle is the same one used by the Cavalier and the Sunfire, or if there are different versions of the rear axle for the Cavalier, thank you very much


LOL... you're replying to stuff from 15 years ago.

The axles are the same between the Cavalier and Sunfire. The only difference he's referring to is that there was one with an integrated sway bar and one without. That's the "handling package". Those came on the Z24's and GT's and maybe some others.

Either one should fit in any car of the same year.




Re: Cavaliers have different rear axles?
Friday, March 31, 2023 1:58 PM
Thank you very much, for your comments, my rear axle is twisted and it makes the rear tire crooked, and I found a Pontiac Sunfire, please can you help me to know how to activate notifications when someone answers me or writes something in the forum, since luckily I enter the forum and I see that you did me the favor of answering me


Wild Weasel wrote:
Peter Pan wrote:Please can you help me if you know if the rear axle is the same one used by the Cavalier and the Sunfire, or if there are different versions of the rear axle for the Cavalier, thank you very much


LOL... you're replying to stuff from 15 years ago.

The axles are the same between the Cavalier and Sunfire. The only difference he's referring to is that there was one with an integrated sway bar and one without. That's the "handling package". Those came on the Z24's and GT's and maybe some others.

Either one should fit in any car of the same year.

Forum Post / Reply
You must log in before you can post or reply to messages.

 

Start New Topic Advanced Search