Fabrication Custom fabrication ideas and concepts ranging from body kits, interior work, driveline tech, and much more.

AWS?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-22-2010, 01:09 PM
  #1  
Banned
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
 
Stephen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Posts: 12,212
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
AWS?

Since we are talking about AWD & it is basically just a matter of somebody DOING it....It isn't much of a matter of HOW so I thought about this new subject......

What about AWS? Anybody wanna tackle how to do it?
Old 03-22-2010, 01:59 PM
  #2  
Junior Member
 
bitchin86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: utah
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1986 iroc-z
Engine: lt1 intake 406
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: stock 89 gta 10 bolt 3.42 non posi
Re: AWS?

gm did a prototype camaro with aws back in the day
Old 03-22-2010, 02:23 PM
  #3  
Banned
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
 
Stephen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Posts: 12,212
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: AWS?

Yep. I had just gotten through reading the article on the throne & thought I'd ask about the reality of actually doing it here.
Old 03-22-2010, 02:54 PM
  #4  
Supreme Member
 
FYRCHKN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bastrop, TX
Posts: 1,002
Likes: 0
Received 12 Likes on 11 Posts
Car: 1988 SC Convertible
Engine: LT-1
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23 posi w/PBR's
Re: AWS?

If I could win the lottery and never have to go back to that waste of time called a J.O.B. I would do it. I think it would be fairly easy. GM had the AWS on some trucks & Suburbans a few years ago. I'm pretty sure you could rob all the parts you needed off of one of those and modify as needed to fit our cars. Then, all that would be left to do is modify the rear wheel wells for clearance.
Old 03-22-2010, 03:14 PM
  #5  
Banned
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
 
Stephen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Posts: 12,212
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: AWS?

I actually have already looked into the full sized truck AWS systems, but the wheel track is way to wide to fit under our fenders.

Yes, everything could be narrowed, but that would totally throw off the electric steering control box throws. They would definately oversteer in both directions. The throws would have to be electronically shortened in the servo control programming.

If there were an AWS S10/S15, that would make it much easier to do.
Old 03-22-2010, 04:55 PM
  #6  
Member
iTrader: (3)
 
G-reg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Manitowoc, WI
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 90 Camaro
Engine: 350 tpi
Transmission: t56
Axle/Gears: 4.10
Re: AWS?

Originally Posted by Stephen
Yes, everything could be narrowed, but that would totally throw off the electric steering control box throws. They would definately oversteer in both directions. The throws would have to be electronically shortened in the servo control programming.
Would you even want to use anything from the quadrasteer electronics? From what I've seen, the quadrasteer on the trucks was more of a low speed thing for turning tighter and easier manuvering of trailers so it would steer the rear wheels the opposite way from the front. The more performance oriented all wheel steering on vehicles like 3000gt's and the dodge stealth steered the rear wheels the same direction as the front (just at less of an angle than the front) at higher speeds and didn't do anything at low speed. I'd think thats more of what you would want anyways on a camaro..
Old 03-22-2010, 05:00 PM
  #7  
Senior Member

iTrader: (2)
 
Blownz28man's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Elk City OK
Posts: 580
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 92 25th anv z28
Engine: 346 TC78 Turbo
Transmission: 4L80E
Axle/Gears: 3.25 9"Nodular, Strange axles
Re: AWS?

I'm sure you could get ome axle knuckles kit from a rockcrawler place and then rob the rest from a denali. You can put steering on pretty much any axle. Power Block made a front axle out of a Dana 60 rear axle.
Old 03-22-2010, 05:07 PM
  #8  
Banned
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
 
Stephen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Posts: 12,212
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: AWS?

Originally Posted by G-reg
Would you even want to use anything from the quadrasteer electronics? From what I've seen, the quadrasteer on the trucks was more of a low speed thing for turning tighter and easier manuvering of trailers so it would steer the rear wheels the opposite way from the front. The more performance oriented all wheel steering on vehicles like 3000gt's and the dodge stealth steered the rear wheels the same direction as the front (just at less of an angle than the front) at higher speeds and didn't do anything at low speed. I'd think thats more of what you would want anyways on a camaro..
The way the GM test mule was done was that at low speeds the rears turned opposite the fronts, like the Quadrasteer you described.

But at higher speeds, the rears would turn the same direction as the fronts, like in the 3000gt's & stealth like you described.

So it benefited in both speed ranges. I think the Quadrasteer does that too. Opposite at low speed, same direction at higher speeds.
Old 03-22-2010, 05:21 PM
  #9  
Banned
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
 
Stephen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Posts: 12,212
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: AWS?

Originally Posted by Blownz28man
I'm sure you could get ome axle knuckles kit from a rockcrawler place and then rob the rest from a denali. You can put steering on pretty much any axle. Power Block made a front axle out of a Dana 60 rear axle.
The GM test mule 3rd gen Camaro used S10 knuckles on a Dana 44.
Old 03-22-2010, 09:03 PM
  #10  
Junior Member
 
bitchin86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: utah
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1986 iroc-z
Engine: lt1 intake 406
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: stock 89 gta 10 bolt 3.42 non posi
Re: AWS?

s10 knuckles on a Dana 44?

as far as i know gm never made a solid front axle s10
Old 03-22-2010, 09:05 PM
  #11  
Banned
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
 
Stephen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Posts: 12,212
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: AWS?

Originally Posted by bitchin86
s10 knuckles on a Dana 44?

as far as i know gm never made a solid front axle s10
I never said there was.....

S10s came with steering knuckles......F-bodies came with Dana 44s. Combine the two and you get.....S10 knuckles, on a Dana 44 axle.
Old 03-22-2010, 09:22 PM
  #12  
Senior Member

 
87bluebird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: middle of nowhere between farms in New York
Posts: 567
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Car: 1987 pontiac firebird
Engine: 6.5 turbo diesel
Transmission: t56
Axle/Gears: Ws6 axle
Re: AWS?

you could probably do aws by either modding your rear axle for steering or just flipping a front axle from a 4wd truck and putting it back there. then weld up some brackets to hold a hydraulic ram on it. then hook a Sharline valve, or what ever its called you know what i mean, to to your stearing box and then just run the hydraulic lines. pretty much the same as what they do in monster trucks. the only thing im not sure about is why you would want to build aws on a third gen they already have a very sharp turning radius.
Old 03-23-2010, 05:23 AM
  #13  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (2)
 
83 Crossfire TA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: DC Metro Area
Posts: 7,980
Received 85 Likes on 72 Posts
Car: 87TA 87Form 71Mach1 93FleetWB 04Cum
Re: AWS?

Originally Posted by Stephen
I actually have already looked into the full sized truck AWS systems, but the wheel track is way to wide to fit under our fenders.

Yes, everything could be narrowed, but that would totally throw off the electric steering control box throws. They would definately oversteer in both directions. The throws would have to be electronically shortened in the servo control programming.

If there were an AWS S10/S15, that would make it much easier to do.
If you shorten the axle and the linkage the steering shouldn't change. The thing is that GM did it in their longest trucks to make them turn tighter, not much of a point in following that scheme on an f-body.

Most sports car setups more resemble a sloppy suspension that under some conditions allows the wheel to move giving a small fraction of a steering input, more of a gimmick than anything else. I don't think anyone has ever shown a car that is overall faster around a real track, under real conditions with it
Old 03-27-2010, 03:17 PM
  #14  
Junior Member
 
fitztool's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Madison(Cross Plains), WI
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 86 Firebird
Engine: 358 Dart
Transmission: Fully Built 700r4
Axle/Gears: Strange Axle's, 4.11's, Posi
Re: AWS?

Does anyone have a link to the article on this AWS Third Gen? I would like to read it
Old 03-28-2010, 09:51 PM
  #15  
Supreme Member

 
92RS(real slow)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Osceola Indiana
Posts: 2,151
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 92 RS(sold) 1989 IROC-Z
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: ones that turn
Re: AWS?

aws isn't as great as it seems. go hang around on some 300zx forums, and most of them remove it
Old 04-01-2010, 03:06 PM
  #16  
Banned
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
 
Stephen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Posts: 12,212
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: AWS?

Originally Posted by 87bluebird
.......flipping a front axle from a 4wd truck and putting it back there......
That wouldn't work, because the front 4WD S10 axles had the pumpkin severely offset.

Put it in the rear & it would no longer line up with the tranny for the driveshaft.

You could only do it if you shortened one axle tube & lengthened the other. Even then, the R&P would be rotating the opposite way from how they were designed to.
Old 04-01-2010, 03:17 PM
  #17  
Banned
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
 
Stephen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Posts: 12,212
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: AWS?

Originally Posted by fitztool
Does anyone have a link to the article on this AWS Third Gen? I would like to read it
I scanned it for ya.....Anybody noctice that there are TWO PHBs? 2 side by side, like doubling up the strength.
Old 04-04-2010, 06:10 PM
  #18  
Senior Member
iTrader: (5)
 
HCR13's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Augusta, Ga
Posts: 2,212
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1987 Trans Am
Engine: 355ci L98 soon to be turbo'd
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73 posi
Re: AWS?

^ pretty cool stuff. Although I don't see the practical use for it. I think I'll take awd over aws...
Old 04-04-2010, 07:08 PM
  #19  
Supreme Member
TGO - 10 Year Member
iTrader: (15)
 
//<86TA>\\'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 12,666
Likes: 0
Received 50 Likes on 48 Posts
Car: 86 Trans Am, 92 Firebird
Engine: 408 sbc, 3.1L of raw power
Transmission: TKO600, T5
Axle/Gears: Moser 9", 3:70 trutac, 3:23 torsion
Re: AWS?

Originally Posted by HCR13
^ pretty cool stuff. Although I don't see the practical use for it. I think I'll take awd over aws...
x2

what would this prove, aside from some cool factor?

AWD would be much cooler and practical than aws
Old 08-20-2010, 01:25 PM
  #20  
Member

iTrader: (3)
 
spade's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Posts: 465
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1989 Mystery Firebird
Engine: 350 FIRST TPI
Transmission: 700r4
Re: AWS?

Originally Posted by //<86TA>\\
x2

what would this prove, aside from some cool factor?

AWD would be much cooler and practical than aws
Old 11-03-2010, 03:12 PM
  #21  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (1)
 
iansane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Tacoma, Wa
Posts: 3,109
Likes: 0
Received 25 Likes on 17 Posts
Car: '91 TA vert
Engine: turboLSx
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: AWS?

Is there more info on that 4ws camaro? What rack? What electronics and such? I was talking with a quadrasteer truck guy the other day and it got me thinking. I didn't think there was much clearance down there for a rack, especially on a lowered car.
Old 11-04-2010, 04:56 AM
  #22  
Supreme Member

 
Mathius's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Northern Ohio
Posts: 1,287
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: AWS?

For all you guys talking about the quadrasteer, not only were they not very reliable (one reason they don't make them anymore), but they were also hella expensive to have fixed and/or serviced if something broke, which was the bigger reason why they aren't made anymore.

I drove one back when they still had the GM Auto Show in Motion, and I wasn't impressed with their turning ability. Now that Rack and Pinion is standard on those trucks they aren't that big a deal to turn unless you have a crew cab with an 8' bed or something. Maybe a dually. I've never driven a dually outside of an actual box truck. Now my buddy has a Ford F-250, and that thing has the same turning radius as his semi truck. And I mean that with absolutely zero exaggeration.

Mathius
Old 11-05-2010, 11:38 AM
  #23  
Supreme Member
TGO - 10 Year Member
iTrader: (8)
 
TTOP350's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Il
Posts: 11,873
Received 898 Likes on 589 Posts
Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
Engine: 4++,350 & 305 CIs
Transmission: 700R4 4800 vig 18th700R4 t56 ZF6 T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70 9"ford alum chunk,dana44,9bolt
Re: AWS?

austrailian built dana 44? Im guessn typo.. I know i doesnt matter which rear youd use just thought its a intersting typo/ miss information..
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
92GTA
History / Originality
45
04-09-2016 07:39 AM
apie2546
Tech / General Engine
6
09-04-2015 03:47 PM
Pino91Formula
History / Originality
43
03-17-2010 11:34 AM
SlowStangEater
Tech / General Engine
12
04-28-2002 09:26 PM
BuddyLeeX
Tech / General Engine
7
01-03-2002 08:56 PM



Quick Reply: AWS?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:52 AM.