Suspension question.

[mannye]

Anyone have any opinions? Seems expensive.

http://www.moparsupercenter.com/b-body- ... l?cat=1266

 

[wannarunner]

To rich for my blood...... What are you looking for? autocross?

 

[sixgunrunner68]

It's more than an average guy like myself would probably want to spend, even though it's both front and rear, but those shocks are probably a substantial fraction of the price. You can tighten up the car for less money. :cents:

 

[69hemibeep]

For that money I would like tube a-arms :yesnod:

 

[Big John]

I think its a little too expensive.

IMHO, there's only so much you can do with the 50 year old suspension design. This kit doesn't do anything to change any geometry or stiffen the chassis.

If it were me, I would look at poly bushings (although I'm not a big fan) in the upper and lower control arms, a set of QA-1 Shocks (or similar) and some larger sway bars. In the steering dept, I would upgrade to C-body tie rods and sleeves and look at a tighter faster steering box. Connecting the front and rear subframes to cut down body flex couldn't hurt either.

 

[mannye]

No autocross or anything like that, I just want to feel a little safer on the road. I rescued it from a trailer 9 years ago but lately I feel like I'm not driving it enough and it's mostly because people out here drive like idiots. In my daily driver I'm constantly having to slam on the brakes or juke out of the way of some drunk who didn't signal before changing lanes.

Let's face it, our cars are awesome in a straight line but they handle like a runaway truck on a frozen lake. Add the ragtop floppiness and drum brakes all around and I'm looking 1000 feet ahead for trouble all the time!

Are there any alternatives I can look into? It has to be completely reversible!

Just saw Big's response. Thanks!

 

[sixgunrunner68]

This is what I did, PST stuff.
All polygraphite bushings up front.
Heavy duty tie rod tubes.
All new joints, pitman arm and idler.
KYB shocks, there are better alternatives than these, but they work for now.
Stock sway bar and upper and lower control arms.
1.030" torsion bars
Mopar perfomance frame connectors.
Firm Feel Stage II steering box. (This is well worth the money)

Out back is basically a super stock suspension. SS springs, adjustable snubber (threaded type), adustable shocks. No sway bar.

This works for me, the ride is a little stiff but I'm not going cross country. It feels tight, body roll isn't too bad even without a rear sway bar. If I lower the rear of the car It would probably be a little better, but I like the stance it has now. :cents:

 

[Big John]

No autocross or anything like that, I just want to feel a little safer on the road. I rescued it from a trailer 9 years ago but lately I feel like I'm not driving it enough and it's mostly because people out here drive like idiots. In my daily driver I'm constantly having to slam on the brakes or juke out of the way of some drunk who didn't signal before changing lanes.

Let's face it, our cars are awesome in a straight line but they handle like a runaway truck on a frozen lake. Add the ragtop floppiness and drum brakes all around and I'm looking 1000 feet ahead for trouble all the time!

Are there any alternatives I can look into? It has to be completely reversible!

Just saw Big's response. Thanks!

Ahh... In that case, a disc brake conversion for the front is in order along with some good radial tires.

You'll never get one of these cars to handle like any of the new cars, but let's ask this... Has the front end been rebuilt? Our cars have some "weak" points in what is a really good 50 year old design. Lower control arm bushings dry out, outer tie rods and lower ball joints wear out and if that stuff isn't up to snuff, then you're going to have a bad handling car.

 

[ACME A12]

Firm Feel Stage II steering box. (This is well worth the money)

X2. Steer and Gear up in Ohio is another option - and they specialize in MoPars...
http://www.steerandgear.com/

 

[sixgunrunner68]

Yup, I spoke with those guys too Ray and the first impression was good, but FF was recommended to me so I went with it. Good guys to do business with, and would recommend them in a heartbeat.

 

[BBillyC]

The price tag on the suspension upgrade is quite expensive. In the back you only get HD springs and shocks and a bit of stuff up front, big bucks for very little. I too want to change but I'd rather build an Altercation type front end and save a ton of dough but get a great front end.

 

[mannye]

Can that be reversed? Jeez 4 degrees! Ouch.

 

[sixgunrunner68]

I think so. It looks to be all nut and bolt stuff. I'm not sure that it's any cheaper than xv considering now you'd be replacing the K frame, switching to coil overs and I think it requires rack and pinion. There may be different packages available, I haven't researched it. It looks good but I'd do some homework and get some references before I bite the bullet. :cents:

 

[mcmopar]

I just went with a poly PSC (performance Suspension Components) kit since it included the pitman arm. I had the idler arm rebuilt for $40 from Firm Feel and replace the power steering box with one from Autozone. Out back I have the XHD HEMI springs (the car was originally ordered with the HEMI suspension) so it has the bigger torsion bars as well. It handles great and the optional PDB's haul it down in a hurry. I could not be happier with it.

 

[Roadcuda]

I just went with a poly PSC (performance Suspension Components) kit since it included the pitman arm. I had the idler arm rebuilt for $40 from Firm Feel and replace the power steering box with one from Autozone. Out back I have the XHD HEMI springs (the car was originally ordered with the HEMI suspension) so it has the bigger torsion bars as well. It handles great and the optional PDB's haul it down in a hurry. I could not be happier with it.

John, how is that powering steering box from Autozone. I was thinking of getting one from them as they seemed to have the best price, at least last time I looked!

 

[mcmopar]

Still working great and no leaks since I put it on in '03.

 

[zupanj]

I have looked into this some and XV is considerably more expensive than Alterkation. Plus it seems XV had some issues of late. I have heard nothing bad about Alterkation.

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/sho ... art=1&vc=1

I bought some of their stuff and it seems OK but I haven't installed it yet. I have the parts that tie the front subframe to the firewall, the lower radiator support and the frame connectors. This stuff was somewhat expensive but nothing compared to their front ends.

For the kind of money they are asking I would think you should get coil-over shocks included.

 

[SomeCarGuy]

Check weld at LCA tubes.

Weld gussets around steering box mount.

Get the improved design shackles for the rear.

All that is cheap and effective.

 

[mannye]

Wow! A very revealing thread on moparts and dodgecharger.com! Looks like I'll be taking my money elsewhere and have a bunch left over for a new carpet and radio resto.