Suspension Upgrades

[mopar70]

I want my challenger to handle better then stock. Right now its hard keeping the car to go straight but that's because the guy that did the alignment messed it up. I'm going to add a bunch of suspension parts and get it redone at the end. Its got a 383 and hooker headers I wanted the fast ratio arm but don't think it will clear the headers. Please give me any other tips or opinions on what to do to the suspension I want it to handle really good. I got brand new mopar performance HD leaf springs and just replaced the upper ball joints.

My list so far:


firm feel stage 3 steering box
upper contorl arms
lower control arm plates
adjustable strut rod
adjutable steering rod
front and rear sway bar
sub frame connector

 

[mopar70]

These are the arms that I want to use.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pof-116-10026/overview/year/1970/make/dodge/model/challenger

 

[mopar70]

Also thinking about getting the tvs.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hss-80111/media/images/year/1970/make/dodge/model/challenger

 

[moparleo]

According to Summit Racing and our sponsor/vendor PST both say the fast ratio kit will not work with a 383 and Hooker headers. You might want to check out p-s-t.com for the same parts. We get a discount with them.

 

[Adrian Worman]

Check out their new shocks, better than QA-1s for the money and super adjustable.
I didnt see you mention torsion bars yet so use PST's torsion bars and poly bushings

 

[mopar70]

I have edelbrock shocks on the car I bought it with them.

 

[mopar70]

What brand should I use for the sway bars and what sizes front and rear?

 

[Chryco Psycho]

Hotchkiss has Hollow sway bars , cal them I am sure they can help you get the best size compatable with other components you are adding

 

[mopar70]

I have all the hotchkis stuff on my list but I want to know about other brands as well like hellwig for sways bars and spc upper arms or magnum force double adjustable upper control arms.

 

[mopar70]

Also I talked to Hotchkis and they have a steering quickner in the e max challenger. I can't run the quick ratio arms but how can I have a steering column with the quickner in it?

 

[Chryco Psycho]

If you want double adjustable uppers I would only use the Hotchkiss ones , & even they cause problems , I personally would use factory uppers . welds weaken the area around the weld , tubular uppers are known to fail .
I have used Helwig sway bars , they do not mount the same as factory bars & I have seen them rip the mounts out of the frame rails leaving a lot of damage & weakened rails , again factory type are better . You may want to read through Brads post here , http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

 

[Chryco Psycho]

I do not understand the quickener question
the fast ratio arms are longer moving the steering farther per degree of angle the pitman arm moves so if the arms hit the headers you cannot use the longer arms , the column has no part in the speed of the steering , the best improvement you can make is a Firm Feel stage 3 steering box , same ratio but way better feel .

 

[mopar70]

Check this out. I know I cant use the longer arms because of the big block and headers.

http://www.protouringmopar.com/showthread.php?554-steering-quickener

 

[mopar70]

Has anyone heard of spc upper arms summit racing offers them.

 

[moparleo]

You seem to be all over the place with your questions which leads me to believe that before you order anything, be sure what to expect from the parts you get. Just like building a motor with parts that work with each other its best to make sure that the suspension parts are working together and not fighting each other. This forum is a good source of information on a lot of topics, but you will find that there are a lot of different opinions on what works best. Instead of totally taking any one persons opinion as to what they recommend that you buy, do your homework and do some studying up on what cause and affect the different parts have on overall performance. Any thing that you do will be a compromise , so you need to pick what you want and are willing to give up to get it. Stiff ride or smooth ride. Hard cornering or hard acceleration. Will the torsion bars and sway bars and shock absorbers be tuned to work together ?
Like anything else, the more you understand something the better the decision you can make.
Read all you can. Do searches on the net about the subject you are researching. Lots of good ,free info out there.

Good luck and stay focused.

 

[Geoff1200]

A quality alignment by a competent tech using modern specs will reap huge improvements! Forget 30 year old specs when skinny bias ply tires were used. I have 4* caster, .5 camber and a hint of toe...puts a smile on my face....