76 valiant suspension fit 73 dart?

[swifty]

i have a 76 valiant 4 door s/6 in the weeds. Was wondering if the control arms and leaf springs would fit on my 73 V8 k member and 72 Dart? My left side Uca is missing material around bushing from rust and the Lca has a crack by the hex. Also the leaf spring is broke where it holds the front bushing.

 

[Kern Dog]

Yes.

 

[dukeboy440]

i have a 76 valiant 4 door s/6 in the weeds. Was wondering if the control arms and leaf springs would fit on my 73 V8 k member and 72 Dart? My left side Uca is missing material around bushing from rust and the Lca has a crack by the hex. Also the leaf spring is broke where it holds the front bushing.

yep provided the 76 has the same brake type as the Dart. Drum brake spindle upper control arms are different than disc brake control arms. they can't be interchanged.

the lower control arms are the same regardless of brake type and CAN be interchanged.

leaf springs will interchange either way.

 

[gregpurcell]

yep provided the 76 has the same brake type as the Dart. Drum brake spindle upper control arms are different than disc brake control arms. they can't be interchanged.

A few years ago I lost a bet arguing this point, so I have some experience in what I'm about to say: The difference in the ucas is that the 73 and later setup used a large ball joint, whereas the 72 and down A body uses a small upper ball joint. It has always been assumed that drum brake equipped cars built from 73-76 used the small ball joint UCAS but many do not! It is quite possible to find large ball joint UCAs on a 73-76 drum brake car. In fact, since I lost that bet with an FABO member, I've never seen a 73-76 UCA That was NOT big ball joint!
I can't confirm that they don't exist. I do part out about 10 A bodies per year and I haven't found any yet, so the odds are good that you've got the correct UCAs even if your 73 and 76 have drum brakes.

 

[383Scampman]

Yup

 

[swifty]

Thanks. I do have the large ball joint already and the 76 has disc brakes so it should be the same. Now I have to get the car out. It was covered with snow last I saw it, could be pretty muddy now.

 

[Dartnut]

A few years ago I lost a bet arguing this point, so I have some experience in what I'm about to say: The difference in the ucas is that the 73 and later setup used a large ball joint, whereas the 72 and down A body uses a small upper ball joint. It has always been assumed that drum brake equipped cars built from 73-76 used the small ball joint UCAS but many do not! It is quite possible to find large ball joint UCAs on a 73-76 drum brake car. In fact, since I lost that bet with an FABO member, I've never seen a 73-76 UCA That was NOT big ball joint!
I can't confirm that they don't exist. I do part out about 10 A bodies per year and I haven't found any yet, so the odds are good that you've got the correct UCAs even if your 73 and 76 have drum brakes.

Right on the money, Greg.
I have been trying to convince people of this for years.
One thing that i might add is that on '73 and newer a-bodies if the car was a V8 or power brake equipped slant six car, it automatically got the big bolt pattern all around including 7 1/4 rear ends.
All a-bodies built after December 31 1975 got big bolt pattern discs etc. no matter what options were ordered, it was standardized at least on mopars.........

 

[dukeboy440]

A few years ago I lost a bet arguing this point, so I have some experience in what I'm about to say: The difference in the ucas is that the 73 and later setup used a large ball joint, whereas the 72 and down A body uses a small upper ball joint. It has always been assumed that drum brake equipped cars built from 73-76 used the small ball joint UCAS but many do not! It is quite possible to find large ball joint UCAs on a 73-76 drum brake car. In fact, since I lost that bet with an FABO member, I've never seen a 73-76 UCA That was NOT big ball joint!
I can't confirm that they don't exist. I do part out about 10 A bodies per year and I haven't found any yet, so the odds are good that you've got the correct UCAs even if your 73 and 76 have drum brakes.

Well than my 74 dart must be unique then. Because it had the factory drum brakes and I tried to put disc spindles from a 73 duster on without changing the uppers and it wouldn't work. Not saying you're wrong just going off my experience