Stock"ish" Front Suspension for Pro Touring/Autocross Oriented Ride
72bluNblu, thank you so much for this information. I'll definitely be getting a set of those button head bump stops.
I can't believe you fit a 275/35-18 in the front with a 9" wheel. That's close to an 11" section width. That has to be tight. Did you have to trim up your fenders?
What are you running for spring rate up front? I read your build but couldn't find specifics on the front shocks. (Part numbers)
I plan to do a little of everything with my car including auto cross. I do want to put on a good show!
The 275/35/18's fit great up front. No trimming on the fenders. I run an 18x9" with 35mm offset, but I also have Dr. Diff's 13" brake kit so my effective backspacing is about 6.2". I actually have the same room to the fender that I did with the 225/60/15's on the cop rims I was running before. Just 2" less to the frame :D. The rear fit with the 295's is much tighter than the front is, although I don't think you can go any bigger.
The FFI 1.12" bars have a 300 lb/in spring rate. Those get tamed with Hotchkis Fox shocks, part # 79020015 from Hotchkis. They're the last version, so tuned but not adjustable. I think they work better than the Bilsteins. Not that the Bilsteins aren't great shocks, they are, but I think the Fox's work better with the 1.12" bars.
My handling car build will include these parts:
PST 1.030" Torsion Bars
1-1/8" front sway bar
Polygraphite bushings kit
75 Dart BBP Brakes
17" Mustang Wheels (Haven't worked out the tire sizes yet)
Sub Frame Connectors
Torque Boxes
Front Triangulation Bars under the hood
Super Stock Rear Leaf Springs
7/8" Rear Sway Bar (I have heard this may not be needed as there will be plenty of oversteer with the super stock springs and larger T bars and 1-1/8" sway bar up front)
Bilstein Shocks all around.
That's pretty much the same set up that I have, except for the 18's with Dr. Diff's 13" brake kit and the super stock leafs.
On that note, I would not use super stock springs for a handling car. They raise the back of the car too much, and they're not the same spring rate side to side. Neither of those are good things for a handling car.
I'm running Afco 20231M springs on my Duster. 121 lb/in rate, and they're pretty much zero arch. They have a reinforced front section like the super stocks to limit spring wrap, and with stock spring hangers they move the wheels back just a smidge to center the wheels in the wheel well. The only thing that you need to do to run them on an A body is run Energy suspension 2-2117G bushings in the back because they have a 1" eye. If you have a 111" wheelbase car you might consider the 20230's, they have a 142 lb rate. That might be too much though.
If you stay with the super stocks, you may not need a rear sway bar at all, they're very stiff springs. Especially with the 1.03" bars up front, balance is the key to setting up a car. Keep in mind that XHD springs are only like a 110 lb/in spring rate. The old Mopar oval track springs were 120 lb/in. Super Stocks start at 140 lb/in and go up from there. Ideally, I think the leaf springs for these cars should be between 120 - 130 lb/in, depending on the overall weight of the car and torsion bar size up front. But if you run that with an adjustable rear sway bar you should be close enough to dial in what you need.