Rear suspension recommendations.....

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Velocity111

Velocity111

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I have a 69' Dart that I'm installing a HemiDenny front end in, and I'd like to upgrade the rear suspension as well -but not a 4 link.

This is a daily driver car with a 340 / 4 spd. Currently has the original leafs on them with a set of generic airshocks that have a slow leak in the system - I don't care for airshocks, they are always the bandaid for ride height issues and handle like crap. I'd like to keep the leafs and shocks, but would like to replace with the best aftermarket parts I can find.

For the shocks I'm looking at QA1, Hotchkis, Lakewood, Viking, and Ridetech. Am I missing any of the major players, or if not then which of these mfg would anyone recommend?

Also looking to replace the leafs with a new set. I purchased a set from a company a long time ago and cannot remember their name, so I'm really starting from scratch on this one. I found a company called Stengle Bros but know nothing about them. Any recommendations here are appreciated.

I guess my last question I'm looking for input on, is whether I'm short changing the improvement of the hemidenny front end by keeping the leaf/shock combo vs. a full rear system kit. I'd rather not spend the $$ and am interested in keeping the leaf/shock combo. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance....
 
I can't really speak to the pros and cons of leaf/shock vs, full rear system as it sounds like you're doing a higher end build than I have and I'm a bit too green to be offering advice but I purchased 6 leaf 2.5 lift springs from this company Mopar A&B Body Performance Leaf Springs | Mopar Leaf Springs and have KYBs all around on my Valiant. I have been very happy with the springs and the extra height gives me a bit of play when the cars loaded up with the family and dogs.
 
Fighting few - thanks for your input, and the new site for the leafs. I'll also look at KYB for the shocks as well, no decision yet obviously, just doing the research. Would be ideal if a single company could offer a leaf / shock combo, and even a rear sway bar kit. I believe Hotchkis offers all three, but would like to better understand their perceived level of quality to their parts.
 
@Velocity111 I hear ya. Please keep the thread updated it would be great to know what you find out and end up going with. My goal has been to build a rough and tumble daily that's as quick and brawny as I can build on a budget. The KYBs are nothing "special" but provide a firmer more modern feel and are quite affordable. I really like having the 2.5" lift on the leaf springs as it brings that nice fat chrome bumper up to a good level where over caffeinated suv drivers think twice about tail gate'n me on the highway commutes. I'm running 225/60/r14's all around so I get a bit more of a nudge in the height department while feeling really stuck to the road in any driving condition. I feel like I could be mow'n over zombies while driving through a corn field... But that's what I wanted on that car... I'm sure you're go'n for something different :)

Good luck and let us know what happens!
 
Velocity111 said:
I guess my last question I'm looking for input on, is whether I'm short changing the improvement of the hemidenny front end by keeping the leaf/shock combo vs. a full rear system kit. I'd rather not spend the $$ and am interested in keeping the leaf/shock combo. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance....
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Tough to answer this without knowing "WHAT" your intentions are with the car. HemiDenny makes top notch stuff......but remember, the Mopar rear suspension when in proper condition is top notch as well, so it all "depends".
 
Rustyrat / abodyjoe - good questions. This car is a daily driver in good weather or for the summer. i did another project with Denny (72' Hemi Dart in the rides section), and ended up trading parts for another of his front ends for my 69' Dart, so I'm installing it, but again would rather not spend all the $$ on a full rear system. I don't know which shocks I'll use up front with this yet, but likely QA1. If a good set of new leafs and good shocks will get me there, then that's the direction i'd like to go. Sway bar kit for the rear would also be considered, as with my current set up and family in the car I'm rubbing/cutting the rear tires with inner fenders when weighted down and turning due to body lean. I"m assuming new leafs and shocks will fix that, but help with sway will also be considered.
 
just daily driver use then i'd call espo ( Buy Quality Automotive Leaf Springs, Coil Springs and Suspension Parts for your Classic or Antique Auto )and order a set of V8 6-leaf springs in your choice of height. they sell in -1", stock, +1" and +2" i believe.

or for some more money an a firmer spring you can go with a eaton from pete (@GMachineDartGT ) over at Home - Bergman Auto Craft - Home of Quality Muscle Car Parts


for shocks if ya go QA1 up front then i'd go QA1 in the rear. whatever you decide you'll want something better then a KYB.
 
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Yup, the stock rear suspension can handle a lot like it is. From drag racing to auto cross set up in the right way.
 
I have the Frimfeel setup front with 1.0 Tbars and new back springs with their sway bars on my 72 Duster. Without the sway bars it was a nice softer ride that would be great for daily driving, but once the sway bars went on, the car now feels super planted and carves the corners really well and setup more for autoX and really spirited driving. Frimfeel used to road race mopars back in the day and if you look at the old AAR/TA Cars they used upgraded stock style parts and ran very well. I've seen a few of them (AAR/TA) running at Sonoma and still not running the the QA1 conversion.
 
abodyjoe said:
just daily driver use then i'd call espo ( Buy Quality Automotive Leaf Springs, Coil Springs and Suspension Parts for your Classic or Antique Auto )and order a set of V8 6-leaf springs in your choice of height. they sell in -1", stock, +1" and +2" i believe.

or for some more money an a firmer spring you can go with a eaton from pete (@GMachineDartGT ) over at Home - Bergman Auto Craft - Home of Quality Muscle Car Parts


for shocks if ya go QA1 up front then i'd go QA1 in the rear. whatever you decide you'll want something better then a KYB.
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Thanks for recommending ESPO - in my original post I mentioned buying leafs for another car from a supplier I couldn't remember remember the name of, ESPO is that company! I picked them because of their high quality level, others out there are good, but thanks for recommending these guys.

Are the +1 or +2 strickly for presentation and looks, or are there actual reason why you'd want to lift a vehicle - ex. reduce rubbing from close fenders to the rear tires? If i did a +2, wonder how that woudl affect the ride quality, again this supposed to be a daily driver so ride quality is important.
 
Scody21 said:
I have the Frimfeel setup front with 1.0 Tbars and new back springs with their sway bars on my 72 Duster. Without the sway bars it was a nice softer ride that would be great for daily driving, but once the sway bars went on, the car now feels super planted and carves the corners really well and setup more for autoX and really spirited driving. Frimfeel used to road race mopars back in the day and if you look at the old AAR/TA Cars they used upgraded stock style parts and ran very well. I've seen a few of them (AAR/TA) running at Sonoma and still not running the the QA1 conversion.
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Very interested to hear from you whether after adding the sway bar set up, was the ride too firm for daily driving? Would you recommend adding the sway bar kit to the rear?
 
abodyjoe said:
just daily driver use then i'd call espo ( Buy Quality Automotive Leaf Springs, Coil Springs and Suspension Parts for your Classic or Antique Auto )and order a set of V8 6-leaf springs in your choice of height. they sell in -1", stock, +1" and +2" i believe.

or for some more money an a firmer spring you can go with a eaton from pete (@GMachineDartGT ) over at Home - Bergman Auto Craft - Home of Quality Muscle Car Parts


for shocks if ya go QA1 up front then i'd go QA1 in the rear. whatever you decide you'll want something better then a KYB.
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Sway Bar - A Body Mopar - Rear - 63-76 - Bergman Auto Craft

Does this swat bar kit look 100% bolt in, or would I have to weld the brackets in place like with some of the other kits? - This one looks 100% bolt in to me??
 
looks like it would be bolt in but i'd wait on a rear sway bar until you drive it and see if it even needs one..

Velocity111 said:
Are the +1 or +2 strickly for presentation and looks, or are there actual reason why you'd want to lift a vehicle - ex. reduce rubbing from close fenders to the rear tires? If i did a +2, wonder how that woudl affect the ride quality, again this supposed to be a daily driver so ride quality is important.
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yea strictly for the looks.. and to clear bigger tires is the wrong way to do it.. +2" will put it way high and lean more to ruining the handling characteristics of the car in my opinion...... personally i wouldn't go more then +1" eventhough i'd go stock again on mine..
 
these are espo +1" 6-leaf springs with a stock size 14" rim and tire...

scan0004.jpg
 
Velocity111 said:
Very interested to hear from you whether after adding the sway bar set up, was the ride too firm for daily driving? Would you recommend adding the sway bar kit to the rear?
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You have to understand the what the sway bar is doing on the car, It is pushing back agianst the body to stop body roll and thus helping the Tbar or springs keep the tires planted to the road in simplest terms. Also note if you dont have a front sway bar in place and add just a rear sway bar to the car you will have problems with Under/Over steer and is not recommend. Front sway bar by its self no issue. As for ride, if you dont like feeling every single bump in the road, go with a smaller Tbar and stock springs. If your going to drive the car very spirited go with the larger Tbar - 1inch + depending the small/big block and go with super stock springs and add the sway bars. You have to think of the suspension as a full system and what you want the car to do.
 
Scody21 said:
As for ride, if you dont like feeling every single bump in the road, go with a smaller Tbar and stock springs.
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Feel every bump? I have 1" bars up front, stock height 130 pound springs in the rear, hellwig front sway bar with crappy kyb shocks all the way around and it rides pretty damn nice. Firm but not harsh by any means.
 
abodyjoe said:
yea strictly for the looks.. and to clear bigger tires is the wrong way to do it..
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For me, it was more for functionality. I know what I do with my car, how it gets loaded up, I know the roads I've been driving for the last 30 years and know what weird pavement/parking lot speed humps, bumps, and general quirks i encounter that had me wishing for more general clearance when i have a trunk full of bagged cement or a car full of kids driving a dirt road through the pine barrens to avoid traffic heading to the beach. Did I achieve that, yes. Was it the wrong way, maybe... but I'm receptive to understanding the right way if that 1.29 degree rise/run incline is significantly impacting my handling on a day to day basis. I got my car to do what i wanted it to do... I'm always down to learn the how and why to do it better.
 
theFightingFew said:
For me, it was more for functionality. I know what I do with my car, how it gets loaded up, I know the roads I've been driving for the last 30 years and know what weird pavement/parking lot speed humps, bumps, and general quirks i encounter that had me wishing for more general clearance when i have a trunk full of bagged cement or a car full of kids driving a dirt road through the pine barrens to avoid traffic heading to the beach. Did I achieve that, yes. Was it the wrong way, maybe... but I'm receptive to understanding the right way if that 1.29 degree rise/run incline is significantly impacting my handling on a day to day basis. I got my car to do what i wanted it to do... I'm always down to learn the how and why to do it better.
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dude i'm from south jersey so i'm sure we are on many of the same roads. frequently on the roads through the pines..the roads through the pines are preety decent for the most part.. just had it in chattsworth the other day at hot digity dog with the family.. :) out dart is always loaded up.. should see it when we go to carlisle.. can't fit another thing in the trunk. yes it will sag when totaly loaded which i'd rather have then way too high unloaded.

you asked for an opinion i gave you mine. in the end its up to you on how you choose to use it.. its your car so do it however you want...
 
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abodyjoe said:
also espo 6-leaf +1" springs.. 14" rim and tire

View attachment 1715540928
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I like the looks. In truth I'd probably like the +2 more, but I also agree it'll take away from the ride at some point. I'm also in agreement with adding the sway later only if needed, but wondering out loud if I did the +2 for looks if the sway bar kit would counter that and help the ride?
 
Velocity111 said:
I like the looks. In truth I'd probably like the +2 more, but I also agree it'll take away from the ride at some point. I'm also in agreement with adding the sway later only if needed, but wondering out loud if I did the +2 for looks if the sway bar kit would counter that and help the ride?
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only you can decide what you want from the car in the end. if i did it again i'd go -1" to be honest. i prefer the car to handle better and a high *** isn't helping in that dept..lol
 
Scody21 said:
You have to understand the what the sway bar is doing on the car, It is pushing back agianst the body to stop body roll and thus helping the Tbar or springs keep the tires planted to the road in simplest terms. Also note if you dont have a front sway bar in place and add just a rear sway bar to the car you will have problems with Under/Over steer and is not recommend. Front sway bar by its self no issue. As for ride, if you dont like feeling every single bump in the road, go with a smaller Tbar and stock springs. If your going to drive the car very spirited go with the larger Tbar - 1inch + depending the small/big block and go with super stock springs and add the sway bars. You have to think of the suspension as a full system and what you want the car to do.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm installing one of HemiDenny's front end systems so the front will have sway bars. As this is a daily driver I would rather not feel every bump, and I don't plan to race the car, so i'm really trying not to over do it and firm things up too much.
 
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