Benefit of Dynamic Strut Rod (and other Suspension Q’s)

Phreakish said
My 100% factory stock, worn out and rotted suspension was harsher than after installing QA1 rods and urethane bushings.
Then I swapped in Viking double adjustable shocks and it'd a world of difference vs the stock suspension.

I really am convinced that it doesn't matter what bushings or balljoints one runs. If the shocks are junk (and if they're regularly stocked at parts stores, they're junk) then the car will suck on the road.

I dunno that I would go as far as saying it doesn’t matter at all what bushings or ball joints you run. There are differences in performance between them.

However, I wholeheartedly agree that most of the people that blame their "harsh" ride on poly bushings are probably misplacing the blame from another component.

Suspension is a system, everything has to work together. Which is why I regularly tell people that don't want to use adjustable strut rods and greaseable LCA pivot pins not to use poly. It's not because poly isn't better (it is!), but because it's not the same as rubber and requires different parts to work with it.

chinze57 said
Here’s what I’ll say, I like a good handling car. While I’ve been getting the new engine and working on that over the past several months, my daily driver has been a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider. I’m a sucker for a car that can corner.

I’m willing to sacrifice some ride quality for improved handling. At freeway speeds the car feels like it’s floating. When braking there’s a lot of nosediving.

I’m hoping that higher spring rates can start to help with some of that. I will be replacing my UCAs as my old ones are failing and I’m replacing them with some new tubular ones and new brakes.

Im willing to do maintenance on poly bushings for tighter movement and better handling. Like I said in my original post, I think that poly lines up with what I seek from my car.

Yes sir! I think you're on the right track. Poly bushings with adjustable strut rods and greaseable pins, combined with tubular UCA's with additional caster built in and larger torsion bars will give you a car with much better, more modern handling.

As far as brakes go, if you use the 73+ spindles you can combine them with the later B/R body 11.75 rotors and 2.75" piston calipers, which will still fit in 15" wheels and will provide for much improved braking.