74 Duster, resto mod 6.4 hemi build process

Just cut and paste for future reference when adjusting my adjustable shafts from the suspension guru himself .......
When I set up my adjustable strut rods I install the LCA's completely with the torsion bars. I use poly or Delrin LCA bushings, so the LCA pivots get torqued. I install the spindles, the UCA's, and all the bump stops. That way the LCA's and the suspension are where they're going to be, and you know the range of travel. I start with the strut rod length set so that the LCA's are perpendicular to the frame rails. Then I adjust the length of the strut rods so that there's no binding when I cycle the suspension through it's full range of travel, bump stop to bump stop. That's done with the torsion bar adjusters removed from the LCA's and without the shocks, so you're just working against the weight of the suspension.

The idea there is to replicate how the suspension will act when it's on the road. In the past I've also done a rough adjustment with just the LCA's because they're easier to move around than the whole suspension, but I've found that bolting up the rest of the suspension changes enough things to make setting it with just the LCA not worthwhile. Plus it can be hard to gauge what the actual range of travel is going to be on the car with just the LCA. That's true if you're all stock, but it's even more true if you're using tubular UCA's, LCA's, and have lowered the car and adjusted the bump stop heights to suit that.

I try to set my strut rods as short as they'll go without causing any binding at the LCA. That keeps the LCA forward on the LCA pivots (because the poly bushings let the LCA's slide on the pivots), and also may get you some additional positive caster. Free movement of the LCA is the most important thing, but with that set up a little extra positive camber usually comes with. So starting with the LCA's perpendicular I check for binding in the range of motion on the LCA's, then I shorten the strut rods until I start to notice binding starting to appear. I then back the strut rod adjustment off so there's no binding within the range of travel.

It's a bit tedious the first few times you do it but it's not particularly difficult.