Looking for suggestions for a rebuild kit for a 68 Barracuda with disk brakes. I saw a few out there and noticed they are specific for either drum or disk. Aside from the suggestion, what are the differences out of curiously (drum vs disk)?. From looking at pictures, it looks like the idler arm may be slightly different.
68 Barracuda Front Suspension Rebuild Kit
- Thread starter Mcfarlrm
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Idler arm should be the same for both kits. The lower ball joint is different depending on the size of the drum brakes and also whether you have the original KH disk brakes or a 73+ disk brake kit.
Do you know what disk brakes are on the car? Is it still the 5x4” small bolt pattern?
Do you know what disk brakes are on the car? Is it still the 5x4” small bolt pattern?
remytherat
Well-Known Member
That means you need the big upper ball joints for the 73 and up spindles. Pretty much everything else stays the same. Most people like the Moog offset uca bushings.
Don't go by pictures, often they aren't even for the part you are buying lol.
Don't go by pictures, often they aren't even for the part you are buying lol.
Another thing to consider. I do have Hotchkis upper tubular control arms. Not too sure if that changes anything.
Ok, so then you’re going to need 73+ upper and lower ball joints.
The 73+ idler and the pitman arms are also different from the 67-72 versions, you’ll need to match those to the steering center link you have. For example, if you have a ‘68 center link you will need a ‘68-72 idler and pitman. The pitman will also have to match the steering box of course.
It changes a lot, if they’re new you won’t need UCA bushings or the upper ball joint.
It sounds like a “kit” isn’t probably the best choice for you, since they usually include just stock parts for a single year. Since you have a ‘68 with ‘73+ disks with Hotchkis UCA’s any model year kit you buy will have a bunch of parts that won’t fit.
Your better bet is to figure out which specific parts your car needs and order them.
The calipers are probably the biggest giveaway, the 73+ are single piston, sliding calipers where the KH’s are fixed 4 piston calipers. Next is the bolt pattern, the KH disks are 5x4” and the 73+ stuff is 5x4.5”. Although the aftermarket kits now have 73+ brakes drilled for 5x4” too so that’s not as good an indicator anymore.
The KH disks use spindles with the smaller upper ball joint and a different bolt diameter and spacing on the lower ball joint too. The KH rotors are 2 pieces, rotor that’s swaged onto a separate hub, 73+ stuff is 1 piece rotor/hub assembly.
The KH disks use spindles with the smaller upper ball joint and a different bolt diameter and spacing on the lower ball joint too. The KH rotors are 2 pieces, rotor that’s swaged onto a separate hub, 73+ stuff is 1 piece rotor/hub assembly.
Kendog 170
Let the boy go !
I could be wrong but if you want a kit, maybe pick up a 73 center link? Then 73 Kit?
Please correct me if I'm wrong. Sway bars are different but links may work.
Black Poly Front End Suspension Master Rebuild Kit Fits 1973 - 1976 Dodge Dart | eBay
Please correct me if I'm wrong. Sway bars are different but links may work.
Black Poly Front End Suspension Master Rebuild Kit Fits 1973 - 1976 Dodge Dart | eBay
The ‘73+ kit would work except for the pitman and idler arm. If you switched to a 73+ center link the idler would work, but, the pitman would have to be a 73+ manual steering pitman if you have a small sector power steering box (or manual box).
The sway bar would have to stay ‘68-72, unless you changed the whole K frame out.
But if the OP had Hotchkis UCA’s already he may not need a full kit anyway.
So the plot thickens here. Had a local guy check a couple things out as he walked by. He mentioned that my subframe doesn't look OE for a 68 and that it could be a first gen 65-66 sub frame along with the idler arm. Is that even a possibility on a 68?
Kendog 170
Let the boy go !
Yes agreed. But if you changed them as well then everything isn't mismatched later down the road just order 73 stuff but that's just me. As said, how far does he want to go?
No, not even a possibility. The pre-‘67 K-frames are narrower by a couple inches.
Take a picture if you can. Only different idler is an original 383 car, all the rest are good from 1968-1972. 73 disc brakes use the larger ball joints.
I knew that didn't sound right but nodded my head and said, "thanks for your input."
Putting her on the jacks this Sunday. What all pictures should I include? Idler arm, upper/lower control arms, inner/outer tie rods, tie rod sleeves, center link, brakes, calipers? What else? This is my first project car and a learning experience. I want to make sure I'm not missing anything and being detailed as possible to make sure I get the right parts the first time around. Aside from pictures, are there any dimensions that I can provide?
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Kendog 170
Let the boy go !
Take a pic of motor mount. K frame should have the rectangular style motor mounts.
You can measure your wheel bolt pattern. Probably 4" 1968-1972 and not 4 1/2" 1973 up.
You can measure your wheel bolt pattern. Probably 4" 1968-1972 and not 4 1/2" 1973 up.
And general K Frame picture and disc brakes just so we can narrow it down.
Pictures would definitely help. Too many ways to get there.
Yep, definitely gonna need pictures. Could be that you have an entire '73+ V8 K frame. Or the original '68 /6 K with conversion engine mounts. Or just about any combination of '67-76 K frame and engine mounts to get from a /6 to a V8.
junkyardhero
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i'll agree to that, any combo of 67~76 parts along with some aftermarket swap mounts could lead to some head scratching even among the most savvy of us.
i had a guy with a 70 dart big block that had a 67 K with some homebrewed mounts along with 73+ discs, but on small ball joint uppers with the adapters and some kind of amalgamated sway bar situation of bolt on bracketry that was part erector set, part meth fueled interpretation of advanced engineering degree dissertation. it was wild.
anything can happen in 50 years. pics help suss out what's going down.
i had a guy with a 70 dart big block that had a 67 K with some homebrewed mounts along with 73+ discs, but on small ball joint uppers with the adapters and some kind of amalgamated sway bar situation of bolt on bracketry that was part erector set, part meth fueled interpretation of advanced engineering degree dissertation. it was wild.
anything can happen in 50 years. pics help suss out what's going down.
Exactly!!!
Dang near anything can happen in 50+ years. And what made sense to somebody else at a different time might not make any sense now.
Here are several pictures I took in a time crunch. Looks like someone may have welded a make shift idler arm bracket to the k-member. Aren't they supposed to have a bottom ear the idler sits on? Same weld job from the looks of it where the motor mounts are attached. Not too sure if this gives everyone enough examples to determine what I have going on here. I didn't remove the existing idler arm until I have more info from this forum. Also, I need a ball joint fork to remove it since tapping it a few times with a hammer didn't budge anything.
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