duster front end

[dusterboyy440]

Sooo can anybody please post some pics of the diffrence between a 70 and 73 front end parts like where the sway bar mounts and any other parts that may differ..would greatly be appreciated!!!!

 

[dusterboyy440]

anybody???????????

 

[player1up]

There are actually a lot of subtle differences.
Strut rods have a different thread. - My 73 has coarse and a set of 72's have fine thread
Sway bar on a 73 passes through the k frame and 70-72 it mounts to the front out side the k frame.
Center link, idler arm and pitman arm have a different angle. - kind of hard to describe.
....I'll look for some pics...I've seen them on here but it's been a WHILE.

This thread shows the lower control arm mounts for the sway bar for an older A-body
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=58655

This thread shows ( post # 29 ) the older sway bar outside of the k frame.
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=49444&highlight=center+link&page=2

This thread compares the LCA mounts and shows what a 73 up sway bar looks like. ( post # 4 )
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=50276

72 and older sway bar.
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=50493

Older Center link
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=26057
Notice how the idler arm/pitman arm mounting holes are at a 90* from the tie rod holes.
The newer ones are on the same plane. ( Geometry not flight )

That should get you started.

 

[dusterboyy440]

heres some pictures of my 440 duster and I cant figure out whether the k frame and suspension parts are for a 70 -72 or a 73-76 year.???](*,)

 

[71DartGuy]

It looks like you have a 73 and up K frame. I think I see spool type motor mounts.

 

[autoxcuda]

It looks like you have a 73 and up K frame. I think I see spool type motor mounts.

Correct. And it has the pass through hole under the k-member for the 73-76 style sway bar.

That lower control arm that dusterboyy440 posted above is a sway bar lower control arm for a 66-72 A-body.

 

[dusterboyy440]

so are you saying i cant use them lower control arms with that k frame? because i believe that was the setup on the car before??

 

[autoxcuda]

so are you saying i cant use them lower control arms with that k frame? because i believe that was the setup on the car before??

You can use them. You have to drill two holes on each side of the front K-member lip. That sounds like it was allready done. Should look like this.

The two bolts are on the left bottom corner of the picture

Here's a great bracket made by Hellwig or Energy to use common poly bushings.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=50493

 

[dusterboyy440]

well i just got under there and looked..underneath the lip there is a hole on each side where it looks like the spot you would drill through but on the top side of the flange it is not drilled..would that be the spot??

 

[dusterboyy440]

also when i go to order upper control arms, brakes, sway bar, pitman arm and the other parts will i be ordering for a 70-72 to match the lower control arms, or will i be ordering 73-76 to match the k frame ?

 

[dusterboyy440]

or would it be easier to just get all 73-76 parts and discard the lower control arms?

 

[twofosho]

Lower control arms are pretty much all the same aside from the stabilizer bar brackets. Those arms will work as is if you make sure whatever bar you use has the ends of the lever arms the same distance apart as the control arm brackets with the control arms mounted to the K.

No reason you can't cut the brackets off, reuse them or replace them, and move them around to suit the stabilizer bar you intend to use. Bear in mind, the bar itself, the links, and the brackets need to clear the K frame and all the suspension components at full lock in either direction and every combination of bounce and droop.

Case in point; I'm using an inch and three eights bar from a 90 Cad Seville. It just happens to be approximately the same width as the 73 A body bar after you shorten the lever arms to match the stock A body bar and allows me to run it with the stock 73 up stabilizer bar bracketed lower control arms.