Front Suspension refurb

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Captainkirk

Captainkirk

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Looking for answers from those with past experience...I'm refurbing the stock suspension on my '72 Duster 340 and a few questions:
1) is powder coating suitable for these parts as opposed to paint?
2) can anyone recommend a kit that has all bushings, ball joints and rubber included?
3) rubber or poly? I've heard poly squeaks. This is for a built street car, no track use
Thanks in advance!
 
1).You CAN powder coat things, but "I" wound not. You'll have to go back where bushings press in and remove the powder coating. That can be TOUGH. I'd paint it all.
2).As for a kit, I would look at PST as they offer a forum discount. But then I personally cannot STAND kits, because you're getting someone else's parts choices. If you piece something together, you can get the best brands available. ProForged, for example offers really quality front end parts. Be careful what you choose though, because people have had trouble with bushings being too small for a press fit, or being too big to press in. So called "quality" is all over the map.
3).I've never had poly upper bushings squeak. It's always been the bottom, since that's where the load is. To that end, Peter Bergman of @BergmanAutoCraft can help you. He offers a delrin bushing and pin kit for the lowers that's very high quality. I have it for Vixen when I am able to get some cooler weather to install everything. I tagged Peter, so maybe he will chime in. He's a great guy and always willing to help.
 
1- many of these parts have critical fit tolerances and the lower arms have moving parts, i'd suggest paint over powder coat. engine paint or chassis black is more than up to the task

2- for a complete kit i'd hit up bergman autocraft. peter will tighten you up with top quality bits. he's a member here @BergmanAutoCraft and here's a link to the site Home - Bergman Auto Craft - Home of Quality Muscle Car Parts

i *think* PST sells a complete kit, as well, but you may need to call them.

personally, i like to source my bits from several different suppliers to get exactly what i want at the best price.

3- it's a street car, rubber will be fine. if you're okay spending a little more money, get poly lowers with greaseable pins and that'll keep the squawks to a dull roar. insist on offset upper control arm bushings. these cars need the caster.
 
junkyardhero said:
1- many of these parts have critical fit tolerances and the lower arms have moving parts, i'd suggest paint over powder coat. engine paint or chassis black is more than up to the task

2- for a complete kit i'd hit up bergman autocraft. peter will tighten you up with top quality bits. he's a member here @BergmanAutoCraft and here's a link to the site Home - Bergman Auto Craft - Home of Quality Muscle Car Parts

i *think* PST sells a complete kit, as well, but you may need to call them.

personally, i like to source my bits from several different suppliers to get exactly what i want at the best price.

3- it's a street car, rubber will be fine. if you're okay spending a little more money, get poly lowers with greaseable pins and that'll keep the squawks to a dull roar. insist on offset upper control arm bushings. these cars need the caster.
Click to expand...
I second Bergman for all of it then if he sells complete kits. I wasn't aware he did.
 

I did not see a complete kit on the Bergman site. I did find them in both poly and rubber on the PST site and Classic Industries though.
 
Most of the kits you buy the ball joints and tie rod ends have plastic cups verses the metal cups. I piece everything out at NAPA and request Moog parts. I also only use OEM rubber style bushings over a poly style. To each his own. But the less after market junk you put on the easier it will be to maintain in the future .

To me all the Hype with the Adjustable struts . Greasable LCA pins, Poly bushings and all the other things they sell are for owners that think they are going road racing with these old sway backs.. You will never out handle a car with a complete conversion to coil overs with a Rack & Pinon. adding all these new designed parts are like putting lipstick on a Pig. When your done its still a Hog.

Use all OEM style parts with the OEM suspension. Or spend the money and buy a complete aftermarket style with a rack. The steering box will always be the obsolete part no matter what you add.

In the 70's Steering boxes were also better from the 2 wheel drive trucks. They always worked the best. Steered like power but yet still had the feel of the road.
 
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'Tell ya, Steve, there's been problems with Moog in the last several years. Some of it has been documented here.
 
I would use rubber, not poly, bushings for a few reasons...
- factory engineers were not stupid & used rubber for a reason
- rubber absorbs road shock better, the reason it is used
- car in question does not have a frame. Cars like my GTO had a frame, & body was rubber mounted to frame, providing an extra layer of 'road shock' protection to the body...& the occupants!
- the rubber will reduce harshness & offer some protection from body cracking because of it's ability to absorb shock.
 
67Dart273 said:
'Tell ya, Steve, there's been problems with Moog in the last several years. Some of it has been documented here.
Click to expand...
Yes I agree new moog parts have a lot to be desired also. A relative of mine owns a NAPA dealer he can still get his hand on some of the old parts including the K7040 two piece bushings for the fine thread struts. You can tell the better joints if you take the boot off and look for a plastic or metal cup. When I stripped cars I saved everything. Many had the older parts with the metal cups and were still very tight. They last 10 times longer the the Chinese junk. Just get new boots and your good for years.

100_6470.JPG
 
Poly does not squeak when properly lubed. I ended up using rubber and poly. Did not like the way the poly strut bushings fit so went rubber. Old Moog is good.
 
Captainkirk said:
I must have missed something there...
Click to expand...
some people are staunchly opposed to specific types of parts and generally have an overblown reaction to anybody else using them-- especially when their experience runs counter to whatever it is that hurt them when they used the parts they so revile.

the red x used to be a forum feature like the thumbs up, agree and thanks buttons. only it was used to disagree with the post, but like anything we can't have nice things because people started abusing it.
 
junkyardhero said:
some people are staunchly opposed to specific types of parts and generally have an overblown reaction to anybody else using them-- especially when their experience runs counter to whatever it is that hurt them when they used the parts they so revile.

the red x used to be a forum feature like the thumbs up, agree and thanks buttons. only it was used to disagree with the post, but like anything we can't have nice things because people started abusing it.
Click to expand...
Ah, yes...now I recall. Thanks for refreshing my memory!
But while on the subject of suspension, I know there are staunchly opposing views on poly vs rubber, but I've yet to find anyone with a complete A-body front/rear kit that uses all rubber. Anyone?
 
Captainkirk said:
Ah, yes...now I recall. Thanks for refreshing my memory!
But while on the subject of suspension, I know there are staunchly opposing views on poly vs rubber, but I've yet to find anyone with a complete A-body front/rear kit that uses all rubber. Anyone?
Click to expand...
if you're trying to one stop shop a kit all you're going to get is garbage.

to get the good bits, you'll need to pick and choose individual components, usually from different suppliers (summit might have everything).
 
Captainkirk said:
That's what I was hoping for, but I guess maybe piecemeal is all I'm gonna find?
Click to expand...
if you want good stuff, yeah.

what are trying to do? there's a lot of smart cookies (and some smart asses) around here. we can offer suggestions and guidance.

for me, personally, i'm picky about components. i rebuild enough arms and full suspension to know what i like to use to obtain the results that i'm looking for and unfortunately that generally means piecing together parts to make my own kit. you could probably order it all from summit or rock auto, just not in a kit form.

the closest you'd probably get is to call peter at bergman autocraft. talk with him, tell him what you're doing and what results you want and he can more than likely assemble all the players you need. i'll ping him for ya @BergmanAutoCraft

and here's the website: Home - Bergman Auto Craft - Home of Quality Muscle Car Parts
 
I recently went to a spring & suspension shop in Whitehall,Pa. Everything I got was good quality parts. Stengel bros. When you mail order parts you don't ever know what's coming.

Here is what recently Happened. I had a shackle set That I mail ordered a while back for my car. I needed just the bushings for the customers Demon I am finishing. I called and he told me to bring one with to match up.

He had them in stock but when comparing them to the one I took with me from the mail order set there was a big difference in the rubber. The one I took was much softer and a tad smaller outside diameter. The set I bought local from them was a much tighter fit to the spring and shackles

I know its the rear suspension but I also ran into this with LCA bushings. some you buy the outer sleeve is loose in the control arm or loose on the pin. Then What do you do? Pay to ship them back and get the same thing again.

There is nothing better then looking at the parts you are paying for and walking out with them in your hand from those who install them . Returning parts is always a hassle when you buy on line.

Parts not in stock are usually 2 days out from suspension shops. They usually have quality parts because they install what they sell. My personal opinion is avoid any replacement parts non OEM Style. for use with torsion bar suspension.

There are some good complete coil over suspensions out there .

I haven't seen any good add ons to the torsion bar style except for adjustable Upper A-arms and adjustable strut rods.

This is where I go for parts local to me now or a relatives NAPA distributor

Stengel Bros - Whitehall, PA
 
Echo the sentiment on paint over powder coat. I bought a PST kit maybe 5 years ago when doing the front end. Rubber kit. No regrets at all
 
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