Need some opinions to make a good street suspension

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slow-s

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Hello everyone, i am fairly new to the site, but not to mopars. My family and I race mopars(72 dart in fact!). I just purchased a 1972 dart swinger that i will be slowly restoring. It currently has a /6 in it that i might purchase some basics from clifford for so the motor is a little fun while I work on the body and also building a 340.

My question is what can i do suspension wise that I can do now with the /6 in it and not have a problem when I swap the 340 in? I have been looking at addco and hellwig, but am only seeing front sway bars. Also, I am looking for off the shelf parts, I dont want to build a custom suspension. Like mentioned in the title, this is for the street. I want something the corners and handles well. thank you for any help that you can give me.

Chris
 
slow-s said:
Hello everyone, i am fairly new to the site, but not to mopars. My family and I race mopars(72 dart in fact!). I just purchased a 1972 dart swinger that i will be slowly restoring. It currently has a /6 in it that i might purchase some basics from clifford for so the motor is a little fun while I work on the body and also building a 340.

My question is what can i do suspension wise that I can do now with the /6 in it and not have a problem when I swap the 340 in? I have been looking at addco and hellwig, but am only seeing front sway bars. Also, I am looking for off the shelf parts, I dont want to build a custom suspension. Like mentioned in the title, this is for the street. I want something the corners and handles well. thank you for any help that you can give me.

Chris
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Without going to a high dollar tubular k-member. I would suggest the .0870 340 torsion bars, A sway bar maybe tubular upper A-arms and a general rebuild of the front end like ball joints upper and lower bushings,tie rod ends. Also unless your going to buy specail conversion motor mounts ,you will have to replace the K-member with a V-8 one when you go to the 340. If you have drum brakes I would up grade to disc. Just my 2 cents
 
I am lucky enough to have the disc brake option stock. Also, I was just looking at the tubular A-arms from mancini and will probably do that. The tubular K is too expensive for me. Also, where do you get the 340 torsion bars??
 
Go back and read the thread about the tubular uppers from Mancini.......

A good stock rebuild of the front end, with larger torsion bars (I wouldn't go smaller than .920") and, at least, a front sway bar. Heavier rear springs and good shocks all around.
 
^^^ I know!!!! I just got done reading that where they broke at the welds!! that is nuts. I def wont be getting those. It is not worth it. Where do you get the different sized torsion bars though?
 
slow-s said:
I am lucky enough to have the disc brake option stock. Also, I was just looking at the tubular A-arms from mancini and will probably do that. The tubular K is too expensive for me. Also, where do you get the 340 torsion bars??
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Justsuspensions has some good rebuild kits that come with every thing you would need even sway bars and bigger torsion bars.
 
Jim Lusk said:
Go back and read the thread about the tubular uppers from Mancini.......

A good stock rebuild of the front end, with larger torsion bars (I wouldn't go smaller than .920") and, at least, a front sway bar. Heavier rear springs and good shocks all around.
Click to expand...


i agree with jim. i went with .920 bars in jamies 69 small block dart after talking with jim. it rides nice and doesn't lean in turns. i still have to get some sway bars for it. we also went with espo XHD rear springs. we also plan on getting a firm feel stage III steering box.
 
I run the ESPO rear leaf springs on mine and really like them. With a stock front sway bar, all new rubber bushings, and everything on the suspension rebuilt my car drives down the winding country roads just fine. Not a corner carver but a nice driver.
 
i was planning on at least the upgraded torsion bar, sway bar, replace all of the bushings, and possibly new rear springs. any other budget parts?
 
Chris - If you're looking for tubular Upper Control Arms, go to http://www.reillymotorsports.com/store/product.php?productid=16164&cat=265&page=1.
All of the RMS parts are top-notch quality and strength. Our club built a '68 Valiant last year as our charity raffle car and used the complete AlterKtion front and Street Lynx rear suspensions from RMS. That car handled like a slot car even with the 400" big block weight on the front end.
IMO you won't find better quality suspension parts.
Do yourself, and your family, a favor and save up for the best parts so you only do the change once rather than replacing inferior parts later.
 
thanks for the link. that stuff looks top notch. So how much did that setup cost on the valiant?
 
I went to Timberline dodge in Portland and picked up Mopar Performance .920 T bars and HD 340 replacement rear springs, Summit Racing for KYBs and a complete Urethane Kit, and my local Napa store for 12 inch cop car rotors and new calipers. Big tie rod ends and fast steering arms from Firm Feel. The steering box and tubular upper arms will also come from them. The big rotor caliper brackets, cop car rear 3/4" bar and a 1 3/8" front one off a 90 Seville that I'm shortening the lever arms on came from various junkyards. The K frame will get strengthened as per instructions from Firm Feel. Piecing an 8 3/4 rear end together with a 3.55 sure grip I've been hoarding.

Do yourself a favour and call Dick Ross at Firm Feel. Straight shooter very knowledgeable guy with excellence products. The website is informative too and details their product line.
 
if your going to change the springs buy the caltracs mono split spring its lighter and stronger than any stock springs and you will hook up better
 
Recommend the following suspension changes that won't have to be un-done if you go to the 340.

Re-bush front end and rear leafs. Choose between original rubber or polygraphite.

Get the shocks with stiffest re-bound you can find. This will reduce "float". There are different schools of thought as to whether springs should be a higher rate or not. However, there is no difference of opinion on shocks, stiffer is better.

If you want to stiffen the springs using a salvage yard source, get the springs (tb & leaf) from a 340, 360, or 318 w/factory A/C car. If you get lucky and find an A39 car (cop car) grab the rear anti-sway bar and associated hardware. Stiffening the rear springs without corresponding work up front will make the car understeer more.

Front and rear anti-sway bars. Replace LCA with ones with tabs in order to use factory bars. Results I've heard from aftermaket front bar attachements have been mixed. When installing floating caliper front disc brakes, reverse the spindle. Otherwise the caliper will make contact with the anti-sway bar.

Decide on manual or power steering. If you decide to go power, find a 318 cop car and grab the box, pump, and cooler. Even so, the steering is going to feel a little over-assisted. This can be fixed by going to a smaller steering wheel.

Save wheel and tire upgrades until you get a BBP setup under the car. I personally like old school, so am sticking with 15" wheels. I think that 17" with low profile tires still maintain a decent sense of proportion. Larger, IMHO, makes it look like a Hot Wheels car.
 
twofosho said:
Do yourself a favour and call Dick Ross at Firm Feel. Straight shooter very knowledgeable guy with excellence products. The website is informative too and details their product line.
Click to expand...

Agree......
 
I just wanted to add that all the outfits that make front sway bar kits (Addco, Hellwig, PST, FirmFeel) also make rear kits. And all sizes of torsion bars are available from many sources, including Summit Racing, FirmFeel, and Mancini. Shop for price on t-bars -- they are basically the same. The sway bar kits have different fit and features.

I would consider how you are planning to drive the car before going whole hog on the suspension. If you only drive to cruises on weekends, do whatever you like. But if you commute, or take long trips, I would keep the spring rates moderate (maybe .890 t-bars with a small block, not .920 as some have recommended), and count on the sway bars for roll control (that's what they are made for), with poly endlink bushings for quick response. Also, if you think you'd run it at the drags, then you don't want to make the front too stiff. Finally, it is kind of pointless to go for a maximumly stiff, gokart-like suspension if you aren't going to commit to serious tires. That probably means 17-inchers, and good luck with that if you stay with the 4" bolt pattern. Think package -- every part should be "tuned" to about the same level. No point having "Stage III" spring rates and "Stage I" tires.

MVRCorp said:
Here's another great source for parts. Get on their mailing list.

http://www.manciniracing.com/
Click to expand...
 
twofosho: "Napa store for 12 inch cop car rotors and new calipers."

New Calipers?! Did you say new? Are these direct replacements for original '73up A body single-piston calipers?
 
Its shocking what a good "Stock" rebuild will do. I agree with one of the other posters.

Replace all worn components and bushings. Get new rear springs, engine appropriate torsion bars, and quality shocks.

Sway bars (front for sure if you don't have one).
 
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