Suspension and handling upgrades for my Dart

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Mild Mannered Dart

Mild Mannered Dart

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Hello, I'am currently restoring my 72 Dart. The body work is almost done and I've been trying to figure out what I'm going to do suspension wise for my car. I now these cars do not perform too well in the handling department so I would like you guy's input on what I should do. I know I want it so that it can handle daily highway speeds as well as take it to the track on the weekends. I need to know what brand suspension parts I can trust. (Keep in mind I have a little money saved up to play with8))
 
Buy this and call it done.

http://www.hotchkis.net/6772_dodge_abody_total_vehicle_system.html

But if your build plan includes 14" or 15" wheels with some craptastic white letter tire you are better off just going with…..

•1" Torsion bars
•Quality shocks (KYB or equivalent)
•Full suspension rebuild with quality rubber bushings (Moog)
•Front and rear sway bars
•Alignment
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
Buy this and call it done.

http://www.hotchkis.net/6772_dodge_abody_total_vehicle_system.html

But if your build plan includes 14" or 15" wheels with some craptastic white letter tire you are better off just going with…..

•1" Torsion bars
•Quality shocks (KYB or equivalent)
•Full suspension rebuild with quality rubber bushings (Moog)
•Front and rear sway bars
•Alignment
Click to expand...

That is quite a good deal!
Looking at the yrs listed, it would seem they are for sbp spindles.
On my 67 I will have 74 bbp spindles and disc brakes. Does that make any difference?
Do they make any package like that for my car?
It looks just like what I want.

Just answered my own question on their website.
Yes they do!
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
Buy this and call it done.

http://www.hotchkis.net/6772_dodge_abody_total_vehicle_system.html

But if your build plan includes 14" or 15" wheels with some craptastic white letter tire you are better off just going with…..

•1" Torsion bars
•Quality shocks (KYB or equivalent)
•Full suspension rebuild with quality rubber bushings (Moog) Use Moog 7103 offset bushing installed to add positive caster
•Front and rear sway bars
•Alignment
Click to expand...


I agree on both recomendations.

The setup I ran for 15 or so years was like 2nd recommendation but a tad more upgraded.

I wanted a higher level of handling so I went with a full Hotchkis kit and 1.14" T-bars.

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I'm really condsidering the Hotchkis kit. Right now I'm going with 14in ralleys but I do plan on putting larger wheels w/ low profile tires. How would you rate the installation of this kit autoxcuda?
 
Mild Mannered Dart said:
I'm really condsidering the Hotchkis kit. Right now I'm going with 14in ralleys but I do plan on putting larger wheels w/ low profile tires. How would you rate the installation of this kit autoxcuda?
Click to expand...

Installation is very clean. Excellent. Everything provided in the kit. Bolt off... then bolt on.

You do have to grind down a little tab on the frame next to the upper control arm attachment back about 3/8". Then you have to weld a plate for the sway bar. And weld in the subframe connectors of course. But no cutting or moving anything to make room for the subframe connectors. No modifying or tweaking the subframe connectors or anything.

With that upgrade, you should upgrade to some 15x7 with 225/60/15 V or Z rated performance tires all the way around at least. Or something like 17x8 245/45/17 all the way around with backspace setup to maximize fit.
 
Like Autox mentioned. You will really want an actual performance tire. White letter tires look good but they are little more than a general purpose passenger tire.

When you spend $2500-3000 on suspension you want to get all the advantages the system offers.

If you don't run a real tire you leave a bunch of the spent money on the table….. unused.
 
And for the guy that doesn't have 25hundred laying around to put into his suspension....what do WE do for a upgrade????????????
 
78kitcar said:
And for the guy that doesn't have 25hundred laying around to put into his suspension....what do WE do for a upgrade????????????
Click to expand...


•1" Torsion bars
•Quality shocks (KYB or equivalent)
•Full suspension rebuild with quality rubber bushings (Moog) Use Moog 7103 offset bushing installed to add positive caster
•Front and rear sway bars
•Alignment
 
i had great luck with the pst polygraphite front end kit for my cuda, i also added wider tires (14 inch)all the way around. hardest part was not sliding in the seat during cornering. it was only a couple hundred bucks for the kit. the car also had factory front and rear sway bars which can be had aftermarket by addco for an a body. yes it was an e body, but it was a difference of night and day.this is my plan for the valiant on the next tax refund.
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
•1" Torsion bars
•Quality shocks (KYB or equivalent)
•Full suspension rebuild with quality rubber bushings (Moog) Use Moog 7103 offset bushing installed to add positive caster
•Front and rear sway bars
•Alignment
Click to expand...

I agree.

I think poly sway bar bushing are fine. Most aftermarket sway bar kit come with poly bushing anyway.

Poly strut bushings are fine if you cut the rear bushing down 3/16 so it doesn't hurt postive caster.

I think there is way more gain from Front and and Rear sway bars or 1" T-bars than Frame Connectors.
 
78kitcar said:
And for the guy that doesn't have 25hundred laying around to put into his suspension....what do WE do for a upgrade????????????
Click to expand...

Check the Classic Industries new Mopar catalog. They have a pretty good deal on the Hotchkiss TVS package.....but DO NOT expect the 20% discount for orders before 31 March DAMHIK!
 
78kitcar said:
And for the guy that doesn't have 25hundred laying around to put into his suspension....what do WE do for a upgrade????????????
Click to expand...

You make the stock setup better with stiffer springs/torsion bars, better shocks, disc brakes (if it doesn't already have them), sub-frame connectors, and sway bar(s). Shopping around can get all of this for considerably less.
 
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