What suspension upgrades should i do for $1200 big block dart

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73dart360

73dart360

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70 dart slant 6 car now Big block- big bolt pattern front disc, Pst 1.03 torsion bars, 727auto, 15" steel wheels 235-60-15 BFG radials everything else is stock ,i need to upgrade just for a little better street handling what is my best bang for the buck approx $1200
 
I went with QA1 tubular upper control arms (more camber and caster adjust-ability). Boxed in lower controls arms. Bigger front sway bar and Bilstein shocks should do it.
 
I have a 68 big block Dart. I wanted to keep things close to stock and easy to change back to OE. I run a set of Bilstienshock, a Firm Feel front sway bar, Urathane bushings front and rear and 15" wheels and tires. Car rides nice and handles great.
 
dart4forte said:
I have a 68 big block Dart. I wanted to keep things close to stock and easy to change back to OE. I run a set of Bilstienshock, a Firm Feel front sway bar, Urathane bushings front and rear and 15" wheels and tires. Car rides nice and handles great.
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Thats the kind of simple but nice combo im looking for
 
rklein383 said:
I went with QA1 tubular upper control arms (more camber and caster adjust-ability). Boxed in lower controls arms. Bigger front sway bar and Bilstein shocks should do it.
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I have the qa1 uppers as well, very nice piece. a front and rear sway bar would stiffen things up a bit, frame connectors are always a plus and fairly inexpensive if you make them.

a new set of good leaf springs would be a benefit especially if yours are worn
 
You already have big bars up front. Put good springs out back. Quality shocks and some sway bars
 
73dart360 said:
Thats the kind of simple but nice combo im looking for
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I should also add that the big block A bodies came from the factory with HD springs and torsion bars. Big block A bodies do have a tendency of nosing into corners. A combo of shocks, sway bar, torsion bars and HD springs will a long way to making your car handle a lot better.
 
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I am trying to lighten the front ,aluminum heads,aluminum,water pump housing,mini starter,headers,Battery to the trunk,aluminum radiator and possibly the borgeson power steering box
 
73dart360 said:
I am trying to lighten the front ,aluminum heads,aluminum,water pump housing,mini starter,headers,Battery to the trunk,aluminum radiator and possibly the borgeson power steering box
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Heck if you did all that the car would probably be lighter up front than a stock small block car.

You've already got a good start with the 1.03's. If you're running the stock leaf springs out back it would be good to upgrade those. It's not as dramatic a difference as adding the larger torsion bars up front, but it makes a difference. I'd go at least to XHD's, they're about 110 lb/in. But anything from 110 up to 130 lb/in would work well. I like the mopar oval tracks, but they do set the axle back a little further too if you run them with stock hangers (it's only a 1/2" at most). Other than that I'd go with a set of Bilstein RCD's and some sway bars front and rear. Tubular control arms are nice, but all you really need for a street car is the Moog 7103 offset bushings and your alignment set around -.5* camber, +3* to as much as you can get for caster and 1/16" toe in. You can get more negative camber and more positive caster with the tubular arms, but it would be overkill with the BFG T/A's. They'll be the limiting factor if you add the shocks and sway bars.
 
Mine handles great pst 1.03 , factory front sway bar Poly bushings all around except the body, Bilstteen front shocks and factory rear shocks coil over (tow package) and re arched rear springs and for take off rear slapper bars (yes they make it launch great) I want to add a rear sway bar also.
 
The best bang for the buck I got was a good pair of weld in sub-frame connectors. My car used to twist and squirm around curves, now it tracks nice and flat. I'd do some good rear springs first to see where it wants to sit, then weld them in. Good shocks and a front sway bar would be next.
 
halifaxhops said:
Mine handles great pst 1.03 , factory front sway bar Poly bushings all around except the body, Bilstteen front shocks and factory rear shocks coil over (tow package) and re arched rear springs and for take off rear slapper bars (yes they make it launch great) I want to add a rear sway bar also.
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Forgot the sub frame connectors they do make a noticeable improvement.
 
I am definately going with sub frame connectors ,Do you think the bolt in frame connectors would be ok?
 
73dart360 said:
I am definately going with sub frame connectors ,Do you think the bolt in frame connectors would be ok?
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As a subframe connector the Mopar Performance bolt-in connectors are ok, but only if they're welded in. If the welding is the problem, you can bolt the connectors in yourself so that you're happy with the location, and see if you can talk the local exhaust shop into welding them in. They'll have a lift and a welder.

73dart360 said:
I was thinking the Hotchkis rear leafs
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I've seen some mixed reviews on them in the past. The most recent installs using the Hotchkis springs seem to be better, maybe they sorted some things out. Ride height will be pretty low, I think @MuuMuu101 is the most recent person to use them on a build. This is the ride height on his car.
20161027_150754-jpg.1714983654.jpg
 
72bluNblu said:
I've seen some mixed reviews on them in the past. The most recent installs using the Hotchkis springs seem to be better, maybe they sorted some things out. Ride height will be pretty low, I think @MuuMuu101 is the most recent person to use them on a build. This is the ride height on his car.
View attachment 1715024656
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Yeah, I like the way it sits and how it rides. I haven't had a problem with them yet. I got mine from Summit back in late 2014, early 2015. A lot of people claim they're too low, but I like them. If you're running 15" wheels with a tall tire you may have problems with rubbing when the tire flexes. My sidewall is pretty short so I don't have that problem. I may go to composite leafs in the future, but we'll see.

@72bluNblu, don't you have some AFCO springs from summit and don't they come in two different stiffnesses? The less stiff one may be better for the OP.

For $1200, I'd probably do MOOG offset bushing, welded in subframe connectors, Bilstein RCD shocks, and Hellwig sway bars front and rear. As mentioned before, your tires are your limiting factor.
 
I do have AFCO springs on my Duster, they actually come in a bunch of different spring rates. Problem is the ones that I have, the 120 lb/in version, are no longer being made. They went out of production at the same time the Mopar Oval Track springs went back into production. Not sure if that was because they anticipated a loss in sales, or because the springs are actually the same and there's a licensing thing going on. The AFCO's I use are basically the same as the oval track's, including the slightly longer front section.
 
you said /6 car , and front end charging and rear springs and shocks . never said what r/e , stock as the car will not hold up . it needs to be a beefed up as well , not sure the best bang for the buck . seems that an 8 1/4 would be the easiest on you budget . and rear brakes a lot of guys here use the late model jeep disc stuff , it on a 8 1/4 in the jeeps . wonder if the jeep is narrow enough for the car ? anyone know . it a coil spring type rear end . that stuff can get cut n ground away , add perches for your springs to match rear spring locations .
 
pomonamissel said:
you said /6 car , and front end charging and rear springs and shocks . never said what r/e , stock as the car will not hold up . it needs to be a beefed up as well , not sure the best bang for the buck . seems that an 8 1/4 would be the easiest on you budget . and rear brakes a lot of guys here use the late model jeep disc stuff , it on a 8 1/4 in the jeeps . wonder if the jeep is narrow enough for the car ? anyone know . it a coil spring type rear end . that stuff can get cut n ground away , add perches for your springs to match rear spring locations .
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The car came with a 8-1/4 323 gear but i dont think it would be strong enough behind a 470 with trick flow heads TTI headers Rpm performer ,Solid roller cammed engine if it would work i would love it $$$ money saved
 
a 470 w/trick flows , head'rs solid roll'r , is way more then a driver , your going to need a lot of chassi work to get it to hook n launch .
 
MuuMuu101 said:
Yeah, I like the way it sits and how it rides. I haven't had a problem with them yet. I got mine from Summit back in late 2014, early 2015. A lot of people claim they're too low, but I like them. If you're running 15" wheels with a tall tire you may have problems with rubbing when the tire flexes. My sidewall is pretty short so I don't have that problem. I may go to composite leafs in the future, but we'll see.

@72bluNblu, don't you have some AFCO springs from summit and don't they come in two different stiffnesses? The less stiff one may be better for the OP.

For $1200, I'd probably do MOOG offset bushing, welded in subframe connectors, Bilstein RCD shocks, and Hellwig sway bars front and rear. As mentioned before, your tires are your limiting factor.
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can you tell me what sizes for the hellwig sway bars ?
 
72bluNblu said:
Heck if you did all that the car would probably be lighter up front than a stock small block car.

You've already got a good start with the 1.03's. If you're running the stock leaf springs out back it would be good to upgrade those. It's not as dramatic a difference as adding the larger torsion bars up front, but it makes a difference. I'd go at least to XHD's, they're about 110 lb/in. But anything from 110 up to 130 lb/in would work well. I like the mopar oval tracks, but they do set the axle back a little further too if you run them with stock hangers (it's only a 1/2" at most). Other than that I'd go with a set of Bilstein RCD's and some sway bars front and rear. Tubular control arms are nice, but all you really need for a street car is the Moog 7103 offset bushings and your alignment set around -.5* camber, +3* to as much as you can get for caster and 1/16" toe in. You can get more negative camber and more positive caster with the tubular arms, but it would be overkill with the BFG T/A's. They'll be the limiting factor if you add the shocks and sway bars.
Click to expand...
72 Can you tell me who sells the XHD`s
 
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