70 Charger front end rebuild

[Triplegreen500]

So...I started the inventory-disassembly last night (take stuff apart, figure out what's bad and what I need to order). Admittedly this project has been...back-burnered all summer and I've been slacking. But, it's time. MASSIVE camber changes at random while driving (like, VISIBLY toes-under about an inch from wheel top to wheel bottom). Something's worn, so it's time to replace it all.

Got the right front pretty much apart. Going to do one side at a time, so I have the "other" side as a reassembly template.

It's a 4-manual-drum car. I pulled the wheel and hub off. Pulled the complete brake assembly off and hung it by some wire from the fender braces. Shock is out. UCA is out. UCA bolts look....not entirely straight. They're gonna get replaced! Torsion adjuster bolt and plate are out - a vigorous dousing of PB, and it came right out. And that's where I stopped. I've never done a torsion bar suspension before so I wanted to do my research before just pulling on stuff. I read various posts, and looking at my bars I've got the standard 0.88" bars ('70 Charger 500, 318/904, a/c car). Also in posts I saw where some folks need a tool; some bars come out by hand. We shall see. I also saw mention of clips? I see the nut/washer/bushing setup where it passes through the LCA (nut is forward of the LCA at the front end of the bar); are the clips at the rear where it goes to the frame?

I have a copy of the Mopar shop manual on my tablet at home that I'll be referring to, but working in a shop every day I know there's the book way...and there's the real world, that can often (and safely) eliminate steps 3-28 in the book...so I figured I'd ask if anyone had any tips from here out?

My plan at this point is to look it over once the LCA is out, and decide if I want to get all-new, loaded arms, or just get new bushings for my existing bars. I'll likely get the Moog problem-solver offset UCA bushings; it's a cruiser, so I don't think I need to go as far as QA1 tubular UCAs (and it's 100% survivor so I don't really want to go modding stuff if I don't have to). I'll get new swaybar end links and bushings. New ball joints. Wheel bearings look fine, they'll just get a repack. I don't mind the 4 wheel drums, but maybe someday I'll go with discs (it has original 14" steelies which I know won't clear many disc setups)...but not worried about it right now.

I have a press.

I have a torch.

I have a balljoint fork.

Anyone have any suggestions? Anything I'm missing that I should order once I get the LCA out and see what condition it's in?

 

[R413]

Bigger torsion bars will be an improvement in driving and cornering. Not anything super huge. Like the 440/hemi .92 is good.

All the stock suspension parts are fine on a street cruiser.

Take some photos and do both sides at once. This is not rocket science. You will want to do the bushings all at once while you have all the tools out and press set up. Don’t go back to it later.

 

[funknut]

The clips are at the rear of the bars (inside the hex socket) to keep them from walking out rearwards. Mine were thin wire, not really 'proper' spring clips. Once I had the car up on stands, wheels removed, adjusters backed off, and the LCA pivot nuts loosened, they weren't too bad to remove. I have no regrets from moving to larger torsion bars.

 

[Triplegreen500]

Bigger torsion bars will be an improvement in driving and cornering. Not anything super huge. Like the 440/hemi .92 is good.

All the stock suspension parts are fine on a street cruiser.

Take some photos and do both sides at once. This is not rocket science. You will want to do the bushings all at once while you have all the tools out and press set up. Don’t go back to it later.

Yeah, anything non-metal is getting replaced - ALL the bushings, as well as the swaybar mounts. I try not to half-*** stuff, especially when I already have it loose, in my hands!

The clips are at the rear of the bars (inside the hex socket) to keep them from walking out rearwards. Mine were thin wire, not really 'proper' spring clips. Once I had the car up on stands, wheels removed, adjusters backed off, and the LCA pivot nuts loosened, they weren't too bad to remove. I have no regrets from moving to larger torsion bars.

Thanks for the info on the clips! I may go bigger on the bars; the car doesn't "float" though so I don't know. Maybe later on that one. $1700 went into my Cummins last week; dishwasher went tits-up (another $1200 to get a nice, 3-drawer unit)...been an expensive month already!

 

[Kern Dog]

For a 318 cruiser, stock torsion bars would be fine, in my opinion. A good shock with firmer valving would be a good choice, though the $400 + for a set of Bilsteins may be a bit more than you want to spend after the week you've had.

 

[beanhead]

I didn't see it mentioned on your tool list so I'll just throw this out there, but getting the big ball joints out requires a somewhat massive (sorry I don't remember the exact size) 3/4" drive socket, a firm anchor, and plenty of torque. Of course "some guys" (cough cough) have made it happen with a long steel pipe cheater on the appropriately-sized pipe wrench, with the control arm clamped into a stationary vise...but if you have/are willing to get the proper tools it makes it a little easier.

 

[Triplegreen500]

Bench vise and an impact...?

I can break anything loose lol. Sometimes it just gets uglier than others

 

[khryslerkid]

I'll be following. Need to do this on the '62. Take pictures as you go to share. I'm not a novice at doing this job but it's been a long time.

The thing I keep reading here and there are bushing fitments being too loose. What brand do you go with now days? Plenty of threads on here but it's a hodgepodge of information. I've seen some videos and some get it done without much trouble and some have a hard time with it. I haven't researched it completely yet. I'll wait until the weather gets cold or maybe until early spring. But in the meantime maybe you could post up what you run into. I'm also curious as how to set up the alignment good enough to get it to the front end shop or just try it myself.

I bought one of these from a member on here just to have.

Mancini Racing Torsion Bar Remover/Installer

 

[ckessel]

There is a vid on Youtube about removing t-bars. No special tool required. Junkyard tested too.


Mopar torsion bar removal

 

[Triplegreen500]

Finally got some time in the garage today (rainy, crappy, cold...nothing better to do).

Had to cut the strut rod to get it out, threads were completely boogered on both ends, even after liberally soaking with PB Blaster.
Torsion bar (at least, passenger side) came right out no problem.
UCAs are out.
LCAs are out.

Found the source of the front end slop - the LCA bushing was DUST. I assume the same will be true on the other side. No damage to arms though, so I'm assuming a "soft part" rebuild will be all the car needs...

So.

What I'm looking at ordering (and I'm trying to find someone who has EVERYTHING in stock but that's apparently not happening...):

UCA bushings (preferably the offset ones)
UCA cam bolts and washers
Upper ball joints
Torque rods
Torque rod bushings (they're probably OK, but...)
LCA pivot kit (bushings being dust makes me nervous about LCA-to-pivot damage, and they're cheap enough...and Hotchkiss makes greasable ones)
LCA bushings
Lower ball joints
...and in the "if I find some" list....
Swaybar end links and bushings (existing are pretty OK)
Inner and outer tie rods, and sleeves

I'm not AS worried about the swaybars and the tie rods right now - the LCA's had so much play in them, I have no idea if they're bad, or good...and I just want to get it together and back on the ground at the moment.

Does that look like everything that goes in? Bump stops are OK, torsion bars are OK (unless anyone has some 0.92s they aren't doing anything with...), boots are OK....

Probably sticking with rubber unless someone tells me polyurethane is worth the hassle and money....("cruiser", not a sports car - it's a stock 318/904/2.73 rear, 4-manual-drum-brake, survivor, cruiser, not a bracket car or an autocross monster...I just want it to go where I point it with a little more accuracy than the QE2!).

I've checked Mancini. I've checked suspension.com. I've checked Classic Industries. I've checked summit and jegs. It looks like OER has a site...but doesn't sell direct? Any other suggestions for vendors?

 

[Kern Dog]

You haven't checked with PST? They are a site sponsor. Members get a discount, too.
The "torque rods" are actually strut rods. They are not hard to find used. NEW bushings for sure. They are hard to change later since the control arms need to slide rearward to get the strut rod bushings out.
The axle ratio is likely to be 2.76. Chrysler never made a 2.73 ratio but GM did.

 

[Triplegreen500]

I'll check with PST, thanks.

Strut rods, got it. I think "strut" and I think of the coilover struts on my FWD cars. Not sure if I'd go used...that damn thing was SOFT. The sawsall went through it like room temperature butter!

2.73...2.76....point is, it's a highway cruiser, not a stoplight racer. I have other cars that go fast, as well as a 380-lb motorcycle with 158 hp and 96 lb-ft at the rear wheel. Fast is no problem for me...it just isn't why the Charger is here, that's all.

 

[Kern Dog]

The strut rods operate only in two planes...tension and compression. They don't need to be that stout to function properly. For a cruiser, you're just fine with stock units. Even cars like the "Green Brick" 69 Valiant didn't employ anything exotic there.
The term "strut" merely means a unit that provides support.
Good luck with the project.

 

[Triplegreen500]

Appreciate the info! Looking at the PST site, they offer an adjustable strut rod...curious the theory there (presumably to more tightly limit lateral movement of the LCA)?

You also mentioned strut rod bushings...my rods came out bare, with a nut/washer at the LCA, and a nut/washer/bushing/bushing/washer at the radiator support end. Is there something rusted in place that I'm missing? It looks like just a sleeve in the LCA...and a flat piece of metal at the core support?

I'll email PST shortly but pricing seems decent and it looks like their "super" kit has everything I need, I just have to add their greaseable LCA pivot kit, strut rods, and I may take the plunge and get the 1.03 torsion bars as well....it's not THAT much more...

 

[hunt2elk]

I would think PST will have everything you need except the offset upper control arm bushings. As far as I know, Moog is the only maker of those.

 

[Triplegreen500]

Good point.

How "needed" are those? Will my alignment guy thank me? Is it a noticeable difference in handling? I know...it's a 52 year old STEEL car...but I do live in the mountains so even if I'm not "pushing" it, the steering and suspension gets a workout...it's not difficult for me to drag a knee on the bike just on my daily commute to work, the roads are so much fun! I can source Moog stuff locally at NAPA, I'm sure...or just get them from suspension.com, they show them in stock.

 

[hunt2elk]

Yeah, you want them. It's the only way to get some decent positive caster. Use them for all 4.

 

[LowBikeMike]

I've got a pair of struts rods I'll give you the postage. Bought them from a member here, one has a very slight bend but still good. I just refused my old ones.

 

[Kern Dog]

The strut rods use a sandwiched bushing arrangement.

From this angle, you can barely see the fat washer on the strut rod as it passes through the K member.
From the front, the strut rod has a nut, the thick washer, the bushing....then the K member. On the back side, it is the almost the exact same arrangement. Bushing, washer and then a ridge on the strut rod to serve as a "stop" for the washer.

It is hard to see but there are two "halves" to the bushing on these in the picture below.

Your rear halves may still be stuck in the K member. If not, they may have been chewed up over time and missing.
Those adjustable ones are great for gaining caster but they do cost money. The Moog offset bushings are cheaper.