New Hotchkis suspension complete

[whiteknuckler]

It took me almost 2 months of working Saturdays to finish up this install. It would go a lot quicker the second time. I got a case of the "might as wells" while involved with this. (might as well change the oil pan, tranny pan, gas tank, drive shaft, steering box, steering coupler, shocks, ball joints, brakes and a torque arm.) A real fun project,but you have to allow time to do it. The car drives great and corners flat. After I pay off my credit card from this, I may get 17 inch magnums. Thanx for checking out my post. Jack.

 

[Big Sugar]

Nice Work! I should have my 66 Charger out in a few weeks with the same setup, minus the UCA and rear leafs...( this summer ).I put extra cash into Discs all round and all the stiffening upgrades...hours of welding.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,100710.0.html

So have you put a few miles on ? Whats your overall impression, like the new stance ?
We know it corners flat but compared to what you had is the ride firm ?
Any Chatter ?


Excited
Ron

 

[Boise68]

Oh I smell what your smokin', and kinda partial on the Coronet! I'm sure it begs to be drivin'. Just wrapping up a similar project with my Coronet, any tips on the Hotchkis sub-frame connectors?

 

[tallhair]

I really appreciate your post whiteknuckler! Did you go with a FF steering sector? If so what level.

 

[whiteknuckler]

I have only put about 200 miles on it since I finished it, but I cannot stop smiling while driving, it is so much different. Yes it is much firmer but very acceptable. I love the lower stance and I did have some chatter the first day,but figured out I had to put the shortest pinion snubber I had on there because of the lower stance, it was hitting the floor when I hit bumps.All better now. The new steering box is a firm feel from steer and gear in columbus ohio and that is a huge improvement also, everything is so nice and tight. I'm very glad I did this.
Your car looks great, a huge amount of work and dedication, but it will be well worth it, you are definetely a level above with that build. I like it.

Nice Work! I should have my 66 Charger out in a few weeks with the same setup, minus the UCA and rear leafs...( this summer ).I put extra cash into Discs all round and all the stiffening upgrades...hours of welding.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,100710.0.html

So have you put a few miles on ? Whats your overall impression, like the new stance ?
We know it corners flat but compared to what you had is the ride firm ?
Any Chatter ?


Excited
Ron

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The frame connectors are the first I have ever done, but I have no complaints. The directions were spot on for everything they sent. The frame connectors even have access holes for the seat bolts. They are bolt on in the rear (4- 3/8 bolts that hold the front of the leaf spring mount) and weld on in the front. I got them all prepped and clamped in place and the weight on the suspension (4- 6 foot jack stands) and a friend of mine welded them and the front sway bar mounts on in about a half hour. I was a little worried about ground clearance, but everything is close to 6 inches.

Oh I smell what your smokin', and kinda partial on the Coronet! I'm sure it begs to be drivin'. Just wrapping up a similar project with my Coronet, any tips on the Hotchkis sub-frame connectors?

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I called and talked to steer and gear, told them it was a street-strip weekend car and went with their reccommendation. (firm feel is all he said I think)

I really appreciate your post whiteknuckler! Did you go with a FF steering sector? If so what level.

 

[2059]

gotta be happy with the "fruit of your labor" nice job!!

 

[whiteknuckler]

Thank you, yes I am. Poor car has had nothing done but driven,and driven hard for 30 years(the motor was half-assed rebuilt in 1992 and the last paintjob was 1987.

gotta be happy with the "fruit of your labor" nice job!!

 

[Budnicks]

whiteknuckeler, looks good & I'll bet it makes a world of a differences in handling... go have fun driving it now

 

[dangina]

curious is the sway bar from that year suppose to be mounted towards the rear of the car? I just have never seen that...

 

[Big Sugar]

curious is the sway bar from that year suppose to be mounted towards the rear of the car? I just have never seen that...

Yep mine is the same as well , Just took my first Ride Today ! All welded up Subframe and gussets, welded K and LCA, Firm feel poly bushed Control arm spindles, Hotchkis front and rear swaybars, Bilsteins all round. .97 front torsion bars and MP XHD rear springs , Fresh MooG bushings. on my 66 Charger.
The Car rides Great ! Not harsh at all.


Ron

 

[Budnicks]

Nice Work! I should have my 66 Charger out in a few weeks with the same setup, minus the UCA and rear leafs...( this summer ).I put extra cash into Discs all round and all the stiffening upgrades...hours of welding.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,100710.0.html

So have you put a few miles on ? Whats your overall impression, like the new stance ?
We know it corners flat but compared to what you had is the ride firm ?
Any Chatter ?
Excited
Ron

I saw that over @ DC .com nice job

 

[Ghosty]

Nice looking suspension! Roughly how many hours do you think a professional shop would take to do it? (For example, half your first time time doing it). I'm looking at starting out with just the front/rear swaybar kits, for now.

Any other straight side-view photos of your car now? In that one pic, it looks like the rear is a tiny bit lower than the front, but probably just the angle of the shot. I'd like to see your stance on a level surface.

 

[Budnicks]

Ghosty the front & rear sway bars are easy peasy !! just an afternoon on you back, a little sweat equity & a few hundred $$$, as long as you have the skills & tools....

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In a pro shop with good people, for complete suspension, it's a day job maybe 2 days at most with 2 guys that know what they're doing.... or 1 guy & a good helper

 

[Ghosty]

Yeah the sway bars I can do myself no problem, the ones on my Supra were cake. It's the complete suspension kit that looks daunting, definitely would leave that to a pro. Plus it would take me a week, lol.

 

[Budnicks]

Yeah the sway bars I can do myself no problem, the ones on my Supra were cake. It's the complete suspension kit that looks daunting, definitely would leave that to a pro. Plus it would take me a week, lol.

Maybe get a Factory Service Manual that covers your specific year & model of car, it will have step by step instructions.... Look over at Mopar Muscle Mag they have a bunch of tech issues on the subject too... IMHFO it only takes a few specialty tools, a couple hundred $$$ max for all of them, you can get partial tool kits too, from Mancini Racing.... Take some detailed measurements before you disassemble stuff, take some photos, mark parts with tape, take your time, make note if necessary, so you can refer back to stuff, mark where the eccentrics are on the upper control arms adjustments, with a marker pen, to get you kind of close when you reassemble it, then take it to a alignment shop afterwards, if you don't want to get too much into it.... I have a bunch of new parts, I won't be using, I went a different direction, like complete set of poly bushings, O/S alum. strut rod, lower pin for LCA with poly bushing... I will sell you cheap... PM me, I'm not using them, I will give you them for $0.50 cents on the dollar, my cost, plus shipping....

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Nice work. What size torsion bars did you go with - Hotchkis 1.03"?

Your front sway bar is upside down. I also have a Hotchkis front sway bar on my '68 Satellite and at first installed it like that because that's the direction of the Hotchkis label. It's bent like that to clear the radiator support and if you flip it upside down from the way you have it now you will greatly increase your ground clearance.

- - - Updated - - -

Yep mine is the same as well , Just took my first Ride Today ! All welded up Subframe and gussets, welded K and LCA, Firm feel poly bushed Control arm spindles, Hotchkis front and rear swaybars, Bilsteins all round. .97 front torsion bars and MP XHD rear springs , Fresh MooG bushings. on my 66 Charger.
The Car rides Great ! Not harsh at all.


Ron

Do you like the .97" torsion bars or do you wish you would have went with 1.00" or bigger? I'm trying to decide right now between .96" or 1.0" torsion bars....

 

[Big Sugar]

Nice work. What size torsion bars did you go with - Hotchkis 1.03"?

Your front sway bar is upside down. I also have a Hotchkis front sway bar on my '68 Satellite and at first installed it like that because that's the direction of the Hotchkis label. It's bent like that to clear the radiator support and if you flip it upside down from the way you have it now you will greatly increase your ground clearance.

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Do you like the .97" torsion bars or do you wish you would have went with 1.00" or bigger? I'm trying to decide right now between .96" or 1.0" torsion bars....

Mine rides Great with the 9.7" T bars no complaints , But I will be moving to a heavier T bar when I get the rear Leafs done.


Ron

 

[Big Sugar]

Well after a summer of Running the Hotchkis Sway bars and Bilstein shocks I gotta say Im a happy camper ! ZERO squeeks and rattles ! The Charger confident and it'll certainly out handle my drivers seat ! And tires. im setting it up for the Power Tour Next year so im gonna put the rear spring and upper control arms on hold.
I need to focus on a Overdrive trans and a better seat belt setup and possibly new seats.( 12 days in the Charger )(And no seat adjustments....)









Ron

 

[MidnightSpecial]

White Knuckler

were the leafs 2 inch drops?

I was wondering how they would look on a Coronet. Was afraid they wouldnt drop me as low as I want to get.

 

[Boise68]

Hey Midnight Special,

I've got the Hotchkis shocks/rear leafs with Firm Feel LCA's. With 18" rims the ride heights at chrome wheel lip are 24 1/4" front/25 3/8" rear. It may not look as low as some cars but it is low enough, and as Big Sugar says, it out performs my current seats!:icon_cheers: