Hotchkis Dodge Challenger Suspension
#1034838
07/18/11 11:40 AM
07/18/11 11:40 AM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 8,828 Houston, Tx
hemi68charger
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Hey gang.. Anyone done one of these conversions? (Hotchkis Dodge Challenger Suspension)? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fHj0b-ey5Y&feature=youtube_gdata_playerI have a friend who just got the complete kit. Looks like it's pretty straight forward. She mentioned I would have to weld something, but I think that's the front sway bar bracket on the lower control arm if the car's not equipped with it. But, her car is a '71 Challenger R/T, so it should have the front sway bar. Other than that, looks to be all bolt-on stuff I could do in my garage. I'm pretty good with front suspension, so that doesn't bother me.....
Last edited by hemi68charger; 07/18/11 11:41 AM.
TroyHouston Mopar Connection Club'69 Charger Daytona 440 - auto - 4.10 Dana (now with 426 hemi) '69 Charger 500 440 - 4speed - 3.54 Dana '70 Road Runner 383 - 4speed - a/c (now with 440)
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Re: Hotchkis Dodge Challenger Suspension
[Re: hemi68charger]
#1034840
07/18/11 12:08 PM
07/18/11 12:08 PM
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,848 Memphis
HemiRick
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I hope to get one of these kits someday. The video pretty much explain it all. Looks easy.
Take care, Rick 68 Coronet R/T 440 & 68 Charger 528 Hemi,and 5 Challengers! 6 cyl, 318, 360, 383, 451
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Re: Hotchkis Dodge Challenger Suspension
[Re: RTSE4ME]
#1034845
07/18/11 02:58 PM
07/18/11 02:58 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,480 So Cal
autoxcuda
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Quote:
I just finished installing the TVS kit on my Challenger. Still in the process of aligning the front end so I have not driven it yet. Install was pretty easy just ran into a couple issues. Drivers side inner tie rod hit the torsion bar since the Hotchkis rod ends are a little taller. Alignment can be a pain if you have to re-adjust the rod ends on the UCAs. Since the front end was apart I also replaced the LCA bushings with poly and welded AndyF's LCA plates.
I actually wish the car sat lower than it does but no biggie. It is a nice kit...fit and finish is really high quality. Hopefully it will handle like everyone says.
You can still do fine tuning with the front cam adjusters.
RTSE4ME, I'd REALLY check your rear pinion angle after running the front dropped spring hangers.
I run the stock hangers and had to bring the rear end nose down to get a 3 degrees split nose down. With the dropped front hangers it would have been a lot more. It was much easier than I thought to fix.
It should be checked in every car. Harbor Freight now has this small handy digital angle finder for $30 that works perfect in the small cramped area.
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Re: Hotchkis Dodge Challenger Suspension
[Re: hemi68charger]
#1034847
07/20/11 06:36 PM
07/20/11 06:36 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 203 Sante Fe Springs, CA
Hotchkis
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Quote:
Hey gang.. Anyone done one of these conversions? (Hotchkis Dodge Challenger Suspension)?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fHj0b-ey5Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I have a friend who just got the complete kit. Looks like it's pretty straight forward. She mentioned I would have to weld something, but I think that's the front sway bar bracket on the lower control arm if the car's not equipped with it. But, her car is a '71 Challenger R/T, so it should have the front sway bar. Other than that, looks to be all bolt-on stuff I could do in my garage. I'm pretty good with front suspension, so that doesn't bother me.....
Thanks everyone for the nice comments about our TVS kit. We look forward to getting your opinions after some more seat time with our system installed.
Hemi68Charger – We made the kit to be as straightforward as possible with as little necessary modification to the original car as possible. As you mentioned, if your car didn’t have a front sway bar, you’ll have to weld on the included sway bar mount tabs. You have to relieve a little bit of the upper mounts to clear the upper control arms and you’ll have to weld in the front of the subframe connectors.
Here’s a link to the downloadable PDF instructions:
http://www.hotchkis.net/_uploaded_files/80110.pdf
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Re: Hotchkis Dodge Challenger Suspension
[Re: 71STROKERFISH]
#1034850
07/21/11 03:13 PM
07/21/11 03:13 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 203 Sante Fe Springs, CA
Hotchkis
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Quote:
The kit looks real nice. I especially like the uppper control arms, stuts rods and anti-sway bas. But the subframe connectors.....I'm not liking the actual design of these.
Has anyone installed/seen the contoured subframe connecors that actually look like frame rails. I have seen these and think they would be a more stock look...maybe even more effective too...
71STROKERFISH – Thanks for the kind words about our TVS kit. We decided to make the kit as easy to install as possible while not being too invasive. Our subframe connectors work great and are extremely effective. Here’s a photo of one of our H-Team Challengers with our TVS (with our subframe connectors) installed with a single floor jack. Try doing this without connectors and still have the doors open and close perfectly.
Our connectors work great and they are easy and fairly quick to install.
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Re: Hotchkis Dodge Challenger Suspension
[Re: Hotchkis]
#1034851
07/21/11 03:57 PM
07/21/11 03:57 PM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 8,828 Houston, Tx
hemi68charger
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Quote:
Quote:
The kit looks real nice. I especially like the uppper control arms, stuts rods and anti-sway bas. But the subframe connectors.....I'm not liking the actual design of these.
Has anyone installed/seen the contoured subframe connecors that actually look like frame rails. I have seen these and think they would be a more stock look...maybe even more effective too...
71STROKERFISH – Thanks for the kind words about our TVS kit. We decided to make the kit as easy to install as possible while not being too invasive. Our subframe connectors work great and are extremely effective. Here’s a photo of one of our H-Team Challengers with our TVS (with our subframe connectors) installed with a single floor jack. Try doing this without connectors and still have the doors open and close perfectly.
Our connectors work great and they are easy and fairly quick to install.
Hotchkis, Thanks for the technical support just a minute or two ago. I'm helping a friend with the installation of her kit on her '71 Challenger R/T. We were initially confused on the thought there wasn't any welding involved other than the lower control arm ft.sway bar brackets if it didn't have them. The shop owner where the car's at told her about the "welding that needed to be done". We were like there's no welding going to happen back there. But, I talked to one of your technicians and they explained to me why they are welded on now. So, she has peace of mind now with them about to take a torch to the rear framerail. Guess the front skid plate removal/install is a requirement as well? Too bad the ft.sway bar can't be snaked through.
Don't wanna do this to my Daytona, but may do this to my '69 Charger 500.
Cheers, Troy
TroyHouston Mopar Connection Club'69 Charger Daytona 440 - auto - 4.10 Dana (now with 426 hemi) '69 Charger 500 440 - 4speed - 3.54 Dana '70 Road Runner 383 - 4speed - a/c (now with 440)
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Re: Hotchkis Dodge Challenger Suspension
[Re: Devil]
#1034852
07/22/11 01:38 AM
07/22/11 01:38 AM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 27,347 Today? Who Knows?
1_WILD_RT
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As long as this thread is already running I guess I'll add my experience with the Bilstein shocks sold by Hotchkis.. I installed them a couple days ago & the fronts were great, the rears however for some reason there was no sleeve in the upper mount, I decided to transfer the sleeve from old shocks but found the sleeve is .630ish & the outer ends of the shock bushing measure .700 ... I decided to call Hotchkis tech support & get their take on it.... The first time I called I was in the phone call maybe 3 minutes & the system up & tells me goodbye & hangs up....... I called back & got past that glitch & was put in the loop of how important my call is & we are experiencing long delays.... After ten minutes on hold I was ready to put the shocks back in the box & return them.... But I took another look & found the bushings in the top shock eye taper down in the middle & the sleeve is a light press fit through the bushing... I used my vise & installed the bushings, then installed the shocks.... I'm not real happy with how the shock bushings are & if they give me trouble in the future I'll be replacing the bushings... BUT the difference in ride quality & handling by such a simple change is simply astounding... I've used Bilsteins on my truck, my daily driver & my Girlfriends Miata... They've all worked well but the Bilsteins on the Challenger made a bigger difference than on any other of my vehicles... FWIW I know Hotchkis mearly resells the shocks & have no hand in the bushing design, but a note explaining it would be nice... Someone actually answering my call would have been nice too...
"The Armies of our ancestors were lucky, in that they were not trailed by a second army of pencil pushers."
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Re: Hotchkis Dodge Challenger Suspension
[Re: moparmojo]
#1034855
07/22/11 12:24 PM
07/22/11 12:24 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 203 Sante Fe Springs, CA
Hotchkis
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Quote:
What kind of money are we talking for one of these kits?
MoparMojo - It depends on which kit and application you're referring to. We have Sway Bar kits and we also have complete TVS kits. If you're asking about our maximum driving performance TVS kits, we have them for most Mopars and range from about $2500 to $3300 suggested retail price. Many of our Dealers have periodic specials and competitive pricing on our products. Check the sponsors of this forum and also check the Dealer search on Hotchkis.net.
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Re: Hotchkis Dodge Challenger Suspension
[Re: Hotchkis]
#1034856
07/22/11 12:43 PM
07/22/11 12:43 PM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 8,828 Houston, Tx
hemi68charger
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Hotchkis Maybe you can help me out here. I just got a call from my friend who's putting the E-body complete kit in her '71 Challenger R/T. She has a problem. Apparently the body, in space, is lowered a few inches. Now she's having issues with the 275/60R/15's she has in the rear, they are now rubbing against the outer wheel well/opening. I don't know what the rim with is (I'm assuming 8") nor do I know the negative offset. With your experience, what sort of +/- offset should be be focusing in on? She's apparently going to have to get a new set of rear wheels and tires now. The two areas I told her she needs to worry about now are the outer/inner wheel wells towards the top and the distance in the negative offset direction from the leaf springs.
Thanks.. Troy
TroyHouston Mopar Connection Club'69 Charger Daytona 440 - auto - 4.10 Dana (now with 426 hemi) '69 Charger 500 440 - 4speed - 3.54 Dana '70 Road Runner 383 - 4speed - a/c (now with 440)
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