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So I am embarking on a long ovedue front end rebuild on my 74 Cuda (360 auto).

This is a street car, and I am looking to improve the ride and handeling. I am not looking to kill any cones or thrash it on a road course, just feel like I have some control going trhough corners.

My plan is to replace all the hard parts (duh) and use energy suspension poly bushings. I have sway bars for and aft.

Upgrade the tie rods to 11/16 units with a solid adjusters and fast ratio pitman arm (PST has a good deal on a kit).

I will likely leave the T-bars stock for now.

How about the strut bars, should I go adjustable, HD units or good stock units (which I have)? Not sure I understadn the benefit of adjustable unitis.

Any other suggestions????

Thanks,

Jason

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"improve the ride and handeling. I am not looking to kill any cones or thrash it on a road course, just feel like I have some control going trhough corners."

1. Forget anything poly, it has little to offer in your case and will fail much sooner then rubber.
2. Forget anything adjustable
3. Forget 11/16"TR
4. Upgrade your tires at next tire replacement interval
5. Review recent other stockish upgrade thread for other ideas
6. Dial in .5 neg camber if you can accept some increase in tire wear.
7. Tighten up your seat belt
8. You will have some control with the above.

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So I am embarking on a long ovedue front end rebuild on my 74 Cuda (360 auto).

This is a street car, and I am looking to improve the ride and handeling. I am not looking to kill any cones or thrash it on a road course, just feel like I have some control going trhough corners.

My plan is to replace all the hard parts (duh) and use energy suspension poly bushings. I have sway bars for and aft.

Upgrade the tie rods to 11/16 units with a solid adjusters and fast ratio pitman arm (PST has a good deal on a kit).

I will likely leave the T-bars stock for now.

How about the strut bars, should I go adjustable, HD units or good stock units (which I have)? Not sure I understadn the benefit of adjustable unitis.

Any other suggestions????

Thanks,

Jason

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"improve the ride and handeling. I am not looking to kill any cones or thrash it on a road course, just feel like I have some control going trhough corners."

1. Forget anything poly, it has little to offer in your case and will fail much sooner then rubber.
2. Forget anything adjustable
3. Forget 11/16"TR
4. Upgrade your tires at next tire replacement interval
5. Review recent other stockish upgrade thread for other ideas
6. Dial in .5 neg camber if you can accept some increase in tire wear.
7. Tighten up your seat belt
8. You will have some control with the above.

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With all that but I'd put in the Moog offset bushings to get 2-3 pos caster and dial in some neg camber with your radial tires. The poly sway bar stuff will increase it's stiffness a little.

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I alos got the impression that poly everywhere was the way to go...guess not.

So...now I am confused.

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Sounds to me like you have been paying attention

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What are your current and future intentions with rims and tires? This could become costly... those 17x8, 17x9 Mopar Rallye or Road rims being sold through YearOne have the correct backspacing so you could safely run 275-40-17 hi-perf tires without any fender problems (maybe slightly tucking the lips). Remember that the shorter sidewal of a 50-45-40 tire will increase ride harshness, but also allow quicker steering response. (For the "street" on my 340 Challenger, I run 245-60-15, 275-60-15 BFG T/As, and a very stiff competition autocross suspension (1.24 TBs and 225-lb rear fiberglass leafs), but the TALLER sidewalls allow extra cushion... really not bad at all for the street/highway... still, always try to avoid any potholes in the road!).

I'd strongly suggest you eventually upgrade your torsion bars as the stock units are pathetically weak. I know you just want a mildly better handling car, but the TBs would be one of the best improvements you'd make... even just going to something like a 1.10-1.12 (Firm-Feel) may sound very stiff, but it really isn't... and you'd be amazed at the improvement. Get some better shocks, like Bilsteins (not KYBs!).

Any larger front sway bar than your current stock bar will make a noticable change, but then also change the rear bar, too.

As others have said, the poly bushings will, possibly, make some occasional noise, and they do gradually wear away, but that depends on how hard you drive... would likley take a few years for the swaybar endlinks to need replacement; control arm and leaf spring bushings are for more serious driving (ie: competition).

A change in front driver seat with more lateral support would make it more pleasurable... low cost options exist (200-300), but you do get what you pay for... if you decide, I suggest sitting in some different seats to find the one that "fits you" fairly well... also a smaller diamter steering wheel. The fast-ratio pitman/idler arms will make a noticable difference. your steering alignment can be improved with the before-said Moog problem-solvers (installed reversed to get more caster... and the camber will also come).. or else, you could get some simple FF tubular upper control arms (or simlar others) and they'll give you that allowance for more alignment that you want.

You could spend lots more $$, just a matter of how much and how soon you want to spend it.

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As for the Moog Offset UCA bushings, there is a company that makes them (offset) in urethane (this info has been on Moparts before... I think they come from Australia???... I'm pretty sure Mopar Action's Richard Ehrenberg exposed them to us). You might consider them for a slight better peformance whereas they won't have deflection such as the rubber Moog bushings have (but it won't be noticable unless you'd be in serious competition and wanting that very last additional performance edge).

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