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Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06?

Posted By: cjskotni

Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/01/15 03:05 AM

Guys,

I am thinking about getting a set of the FirmFeel torsion bars for my 1973 Charger. This is a street car that I am looking for better handling. I like a firm ride but not anything to rattle the teeth out of my head. Right now the car has the OEM heavy duty bars .96"? I think. Here is the relevant information:

- FirmFeel stage III steering gear
- poly bushings all over
- poly k-frame mounts
- big block car with ~100 lbs of weight reduction on the front end (aluminum heads/radiator/master cylinder/WP/WP housing/Sanden compressor)
- KYB shocks (may go Bilsteins later)

Would I notice much a difference from the bars I have now with 1.00 or 1.06"? Of the two, what would give me the best handling without knocking my teeth out when I hit a bump? I also have the 7" deep oil pan which every time I go over a hump in the road I worry about whacking it so trying to help that as well.

Opinions? Thoughts?

Thanks!!
Posted By: moparmarks

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/01/15 03:43 AM

I run 1" bars on a lot of 72-older B's and E bodies and really like them. Beings that the 73/4 B has a heavier front end I'd think the 1.06 bars would be the ones that I'd use.
Posted By: bordin34

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/01/15 04:48 AM

My 1973 Charger is almost identical to yours with the mods done. I went 1.06" and wish I went bigger. The KYB shocks will be your biggest problem they ride very rough and are not good. I adapted shocks from 1971 GTO to fit and they make the car handle and ride much better. I used Koni Oranges.
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/01/15 06:55 AM

slightly OT; I put some monstrous dia circle track tbars (all I had ex for /6 bars) in a DD 65 dart with 003/003 SS springs & it rode very very nice and firm

Attached picture 8477200-white65dodgedart004.jpg
Posted By: BigBlockMopar

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/01/15 12:41 PM

I went from 0.87" to 1" on my '73 sb Dart and I'm stepping up again soon to 1.12" FF bars.
In this day and age, I'm thinking 1" bars should've been 'stock' A-body springs imo.

Shocks become more important when springrates go up, or otherwise the car becomes 'bouncy' when hitting speedbumps for instance.
KYB's have a fairly hard initial bump and not enough internal friction to control heavier springs.
I've got Hotchkis adj. shocks on the front and Bilsteins at the rear which were a major step up in the car's feel and handling.

Specially with a 7" pan I would think you want 1.12" bars aswell.
Posted By: DaytonaTurbo

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/01/15 04:57 PM

Being that the 73+ b-body bars are longer than the 72 down b-body bars, a 1.00" bar on a 73+ will ride softer than a 1.00 bar on a 72 down. If you already have .96's, I wouldn't waste my money upgrading to 1.00's. Go straight to the 1.06's. That would probably be roughly equivalent to a 1.00 bar on a 72- b-body.
Posted By: jcc

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/01/15 07:49 PM

Quote:

My 1973 Charger is almost identical to yours with the mods done. I went 1.06" and wish I went bigger. The KYB shocks will be your biggest problem they ride very rough and are not good. I adapted shocks from 1971 GTO to fit and they make the car handle and ride much better. I used Koni Oranges.



Posted By: cjskotni

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/02/15 01:25 AM

OK.

I bit the bullet and ordered the 1.06" bars, new adjusters, and Billsteins all around. God save my soul when my wife sees the bill.

I just want to get this car's suspension finished off once and for all!
Posted By: jcc

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/02/15 01:46 AM

Posted By: BigBlockMopar

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/04/15 12:04 PM

Just tell the wife to think of all the oil refills you now save by not slamming the oilpan into the pavement all the time...!
Posted By: Steve Bryant

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/04/15 01:56 PM

On a side note, I just changed my E-Body to a Firm Feel Stage II and its pretty stiff for a driver. I will probably get used to it with a little more time (less than 200 miles since) but a Stage III would be too much for my tastes for sure. Have you driven both?

It may be that I can adjust it but I am trying to get used to it first.
Posted By: jcc

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/04/15 03:01 PM

Of all the reviews of FF boxes over the years, including two of my own, that is the first comment I have ever read about a #2 being too stiff. Is it recent purchase, and maybe FF stiffened things up further, because most buyers like myself, ponder maybe a #3 would have be better.
Posted By: cjskotni

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/05/15 08:45 PM

Quote:

On a side note, I just changed my E-Body to a Firm Feel Stage II and its pretty stiff for a driver. I will probably get used to it with a little more time (less than 200 miles since) but a Stage III would be too much for my tastes for sure. Have you driven both?

It may be that I can adjust it but I am trying to get used to it first.



I have the stage III box in my Charger and I love it. I was worried that it would be too stiff but not really an issue..even at low speeds. I am glad I went to the stage III and skipped the stage II myself.

I got my Bilsteins already and put the rear ones on. Car feels a lot nicer already! I am going to wait on the fronts until I get the torsion bars this week so i can just do it all at once. My question is what specs do I need to use (or try to use) for the alignment when I get this stuff swapped in?

I talked to Matt @ FirmFeel and he said 4-4.5* pos caster, 1-1.5* negative camber, and 1/16-1/8 toe-in. Does this sound right to you guys?

I have had this car aligned to factory specs before and I never really liked it. I know the factory specs are out-dated for modern radial tires and upgraded suspension. I want the steering to want to return back to center and get as steady of a feel as possible. What do you guys recommend I tell them to use when they align it?

Thanks!
Posted By: cjskotni

Re: Torsion Bar Size for 73 Charger 1.00 or 1.06? - 04/06/15 04:50 PM

Quote:

talked to Matt @ FirmFeel and he said 4-4.5* pos caster, 1-1.5* negative camber, and 1/16-1/8 toe-in. Does this sound right to you guys?

I have had this car aligned to factory specs before and I never really liked it. I know the factory specs are out-dated for modern radial tires and upgraded suspension. I want the steering to want to return back to center and get as steady of a feel as possible. What do you guys recommend I tell them to use when they align it?



Anybody? I'd like to get this done right and not have to keep bringing it in for alignment after alignment....
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