73 Charger Front End Rebuild

Any specific reasoning on rubber instead of poly?

some people experience a lot of noise or squeeks from poly.... personally I have run them for years on one of my cars and very little noise if any... I will change my other car from rubber to poly on the next rebuild. my climent here in Texas might contribute to the low noise also.

So the only real "problem" is noise. I think I will be able to deal with that. I have one more question for now, when I buy cam bolts, are they sold in pairs or individually. For the tools, I am hoping one of the auto parts stores near me has a loan a tool program thing.

I bet the K frame mount bushings are shot, you should get solid mounts to replace them.

Thanks, now that I think of it the k-frame bushings are cracked. Does any place besides firm feel have the solid bushings. Also, while replacing them, can I do one at a time. Just take the bolt out of one rip out the bushing, insert new bushing, insert new bolt.
Edit I just found poly bushings at mancini, the price is way lower then Just Suspension, are there any issues with these?
http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/enconarmbuss1.html
http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/enstrutrodbu1.html

Are you sure you7 73 Charger uses cam bolts on the UCA ? I could of swore the UCA have a one piece shaft that goes through both UCA bushings. And th UCA is bolted to the frame bracket with 2 bolts that go through the one piece shaft. I could be wrong but that's the way it is on mine.

/\ would be correct


Good catch, I have had my head under a A body too long

I think you are right, I should have remembered that since I was just under the car replacing the brakes.

It threw me too as all I do are A bodies(with their 2 seperate cam bolt assy's on each UCA)

Thanks, I have another question, will running C-body tie-rods ends and sleeves pose any problems and will they fit?

the(c body) tie rod ends are the same dimention ex for the larger(threaded) dia. Compare the length of the C body sleeves to your orig sleeves & shorten the C body ones(I know they are longer than A body ones, not sure on B bodies)) or mock it up & see if you can duplicate your orig length(w sleeve & 2 tie rod ends assembled) & have enough thread engagement into the sleeve on each end.

On the rubber vs poly LCA bushings, its NOT just a matter of noise. I tried them in my wagon, which has the same suspension as your Charger, and it handled TERRIBLE. It acted like I had bias-ply tires on it instead of radials. Also, when the suspension would unload, there would be a very loud CLUNK from the LCA.

I put the wagon up on a lift, poked around a bit, and realized the LCA's were moving back and forth on that poly LCA bushing. Not a lot, but enough to upset things.

Without making ANY changes other than swapping the LCA bushing back to rubber, the car drove/steered/handled 100% better and the clunk was gone too.


Admittedly, this was about 7 yrs ago. I don't know if anyone has devised a poly bushing setup that 'captures' the LCA like the rubber bushing does.


As for the K-frame isolators, I have solids in my wagon, You can change them out without tearing the car down. I did one side at a time. You don't want to pull all four bolts at once, just loosen the ones on the opposite side. Have the car on good jackstands, and have the K supported by a good floorjack. No need to pull the engine or anything BUT be sure to watch for places of contact or bind, like the fan to the fan shroud. Be sure to soak all four bolts for a day or two in advance with something like PB Blaster. When you go to torque the bolts for the K back up, be sure the weight of the car is on the K.

If the K-frame bolts aren't badly rusted, the isolator swap really isn't that hard.

Good luck!

Thanks for the help. I will be getting poly bushings from energy suspension, hopefully they are improved, if not I will switch to rubber.
Dan