Best Suspension Package

rear:

As to costs I ran around with the calculator the other day for someone else interested in suspension options who asked what the cost was:

At todays RRP but EXCLUDING
* shipping
* exchange rate differences
* engine mounts
* wheels & tires
* brake lines & M/c & booster, etc
* driveshaft. etc.


The cost for the front setup:
Suspension, Steering US $4,973
Plus front Brakes US $3,278
Plus custom engineering & Misc AU $2,880
LESS Core Charges ($575)
Total Front circa ~$10,556

Rear setup:
4-link US $4,000
Dana 60 (custom-specific build) including brakes $US 6,000
Total rear circa ~ $10,000

Of course, this excludes the cost of mistakes & changes to your plans en-route, which added cost significant cost to mine. The shipping costs from US to Australia are also substantial. Front brake setup is custom on my application and this added significant cost.

Over the 17 years I've put 80K miles on my car. I've run 4 different brands of sway bars and 5 different brands of shocks. The stock based front end and rear leaf spring stuff is very capable. The rear lear suspension doesn't get much fanfare, but these stock replacement leaves are not made for handling.

SUSPENSION
-TORSION BARS: 1.14" 320 Lb./ft wheel rate stock .87" 109 Lb./ft, livable, pretty stiff, Hotchkis shocks were key to taming them.
-REAR SPRINGS: Hotchkis. Front segment with full length upper and two lower supporting leaves. Weigh less that stock.
-FRONT SWAY BAR: Hotchkis 1 1/4" hollow
-REAR SWAY BAR: Hotchkis adjustable ¾" dia. hollow
-SHOCKS: Hotchkis Bilstiens
-STRUT RODS: Hotchkis tubular with heim ends. Precision articulation. Can set for nice bind-free LCA up and down movement. Holds poly LCA bushing against K-frame
-A-ARMS: Hotckis Tubular. Able to dial in any caster desired.
-SUBFRAME CONNECTORS: Hotchkis
-73-76 K-member: reinforced
-STEERING STEERING GEAR: Replacement Mopar remanufactured. Large steering gear spline, crisp, firmer, but not Firm Feel
-PITMAN, IDLER, CENTERLINK: all ‘73-‘76 A-body, to accept large spline gear, Moog parts
-TIE RODS: Hotchkis heim joint ends with aluminum adjusting rod
-POWER STEERING PUMP: Saginaw with rear oriface drilled out 1/64 larger. The other Mopar pumps will not keep up with rapid steering input and are generally poor.
-POWER STEERING FLUID: Justice Brothers heavy duty, don't change often, so extra cost is cheap assurance
-POWER STEERING CAP: later style multi knobbed style with rubber baffle to stop spitting up.
-Future plans: Adding factory power steering cooler, in-line filter, and braided lines for power steering .





The Hotchkis leafs are not a stock replacement or just more leafs on a stock setup. They are made for handling. They are actually lighter units than stock.

They have a thick main leaf with two thick full length support leaf underneath to prevent axle wrapup. ALSO they have a thick upper leaf that prevent wheel hop under braking.




Look at the size of that supporting leafs spring pack!

A few details, the 440 I'm putting in is a 69 block that was in my buddy's 77 Power Wagon he used for mud racing, he estimated it's power at 400-450hp. I pointed out that my Charger doesn't have a transfer case, front driveline, solid front axle or four drive wheels with huge tires, so he and I figured it could be closer to 500hp. (It was built when he got it all he did was add a bigger cam and had the carb gone through and upgraded to match the motor.) That said this car will not be a racer only, sure I my may run the quarter mile a time or two but I really just want a good crusier that handles well, doesn't need to handle like a new car just want to replace the 42 year old components with newer/upgraded stuff as it originally was a 318 car. I am going with the Mopar Action disc brake swap, as Ehrenberg has never steered me wrong. (As it were.) It will have a 727 behind it and 8.75 rear, I have three gear ratios available to me need help figuring that out as well, have a set of 3.23's with a Sure-Grip, a set of 3.54's and a set of 3.91's which would be the best if I want to be quick off the line and have decent top end? -BD

I am a novice and this may be apples/oranges but:
415 HP ChassisDyno. Firm Feel steering box. USCartool subframe connectors. Hotchkis/Bilstein shocks all 4.

Drives sweet and rides nice. Street app.

I am in the process of installing a new Hotchkis TVS kit in my Challenger so I can't say yet how well it handles.
Here is what my setup will be with prices paid at the time:

Hotchkis TVS kit-$1850
Firmfeel stage3 box w/ long arms $450
LCA pins, poly bushings, reinforced plates $170
QA1 front shocks- $180 used ebay
Edelbrock rear shocks- $140
Lower ball joints- $60
1" torsion bars $120
Total= $2970