Advice needed

70 Charger, small block.
As you can see, BOTH tires are wearing on the inside. It does track straight.
. So, I am thinking of a full front end kit. PST, or buy from Rock, and eBay.
Stock is fine with me.
From watching YouTube, I see the Lower Control Arms are a bit of a challenge. But that's ok.

Any input is appreciated.




(some parts have been replaces over the years)

I can't determine the condition of your front end here, but it appears first and foremost, you have an alignment issue, a serious one. I would resolve that first, and then decide what you want to replace/upgrade. or leave alone if stock is OK for your intended use. At worst case if you do the above, you will have to pay for two alignments, and at least the mechanic will get some practice on the first one.

wow ! how can that thing handle ?
it looks like it has a ton of toe out and/or a bunch of negative camber.
have you had an alignment any time ?
does it clunk or bang going over bumps ?
are both tires as bad as the one shown ?
you definitely need the suspension looked at very closely, and as soon as possible.

I wouldn’t pay to have it aligned if it’s got bad suspension parts that need replacing.

Find out what parts are bad, replace them, get alignment.

Have you ever replaced any front suspension parts on this? If so, how many miles since?

I'd do a quick check on the toe in before I jumped to doing anything.

I have had it 4 years. Looking at the huge stack of receipts, parts where replaced as needed. But I look at it like this..Do it once, and do it all. My son will help me.

Wow, that is really bad. Maybe the worst I've ever seen. I don't know how big your tool box is but some of the front suspension parts will kick your rear unless you have the correct tools. If you have all the correct tools then you can do a front end rebuild in half a day but hardly anybody has all the correct tools. You are correct, replacing the lower control arm bushing can be a real pain. I wouldn't replace any parts though until I figured out what was wrong. It could just be a really horrible alignment job. If you have a local alignment shop that you trust you might take it over to them and ask them for an opinion. A good shop will know right away what the problem is. They see this stuff all day long.

Thank you....

Providing it needs ball joints and control arm bushings you can just take the arms in to the shop after removal. That is what I did with mine when I rebuilt the front end. Did the rest in the garage with basic hand tools.

I had the option to buy refurbed upper control arms for my E-body, with new bushings and ball joints for less than $100/set plus shipping. Hardly worth the trouble to clean and rebuild at that price. Would have done it but I wanted to use the MOOG offset bushings to gain castor. Don't remember the vendors but there are more than one out there. The lower arm bushing is a challenge, but there are a couple different methods depending on what you have for tools.

Doctor Diff has them at that price

https://www.doctordiff.com/upper-control-arms.html

If you aren't hearing clunking or feeling erratic performance, Id agree with the highlighted above. If you have a pile of receipts and suspension parts are in that pile, you may have good parts. Verify it before you simply start replacing everything.

[quote]A good shop will know right away what the problem is.[/quote]

I did, this guy was really good and recommended.

Lower steering parts, Lower ball points, newer, and look good.

Needed...
Upper Ball points (Dr. Diff has good ones, pre loaded +cam bolt kit )

LCA needs total rebuild (Kit from PST)

Torsion bar bushings. (PST)..or

Torsion bars are original, new ones are reasonable priced. Mine are original 50 years old.(1.03" Torsion Bar Master Kit PST)

AND...he pointed out the rear original leaf springs have a negative arch. As in they're wore out.
--------------------------------------------------
QUESTIONS....
Rear leaf springs. Re-Arch (IF I can find a shop ), or purchase new. But I read the MP springs tend to flatten after a year. (The old school guy said "You can put a 2" spacer") Recommendations?


My car is a driver, and eventually (If I don't sell it) I'm going to put a 318 and A/C back in it.
(At 62, car is "To hot for old man to handle")

Getting moving on this, any suggestions?

Did I miss anything....?

Just my opinion, but if a shop guy recommends "You can put a 2" spacer" in the leafs (which I read as extended length shackles because a spacer in the axle mount actually lowers the car) the rest of his diagnosis is suspect. In stock form, mopar leafs when installed and at rest, will look like they are flat to the vast majority of people, even old school tech guys who are not intimate with mopars subtle differences.

LCA rebuild consists of only torsion bar bushings. Nothing else to do to them.

Sounds like you are considering replacing the entire upper control arm instead of just ball joints. Not necessary, but if that's the way you want to go, cool.

Frankly, I'd get a second opinion from another shop, but the increasing difficulty in finding shops that know old stuff may make that an exercise in futility. I'd recommend you talk to guys at any nearby race tracks about who they use for alignments , suspension work, or even fabrication. I might trust a modern race shop more than an old shop guy, unless he had extensive mopar background.

Thank you again...

and I learned something today. Surfing on the 'Bay'. I found new USA made LCA. but for A-bodies, Darts, Dusters.

I did too, somebody wasted a lot of money on manufacturing a part(s, L&R) that seldom becomes unusable, and is widely available used, nationwide, IMO

Gotta link to it?

I can’t find it.

A Body LCA

item # 202696983854

That is just a right side one, couldn't find a left side.

If it’s $200/pr that would be a big deal.

It’s got sway bar tabs and bushing is pressed on.

I think Jim V sells that for about $300 blasted painted used original.

Yeah $200 a pair for new lower arms with the sway bar tab would be cool but that ebay ad seems super sketchy to me. If Doctor Diff was selling them for $200 a pair I'd buy a set. I'm not going to take a chance on the ebay thing.

At first I thought it was a refurbished original... but that round head rivet was not used on factory ones

What do you think of the “Made in USA” statement

Can you say that if you just press the bushing and pin in the USA ??

Wherever it’s made, it has have to quality and function correctly. Water will soon finds its level. Just a matter of who sticks their toes in first.

These remind me of the UCA’s that came out with little to no product release advertising... they just pop up in the market carried by an online general parts retailer. Out of the blue !

I read through the long item description, it said made in USA in there.

I don't believe anything in that ebay ad. The wording and the pictures appear to be either fake, or created by someone who has very little knowledge of cars. Buyer beware.

I emailed them about a listing they had about UCA's for my 51 Plymouth, ad said 2 pieces, so I was thinking 2 UCA's. They got back to me quickly, nope 1 UCA, going to correct the ad b3cause it's wrong. Email them they are responsive.

I did a little research on that, the e-bay ad states that it is from "Brand:
Rare Parts". After some searching on the Rare Parts website, I found right side only and 84.00 each.

Rare parts is a good brand.

They are the ones that rebuild suspension parts like Pitman, idlers, etc. They are the ones most people send their original T/A pitman arms to for rebuilding.

I’ve talked to them at SEMA. I think family owned still.

... now why would it only be one side?

... and why would they pick the least desirable/expensive LCA of the 4 possible Mopar Muscle era LCA’s

Strange.

Someone could call those guys.