Axle Swap Comes to an End (?)

[ChallengerHK]

What I expected to take me a month took about two and a half. Par for the course, I guess. Anyway, the 3.55 posi and the new leaf springs are in. Here's what I've noticed.

1) I went with 440 springs, and the car finally sits up the way it should. I had no idea how much the rear had sagged over the years. See the pics (slightly different angles).
2) Handling is much better. I didn't think that the rear would have as much impact, but it's definitely a lot tighter. PArt of that is polyurethane bushings, which brings me to ...
3) Man, polyurethane is loud. I may have to rethink that decision. I can't imagine putting polyurethane in the front, considering how much noise it makes in the back.
4) I have been unable to test the posi. My motor has less than 500 miles on a rebuild, and I'd rather get a few thousand on it before I start really romping on it.
5) Still, 3.55 is a nice jump up from 2.76.

[71340RT]

I hope you end up liking the 440 springs better than I do on my Cuda. It just seems to ride a little rough with not much give but it sure handles well. I put regular bushing front and back in mine and I'm glad I did. It still handles great with all the new parts.
Jeff

[Jacksboys]

Looks good.  If those are the Mopar springs made in Mexico, you may want to keep an eye on them, they may sang in a short while.  Otherwise keep up the good work.

[ChallengerHK]

I hope you end up liking the 440 springs better than I do on my Cuda. It just seems to ride a little rough with not much give but it sure handles well. I put regular bushing front and back in mine and I'm glad I did. It still handles great with all the new parts.
Jeff

I may go back to the regular bushings. It's hard for me to gauge how loud the polyurethane will utilmately be, since I've got no back seat and divider right now. I hear every little bit of it echoing around in the trunk 

Looks good.  If those are the Mopar springs made in Mexico, you may want to keep an eye on them, they may sang in a short while.  Otherwise keep up the good work.

I took the advice of a lot of people of the board and went with ESPO. I read about way too many people with that problem for the MoPar springs.

[Bullitt-]

ChallengerHK, When installing the bushings did you use PLENTY of the supplied lube? I am most interested as I have the Energy Suspension poly bushings but have yet to install.  Let me know if you are changing to rubber as I bought a set of rubber from NAPA I need to sell before I realized the ES set included them.    Also the sounds you hear may not all be suspension. My exhaust system (which I plan on replacing) makes more noise than I could imagine after all these years of sitting. 

[ChallengerHK]

ChallengerHK, When installing the bushings did you use PLENTY of the supplied lube? I am most interested as I have the Energy Suspension poly bushings but have yet to install.   

Well ... they supplied very, very little. I'd guess less than an ounce. It's a little tube that's about the size of the tube of brake grease that comes with new calipers.

Let me know if you are changing to rubber as I bought a set of rubber from NAPA I need to sell before I realized the ES set included them.     

If I change back to rubber it'll be aat least a year. No money or time to mess with it at the moment, and I'll want to re-evaluate once I have a full interior to absorb sound. Thanksfor the offer.

Also the sounds you hear may not all be suspension. My exhaust system (which I plan on replacing) makes more noise than I could imagine after all these years of sitting. 

My exhaust was done just before the axle, so it's about three months old. Even then, I think there's a shock that might be hitting the exhaust. It's real close.