Author Topic: First Drive after Suspenssion rebuild (Updated after 100 Miles)  (Read 2698 times)

Offline CUDA JAS

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2292
  • vroooooom!
First Drive after Suspenssion rebuild (Updated after 100 Miles)
« on: August 04, 2013 - 07:25:50 AM »
Well after a long delay, moving always seems to prolong things, I finaly took my cuda for a spin after rebuilding the front suspension.

As a reminder, I upgraded to poly bushings, Moog offset uppers, 1inch t-bars, reinforced K-frame, heavy duty tie rods, solid tie rod sleves, and fast ratio pitman and idler arm, nothing to fancy.

SO my first impresions are, 1 - I need better shocks, the ride is a bit rough, but what can you expect with monroe / Napa shocks.

2 - I am surprised at how hard it is to turn, granted I am running stadard steering and a tuff wheel...but it seems a lot of effort is required to turn at any speed...I think I will move back to the standard 2 spoke wheel for now, and then move to power steering over the winter.

3 - even though the wheels look to be staight when the steering wheel is centered, the car wants to turn left going down the road.

I still need to get an alignment, I eyballed it for now. so I am hopefull that will help with at least the effort required for turning.

Jason
Jason

 
« Last Edit: August 22, 2013 - 01:43:04 PM by CUDA JAS »
74 'cuda 360/727



Gearhead: car nut, automotive enthusiast, one who loves hot rods, muscle cars, hot trucks, burnin' rubber and neck snapping performance. 

Just call me a gearhead!




Offline shadango

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 3920
Re: First Drive after Suspenssion rebuild.
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2013 - 08:47:23 AM »
If ypu do changeover to power steering, I suggest Firm Feel #3.

Love mine!


Offline 1970GranCoupeConvert

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 75
Re: First Drive after Suspenssion rebuild.
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2013 - 09:45:44 AM »
The alignment will cure the puling to the left.

The hard steering will get SLIGHTLY better when the ball joints, idler and pitman arms wear in however the increase in caster will make the car ride a bit more harsh and make the static steering harder.  If you go with PS then a Firm Feel is great (I recommend level II) and get it BEFORE you pay for an alignment.

poly bushing are going to make the ride harsher.  Even if you lube them as directed there is still going to be some friction inside the bushings that will make the ride stiff.

When I did my restoration back in the mid 90's, I went with all of the fancy stuff you mentioned.  I was living in Florida at the time and the roads were decent quality.

After moving back to California, I discovered that this crazy "state" was paying all of the gas tax money on health care for illegal immigrants and life time pensions for those freaky professors who made my life miserable back when I was in college instead of fixing and maintaining the roads. 

I found that the nice winding roads were real scenic and all and those iconic roads...could...be fun to play around in HOWEVER the roads were soo frickin crappy and bumpy that the ride was not much fun.

I threw all of that poly crap out and went back to OEM rubber bushings, I got rid of the "High Performance" torsion bars and went back to normal "Heavy Duty" torsion bars, regular thickness leaf springs, and regular gas shocks (not the high performance fillings-knock-er-out-ers).

I still have front and rear sway bars and wide 40 series tires and I have NOT noticed ANY difference in the handling characteristics...except now the ride is more tolerable.  I can still hit the turns way faster than the posted speed limit and scare the heck out of myself.

Yes I'm sure that IF I ever took it to the track I would notice some difference of "body roll" or "tuck" at 130 MPH hard braking or whatever but in 28 years of owning this car it has only seen a (drag) race track and that was only a couple of times (until they closed down Bay Lands Drag Way 20 years ago).

In my humble opinion most of that stuff looks good in the advertisements and will do some good at the very...very...extreme however MOST Mopar street cars only need OEM rubber (with the Moog offset bushings installed 180 degrees out to give a bit more caster for highway speed stability), thick sway bars front and rear, wide low profile tires, and a Firm Feel steering gear with the longer pitmanand idler arms, and some modern gas charged shocks to make a REAL NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE over OEM.  Then to go the extra mile a small block car could go with AAR/TA thickness torsion bars and leaf springs and a big block car could go with 440 bars and springs and I bet most drivers (and their families) would be very happy with that combination considering the state of the roads in most parts of the country.  If you wanted to then have a car that you take to the road track on rare occasion then get the adjustable shocks and turn the adjusters all the way down when you get to the track and then back to the softer setting for the ride home.

Now...lets hear everyone elses "humble opinions"   :bigsmile: :bigsmile:
1970 Plymouth Barracuda Gran Coupe Convertible
First Car (purchased in October 1985)
Drove it throughout high school and early college (still do)
Full Frame off (K frame off) Rotisserie Restoration completed in 1991
Originally (and still is) a Rally Red, Black top with Charcoal/Silver Interior
340 CID with Holley Pro-Jection 4Di
LA 727 GearVendor  Overdrive
390:1 8 3/4 Rear end
Rally Rims (color matched)

Offline Bullitt-

  • Permanent Resident
  • *******
  • Posts: 12167
  • Better Things To Come Member Since 2/16/06
Re: First Drive after Suspenssion rebuild.
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2013 - 10:00:49 AM »
Those longer pittman & idler arms are probably adding to the effort to turn.
 I've also seen an alignment change the ease of steering, more + caster adds to the effort.
Wade  73 Rallye 340..'77 Millennium Falcon...13 R/T Classic   Huntsville, AL
Screwed by Photobucket!

Offline stinger

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 424
Re: First Drive after Suspenssion rebuild.
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2013 - 12:08:03 PM »
I have polygraphite bushings,stock BB t bars and Monroe shocks along with tubular upp control arms and find my car rides very good. way better then it ever has in the past. But it's no 2012 chally.

Offline BIGSHCLUNK

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 9341
  • Miss NIKKI - were you this hot at 48?
Re: First Drive after Suspenssion rebuild.
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2013 - 12:45:14 PM »
If ypu do changeover to power steering, I suggest Firm Feel #3.

Love mine!


 :2thumbs:   :grinyes:

Here's what I did in the spring.... and I really do like it!

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=89538.0
« Last Edit: August 04, 2013 - 12:49:25 PM by BIGSHCLUNK »
70 Chally R/T Convertible- Yes she's really got a HEMI, no she's not a Charger!
                                             [o o o o]
                                                  OO
                                                  OO 
                                              [o o o o]
https://www.aanddtruckautoparts.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-D-Truck-and-Auto-Parts/67427352555?ref=hl

Offline 1970GranCoupeConvert

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 75
Re: First Drive after Suspenssion rebuild.
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2013 - 04:18:41 PM »
Wow nice work on the thread and the suspension modification!!!

What were your alignment specs?

It would have been real interesting to see the difference in ride comparing the new suspension upgrade using your old shocks verses the Bilsteins to see how much the ride changes as well as the handling.

1970 Plymouth Barracuda Gran Coupe Convertible
First Car (purchased in October 1985)
Drove it throughout high school and early college (still do)
Full Frame off (K frame off) Rotisserie Restoration completed in 1991
Originally (and still is) a Rally Red, Black top with Charcoal/Silver Interior
340 CID with Holley Pro-Jection 4Di
LA 727 GearVendor  Overdrive
390:1 8 3/4 Rear end
Rally Rims (color matched)

Offline anlauto

  • Permanent Resident
  • *******
  • Posts: 12328
  • I'm Alan G...I'm a Mopar Addict
    • Alan Gallant Automotive Restoration
Re: First Drive after Suspenssion rebuild.
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2013 - 04:25:02 PM »
In my humble opinion most of that stuff looks good in the advertisements and will do some good at the very...very...extreme however MOST Mopar street cars only need OEM rubber

Been saying that for years...no one ever listens to me....
I've taught you everything you know.....but I haven't taught you everything I know !
www.alangallantautomotiverestoration.com

Offline CUDA JAS

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2292
  • vroooooom!
Re: First Drive after Suspenssion rebuild.
« Reply #8 on: August 20, 2013 - 02:26:39 PM »
Well i think i spoke too soon, after putting close to 100 miles on the car, I must say I am fairly happy with the ride of the 1 inch t-bars and polly bushings.  It is firm but not overly harsh.  I can not say the sam about the rear suspension....that is next on the list.

Most importantly, the wife even theough that it rode better then last year...so that is cool.

Now, that beign said, I have not got the sway bar installed yet, and I did not push it around any corners due to the effort of the manual steering, and I am not to happy with the alignment, just does not feel right.

The car pulls to the right, and seems to have a bit of a soft spot or dead spot when the wheel is centered...and that is after I adjusted the play out of steering box.

Just for fun, here are the alignment specs...

Caster   DR - 3.3  PS -2.3

Camber DR +.15  PS 0

Toe        DR -.12  PS -.08

All in all , I think my greatest need, is to switch to power steering.

Jason


74 'cuda 360/727



Gearhead: car nut, automotive enthusiast, one who loves hot rods, muscle cars, hot trucks, burnin' rubber and neck snapping performance. 

Just call me a gearhead!