Author Topic: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas  (Read 2281 times)

Offline nsmall

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 112
Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« on: October 30, 2016 - 03:15:09 PM »
Hello out there.  So I have a stock front end with a PST performance bushing kit.  I want to lower the front of the car to 24 inches.  It's at 25.2 right now.  It has a 340 engine, 215 65 R15 up front. Kyb shocks up front.

Should I buy the 1.12 sway bar?  If so, where...pst?

Not sure if Kyb shocks are no good, so what are some new shock ideas that are Cheap?

The car rides pretty nice now, just preparing for a little upgrading as I want the front end to be dropped.  I just drive in town. 

I know there are drop down spindles, but some of you say for a small block, new shocks and a new sway bar are the way to go.

Maybe my question should be, I'm lowering the car by adjusting the torsion bars, is this going to make my ride rougher, what's the best bang for my buck on the possible rougher ride?

As always, Thanks







Offline crash340

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1291
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2016 - 03:18:28 PM »
Lowering the front you will need to be aware that shocks might bottom out, I have QA1 shocks and went to the Chevs version as they are like an inch shorter.
Greg

73 Cuda
Brisbane, Australia

Offline nsmall

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 112
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2016 - 05:18:36 PM »
I just realized, maybe everyone was saying get a 1.12 torsion bar?  I obviously dont know much, I am learning though.

Lets say you had $500 to spend on the front suspension, what would you do?

Thanks

Offline 72bluNblu

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1836
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2016 - 06:00:03 PM »
To get the wheel openings down to 24" and still have suspension travel you'll have to use drop spindles. With the standard spindles even using 1.12" torsion bars won't be enough to keep off the bumpstops. My challenger sits at 25" to the tops of the wheel openings, and even with 1.12" torsion bars and short bump stops I still bottom occasionally. Not enough to require raising the car, but I can't go much lower. I only have about an inch of travel from the frame to the bumpstops at that height. The travel at the wheel is about twice that, and I would consider that pretty close to the minimum for a street car. But to get to 24" you'd only have about a half inch from the frame to the LCA, and the control arms would be at a pretty severe angle. You'd have less than an inch of up travel on the suspension at the wheels. Your tires are taller than my 275/40/17's too, so your really your numbers would be even worse to get your ride height that low, I'm basing the travel on my car.

Not sure what you run for exhaust, but with headers and that fender height they'd be less than 3" off the ground. For a static height that's just too annoying. I ran my car with about 3.5" from the ground to the header flanges for awhile, it was a pain in the butt. The headers dragged on every speed bump and parking lot tradition. At 25" to the wheel openings the header flanges are a little less than 4" off the deck on my car, which is enough that they don't constantly drag. I knocked my entire exhaust system off my car on a speed bump when I was running at the lower height, I had to fully weld the entire exhaust to keep from pulling it out of the clamps all the time. You can do it with the drop spindles if you want, but it's not going to be practical if you're driving the car frequently on the street.

Offline Chryco Psycho

  • Administrator
  • C-C.com Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 36620
  • 70 Challenger R/T SE 70 tube Chassis Cuda now sold
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2016 - 08:41:10 PM »
24"would depend on the tire height used to so it may be workable .
 I would lose the KYB shocks , increase the torsion bar size & go to a larger sway bar , weld the lower control arms too
« Last Edit: October 31, 2016 - 03:32:05 PM by Chryco Psycho »

Challenger - You`ll wish You Hadn`t

Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2016 - 08:46:04 AM »
I'm not so sure 24" ( Challenger?)is very practical/drive able in the real world of speed bumps/potholes etc....
Just my  :2cents: 
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline 72bluNblu

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1836
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2016 - 04:41:12 PM »
24"would depend on the tire height used to so it may be workable .
 I would lose the KYB shocks , increase the torsion bar size & go to a larger sway bar , weld the lower control arms too

Yeah 215/65/15's are about 26" tall depending on the tire manufacturer. The 275/40/17's I've got are 25.7". In order to make a 24" height at the wheel opening workable from a suspension point of view the tires would have to be really short, as in less than 25" tall. Otherwise even going to 1.12" torsion bars wouldn't be enough for the amount of suspension travel left.

I'm not so sure 24" ( Challenger?)is very practical/drive able in the real world of speed bumps/potholes etc....
Just my  :2cents: 

Yeah I can't see it. I clobbered everything with my header flanges when I was running the fender opening height at 24.75", which is why I raised my car up to 25". Even at that height it requires being careful over speed bumps to keep from thrashing the headers, and I've got hooker super comps that are above the steering link. Even with drop spindles to manage the suspension travel issues I don't see 24" to the wheel opening being workable for any kind of street car.

Offline Strawdawg

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2209
    • Vortex Buicks
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2016 - 10:07:59 PM »
I had mine set at 24.5" but the deep pan only had 3 5/8" clearance from the ground...made me really nervous.  I jacked it up virtually as high as it would go which was about 25.75" and I have about 4 3/4" clearance...What I don't like is the nose is now higher than the rear and I have a rake from the  '60's :D

the Hotchkis rear springs drop the rear an inch or so....

Offline HP2

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 4478
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #8 on: November 01, 2016 - 09:49:01 AM »
Hmmm, ya know. I've never even bothered to measure the wheel opening height on mine to see where it is at. Maybe I'll check it an see. Big difference with mine compared to most is I've raised the engine. Where my motor and trans mounts are has been spaced up at least 1/2-5/8", I forget the exact height, but as much space as I could get away with. It has tucked my headers up nicely that way.

Offline 1 Wild R/T

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 4594
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #9 on: November 01, 2016 - 11:54:13 AM »
Where are you people measuring at?  My Challenger isn't particularly low, my buddies car is easily 1.5" lower... I'm running 235/60-15 tires (26.1" tall) and at the fender lip I measure 22.75....
JS27N0B 70 Challenger R/T Convertible  FJ5 Sublime, Show Poodle w/90,000 miles since resto
WS27L8G 68 Coronet R/T Convertible  PP1 Bright Red, Project
RM21H9E 69 Road Runner Coupe R4 Performance Red, Sold...
5H21C  65 Falcon 2 dr Wagon... Dog Hauler...

Offline HP2

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 4478
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2016 - 03:24:20 PM »
Where are you people measuring at?  My Challenger isn't particularly low, my buddies car is easily 1.5" lower... I'm running 235/60-15 tires (26.1" tall) and at the fender lip I measure 22.75....

 :naughty:  That's why the factory never specified ride height by using the fenders, rockers, or other body locations.

Offline 76orangewagon

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 99
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #11 on: November 01, 2016 - 04:03:04 PM »
Sorry, I know it's not a E body but I run 24" to the fender opening with a 26.3" tire. The only practical way to do this is an aftermarket suspension that will pull the wheels in far enough to clear fenders when turning, I used a HDK front end (Hemi Denny K frame) and 2" Wilwood dropped spindles, I also raised the motor/Transmission 1" in the chassis and also raised the transmission tunnel and inner fenders 1.5" to provide proper suspension travel. It is a lot of work to do it correctly to avoid all the issues mentioned, there aren't any shortcuts to achieve the look and be street able.   

Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #12 on: November 01, 2016 - 05:35:01 PM »
Beautiful ride!  :clapping: :2thumbs:
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline 1 Wild R/T

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 4594
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #13 on: November 01, 2016 - 06:54:28 PM »
Wow, I learned something new today....  Turns out "The only practical way to do this is an aftermarket suspension that will pull the wheels in far enough to clear fenders when turning,".... I've put over 75K miles on my car & never had an issue... I drive fairly aggressively, I take my car on roads others don't want to go on for fear of damage.... But apparently it's all wrong...  :roflsmiley:
JS27N0B 70 Challenger R/T Convertible  FJ5 Sublime, Show Poodle w/90,000 miles since resto
WS27L8G 68 Coronet R/T Convertible  PP1 Bright Red, Project
RM21H9E 69 Road Runner Coupe R4 Performance Red, Sold...
5H21C  65 Falcon 2 dr Wagon... Dog Hauler...

Offline dodj

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 6197
Re: Lower front to 24 inches, parts list ideas
« Reply #14 on: November 01, 2016 - 08:32:23 PM »
Big difference with mine compared to most is I've raised the engine. Where my motor and trans mounts are has been spaced up at least 1/2-5/8",
Would that not make your handling worse? Raising the centre of gravity? Increase roll?
Scott
1973 Challenger  440 4 spd 
2007.5 3500 6.7 Cummins Diesel, Anarchy tuned.
Good friends don't let friends do stupid things. ........alone.