Rear Suspension Suggestions for Big Horsepower

[2000gt]

Hey guys, my plans for my car have changed since I recently purchased a 500ci stroker motor.  It made 700 horse and 640 ft lbs on motor on pump gas and 850 horse and 830 ft lbs with a 100 shot.  I need to address my rear suspension situation - what would you guys suggest.  I will probably rarely race this car but it is an option for a few times a year.  The car is an unpainted 70 cuda and I don't mind cutting it up if I have to.  I would like to retain rear exit exhaust and a back seat and want the car to sit low.  The front suspension will either be alterktion with coilovers or rebuilt stock.  What do you guys suggest for a rear suspension that will allow me to get enough tire under the rear (probably a cheater type slick that I can use on the street), will hook up reasonably well and accomplish the goals above (retainrear seat, rear exit exhaust and a low stance).  The car has frame connectors and torque boxes already but I'm not opposed to a cage, minitubs, 4link etc, etc.  Lets hear what you guys think???  I was thinking a 6 point cage with swinging door bars and a removable rear bar (so my kid can sit in the back when we go to shows), minitubs, mopar 3 inch relo kit, caltracs, 13 ish inch wheels and tires.  What do you think?

[Carlwalski]

$$$ determines all mate. I'm running 660hp at the fly in my 71 'Cuda and will be running an XV Motorsports level 2 rear suspension 3link system. Looks good, is tested hard and a very nice kit. You could probably do better if you spent thousands of dollars on individual parts but who's to say they will work together? XV is tried and true with in house and track testing and for any street car is more than ample IMO. If you plan on doing track it's at home as well but I do think better options are out there for track only type cars. HP2 will have some good input, our most technical guy here at CCC.

[Supercuda]

There are so many answers to this question. The oldschool option is as you stated: relocate the leaf springs inboard, mini-tubs, and maybe even roll the fender lips. As for traction aids, the pinion snubber rules. It is the best idea for a Chrysler product using the stock-style suspension. With a limited slip, or locker differential, it is all you need. The Cal-tracs, or any other traction bar, are good, but not recommended by the engineers that built our toys. The reasoning is simple, but sound: the axle tube/center section union is welded, and only partially so. Asking it to take the load of the vehicle's almost full weight, for any amount of time, under the conditions of a dragstrip launch, is asking a lot. If you are traction-limited, or don't have HUGE amounts of torque available, then they work just fine, and do not overload the rear axle at this point. A stroker making the kind of power quoted is not going to be nice to the rear axle. Put as much of your traction control over the pumpkin as you can. With that said, the obvious new-tech option, besides XV's excellent parts, is a 4-link setup. The science is tried and true, and easy to work with. Many systems are almost invisible from inside the car, and will fit your requirements. A 4-link with coil-overs is very adjustable, and will allow a low stance and excellent handling characteristics. The leaf springs of yore are a little less forgiving, and the stance may not be as low as with coil-overs and the 4-link. It's all about the money you want to spend on it, now.

[Chryco Psycho]

Ladderbars with housing floaters really hook up too
 Super stock springs clamped will get you a long way but you can still spin them relativly easily where ladderbars won`t let you spin

[2000gt]

What type of 4 link would you recommend Supercuda?  Of course moneys a factor but to me stance/suspension makes or breaks a car and I want it right - I'd rather skimp in other areas if I have to.  Is the XV stuff good to high horsepower an torque levels with a drag type tire?  i thought they were more handling oriented???

[plumcrazy704406]

Hey guys, my plans for my car have changed since I recently purchased a 500ci stroker motor.  It made 700 horse and 640 ft lbs on motor on pump gas and 850 horse and 830 ft lbs with a 100 shot.  I need to address my rear suspension situation - what would you guys suggest.  I will probably rarely race this car but it is an option for a few times a year.  The car is an unpainted 70 cuda and I don't mind cutting it up if I have to.  I would like to retain rear exit exhaust and a back seat and want the car to sit low.  The front suspension will either be alterktion with coilovers or rebuilt stock.  What do you guys suggest for a rear suspension that will allow me to get enough tire under the rear (probably a cheater type slick that I can use on the street), will hook up reasonably well and accomplish the goals above (retainrear seat, rear exit exhaust and a low stance).  The car has frame connectors and torque boxes already but I'm not opposed to a cage, minitubs, 4link etc, etc.  Lets hear what you guys think???  I was thinking a 6 point cage with swinging door bars and a removable rear bar (so my kid can sit in the back when we go to shows), minitubs, mopar 3 inch relo kit, caltracs, 13 ish inch wheels and tires.  What do you think?

 

each there own. good luck, have a blast puttin those ponies on the ground!

[2000gt]

The car was originally a 318 auto car so the numbers are definately not important to me.  I'm into building my stuff the way I want it, I'll never sell the car so why build it to please someone else.  To me a 5 speed with wide tires, wheel tubs, 4link, low stance and big power is way cooler than a 318 auto car with pizza cutters, but like you said to each his own.  btw though, we have a 70 Hemi roadrunner with the numbers matching motor - that thing will be stock but I might post on here about cutting that one up too just to freak people out 

[422STROKER]

Hey, You bought it and paid for it so it's yours.  I look forward to the build since

I'm hoping to land a 5 spd kit for my next project.  I am in the planning stages as well.


Tom

[jackie]

when in doubt-cut it out.. 4- link= you will be happy. take your time, ask questions. you can get as big of a tire as you want, and have your car low to the ground.

[kslush]

Will be running the RMS Street Lynx with the Alterktion front here.  I think I remember reading some threads on how poorly the XV kit went together.  I have only heard good things about RMS setups.  If I am not mistaken, I think I read some guys on here running 335's without cutting the wheel wells too, so you shouldn't have to massacre the rear of your car to fit the tires.

[2000gt]

I saw that Bill (RMS) had that rear end system for ou r cars now, but again is that a high horsepower setup or more handling oriented?  Thanks, Tyler  Oh yeah, here's a few pics

[Supercuda]

The EMS system is more dragstrip-oriented than the XV setup, but the modern 4-link setups are a lot friendlier to roadholding and good street manners than they used to be. The ladder bar setup is strictly a straight-line deal, with poorer handling characteristics than the 4-link. All can handle the power you quoted, and it becomes a matter of what each will achieve. It's time for you to do some deeper research.

[HP2]

It is entirely possible to overpower even some of the best set up suspension systems with "only" 400 horses, so in all honesty, that much power is simply for show more than go in your application if you aren't hitting the track in a specific class every weekend. The biggest advantage to getting into more complex set ups is to dial it in for a specific application (drags, autocross, street), drop weight, improve adjustability (another racing trait), impress your friends, or all of the above. If the goal is to simply cruise, why mess with a proven combo of leaf springs. Simple, effective, good down to the 9s, and maintanence free for all practical purposes. Relocate them in some and you can get very wide tires in there. Track traction can be a tire swap away if ultimate traction is truly the goal on those occasional track jaunts.

If you really don't mind cutting the car, doing the extra work, verifying set up and alignment of all mounting points, fabricating the package, and then adjusting and maintaining the system, then sure, an aftermarket set up sure is the schiznit and everyone will be impressed with it. That is still no guarantee that it will hold your power without tire spin, nor make you car any faster or quicker.

[Chryco Psycho]

the ladder on leafs with floaters actually handles OK & take a Lot less cutting in the rear of the car to install than a 4 link , but everything is a compromise

[jvike]

XV motorsport offers beefier control arms for high horsepower applications for it's level 2 suspention. Their system will alow you to atleast run a 315 tire and a 335 with a litle tweaking. You can adjust ride height without changing the geometry, and a 3-link will not bind like a 4-link will. I might be a little biased since I have the XV level 2 system..