Buying new strut rods....options?

[shadango]

Any one know anything about the Dixie Restoration adjustable strut bars?

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?action=post;topic=59634.0;num_replies=0

They claim to be 5x stronger than stock.....

I cant seem to find many options out there at a reasonable price....

Mancini has "bigger" non adjustable bars for $115 plush shipping.....Dixie was asking $110 plus shipping for these during their last xmas sale....although cant find them on their website at all...

Everything else is over $250 and way more fancy than I think I need.....

Looking to spend as little cash as possible to replace the bent stock ones I have...."thicker" seems to be a good way to go seeing as my stock ones are tweaked...

I though the Dixie's looked good because they are adjustable......I am going to berunning Moog "improved design" strut bushings...not sure if I need this adjustability or not.....

[FJ5_440]

 

[shadango]

Wes from Mancini got back to me with a good sale price on them......gonna wait a little bit and see if Dixie gets back to me.....

Not sure that the "adjustability " of the Dixie ones really make sense for me....I will be using Moog replacement bushings for the strut bars (the "improved design" ones) ....I dont think those are poly...from whatI can tell from dixie's original post on theirs, the adjustabilit yis so you can run poly bushings....

 

[ericindc]

I'd be interested on how this works out for ya since I will have to replace my strut rods at some point also, since they will be the weak link after I replace the t-bars, sway bars and reinforce the L A-arms.   

[Doomed]

CAP Auto Products make a really nice strut - they are priced in the middle. I have their entire front end in my car and the owner Ray is awesome and has bent over backwards for me. A great company to support.

http://www.capautoproducts.com/strut_arms.php?pageid=26&osCsid=08871ebdff7a432abae56087f6b93c1d

Kyle.

[HP2]

I'm suprised Mancini isn't offering the adjustable units. I wonder what's happened to American Muscle products? In any case, I don't know anything about the Dixie paarts. Never seen them. I used to sell American Muscle adjustables and they were a decent set up. The adjustables do give the chance for a few extra degrees of caster over the fixed length units.

The biggest issue with strut rods is in the comrpessive force they exert on the front bushing during braking. They can create toe alignment problems when really clamping on the binders and coupled with soft bushings. Whether they are bigger than stock doesn't make a whole lot of difference so much as the more solid the front mount, the less they deflect.

[autoxcuda]

Why do you need these?

Have you ever heard on anyone breaking one aside from getting in a bad accident and crushing the front end?

As HP2 pointed out the deflection of the bushing is where it's going to move. Not the 3/4" or so of solid forged steel.

If the spherical solid end link isn't necessary for the type of car you are building, don't waste you money.

Any one know anything about the Dixie Restoration adjustable strut bars?

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?action=post;topic=59634.0;num_replies=0

They claim to be 5x stronger than stock.....

I cant seem to find many options out there at a reasonable price....

Mancini has "bigger" non adjustable bars for $115 plush shipping.....Dixie was asking $110 plus shipping for these during their last xmas sale....although cant find them on their website at all...

Everything else is over $250 and way more fancy than I think I need.....

Looking to spend as little cash as possible to replace the bent stock ones I have...."thicker" seems to be a good way to go seeing as my stock ones are tweaked...

I though the Dixie's looked good because they are adjustable......I am going to berunning Moog "improved design" strut bushings...not sure if I need this adjustability or not.....

[shadango]

Why do you need these?

Have you ever heard on anyone breaking one aside from getting in a bad accident and crushing the front end?

As HP2 pointed out the deflection of the bushing is where it's going to move. Not the 3/4" or so of solid forged steel.

If the spherical solid end link isn't necessary for the type of car you are building, don't waste you money.

Do you mean why do I need new strut rods? Or why do I need adjustables??

Well, one of mine is bent in the middle and the other is bent towards the end.....seems to be that the opinion is to replace them.

Plus I guess if I can gain some adjustability, all the better...though leaning towards the non adjustable ones at Mancini right now after not having heard back from dixie at all.

[Roppa440]

I like the look of the Hotchkis parts. Not cheap though. $300.

http://www.hotchkis.net/dodge_be_body_adjustable_strut_rods.html

[HP2]

Have you tried straightening out? All it takes is a press and flat surface to do it.

[shadango]

No, havent tried....

I was thinking of it at first but then figured that the strut was then that much more likely to bend again....I do live in the pothole capital of the world....also that the beefier ones would be less prone to this sort of bending....

I have a press.......although not wide enough to allow the whole bar to be fit in across it....the one bend is a wide bend across the entire length.....the other one is bent at just one end. 

[Tom Quad]

you should put these in and never look back

$199.00
Reilly MotorSports, Inc.

 Tubular strut rods uses a special pivot point
to eliminate the flexing and bind of traditional bushings.
The result is friction-free motion vertically, and no fore/aft flexing of the
lower control arm, which causes hard to control dynamic alignment changes.
These alignment changes cause the "wandering feeling" that's so common in older cars. Freeing up vertical motion allows faster weight transfer on the strip and a smoother ride on the street.

Sold in pairs, unpainted.
Reilly MotorSports, Inc.http://www.reillymotorsports.com/store/home.php?cat=266

[shadango]

Seems a little like overkill for my ride....??

What do you run them in?

[shadango]

CAP Auto Products make a really nice strut - they are priced in the middle. I have their entire front end in my car and the owner Ray is awesome and has bent over backwards for me. A great company to support.

http://www.capautoproducts.com/strut_arms.php?pageid=26&osCsid=08871ebdff7a432abae56087f6b93c1d

Kyle.

Kyle,

I missed this link earlier.....do you have these in a car you drive now/

My car is not a strip car or anything....its for crusining, car shows, just taking rides with the kids, having some fun.....But the promise of  "drastically improved performance from 9my) suspension" is enticing..... ....they eliminate the strut bushings, so I could return the $45 Moogs I got from rock....net is $135 or so....

Any NEGATIVES to having these "heim joint" style struts in place? They are tubular...are they any less strong...? The roads suck where I live so durability has to be a factor....

[shadango]

Well decided to pull the trigger on the ones from Cap Auto after seeing a few posts about them on Moparts too.

I called and talked to a "Ray"....aside from his being on a cell phone (hard to understand at points...I hate cell phones LOL) it was a great call...it was his dime, and he stayed on the line for a good 20 minutes with me and answered every question I had and more.  He seemed to know a whole lot about these suspensions, so I was sold.

He said that folks who mention the forum get a free t-shirt...... 

So I will let you guys know how I like them.

Damn budget is bleeding profusely now though...LOL