Author Topic: what lower control arms fit an e-body?  (Read 12142 times)

Offline brads70

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what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« on: November 28, 2010 - 03:59:38 PM »
Other than e-body, what lower control arms will fit an e-body? I have a circle track buddy that says he heard A-body lowers fit but are 1/2" longer? Anyone know?
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

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http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
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Offline Bullitt-

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2010 - 05:20:26 PM »
read about this a long time ago...a quick search yielded
http://waywardgarage.com/208/updating-mopar-suspension-on-a-joe-dirt-budget/

Lower Control Arm Swap for Camber
Want to run more camber on your B or E body? Especially on the right if you have a circle track car. Just swap in an A-Body lower with corresponding sway bar arrangement. The A-Body lower is a 3/16″ inch longer. Sway bar locations are nearly identical (1/4″). Must use the E/B-body strut rod though. The A-Body is shorter. Also, this will move the control arm to strut rod hole out. I believe this will not be a problem and could pull your lower ball forward slightly. I think the suspension should handle it. When I got my Poly strut rod bushings they were a 1/4″ inch thicker than the originals. I cut mine back so as not to lose positive caster. The shorter bushing the shorter the effective strut rod length. Pulling the lower ball joint forward (positive caster). Beware this longer lower arm will decrease the effective spring rate because of the longer arm. Beware I have not run this, nor know anyone who has. Works sort of like having custom short upper control arm. Junkyard parts.
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Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2010 - 07:37:59 PM »
71-72 B body arms are a direct swap

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Offline brads70

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2010 - 10:22:55 PM »
Good info Bullitt! If that is accurate then it would be another slick way to get more camber without using the problem solver bushings?
Neil are the b-body 71-72 identical to e-body lower control arms?  I'm guessing they are as the whole front end is identical I always thought? I thought it was 71-74 though?

Why I'm asking is with my C-body research/experiment? I'm wondering if different model lower control arms are longer/shorter or use a different ball joint arrangement,and are lower higher etc...? For example a 74-78 C-body uses a press in style lower ball joint. My mind is searching "outside of the box" I'd like to crawl under and old Mopar cup car and see what/why they did with out chassis back in the day! For example the 73 C-body spindle in the Chrysler kit car, I know they used it, I just want to know how/why they used it!
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 Chryco Psycho

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2010 - 10:24:23 AM »
71-71 B body arms are identical , in 73 the B body used a floating K frame with rubber isolators between the K & frame rails

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Offline HP2

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2010 - 04:08:07 PM »
62-74 A body, 62-72 B body, 70-74 E body will all bolt on, but the A body arms are longer, like pointed out in your first post.

The bigger spindles in the kit car applciation was becasue they were heavy duty enough for short track racing, but weren't huge by large 3/4 ton truck parts. They also used the thicker 1.25 rotors which make better heat sinks in shor track racing. 35 years ago there was no baer, Wilwood, or other to make trick racing brakes. Everything was sources from trucks.

Offline brads70

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2010 - 05:44:27 PM »
 :2thumbs:  Great info guys! :clapping:  Thanks! :worshippy
LOVE this site! :bigsmile:
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 HP2

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2010 - 06:18:49 PM »
Thinking about it ,74-79 B body arms may fit also. Not sure of the exact dimensions, but they do have the shaft and socket arrangement like the earlier design, but they have an entirely different layout in their configuration.

Offline autoxcuda

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2010 - 01:48:03 AM »
Those are my words.

That was lifted from my old webpage, 68 Cuda Autocrosser. http://members.aol.com/pwall5/cars/2cudapag.html The owner of that page does give me some credit, but he is copying my stuff word for word.

Quote
Many thanks go to the guy over at http://hometown.aol.com/pwall5/cars/2cudapag.html who put a lot of effort in developing this information.


AOL took it down when they dumped all of thier webpages.

read about this a long time ago...a quick search yielded
http://waywardgarage.com/208/updating-mopar-suspension-on-a-joe-dirt-budget/

Lower Control Arm Swap for Camber
Want to run more camber on your B or E body? Especially on the right if you have a circle track car. Just swap in an A-Body lower with corresponding sway bar arrangement. The A-Body lower is a 3/16″ inch longer. Sway bar locations are nearly identical (1/4″). Must use the E/B-body strut rod though. The A-Body is shorter. Also, this will move the control arm to strut rod hole out. I believe this will not be a problem and could pull your lower ball forward slightly. I think the suspension should handle it. When I got my Poly strut rod bushings they were a 1/4″ inch thicker than the originals. I cut mine back so as not to lose positive caster. The shorter bushing the shorter the effective strut rod length. Pulling the lower ball joint forward (positive caster). Beware this longer lower arm will decrease the effective spring rate because of the longer arm. Beware I have not run this, nor know anyone who has. Works sort of like having custom short upper control arm. Junkyard parts.

Spring Fling XXX
April 22 & 23 2016

at Woodley Park Van Nuys, CA.
Special 30th Anniversary Event!
600+ Mopars, 300+ swappers,  50+ manf. midways.
Thrus: Mopar Track Day at Willow Springs Raceway
Fri: Caravan & Cruise
Sat: Mopar Cruise-In

Offline brads70

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2010 - 07:21:32 AM »
62-74 A body, 62-72 B body, 70-74 E body will all bolt on, but the A body arms are longer, like pointed out in your first post.

Is the 62-74 A body lower control arm pin the same as an e-body? Can I just bolt in the whole assembly into an e-body? Any of those years? Just have to get one with sway bar mounts right?
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 HP2

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #10 on: December 09, 2010 - 08:38:28 AM »
I have not tried it to verify, but the A body should be a straight bolt in. You can pick up weld on swaybar tabs now, so that isn't even an issue.

Offline ChallengerHK

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #11 on: December 09, 2010 - 09:36:01 AM »
Those are my words.

AOL took it down when they dumped all of thier webpages.


If you're trying to find old info from AOL, I can access my old AOL page here:  http://www.archive.org/web/web.php


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Offline autoxcuda

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #12 on: December 09, 2010 - 03:24:42 PM »
Is the 62-74 A body lower control arm pin the same as an e-body? Can I just bolt in the whole assembly into an e-body? Any of those years? Just have to get one with sway bar mounts right?

No, the A-body pin that goes in the K-member is smaller. Tried it. 

But the bushing is the same. So what you could do is press an E/B body pin in an A-body LCA.
Spring Fling XXX
April 22 & 23 2016

at Woodley Park Van Nuys, CA.
Special 30th Anniversary Event!
600+ Mopars, 300+ swappers,  50+ manf. midways.
Thrus: Mopar Track Day at Willow Springs Raceway
Fri: Caravan & Cruise
Sat: Mopar Cruise-In

Offline brads70

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #13 on: December 09, 2010 - 06:23:03 PM »
No, the A-body pin that goes in the K-member is smaller. Tried it. 

But the bushing is the same. So what you could do is press an E/B body pin in an A-body LCA.
:cooldancing: Thanks! So any A-body from 62-74? They are all the same except for the sway bar bracket? I have  new poly bushings to install. I was thinking of drilling a grease hole in the stock pin. Anyone done that before? That would save me from buying firm feel 's?
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 autoxcuda

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Re: what lower control arms fit an e-body?
« Reply #14 on: December 09, 2010 - 09:03:55 PM »
:cooldancing: Thanks! So any A-body from 62-74? They are all the same except for the sway bar bracket? I have  new poly bushings to install. I was thinking of drilling a grease hole in the stock pin. Anyone done that before? That would save me from buying firm feel 's?

Yes, the LCA housings are the same from 63? to 76. 66-76 for sure. The sway bar location is from 66-72 for the one near the ball joint. The 73-76 sway bar location is like the E-bodies.

BTW for reference, the A-body LCA pins are not all identical. Some later pins have a oblong boss on them that will not allow for poly bushings to be installed. Only an A-body thing. E's and B's are all alike.
Spring Fling XXX
April 22 & 23 2016

at Woodley Park Van Nuys, CA.
Special 30th Anniversary Event!
600+ Mopars, 300+ swappers,  50+ manf. midways.
Thrus: Mopar Track Day at Willow Springs Raceway
Fri: Caravan & Cruise
Sat: Mopar Cruise-In