Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch

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    Author Topic: Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch  (Read 3546 times)

    Offline Revere

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    Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch
    « on: February 27, 2005 - 12:53:32 AM »
    Hello,

    I need to bring the front end down about an inch, certainly no more than that, on my 70 Challenger.  It has a little of that nose up in the air stance and I would like to have the nose slightly lower than the rear end.  The rear looks great so I don't want to mess with anything back there.  I have a basically stock suspension set up.  What's the best, easiest, safe way to do this?  Thanks. 
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    Offline Killer_Mopar

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    Re: Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch
    « Reply #1 on: February 27, 2005 - 01:04:29 AM »
    Easiest way is to put an inch shorter tire on the front :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: Seriously though......torsion bars are probably the easiest way to adjust the front end, without hacking the car up. Ill try to find you a website that gives detailed instructions on how to do this.
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    Offline Carlwalski

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    Re: Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch
    « Reply #2 on: February 27, 2005 - 01:45:38 AM »
    Eat more and sit closer to the steering wheel.  :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
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    1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
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    Offline 4Cruizn

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    Re: Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch
    « Reply #3 on: February 27, 2005 - 10:54:48 AM »
    Raise the car to tsker the weight off the front suspension , there is a 3/4 bolt inside the lower control arms , turn this bolt counterclock wise 4-5 turns on both sides evenly , lower the car & check the ride height , lower more if nessisary
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    Offline Revere

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    Re: Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch
    « Reply #4 on: February 27, 2005 - 11:32:01 AM »
    Yeah, I don't want to get new front tires as the ones on there are brand new.  Just wanting to bring the fender down a little on the front tires.  4C, what exactly does turning this bolt do?  How far could you go without affecting or weakening the suspension?   
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    Offline MAXcuda

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    Re: Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch
    « Reply #5 on: February 27, 2005 - 03:34:12 PM »
    Crawl under the car and look up at where the torsion bar slides into the lower control arm.  You should see that the bar has a hex end on it that slides into a reciever in the control arm.  This receiver has a female hex shape in it and pivots in the control arm.  The adjuster bolt that sticks out of the bottom of the control arm goes through a nut and the end of the adjuster bolt hits a lever on the outside of the torsion bar receiver.  So screwing the bolt in or out rotates the torsion bar reciever with that lever.  This increases or decreases preload in the bar.  To lower the car, screw the bolts counterclockwise two turns, bounce the front end, check ride height, repeat.

    Edit:  4C - Is it necessary to unload the suspension?  I've done it with the car on the ground.  Not that I always make the best decisions.   :eeksmall:
    « Last Edit: February 27, 2005 - 03:36:47 PM by MAXcuda »
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    Offline 4Cruizn

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    Re: Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch
    « Reply #6 on: February 27, 2005 - 04:50:39 PM »
    nothing is compromised by undoing the bolt as Max stated it just unloads the bars slightly
    it is far safer to unload the T bars before undoing the bolt , if the threads failed  the car can bottom out
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    Offline BB73Challenger

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    Re: Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch
    « Reply #7 on: February 28, 2005 - 07:32:58 AM »
    Quote from: NZ 440RT on February 27, 2005 - 01:45:38 AM
    Eat more and sit closer to the steering wheel.  :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

    I'm currently working on that theroy and the problem is the car lowers only on the driver side.

    Back to the topic, is there any serious bad side effects to this?? ( lowering )
    I've been thinking about dropping my front end a little but unsure as to if this causes negative effects on say handling or cornering??
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    Jeff from Cleveland, Ohio

    Offline Chryco Psycho

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    Re: Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch
    « Reply #8 on: February 28, 2005 - 09:38:20 AM »
    It has a positive effect on cornering , the angle of the upper control arm is improved + the weight is lowered
    « Last Edit: March 05, 2005 - 01:33:12 AM by Chryco Psycho »
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    Offline Ravage

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    Re: Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch
    « Reply #9 on: March 05, 2005 - 12:20:46 AM »
    I just figured the best (not cheapest) way to slam the front was toss a hemi in there without upgrading the suspension.
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    Offline BB73Challenger

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    Re: Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch
    « Reply #10 on: March 07, 2005 - 09:13:26 AM »
     :laughup:

    OK - when will you have my Hemi ready?
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    Jeff from Cleveland, Ohio

    Offline challenger500

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    Re: Best way to lower a Challenger front end an inch
    « Reply #11 on: March 07, 2005 - 03:20:16 PM »
    Yup, since the steering geometry is what it is, dropping the front in relation to rear helps the car to do a bit "over-steering"...

    Depending on how much you want to change these parameters, you might wanna check the cambers and casters as well.. to get the tires going right in altered height conditions.
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