Harsh riding 73 Challenger Ralleye

[brads70]

Mine rides really rough too.  I had 3/8" clearance between the LCA bumper and the frame.  If you set the ride height to factory spec, the front end will be WAY up in the air.  I set mine so the car looked like it did in an original 1973 picture I have of the car.  I also have a very bad rattle coming from the RF.  The LCA bumpers were hitting the frame so I took them off and installed 1/2" tall ones.  There was NO change...still rides rough and the rattle is still there...everything seems tight in the front end.

Do you have stock rubber bushings or poly bushings?  I think most of my problem is poly bushings and bias ply tires.  I might have to tear the front end back apart and put rubber bushings back in...the tires are staying.

Just a thought.... make sure the shocks are not bottoming out as well?

[jiminnj]

Will try and add 1 picture to see if it goes thru.

[brads70]

It does appear the upper control arm has been hitting the bumper can't quite see the lowers. Put a dab of grease on both the upper and lower rubber bumpers  bounce the car up and down and/or take it for a spin and see if it has been contacting the rubber stops?  I suspect it has been and your torsion bars need replacing. Also unbolt one end of the shock and cycle it and measure to be sure it's not bottoming out either.
How does it corner? Does the horizon change much?  I'll bet it has a ton of body roll.

Do the same with the rear pinion snubber, dab some grease on it to see if it's contacting  the floor and bottoming out. It's no shocker that after 40 plus years the suspension is wore out and needs replacing.
I suggest either Firm Feel,  PST or Just Suspension 1" torsion bars and RCD Bilstein shock for a everyday cruiser. For the rear either add a leaf or replace the whole spring ( preferred) I'd suggest ESPO, not terribly expensive.

http://www.springsnthings.com/leaf-spring.htm
http://www.firmfeel.com/e.htm

It's also highly probable the bushings are wore out in the upper and lower control arms as well......
Use the Moog upper bushings to gain all you can get for castor . I don't mean to overwhelm you but these cars are over 40 years old and need some "loving" 

[burdar]

You need to take a picture from the back of the front tire.  That way we can see the LCA bumper and how close it is to the frame.  The only time the UCA will hit its bumper is when the suspension hanging all the way down. 

[ChallengerHK]

I was thinking that too, but if it was hanging all the way down, wouldn't the tire look like it was way up in the well?

[brads70]

might be someone used a spray bomb when the suspension was hanging that gives the appearance of it been hitting?

[jiminnj]

not sure what the lca is or uca, but pic attached

[brads70]

LCA = lower control arm
UCA = upper control arm

The front leaf spring segment looks " funky" to me?

[jiminnj]

LCA = lower control arm
UCA = upper control arm

The front leaf spring segment looks " funky" to me?

[jiminnj]

LCA = lower control arm
UCA = upper control arm

The front leaf spring segment looks " funky" to me?

I don't see a leaf spring in the front of the car, do you mean the rear hanger on the leaf spring in the rear( picture  I took ) ?   

[brads70]

I don't see a leaf spring in the front of the car, do you mean the rear hanger on the leaf spring in the rear( picture  I took ) ?

Yes

[burdar]

 Just by looking at your pictures, the suspension looks 40 years old. I think it's time for a rebuild. There's nothing hard about it. In the grand scheme of things, it's not that expensive either. With new bushings and shocks, and a proper alignment, it should feel like a new car.

[HP2]

might be someone used a spray bomb when the suspension was hanging that gives the appearance of it been hitting?

That's what I think too. Spray bomb undercoat too by the look sof it.

You've got a combination of issues.

At our reduced ride height, you are running out of travel . Combined with what I'd guess to be worn out, 40 year old torsion bars, and you bottom out on nearly every bump you hit. Simple fix is a set of 1" torsion bars to step up the rate, a .625 tall bumper on the lower arm, and a good shock. I highlighted your front picture to show how much travel you have. Not much. The stock bars were designd to be used in a space 2-3 times this size.

In the back  you have what looks like an additional traction device. I've circled it. These don't look like traditional leaf springs. Is this a traction bar of some sort?

[brads70]

What HP2 highlighted is what I meant by rear spring front segment looks funky?. First thought was a fiberglass leaf but still can't see how it attaches?

[jiminnj]

I'll attach a pic of rear spring fastening point, It looks like it belongs there also I can't see any
high lited picture of the front, When we talk about ride height is 9" from rocker panel bottom in the middle of the car to the ground too Hi or  too low ?