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Updating Mopar Suspension on a Joe Dirt budget
Getting the most from your Mopar's suspension on a budget. You can do all this stuff yourself, if you mind diving in and getting dirty! I've done a lot of these mods with very positive results, and look forward to testing a few others out on my Challenger!.
The front can be lowered simply be turning the torsion bar adjuster. With very serious front end lowering, the frame may have to be notched in the bump stop plate area.
Rear can be lowered about 1 ½" by flipping the front spring hanger to drop front eye, this increases anti-squat to help plant the rear. No dough, no parts, no guessing on front coil cutting or purchasing.
11/16" tie rods Upgrade
The 11/16" tie rod and sleeve set-up that works in virtually all muscle-era Mopars, A, B, and E-body, are just stock replacement 1974-'78 C-body parts.
'74-'77 C-body Tie Rod ends bolt into place of the stockers, and are thicker/more rigid to resist torsion/bending while turning. You will have to use the C-body adjusters, but a cheap way to improve your handling. Tell the guy behind the counter that you have a 1975 Newport or some other landbarge.
74-77 C bodies used a beefy 11/16" tie rod setup. These will bolt right up to your car and give some added strength but look completely stock.
These are the Moog numbers:
ES352R.....outer tie rod, 11/16 (need 2)
ES355RL.....inner tie rod, 11/16 (need 2)
ES440S......adjuster sleeve (need 2)
Big disc brake Upgrade
Find a 11.75" rotors and caliper bracket off of a later model B-body, think Magnum, Cordoba, St. Regis and New Yorker. Spindle, master cylinder, proportioning valve and hardware
(pre 73 A-bodies need 73-up A-arms) from junkyard 73'-up A-body. Also, this changes the bolt pattern to 5 x 4.5", something to being considered with the earlier A-bodies
Caster for Handling
Caster to 3 deg.: Use offset upper A-arm bushing from Moog ( #7103 sometimes K7103 ) instead of stock ones.
Align offsets to increase caster and press in. Less than $30, you might need bushings anyway.
Front shocks
The Bilstein front shocks off an S-10 Xtreme work well on a lowered A-body
Control Arms
On police cars, taxis, and some hi-po models, sleeves were pressed onto the rear upper control arm bushings to add strength. The Mopar part number is 1857840 and although they are discontinued you might still be able to find them somewhere, eBay or ???
Lower control arms can be boxed to provide additional torsional strength. You can buy a fancy kit but fabbing something is cheap and easy.
Torsion Bars
Available new from a variety of venders with a sufficient selection. I've used the 1.03" bars on A-bodies before and loved the ride!
Leaf Springs
I've always used stock leaf springs with a rear sway bar and decent shocks.
Reinforcing the K-member
Gusseting/reinforcing the k-member where the steering box improves the "road feel" of your Mopar. Start your car up, and have a friend turn the wheel left-to-
right and watch the hydraulic hoses. Its not the pressure making them move; its the steering box itself moving!
Sway Bars
I always use aftermarket sway bars in their stock location and always the largest I can find for the front.
Strut Rod
I just use the poly bushings, but make sure to modifythem for A-bodies as seen here: Making A-Body Strut Bushings Work
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