69 charger suspension help!!!!!

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Aug 09, 09 9:36 pm

hi everyone im just going around my charger today lookin at what i want to do to it and i think i want to sort the suspesion out and make it a bit less of a boat just wanted peoples opinion and sugestions on what works and what doesnt work i just dont want to make any stupid expensive mistakes .At the moment its got subframe connectors and multi leaf rear springs and air shoxs on the back the front is stock with a stock sway bar .Any help with this would be awesome

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Sun Aug 09, 09 9:41 pm

Fit hemi spec suspension and a 3/4 inch thick rear anti roll bar.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Aug 09, 09 9:48 pm

thanks dave
what does the hemi spec involve???? is it just springs and torsion bars or is it more involved than that. What about the front sway bar ???

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Aug 09, 09 10:12 pm

Don't worry about the roll bar on the rear , the 69s were'nt set up for these so in order to fit one you'll have to weld brackets to the rear axle case , not really necessary.

If you've got the time & tools then change out all the bushings front & rear , I prefer the rubber bushings all round except on the rear spring shackle whereby i use poly bushings.

Ditch the rear air shocks as all these will do is give a hard ride & damage the rear shock mounts , the only reason these are fitted is either rear springs are shagged or enhanced rear ride height

Setting up for the track is a different kettle of fish.

Rich · Post by **Rich** » Sun Aug 09, 09 10:33 pm

Listen to the expert Rikster...He`s bin thre and done it...

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Aug 09, 09 11:30 pm

First and probably the easiest job is to change the shocks, if its a road car standard fittments will do and they are not that expensive.
But they have a significant effect on the cars handling especialy cornering.
Secondly rear springs as per Daves sugestion if they are shagged they will give to much and add to the wallowing feel.
Finally bushing, Adam is right poly bushes will transmitt vibration into your steering and it will feel wooden.
When I fitted Caltracts, ie solid bushngs to the Road runner I thought the
axle was grinding and you felt every speed bump went back to standard and all the noises went away and the car handled much better.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Mon Aug 10, 09 9:18 am

You do not have to weld anything to fit a rear sway bar.

All these cars came with different spring rates depending on how heavy the engine was. "Hemi Spec" just means fitting the same rated suspension that the heavy hemi and 440 cars came with.

Look up what the torsion bar and sway bar diameters were on the Hemi and compare to what you have. The rear springs were bigger on the Hemi and 440 cars too.

If Hemi spec still isn't enough for you go bigger again. I personally have 1.00 inch front torsion bars on my Challenger (stock 440/hemi was 0.94 inch I think?) and bigger front and rear sway bars and stiffer rear springs.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Mon Aug 10, 09 12:55 pm

http://www.firmfeel.com/b.htm

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 10, 09 3:13 pm

Dave's right you can get aftermarket sway bar kits , but these were'nt part of the rear axle set up when it rolled out the factory , the later 3rd gen had them as stock , unless you're circuit racing or acting the clown on the street then a rear sway bar is overkill.

You can have my 1" torsion bars when i switch to 318 bars for 1/4 mile racing , need to get that front up.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 10, 09 8:42 pm

thanks guys for all your advice and thanks for the offer of the torsion bars brutus i will take you up on that

i do like my cars to handle as well as i can make them . i took my mustang out on the weekend and that thing handles like a go kart compared to the charger but i did go a bit nuts with the underside of it

.If i got a sway bar for the rear would it fit the dana 60 axle ok???????
gonna check that site tonite dave thanks very much

Green68 · Post by **Green68** » Wed Aug 12, 09 7:22 pm

Hi Rickster'

Good subject this, and always a good debate!

Mopar performance 0-960 Torsion bars are the best allrounders for a bigblock Charger.
1-000'' are for fast road or track days and can be too hard for a comfortable ride?
Standard Mopar shocks are more than good enough for a Charger.

The biggest problem is finding original spec. HP rear leaf springs!
The new 'Mexican made' Hemi springs are POO!
Correct amount of leaves but thinner section steel and softer!!!

Best of luck with your ride, P500.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Aug 13, 09 9:32 am

hi paul
Thanks for the heads up on the new rear springs i was gonna order new ones but if they are poo i will have to get the ones ive got redone i just dont want to make any stupid expensive mistakes and buy stuff i dont really need