Opinions on replacement suspension please

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Wed Jan 25, 12 12:13 am

Found these two variations on a theme and wondered if one was better than the other or if both were pretty much the same and down to personal choice (and pocket) or overall use

This one from Hotchkis
http://www.hotchkis.net/6669_mopar_bbod ... ystem.html

or this one from MagnumForce
http://www.magnumforce.com/magnumforce_ ... member.htm

Hotchkis looks like it stays closer to the original design where as MagnumForce completely replaces it

autofetish · Post by **autofetish** » Wed Jan 25, 12 3:52 am

MagnumForce

Kit was one for sale on ebay not long ago post is gone.

It got slated for street use. Need to carry out the body mod scaffold tube bulkhead to front mod

not nice for the Jim look.

Top arm break i think.

Some one else we be along soon we a better memory

never heard of the kiss type

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Wed Jan 25, 12 9:14 am

The magnum force system is a pile of poop for people with more money than sense. Really for the "Pro Street" brigade.

The Hotchkis stuff is very good and well designed/researched. But expensive. You could buy all the same or similar bits of that system from other manufacturers for a lot less. But if I had the money I would just buy the Hotchkis system as you know the quality is there and they have road tested the results for you.

Adrian Worman · Post by **Adrian Worman** » Wed Jan 25, 12 9:27 am

Fully agree with Daveman, I used a Hotchkis system on my Challenger and I am well happy

Ivor · Post by **Ivor** » Wed Jan 25, 12 11:07 am

I've heard good things about the Hotchkiss system too.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Wed Jan 25, 12 11:30 am

It will need a good front end alignment when done. And don't ask what the stock settings are because they don't work well.

MrNorm · Post by **MrNorm** » Wed Jan 25, 12 12:12 pm

As usual, Dave is on the money.

MagnumForce has been criticised for street use (some have used it OK but more likely not for extnded use?). Plus what is your objective? If it is to have a better handling car then you don't need to change the basic Mopar suspension design, it works very well with appropriate upgrades.

Hotchkis I agree again is well balanced and effective, but an awful lot of $ - and it looks like the kit doesn't even include the torsion bars? If you can afford $3K and don't want the hassle of doing it piecemeal then it's a good option. But it still doesn't address some of the areas for key improvements. If you do all of that and still have an old worn out over-assisted power steering box, flexing away on a wobbly K-Frame, with skinny and/or hard tyres and stock torsion bars, then you're only getting half the improvement and not getting the most for your money. So figure on spending some more.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Wed Jan 25, 12 12:53 pm

Oh I missed that point about the front torsion bars not included for that price.

Dave81 · Post by **Dave81** » Wed Jan 25, 12 1:27 pm

Did'nt realise that they charged that much for the entire setup......Ouch!

Looks like a nice piece of kit though!

autofetish · Post by **autofetish** » Wed Jan 25, 12 3:00 pm

MrNorm wrote: Plus what is your objective? If it is to have a better handling car then you should have brought a Lotus 7.

MrNorm · Post by **MrNorm** » Wed Jan 25, 12 7:43 pm

Hold on - it doesn't even include shocks! They are probably the biggest single thing that I'd want the benefit of their experience on. Another $400 please!

Move on.......forget the $700 for adjustable strut rods & tie rods, the $850 for UCA etc. You can get 80% (or more) of the benefit for 25% of the cost (that's an educated guess!)

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Thu Jan 26, 12 12:21 am

Thanks guy's

It's not like I can afford either of them to be fair, more that I was wondering if it would be abetter idea to junk the current set up all together and replace it ala magnumforce for example. Or, whether to keep as close to original as possible but kinda fine tune it ala Hotchkiss. But, in a much more affordable way, lol

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Thu Jan 26, 12 9:18 am

If you just replaced all the bushes and ball joints, fit decent shocks, and hemi spec suspension, the car would handle fine.

At most you just want some stiffer sway bars and adjustable shocks if you want the car to handle well.

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Thu Jan 26, 12 4:49 pm

Working on replacing bushes and ball joints. Currently have KYB shocks all round, is there something better?

plan to change the front sway bar and add a rear one, will the hemi spec sway bars be enough or is it a case of bigger is better?

Adrian Worman · Post by **Adrian Worman** » Thu Jan 26, 12 5:45 pm

If you can afford 500 large for shocks then fit QA1's, nobody says bad Bananarama! about them

Go for some fat torsion bars tho, high rate leafs, make your own subframe connectors and install offset upper control arm bushings and your most of the way there after some quality all wheel alignment

I did basically that and my Challenger handles incredibly wel for a 40 year old big block E body, even without a sway bar there is next to no body roll......................steerings still crap tho