Went on a longer drive this weekend, with about 6 hours of driving. Some of the roads in IA are really bad, but even on some of the good roads the car would teeter-totter if the cement seams were just a bit raised, on another good road the car would get this bad shimmy on some parts. I just feel everything in the road.

My setup is rubber body mounts, graphite bushing in the arms, hotchkis BB springs and the big Addco sway bar (1.25" I think) in the front with KBS shocks all around.

The rear springs are unkown. I was told by the original owner 20 years ago that they were WS6 springs. No rear sway bar.

My take on this whole things is my front sway bar is way to big and the KBS shocks should go. The stiffer hotchkis springs need a softer shock. I just don't seem to have much of any suspension travel. The rear is also very stiff and could use a different leaf spring set up. I was thinking of converting the whole thing to a hotchkis TVS system.

My questions is.

I don't have my cocktail shakers in the front. I wanted to save the weight. I still have them in the back. For those of you that have removed them what did you notice different about the ride?

When I test drove mine without any of the shakers in, I did notice a big difference in body shake, especially in the cowl area. Installed and test drove again and found much improved.

I'd reinstall the shakers first before throwing money at the problem that may or may not fix it.

The engineers put them there for a reason. Auto manufacturers will not spend an extra penny if they didn't need too! Unless you are trying to shave .0010 off your quarter mile time, I'd put them on IMO...

Do you mean KYB shocks? If that is what you have installed and they are the white style and not the silver I would throw them in the garbage. KYB stands for kill your but. Buy matching shocks to your suspension, install the shakers and give it a try again.

I recently installed KYBs all the way around on my 67 LeMans, by far the best shock I've ever owned. The are the white ones, I didn't even realize there were two different type. Anyway, as I stated, they have the best ride and quickest recovery of any shock I have ever owned...

You have a bigger heavier car which might help out on the ride quality. You also have to match your suspension as a package. If you have soft springs then a stiff shock is a good match. It sounds like the OP has both stiff springs,leafs and stiff shocks. I had a set of KYB's on my 2nd gen and the ride quality was horrid. I took brand new KYB shocks off of my car and tossed them away. I installed a set of Bilstein's and the ride quality was night and day different. I think the silver ones are GR2's or something close to that. They have a softer ride.

This was my thought as well. Stiff shocks with stiff springs makes for a horrible ride.

I know they make a set of Bilstiens that are made for the TVS system. This will be my next big purchase. And yes I have the white KYBs.

The poly bushings in the control arms are aren't helping either. Global West sells delrin style replacements so you don't have switch to tubular controls arms. They won't deflect like rubber nor cause stiction like poly. Improves handling and ride quality. I have same stye in my tubular controls arms from another manufacturer and it rides very nice.

http://www.globalwest.net/1012.html
http://www.globalwest.net/1013.html

It just amazes me how much flex the chassie has in the convertible. Every piece that opens and closes seems to be in a constant state of movement while i'm driving down the road. Squeeks and rattles drive me nuts. Doesn't bother me as much with the top down.

I would like to get a mega brace belly pan and the hotchkis sub frame connectors too. The wish list is long and expensive.

I think I'm going to put the front cocktail shaker in sometime soon. I have one of the backets that bolts to the wheel well that fused into the front clip that I need to get out. I need to make sure I have all the hardware and see how difficult it is to put these in with the car together.

I have subframe connectors in my 68 convertible, no shakers. They help a lot. I'm going to put a R.A.R.E. tunnel brace this winter and will try to remember to report results. -Jim

I have welded subframe connectors in my convertible, none in my dad's. Both cars have all 4 cocktail shakers and both have X-brace. His has brand new poly body mounts, mine are worn out rubber cushions.

His car is squeak free and solid, mine squeaks and squirms when climbing curbs.

So your saying the poly mounts made a bigger difference then the SF connectors???

I have the RARE belly brace on the wish list. I like it better then the hotchkis one. I do plan on getting the hotchkis subfram connectors down the road. If you remember the thread that was here a little while back on the subject I looked at them all and I liked the hotchkis ones the best.

I hope to replace the mounts on mine this winter and determine for certain how much of a difference the mounts make. It will be a pain, as the subframe connectors are welded to the belly pan and brace, so I cannot pull down the rear of the subframe. I may end up putting solid mounts in back if I cannot gain clearance for the bushings. Even replacing the front and center bushings promises to be a challenge on the '69.

Link to front coctail shakers on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1969-Fire...=item51828b3cf8