I've been upgrading my suspension to "pro-touring" status, and I thought some of you might be interested in how it turned out.
I'm really excited, since my goal was to have decent handling without ruining the ride. I think I accomplished those goals. Haven't had the opportunity to push the limits yet, but it corners very flat. Still have some drivetrain bugs to work out. The ride is the best part - no harsher than it was even with the ballon-like tires gone. And I live in the land of potholes and railroad tracks!
Before: Orginally I had steel 14x6 with 205/75, and factory worn out everything else.
After: Wheels/Tires Front: 245/45R17 on 17x8 with 5" offset Wheels/Tires Rear: 275/40R17 on 17x9.5 with 5.5" offset. Upper Control Arms (UCA): Detroit Speed with delrin bushings Lower Control Arms (LCA): Speed-Tech Performance with delrin bushings Body Mounts: Competition Engineering Solid Aluminum Anti-roll bar: Hotchkiss 1.25" Hollow Front Springs: NPD C-7412-129 Front Shocks: KYB GR2 Tie Rod Sleeves: Speedtech Rear Springs: Local built 5 leaf with poly urethane Rear Shocks: Edelbrock
Alignment: 1 degree negative camber, 1/16" toe in, 4 degrees postive caster.
The reason I picked the front coils was that I wanted to stay with a factory stiffness spring, and rely on the rest of the suspension to handle the corners. These springs are about 375lbs/in (based on calculation). I compared about 3 springs for my 'vert at NPD and they were all the same coil diameter (vernier calipers) just different number of coils. I have about 3.5" from the fender lip to the top of tire. And best of all, just $55!
I still need to add subframe connectors which is a high priority.
My only other items on the wish list is a variable ratio steering gear to give me better feel and faster response (the factory gear is rather numb especially with my wheel offset).
It's a '68. I haven't taken any pics yet (too busy working on it).
Brakes are Baer 13" and factory rear. The rears had just been rebuilt when I decided to upgrade the front. When I get around to upgrading the rearend I'll decide if I'm going for 11" drums or disc brakes.
It seemed under full lock they barely start to rub inside. I'm going to check it closer to see if it's that or I'm hitting the stops. Any other driving, absolutely no issues.
I was a little more comfortable with the DSE UCA's as far as improving the camber gain, and I like the caster adjuster inserts (no shims for caster adjustment). At the time, DSE didn't have LCA's and Speed Tech was much less expensive than Global West (with the same type of bushings). DSE now offers their own LCA which adds more caster and has a lower spring pocket. Speed-Tech claims their LCAs can be used with conventional or coilover springs (there's an insert). Haven't tried it, but if it does work nice to know I wouldn't need to buy LCAs again.
The springs I believe are Moog. Amazingly NPD buys them from another distibuter, who I believe buys them from Moog. I forget the actual name (begins with an E). I contacted them to get more info. and they didn't know a darn thing because they don't actually make them. I'm even more amazed they were that cheap considering all the overhead added with two distributers.
Yeah the brakes weren't cheap, but because some contamination I needed to replace the entire system anyways. Well if I'm going to replace the system, might as well upgrade from drums... and if you're going to spend the money, might as well get the best binders out there... then you need the rims to fit them...
But it's all a matter of safety right?
Needless to say, won't be doing anymore upgrades this year unless something else actually breaks. I am a bit jealous of your overdrive though.
No rubbing, but then again with two sets of heads in the trunk it would only drop about a half inch. I have about 4 inches clearance to the top of the tire. The rear suspension is pretty stiff, which is one reason why I'm not running a rear bar.
i was wonderingf about the 5"bs fronts. my 5"bs 16s would hit the tie rods on the fronts w/ drum brakes.
there was a pic of someone else's 5"bs fronts... 17" ... which the tire would hit the fender extension when turning outward. i think he said he had to put 215s on it... 215/40s maybe,...17s.
i'm glad yours are woking well. HOTOHC seems to do well with lots of backspace too. mine cant seem to take as much. maybe it has something to do with the UCAs as well as the rim dia...
4.5 is all i might get on the front... maybe 4.75 w/ 17s to clear the tierod... i dont know.
Take a look, but I think the extra 1/2" radius height is what helps you clear the tie rods. You also have drum brakes which moves the wheel in slightly.
A 215/40 would be a very short tire! I would never use less than a 4" sidewall height on the street. That's just asking for a bent rim.
Remember its easier to space a wheel out, than in!
