Any recommendations regarding a front suspension kit? I am looking at replacing the control arms, springs, spring saddles, bushings, tie rods, etc, etc, and I see that CJ's has a complete kit for around $622. Anyone have any experience with this kit? I want to keep everything as stock as possible, but i am looking for any info others might have when they did the front end suspension.
Any recommendations regarding a front suspension kit? I am looking at replacing the control arms, springs, spring saddles, bushings, tie rods, etc, etc, and I see that CJ's has a complete kit for around $622. Anyone have any experience with this kit? I want to keep everything as stock as possible, but i am looking for any info others might have when they did the front end suspension.
Thanks.
I would check out OPENTRACKER RACING for your front end.
Agree with above. If you plan on driving and keeping your car do it right the first time, get quality parts vs. repops. I learned the hard way and bought an 'all in one' kit 4yrs. ago. The LCA bushings slid in the arm allowing the arm to rub the inner mount metal/metal. The UCA bushings started unscrewing (marked them with a grease pen).
You can get Moog tie rods from most parts stores, I got mine from local O'Reillys, looked up part #, they got them from warehouse next day no charge, one thing I did right. For UCA look at John's Street uppers, he cleans up the casting, adjusts the shafts and welds a tab on the caps to keep them from loosening. Opentracker Racing Products - Upper Control Arms
LCA get from John or anywhere that sells the Moog version, thicker casting with more reinforcement bends than the repops, I put them next to each other and could easily tell the difference and wt.
If you are going to drive the car more than once a month Johns roller spring perches are a good investment, they'll allow the suspension to react much faster/smoother than the stock rubber ones that cause bind and fight every movement of the suspension.
__________________
"If it ain't broke, I haven't fixed it yet"
-Jon-
1967 Coupe 333ci CandyApple Red w/red int., AOD, 9" 3.50:1, Front PDB
'09 Warriors In Pink V6 w/glass roof - wife's Stang
Agree with above. If you plan on driving and keeping your car do it right the first time, get quality parts vs. repops. I learned the hard way and bought an 'all in one' kit 4yrs. ago. The LCA bushings slid in the arm allowing the arm to rub the inner mount metal/metal. The UCA bushings started unscrewing (marked them with a grease pen).
You can get Moog tie rods from most parts stores, I got mine from local O'Reillys, looked up part #, they got them from warehouse next day no charge, one thing I did right. For UCA look at John's Street uppers, he cleans up the casting, adjusts the shafts and welds a tab on the caps to keep them from loosening. Opentracker Racing Products - Upper Control Arms
LCA get from John or anywhere that sells the Moog version, thicker casting with more reinforcement bends than the repops, I put them next to each other and could easily tell the difference and wt.
If you are going to drive the car more than once a month Johns roller spring perches are a good investment, they'll allow the suspension to react much faster/smoother than the stock rubber ones that cause bind and fight every movement of the suspension.
Absolutely! The problem with "kits" is they load you up with stuff either you don't need or want. This is an excellent time to modernize your suspension for today's driving. In addition, I'd recommend adjustable struts with rod end. Yeah, I know everybody's spending your money on what seems to be more money then you intended but this is one area where the extra expense is worth it! Shaun is a member owns Street or Track and makes some really nice parts. This is what I bought from him. I didn't intend on buying all this stuff but I don't regret it or have second thoughts, not for one second.
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Tom
Rehab is for quiters!
Last edited by Huskinhano; 11-11-2012 at 09:31 AM.
1) Koni- Excellent for racing applications- overpriced for street applications
2) Tokico, QA1 & Bilstein- A very good shock for street/strip applications. If you are running very stiff tires on the street (such as Bridgstone that are 100% steel belted or tires with profiles shorter than 50 series), these provide the extra give that you need for both comfort & stability
3) KYB- A very good shock for street/strip applications. If you are running a softer tires on the street (such as BFG that are a mix of steel & nylon belted or tires with profiles not shorter than 50 series), these provide the extra stiffness that you need for both comfort & stability. The Exel-Gs (formerly GR-2) are the equivalent to the Edelbrock IAS automatic adjusting units. Overall, stiffness between the Gas-a-just and the GR2s are the same, the difference is the GR-2's valving which stiffens things up from a oem setting to that of the Gas-a-just units.. Best shock for the $/best price typically found at Performance Suspension Technologies (PST) and typically about 1/3 less than Bilstein.
4) Gabriel- A very nice good quality HD OEM replacement type unit.
If I am trying to stay with the original "stock" look, it appears that the Opentracker, and other "modern" systems, don't lend to that very well. I am trying to keep this car as original as possible, and it is NOT going to be a daily driver or track / performance car. I guess I should have stated this in my initial posting ......
I see another "stock - type" kit offered on eBay by Laurel Mtn Mustang. I am NOT trying to "cheap-out" on this, just really wanting to keep the stock setup.
What have others used to rebuild the front suspension, yet still maintaining originality?
I'm a sort of stock guy myself,I do run better springs,shocks, larger sway bars and lately roller perches. That said I don't do kits. As stated you may wind up with stuff that you don't need. They also typically are comprised of lesser quality parts.I always piece my stuff together I get Moog arms and such, I usually look and special order them through places like advance auto, I know sounds hoky but hey I have to wait for the parts to come no matter what ,so I order the stuff online and take advantage of the promo codes and free shipping.
When I redid the suspension in my 64 1/2, I used grab-a-track stuff from Mustangs Plus. They have a kit that includes UCAs, LCAs, bushings, perches, etc. Pretty reasonably priced and seem to be good quality. I did the suspension on mine probably 5 or 10 years ago and haven't had any problems.
I didn't buy a kit but did replace my wore out front end parts with stuff from cj pony. The customer service was good, the parts were as they said they would be. The price was really good. Things I didn't like: The most of the parts were made in 'china'. I don't know if it should matter but to me on a classic car I felt it kinda did. I also found the lower controls arms that I bought to replace were built a lot lighter than the origanals. I ended up reusing my Lowers and just replacing the ball joint. I didn't replace the front springs, but did the perches. I ordered there cj's cheap shocks and they're nothing I would want to take to the race track but have returned the car to it's stock handling. I'm happy with the way it handles. Does it have a little bump steer? Well yes, these cars always did. Is the front end a little soft? Yeah, that's the way these car were. Could the handling be improved, of coarse but it wouldn't feel or look like the stang's I rememeber.
If I am trying to stay with the original "stock" look, it appears that the Opentracker, and other "modern" systems, don't lend to that very well. I am trying to keep this car as original as possible, and it is NOT going to be a daily driver or track / performance car. I guess I should have stated this in my initial posting ......
I see another "stock - type" kit offered on eBay by Laurel Mtn Mustang. I am NOT trying to "cheap-out" on this, just really wanting to keep the stock setup.
What have others used to rebuild the front suspension, yet still maintaining originality?
I am not sure what you really understand what you are looking at with OPENTRACKER. You can buy his upper stock style control arms and stock style lower arms, GT coil springs, Roller Perches if you can afford it. and his tie rods and Roller idler arm. All of these are the stock style parts. I would not buy the cheap parts from the mustang venders. If you are going to buy parts stick with MOOG and MCQUAY NORRIS not the cheap chinese suspension parts.
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'65 front suspension kit??
Steve
