Winters Coming, Need to order parts, but info needed first!

[protour_chevelle]

So winter is slowly rolling in. I have to make up my mind for suspension. Now Hotchkis really has my attention because I get new sway bars, boxed lowers, adjustable uppers, coils, and misc parts.

Now what spring rate would work well on a track and be a little bit rougher, but not ride like a soap box durby car on the streets?

Also, if you have any other suggestions for sway bars, boxed lowers, adjustable uppers, etc please let me know. I will be phoning SpeedTech(I think I have the name right LOL!) thats in Canada about their upper and lower tubular control arms. I'm in Canuck land so its an added bonus.

Thanks guys!

And and one question, My car has the factory springs so their flat right now and my car sits nice and low. How high is the factory ride height at the crossmember? I want to know because I'm sure my car is going to sit higher even when lowering the car. :hammer: I dont want to drag long tubes on speed bumps so how much should I lower? Is 2 inches too much?

-Matt

[protour_chevelle]

Any body?:(

-Matt

[Q ship]

Hotchkis' parts are nice, but I don't like any rear control arm that uses Poly bushings, because of the bind. Others WILL disagree, I'm sure. Check this out. (http://www.globalwest.net/1964-72%20A-BODIES.htm#Rear%20Tubular%20Control%20Arms:)Scroll down to the rear tubular control arm section, I agree with their thoughts. Sorry, can't help on spring rates, I'll be experimenting myself. BTW, I don't have an A-body, but the rear suspension on B-bodys is very similar. (Crappy!) HTH.

[dennis68]

Matt, I'm currently gathering parts for the front end of my A body. All I still need are the springs. I have decided to go with 9.5" AFCO springs and a 700lbs rate with the adjusters for ride height adjustment. I am running 275/40R17's and drive......lets say very spirited all the time. You could run a little less rate for a more civilized ride. AFCO makes some nice LCA bushings, they are steel shells and pivots with Delrin liners. They do require some welding to install the shells. I’ll have pics Monday of the completed LCA’s along with everything else.

Stay away from poly boxed rear arms, talk about making a really crappy design worse. The converging link system our A bodies use is not the best system going, adding poly bushings and boxed arms makes it way worse (bind city), even the drag guys agree the poly/boxed arms don't work. If I wasn't going to build my own rear suspension I would use some rod end style arms, there are a few companies making them. I think BMR might have some.

[protour_chevelle]

700lbs even with a sbc? I'm willing to sacrifice a bit of ride for a well handling car. What about rear spring rates? 200-250ish? I like the idea of those adjusters. Any part #'s? I'd think that if you run a ride height adjuster the spring would be smaller. So if thats the case, I only want to lower my car 1.5 inches over factory so I wonder what spring length I should look for? But I guess with the adjusters that just answer my question LOL! 9.5 shall be good? Can I use these adjuster mo bobbers in the rear too?

Full of questions, please put up with me:)

-Matt

[dennis68]

NOOO, rears should be no more than 150 lbs, especially if you don't like 700 lbs spec I through out there for the fronts. OE spec on the rear is only 118 lbs. The adjusters wont work on the back. A 9.5" spring will be too low if you are only looking for 1.5" drop. My crossmember sits 4" off the ground and it's coming down another 1" at least. The part number for the spring adjuster in the fronts is AFCO #20191, retail racer net is 37.95/ea.

[protour_chevelle]

Some guy on here is running 200-250lb springs in the rear of his Chevelle. Hrmm ok so 150lb max in the rear. And still go 700lbs in the front? I should be looking for a 10.5-11 inch spring then eh?

-Matt

[dennis68]

Matt, I'm not sure who here is running 200-250 in the back but it's too much. 175-200 is max and that is with the 700 lbs front coils. If you want a softer ride than stay under 150 rear and 600 front. Hotchkis coil sets are about that and will provide the 1.5" drop you seek.

[protour_chevelle]

So your saying for a small block 700/150 is ideal but for a softer ride go with 600/125?

How 'stiff' is this 700/150 set-up going to be for a small block car.

-Matt

[dennis68]

If you go 700 in the front you might as well step the rear up to 175ish, it's gonna ride stiff. Think minitruck except it will handle well. 600/125 is the Hotchkis set up.

[protouring70]

:lurk: Hey Matt, My name is Brent and when I was looking at doing the Pro-touring set up I was looking through Popular Hotrodding Mag. and found the story on the REDLINE Chevelle. Now I am not up on this very much, but from the story that they gave the HOTCHKIS TVS set up was trick. Now this was about 4 yrs ago. Times change and so does technology. I am going with this set up in my chevelle. I probably won't race it but I want to have fun in the curves or in the mountains on occasion. My car isn't ready yet so I can't be much help but the article on the Redline car said : I also have a Z06 corvette and this chevelle handles as good asmy corvette!
So I don't know what to tell ya.
Good luck! :lurk:

[dennis68]

The Hothkis arms are not "the trick", well I guess they are if they are tricking people into buying them. On a converging 4-link system the arms have to be able rotate vertically as well as laterally at the same time. The factory used stamped arms and rubber bushings to accomplish this, that is why it so "flimsy" back there. Replacing the arms with tube peices and rod ends will do worlds of good toward improving as it strengthens the arms and provides the free rotation needed for ends, Johnny Joints would do the same thing. Installing boxed arms with poly bushings locks everything up and may make it "feel" tighter and more responsive----until you drove a car set up corerctly, then you would realize how badly your's handled.