How would you improve this suspension system?

[oestek]

It's a full size GM ('68 Riviera) front end. Not looking for a slot car, just something that drives flat and smooth on the highway and will take turns without rolling over. Going to run bigger wheels & tires, probably a 17*9 in the front. The lower arm is C-shaped, but I don't know if boxing it will do anything, as the loads really don't push it fore & aft, only up and down. As a reference, AirRide's Impala arms make the reaction rod and lower arm one piece, but nothing off-the-shelf is available for this car. I never liked the reaction rod bushings, they always get flattened trying to control the up & down motion, and they take a beating under accel and decel. At the same time, I don't like the idea of a rod end there, either... it's got to be a smooth, quiet machine when driving. I can easily upsize the reaction rod diamter, but any bushing ideas would be welcome. I've got a big front bar, urethane bushings, and will be running lowered springs. Thoughts? Thanks!

[Twentyover]

Maybe use some permutation of Curries' Johnny Joint?

[JEFFTATE]

Maybe a taller spindle and tubular upper arm to get the camber curve better ?
Of course , use good springs and shocks.
I don't know of any sources for off the shelf stuff for this car , but something could be made.
Just my .02 worth.

[oestek]

A taller spindle would be interesting... the stockers are pretty short. I think it's a rear-steer spindle. I have no idea how to find something that would work... it needs the right geometry to swap in, as well as ball joint taper, etc. At least the spindle mounts between the control arms like most modern cars, not like the Impala I believe mounts below the lower ball joint, if I'm not mistaken. I wonder if a B-body would be a candidate.

[Lowend]

Make your life easy
http://globalwest.net/1965-70_Impala_Home_page.htm

[JEFFTATE]

A taller spindle would be interesting... the stockers are pretty short. I think it's a rear-steer spindle. I have no idea how to find something that would work... it needs the right geometry to swap in, as well as ball joint taper, etc. At least the spindle mounts between the control arms like most modern cars, not like the Impala I believe mounts below the lower ball joint, if I'm not mistaken. I wonder if a B-body would be a candidate.

I don't really know a precise answer , I was just throwing a little theory out there.

I'm with Lowend , if Global West makes it , its probably worth it.

[Randy67]

Make your life easy
http://globalwest.net/1965-70_Impala_Home_page.htm

Careful, the Impala front suspension isn't necessarily the same as the BOP cars. There were differences between them, so the Impala stuff may not work. Global west may be able to tell you what would work.

[amx2334]

Reaction (strut) rod ends from tcp or rrs for the mustangs may be an option. I don't know if they can handle the load of a riv though.My car uses strut rods also except I'm a fraction of the weight and size. I was looking at a big chrysler ball joint and wondering if that may work.Urethane bushings are notorious for splitting in this application.
I also was warned about boxing the lower arms. The arm twists a little as the strut rod moves through its' arc. Boxing the arm puts the twisting load on the inner bushing.

[darren@ridetech]

Yea, from what I've heard the Impala's are different than the Rivs. They do look similar tho.....

[darren@ridetech]

What is the O.D. of the factory strut rod where it attaches to the frame and the ID of the hole in the frame? May be able to make the Impala bearing work.

[Marcus SC&C]

More obscure cars have no easy answers. Analyze the front end geometry and see how it is. Does it have - camber gain in bump? Does it have much bumpsteer? Etc. Etc.? What do you have to do to fix it. They decide how to enhance it with proper spring rates,shocks etc. I agree the factory style strut rod bushings bite the big one. I`d replace them with Total Control Racing units and just modify them to fit. Mark SC&C

[oestek]

What is the O.D. of the factory strut rod where it attaches to the frame and the ID of the hole in the frame? May be able to make the Impala bearing work.

I'll have to measure and see. I've heard of guys using Mustang II poly bushings on the strut rods, but I'd rather use a bearing than a bushing.

[oestek]

More obscure cars have no easy answers. Analyze the front end geometry and see how it is. Does it have - camber gain in bump? Does it have much bumpsteer? Etc. Etc.? What do you have to do to fix it. They decide how to enhance it with proper spring rates,shocks etc. I agree the factory style strut rod bushings bite the big one. I`d replace them with Total Control Racing units and just modify them to fit. Mark SC&C

Camber gain is going to be the big thing here, as the Riv engineers added Positive camber gain to improve stability. I'll have to scan the article that talks about it... the tires actually tilt outward during compression. They publicized it as being a revision for '69, but I've heard the '66 - '68 models do it to some degree as well. Sounds crazy, but they called it "accudrive" or something.

[oestek]

I scanned the article... it's kinda hard to read, but it's from the 2/69 issue of Car Life magazine.

[Derek69SS]

Howe tall balljoints would help with the camber curve, but you'd want to put a bumpsteer gauge on it first to see if a tall lower balljoint will make bumpsteer better or worse.

[JEFFTATE]

This is an interesting thread !!