What's the Best A-body front suspension set-up

[67Malibu]

I am going to start my front end rebuild and brake update soon - Wanted opinions on best (on a Budget!!) bolt on kits - I'm looking for upper control arms, spindles & steering box - Global West, Hotchkis, Baer, SSB ????? - Not building a track car just a driver that handles well - thanks

[dennis68]

All stock parts rebuilt with poly bushings and Howe tall ball joints upper and lower. I like the Jeep steering box but AGR or Detroit can provide with a bolt in alterantive.

No reason to spend money on GW or Hotchkis arms, they will not improve your handling a noticeable amount in a street car.

[67Malibu]

I want my car to handle much better than stock - without any major fabrication - and I want dual piston calipers - the GW and Hotchkis tubular control arms are not the right move? - Anyone else have opinions

[dennis68]

Yeah, and I want mid 70's year round with 14 or so hours of daylight.

[socalfandabodys]

Dennis is right. I have a 68 chevelle and installed different ball joints and installed energy poly bushings from front to back including body bushings. i did reinforce the lower arms and boxed the rear control arms. I also replaced all tie rods,centerlink etc and put in eibach springs with hotchkis sway bars. The car handles as good as my buddies 70 chevelle and he has tubular gw arms. The only advantage to tubular arms on an a body seem to be strength. Theres a guy on the site selling fully custom built chassis that bolt in, if your interested.

[canadass]

Dennis is right. I have a 68 chevelle and installed different ball joints and installed energy poly bushings from front to back including body bushings. i did reinforce the lower arms and boxed the rear control arms. I also replaced all tie rods,centerlink etc and put in eibach springs with hotchkis sway bars. The car handles as good as my buddies 70 chevelle and he has tubular gw arms. The only advantage to tubular arms on an a body seem to be strength. Theres a guy on the site selling fully custom built chassis that bolt in, if your interested.

Hey I am new to this site wandered over from Team Chevelle on dennis68 recommendation.
I would be interested in the fully custom built chassis that bolts in whhere would I find a link to it?

Thank you
Canadass

[dennis68]

Good to see you made it, where the direction OK-no wrong turns huh?

I'll dig up that link, it's not all that fancy of a frame, basic box frame with a Satchell link and some off the shelf Mustang II front-end peices. You could do much better spending money on upgrading what you have. Check this thread for an interesting option to the front-end. Combine that with some good bushings/springs/shocks and you'll have a very nice handling machine.

If you really want to turn corners do a search for 3-link and set aside an hour or so to do some reading.

[JJSmitches]

Part numbers and source for the ball joints???

[dennis68]

Howe direct, Marcus at SC&S or Performance Depot.com can all help you out.

Part numbers are going to depend on exact application, what chassis, what spindles, what control arms, how much added height requested, etc...

[ALLFAITH]

I am in the process of adding full GW upper and lowers with Baer brakes (13" and 12" in rear) on my 65 GTO. Have full Hotchkiss rear and QA-1 coil overs in front too. So far fit, finish, install is easy and straigh forward. Waiting for nice wether to test.

let me know if you have any questions

Brad

[Marcus SC&C]

I`d avoid poly bushings for the front end. They squeak and cause non linear binding issues. Polygraphite squeak less but still bind. I`d go new stock rubber, Moog HD rubber or cough up the bucks for Del-a-lums.

We`ve had the best luck with AGR steering boxes and Baer brakes.

The tall modular ball joints upper and lower make a HUGE improvement on A bodys.
However DON`T try to cheap out with stock upper arms. I guess people think I say this just to sell UCAs or for my health or something. Trust me,I`ve installed and aligned more of these packages than anyone. With the taller effective spindle height gained with the tall BJs the UCAs will be too short and prevent you from aligning the front end properly,and you can forget about running lots of + caster or - camber. Further,if the car is also lowered (and whos Pro-Touring car isn`t?) the ball joint mounting plate at the end of the arm will be angled upward and may cause ball joint bind in jounce. That`s why well sell the tall BJs and adj. tubular upper arms as the Street Comp package (www.SCandC.com). With this setup you can run any alignment specs you like rather than gaining performance through better geometry and then throwing it away with a half a$$ed alignment. If you`re gonna do it,do it right.

Oh and don`t forget about a good set of shocks. Koni,Bilstein or QA1 are all great choices. Edelbrock IAS are okay too (I have them on my daily driver but I wouldn`t put them on a hard core handling car). My preference is for QA1 adjustables. Marcus SC&C

[t72ss402]

I just have a polyurathane kit (PST) and all new upper/lower ball joints,and all new steering pieces. And that made a 100% difference on my 72. plus a bolt in 9" with rear disks. And total front and rear i only spent $1600(give or take a little).

I up graded my rear with fabing my own lower control arms.and boxing my upper control arms. And I fabed my own bushings for the rear.