need new strut rods

[saylor]

hey all -

I got the front end apart, and decided that I need new strut rods. and a new pitman arm, but I think PST has those in stock (I hope) . but anyway - I didn't see PST had strut rods,, so where did you buy yours at?

firmfeel says they have some HD strut rods for $125 - has anyone got those? did they fit OK? did you use OEM bushings or firmfeel?

- saylor

 

[Zymurgy]

I have not bought them but was looking at them too, but decided my current strut rods would work. I have heard good things about Firmfeel I wouldn't hesitate with ordering them, I'm sure they would fit fine. I presume if you ordered from PST you got OEM bushings for those items, I would personally just use the OEM bushings for the rods too.

 

[commando1]

What made you decide you need new strut rods. Barring a front end collision, they are pretty much indestructible.

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[saylor]

it doesn't look like much in the picture, but where the sway bar link connects is wore out about 1/8 - 1/4 thinner than the rest of the bar.

I knew they were like this when I only changed the sway bar bushings I lived with it. now ive got the whole front suspension exploded, whats another $150 right ? I don't want to go back in here again later if I don't have to. im gonna get a pitman arm also - wasn't planned - but the joint is sponge and I can feel slop in it when I make it pivot at the steering middle arm joint.

 

[commando1]

Now I see your point and it makes sense.
That's exactly what I would do.

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[commando1]

Wait!!!
The sway bar connects to the struts???

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[Big_John]

Probably an aftermarket sway bar.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Wait!!!
The sway bar connects to the struts???

Yup,

Probably an aftermarket sway bar.

Nope,

The 68 is probably no different than the 69, the sway bar hangs on little struts and clamps to the struts.

Both of my Polaras and my parts car are all the same, it is factory.

Alan

 

[saylor]

yup.


and if you are lucky, like me, you have the non field replaceable bracket that you have to saw through. the square one in the picture ^^.

its welded together at the factory.

if you look in the picture at where the link attaches to the strut rod, you can see that one looks wallowed out and ugly too.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I will need to look at them more closely, I'm not so sure that isn't by design.

Alan

 

[GooBak]

while theres some knowledge being spread around, how is the front suspension geometry? I'm mostly wondering about the excessive positive camber gain cars of the era all seem to share. Didn't feel like it warranted a new thread, not trying to hijack this one

 

[Husky]

hey all -

I got the front end apart, and decided that I need new strut rods. and a new pitman arm, but I think PST has those in stock (I hope) . but anyway - I didn't see PST had strut rods,, so where did you buy yours at?

firmfeel says they have some HD strut rods for $125 - has anyone got those? did they fit OK? did you use OEM bushings or firmfeel?

- saylor

The Firmfeel HD struts are a quality item, however do not expect to run your factory sway bar setup with them. I neglected to consider this only to find out the factory sway-strut bushings will not fit. I duly contacted Firmfeel and asked if they supply appropriate bushings (or were planning to)...unfortunately not. They suggested I try to expand the existing rubber busgings by filing them out, which I found after half an hour, next to impossible.

If you have to get these struts and run a sway bar, you'll have to either buy Firmfeel's sway bar kit as well or do what I did and mold your own poly busgings, which was a major pain in the *ss.

 

[68plymouth383]

I didn't saw threw mine. I used a flat blade screw driver dug the old one out. Tapped the new one in and drove it on the sway bar with the flat side of a pickle fork.

yup.


and if you are lucky, like me, you have the non field replaceable bracket that you have to saw through. the square one in the picture ^^.

its welded together at the factory.

if you look in the picture at where the link attaches to the strut rod, you can see that one looks wallowed out and ugly too.

 

[68plymouth383]

I will look through my parts. I may have a good used pair.

it doesn't look like much in the picture, but where the sway bar link connects is wore out about 1/8 - 1/4 thinner than the rest of the bar.
View attachment 27685
I knew they were like this when I only changed the sway bar bushings I lived with it. now ive got the whole front suspension exploded, whats another $150 right ? I don't want to go back in here again later if I don't have to. im gonna get a pitman arm also - wasn't planned - but the joint is sponge and I can feel slop in it when I make it pivot at the steering middle arm joint.

 

[commando1]

Son of a *****.........

 

[saylor]

damn i was just about to order firmfeel strut rods now, and looked here first. glad i did, thats good comments about the sway bar rubber not fitting.

ill evaluate the setup this evening, maybe just live with it. changing the rubbers made it way stiffer already...maybe ill keep the stock rods.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Take your old bars to a machine shop and have them make new ones.

Alan

 

[saylor]

thats not a horrible idea there...it is just a steel rod huh