Smooooth Riding Now, New Springs and Shocks!

Gerald Morris

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Wish I'd done this sooner, despite the expense. I bought from ESPO Springs n Things their leaf spring kit, with a pair of 7 leaf, heavy duty springs arched 2 inches over stock. I completed this upgrade with a pair of KYB Gas-a-Just shocks and have definitely smoothed out the ride and retained a good clearance and ride height for the rear. The old springs appear to have been worked over once, likely just before I bought the car given the condition of the bushings, and also clear evidence of the kind of barrio amateurism common on my side of town, featuring welds where such had no business being. (shackle and a bracket bolt tacked to a washer)

The old stuff rode with a pair of Monroe Load Levelers I bought after ditching some air shocks afflicting the car when purchased. While those were a step in the right direction, I'm SURE GLAD to be rid of them and the old springs with the needlessly tacked old shackles.

ESPO made a good pair up for me, and I notice that certain RR crossings now can be taken with NO oscillation. I'm just going to see how long the KYB shocks will continue to perform to that standard. All told, it was a very boring job. I likely will install some reinforcement plates over the front bracket bolts just on principle when I feel motivated to crawl around that rear end again.
 
Suspension upgrades in my opinion are the first and foremost upgrade/repair that should be done on our 50 yr old cars. We never realize how things have gradually worn out until they are replaced.
If your front end hasn't been rebuilt, do it!
 
Suspension upgrades in my opinion are the first and foremost upgrade/repair that should be done on our 50 yr old cars. We never realize how things have gradually worn out until they are replaced.
If your front end hasn't been rebuilt, do it!

Rebuilt the front end January, 2018. Will do so AGAIN this coming Fall/winter. Plan on using all Rare Parts stuff this time. Moog doesn't cut it anymore....
 
Rebuilt the front end January, 2018. Will do so AGAIN this coming Fall/winter. Plan on using all Rare Parts stuff this time. Moog doesn't cut it anymore....

I purchased mostly Moog stuff about 4 years ago . Most made in the USA a few parts in Mexico. I was more than fine with everything.
My LBJs were new old stock Moogs and my pitman arm was an off brand but everything else was Kosher.

Why do you think the front end build you did three years ago is no good?
 
I purchased mostly Moog stuff about 4 years ago . Most made in the USA a few parts in Mexico. I was more than fine with everything.
My LBJs were new old stock Moogs and my pitman arm was an off brand but everything else was Kosher.

Why do you think the front end build you did three years ago is no good?

Oh I won't say its "no good" yet, but I suspect the lower ball joints, (which I got as part of a front end kit from Utah) might be a little loose. I already replaced the LCA bushings March, 2020, as they were SHOT. I learned that one needs to preload the LCA bushings before tightening things up. I suspect my ignorance cost me that initial set. So far, these replacements are doing fine.

THAT 2018 rebuild was my very first. The upper ball joints, upper control arm bushings, swaybar bushings, pitman arm are all Moog, with the tie rods and LBJs of unkown origin from a Utah dealer. I'm not sorry I went that route with it being my first front end rebuild on a Mopar, but the next one I do, I plan to do with more care for part quality, and armed with more knowledge, better tools and plenty time to do it in. All Things Considered, the rebuild has served us quite well.
 
I bought the espo 7 leaf but with the 1 inch over stock. I enjoy the ride but did not like the rake that the car had so I put 2 inch lower blocks on it.
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I bought the espo 7 leaf but with the 1 inch over stock. I enjoy the ride but did not like the rake that the car had so I put 2 inch lower blocks on it.
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That's a GOOD lookin' ride bro! I need the extra height on my rear end, given the abysmal quality of the streets down here. Folk's been falling all over themselves to complement me on Mathilda. I think this comes from her being THE LAST ONE ON THE STREET IN SOUTH TUCSON! The damned flipper-carpetbaggers REALLY have just DENUDED Pima County of all the C body Mopars they could haul off, including stuff in junk yards. I thank God we got Tilly when we did, and for the pittance we paid, and DROVE HER HOME THAT DAY!

I see stuff no better now around the country going for 5x-8x the price. Truly criminal, and yes, WITH FEDERAL CONNIVANCE TOO!

Our popularity comes from not just driving our Old Chrysler, but BEING POOR WORKING FOLK WHO HAVE BY THE GRACE OF GOD MANAGED IT! THAT's what folks LOVE when they see us. I pray we can carry on in this way for another 20 yrs, Deo volente.
 
You should come drive where we have a good freeze/thaw cycle that creates crates - I mean potholes in the roads.

Been up there. At least y'all got some EXCUSE for bad streets. Here, the "snow" makes holes in people's souls and brains first, then the streets follow.
 
Gerald, what year / model is your car? Do you have any before and after pics?
 
Gerald, what year / model is your car? Do you have any before and after pics?

66 Newport, 2 door.
Tilly-w-wire-spokes.jpg
1st spring we had her, April 2016

ight-shot-instrumentation-lights.jpg


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There remains only a couple thousand man-hours labor to do on this ride. I pray to St. Joe for help every time I turn a bolt on her. St. Joe is the BEST intercessor for mechanics, among others who he patronizes, like aging daddies..... I gope to get a 400 built for this car ibn the next year or so.
 
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