Entire rear-end setup

[J-440]

Man you guys know so much I'm just gonna keep asking questions until my friggin car is done. Ok, here's the deal. I'm just about done mini-tubbing my Charger and I'm gonna be ready to slap the ENTIRE rear suspension and gears back on. Problem is, I don't wanna go stock. I'm building a road racer (pro-touring) and the leaf springs and stock shocks ain't gonna cut it. The plans are:

1. Entire independent rear suspension, Ford 9 inch (35 spline), 12" Wilwood discs, complete kit from Heidt's.

2. Solid axle with mods from Moser, beefed up 8 3/4", 12" Wilwood's, AE coilovers, and all the other bars and brackets from various companies (Summit).

Am still deciding on the 2 plans but my main concern is how in the hell do I go about setting all this up? I realize I will be getting some instructions from the above companies, but I wanna know from someone who started from scratch. You guys know of a website or do you have pictures of your rides or what? I do know if I start welding all the pieces to my underside and I get some geometry wrong, my car's gonna handle and sit like shit. You guys are the best people to ask and have helped me out numerous times. I appreciate every opinion I get and thanks once again.

[gahi]

Ive been trying to figure out the correct way to setup a 4link rear for a while now. I bought a book for hot rod chassis' and it was pretty worthless. just mentioned a bunch of aftermarket stuff. The one source that someone recommended is a book named Race Car Vehicle Dynamics. I was told that it is a great reference for this kind of stuff. I havn't bought it myself because it has a price around $100. But I think I will because I'm sure I will end up with a better suspension because of it. Not to mention all the stuff that I havn't even thought of or realized. check it out if you can.

Gary

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by J-440

Man you guys know so much I'm just gonna keep asking questions until my friggin car is done. Ok, here's the deal. I'm just about done mini-tubbing my Charger and I'm gonna be ready to slap the ENTIRE rear suspension and gears back on. Problem is, I don't wanna go stock. I'm building a road racer (pro-touring) and the leaf springs and stock shocks ain't gonna cut it. The plans are:

1. Entire independent rear suspension, Ford 9 inch (35 spline), 12" Wilwood discs, complete kit from Heidt's.

2. Solid axle with mods from Moser, beefed up 8 3/4", 12" Wilwood's, AE coilovers, and all the other bars and brackets from various companies (Summit).

Am still deciding on the 2 plans but my main concern is how in the hell do I go about setting all this up? I realize I will be getting some instructions from the above companies, but I wanna know from someone who started from scratch. You guys know of a website or do you have pictures of your rides or what? I do know if I start welding all the pieces to my underside and I get some geometry wrong, my car's gonna handle and sit like shit. You guys are the best people to ask and have helped me out numerous times. I appreciate every opinion I get and thanks once again.

Go with #2. If yuo need any help or parts I can help you out. We build and Race NASCAR GN. Sportsman cars and handling is the name of the game. With coil overs you can use a mono leaf spring for the mounts to make it easy. Late model dirt cars use this set up and we are helping one of the moparchat memebers set up a truck with this set up too. If you don't use mono springs, then a ladder bar set up would allow better handling on curves than a 4 link and it will have fewer parts and be easier to mount.

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by gahi

Ive been trying to figure out the correct way to setup a 4link rear for a while now. I bought a book for hot rod chassis' and it was pretty worthless. just mentioned a bunch of aftermarket stuff. The one source that someone recommended is a book named Race Car Vehicle Dynamics. I was told that it is a great reference for this kind of stuff. I havn't bought it myself because it has a price around $100. But I think I will because I'm sure I will end up with a better suspension because of it. Not to mention all the stuff that I havn't even thought of or realized. check it out if you can.

Gary

This is pretty easy to do. Just rasie your car up with the leaf spring set up in place. Your pinion angle will be correct and you weld on the brackets stragit up and down on the rear axle. Use a level. Use your bars on the 4 link as a measurement as to where to place the front frame mounts. Welde them in straight up and level. Install your coil overs and the 4 link bars and then remove the leafs and your done. The bottom bar makes the big adjustments adn the top bars make finer adjustments. Want more traction raise the lower bar. Not enough, but raising the lower bar another hole is too much traction, that's when you raise the top bar to get a fineer adjustment.