More Upgrade suspension questions

[gnoub1948]

So, I've got the whole front suspension out; have Charlies upgrade parts, and although a ways off from getting this all together, I have some questions.

1st for the dumb question: Is there any issue with cleaning up the cast 'slag' on the upper control arms? I hate they way they look. And since I want to power coat 'em, it seems they would look so much nicer with the 'slag' ground down.

- Has anyone 'boxed' or modified the strength of these arms in anyway so they might have the strength of tube style arms? Would it be helpful?

- The lower arms have the spring 'cups' riveted onto the arm. Has anyone ever weld that to the arm in place of the rivets. Would there be a need to do that?

- I have seem vast handling improvement with air ride suspensions. Obviously there's more too those systems than making low riders. Has anyone added air ride for this purpose?

- The sway bar seems like it could be 'heavier' and maybe connected differently. Has any one modified their stock sway bars?

Would love to see any pictures available of your upgrades.

Thanks!

Gary

[Plymouthy Adams]

wanting to have the a-arms powder coated..I don't think I would personally go that way..just clean up and repaint..hve seen too many thing rust behind the powder coat..

as for boxing..do not think there is a need..afetr all 60 years and going strong does say a little about the engineering that went into these cars..

air bags..that be a personal call yet again and for uprade of the swap bar..yes that is doable as a necessity of having to elimate the stock design for the placement of the bib block mopar, radiator and condenser/tranny cooler forward, original had major interferrence...

[Joel Torres]

as far as airbags i love them but..... if installed wrong they will be a pain in the butt

if installed correctly anyone will love them i know 60 yr old guys who have airbags and love them they ride nice and the adjustabilties are great

if you have leaf springs you will have to replace them with a four link for allot of travel but there are a few cars i know that have leafs with airbags

and anyone who says airbags are not safe or not good to use just think of all the 18 wheelers that have them

are you looking for heigth adjustment or a smoother ride when the road get bumpy

as far as the other stuff i have thought these same question and the rivets are fine and strong as hell , the slag i have grinded clean and even add weld to make it look nicer in spots

the arms i think are stong as hell why are you going to hop it with hydro's?

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[PatS....]

I ground my control arms a little bit, but not much, then sandblasted and painted.

As for boxing them, I see no benefit. I've never heard of one failing and they used the same arms with the hemi cars.

Welding the spring cups is trying to rectify a problem when there is no problem I think.

[dezeldoc]

you got that spring pocket flipped pat? boxing them will take some flex out of them but why? it ain't gonna handle like no porsche!

[gnoub1948]

Thanks for the advice.

Gary

[Andydodge]

Gary, my 1940 Oz Dodge(1940 US Plymouth chassis/body) has been a hotrod since 1973, I have a 318 Poly,auto,4wheel discs,rack&pinion, etc.......and the stock style front end.......but when I originally rebuilt it in 1973, I replaced the original 1940 style cast steel style arms with,I think, "moog" brand cast steel upper arms that are similar to the 2 piece pressed steel 41-54 upper arms.......I know what you mean about the shitty welds on the stock style upper arms, I'd take them to a good welder still with the inner bush/pin assembly attached and the shock pin installed and grind the shitty welds down and get a nice stick/mig/tig weld on them, as for the lower arms, you could have them tidied up but because of their design, short of a complete reweld its hardly worth it, my 1940 dodge also has a 1" thick sway bar installed, I took the original bar to a spring place and got a bar in 1" steel in the original shape bent up, but had the ends flattened and drilled. I then had some hex bar turned to take some Heim joints top & bottom and the lower one bolts to where the stock style sway bar mounts.

So my front end is as follows.......cast steel 1941-54 replacement upper arms, 1956 steering knuckle & stub axles, stock style 1940 Dodge(Plymouth) lower arms, custom 1" adjustable sway bar, narrowed 9" Austin Kimberly(front wheel Drive Oz BMC shitbox) manual Rack & Pinion and Leyland/PBR vented disc brakes........it stops,steers and handles.......as good as a 1940 dodge with all these changes could be expected to.........I haven't got any pics but I must see about getting some one day.....btw theres a pic of the Dodge on the About Us page of www.scaleautomobilia.com.au ........regards, andyd

[gnoub1948]

Andy, the sway bar work sounds interesting. If you ever get a shot of that please send it on over. Thanks!

Gary

[PatS....]

you got that spring pocket flipped pat?

No, the springs were installed after that pic was taken, the pockets were never removed from the arm, and the lower control arms won't fit if swapped side to side. I DID mark them with a punch anyway just to be safe

Now to get the disc's on and the wheels on.