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Cheap front suspension upgrade?

I agree with others: Mixing radials and bias ply is a recipe for disaster. Get rid of the mix - it's dangerous!

When you are done that, if you still have issues, then truly check your front end. When I fully rebuilt my stock front end (70 Runner) with stock sway bar, I was amazed at how good my steering was. Only suspension upgrades were a firm feel box, a sector support kit and polyurethane for the lower control arms.
 
How do you tell?

I'm currently looking through my owner's manual to see if it is mentioned. I'm looking into new shocks for my car, and want as close to stock as possible, but I can only find gas filled shocks. But I feel as though I was told that gas came around after oil in the mid 70's.
 
I think after a little research, we have the typical camber issue problel
 
O.E. was definitely oil filled, not sure when 'gas' came out, late 70's?,early 80's. It's been a looong time.
 
O.E. was definitely oil filled, not sure when 'gas' came out, late 70's?,early 80's. It's been a looong time.
Late 70's would be about right.
Oil filled KONIS are still my shock of choice......a full 3 1/2 turns of dampening adjustment.
 
Has anyone still been able to find stock oil filled shocks for our cars that aren't NOS?
 
Has anyone still been able to find stock oil filled shocks for our cars that aren't NOS?
A KONI on low setting would be close to stock dampening. They are pricey though.
 
Bias on the rear and radial on the front is only dangerous if you don't know how to control a skid.

It actually makes for a very "go cart" handling friendly car.

You can control/steer the rear end with the throttle.

My super bee with 60/15 bias rear and 225 radial front made many, many 90's mustang gt drivers (with MUCH better suspensions) chicken out on high speed "S" curves.

The radials on the front will not wander, but the rear may like to follow the pavement lines a bit.
MUCH less noticeable than front bias trying to follow every little pavement irregularity.
 
Bias on the rear and radial on the front is only dangerous if you don't know how to control a skid.

It actually makes for a very "go cart" handling friendly car.

You can control/steer the rear end with the throttle.

My super bee with 60/15 bias rear and 225 radial front made many, many 90's mustang gt drivers (with MUCH better suspensions) chicken out on high speed "S" curves.

The radials on the front will not wander, but the rear may like to follow the pavement lines a bit.
MUCH less noticeable than front bias trying to follow every little pavement irregularity.
In 73, i bought a RHD Datsun 1500 Fair Lady roadster(Japanese MG)loaded with cheap 165 bias plies. After wearing the fronts out, i got a couple used michelin x soft radials. Different car, busy as hell. I reversed the combination putting the bias plies on front & the car tracked straight without constant correction.
My 68 Coronet i ran L50x15 bias on back with 235/60x14 HR euro t/a radials up front,,,but a low profile stiffer sidewall, mounted on a wheel wider than the tire bead width. The car behaved fine & cut the canyons with finesse. When i wore the t/a's out, i threw some uniroyal tiger paw 70 series soft sidewall, taller profile up front & the car became as nervous as a whore in church. Fine under cornering pressure, but busy as **** in a straight line.
As far as straightening out roads, i have some experience......
 
Of course your mileage may vary, but the intent of the guideline for bias on the front is that radials hold traction very well and evenly, but when g force exceeds grip, they break violently providing almost no grip. Bias, OTOH, lose grip gradually and can be controlled into and out of grip by a skilled driver (or really anyone that understands how to control a skid).

For the unskilled driver, it was thought that keeping the rear end from coming around in a non-linear panic stop was a bigger concern that having the front end wander and plow.

I feel exactly the opposite. I want the front to go where I tell it, not where it wants to go, and I'll deal with a skid/slide if it happens, especially on easy to control bias in the rear.
 
...to answer the OP, there's an aftermarket front sway bar that uses the lower shock mounts.

This saves you from finding sway bar specific pre-71 LCAs or welding on aftermarket tabs.

I want to say it's Addco.....
 
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