Difference between 71-72, and 73-74 charger suspension.

[AlexTheMachinist]

What is the difference between the 71-72 , and the 73-74 Charger suspension? I see lots of parts, and suspension kits for the 71-72's, but not much for the 73-74's. Can I easily convert to the earlier suspension?

 

[Wookie316]

Fron K member is totally different than the 71/72. Not sure if you can convert it back to the old style or not? If I were going that far, I'd look into a tubular front end. I am putting a Magnum Force in my 71. It is a great setup. RMS makes a front end too, not sure if it will fit a 73/74 or not though.

 

[Randy73]

What is the difference between the 71-72 , and the 73-74 Charger suspension? I see lots of parts, and suspension kits for the 71-72's, but not much for the 73-74's. Can I easily convert to the earlier suspension?

That is because the 73-74 is a better suspension mostly and also because not a lot of demand for 73-74.

What are you looking for in your suspension, ride or handling?

 

[AlexTheMachinist]

I'm looking for handling. It looks like hotchkis makes a setup for the 73. On their website they do not show anything, but on summit, they do.

 

[blackblazer717]

Completely different. Mostly with the way the k frame mounts to the body.
71-2 directly bolt in.
73-4 are isolated by crappy rubber bushings. also the torsion bar x member is on isolaters as well...

 

[blackblazer717]

Best upgrade is solid mounts. Or poly......
Solidbushings.com

 

[AlexTheMachinist]

Can you just switch that mess out for a 71-72 setup?

 

[YY1]

The upper control arms on my 73 look an awful lot like the ones on my 87 5th Ave.
Spindles are the same as well. Hell, everything might be, except the T bars and LCA.
Bet the LCA is same as 71/72.

 

[SaskRunner]

Is the hex diameter of the torsion bars the same between the two?

Bet the LCA is same as 71/72.

Lower control arms are different.

 

[racedodge]

people give the isolated stuff alot of grief, but it is a technological improvement from the older suspension. The 73+ suspension has a much better ride than 72/below.

solid mounts are only an upgrade if you want a firmer feel to handling, but not a upgrade when it comes to ride quality.

The rear suspension on 73+ are different also as they have isolated rubber mounts surrounding the leaf springs.

go here for good pictures:

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?t=17072

 

[Randy73]

Can you just switch that mess out for a 71-72 setup?

Why do you want to go backwards in handling and ride???

For better handling go to a bigger torsion bar and stiffer shocks, I have poly bushings and my car handles pretty good.

 

[Revhendo]

If you're going for handling, solid bushing replacement makes a huge improvement.
Outside of that, the two suspensions are different. Lower balljoints changed (hence the change in lower arms). Upper arms attach to the K-frame and not the inner fenders like the earlier models. The torsion bars are longer because they go through the trans crossmember brace and attach to their own crossmember.

 

[cudazappa]

Can you just switch that mess out for a 71-72 setup?

In the rear, yes.

In the front, no.

The unibody is COMPLETELY different firewall forward (and a few points back) in 73.

In 72 the inner fenders are welded to the frame rails and the unibody. In 73 they became a bolt in design. So there's no shock mounts on the 73+ unibody. Like Revhendo said, the UCAs don't bolt to the unibody either.

The trans crossmember is just that in 73. They made a separate Torsion bar Crossmember just for that duty.

Which is better? 72 down or 73 up? Personal preference. In a performance application, the 72 down wins. Cruising with a numb like ride? then 73+.

The 73+ suspension can be tuned to perform, its just a different animal than the 72 down.

 

[Revhendo]

In the rear, yes.

In the front, no.

The unibody is COMPLETELY different firewall forward (and a few points back) in 73.

In 72 the inner fenders are welded to the frame rails and the unibody. In 73 they became a bolt in design. So there's no shock mounts on the 73+ unibody. Like Revhendo said, the UCAs don't bolt to the unibody either.

The trans crossmember is just that in 73. They made a separate Torsion bar Crossmember just for that duty.

Which is better? 72 down or 73 up? Personal preference. In a performance application, the 72 down wins. Cruising with a numb like ride? then 73+.

The 73+ suspension can be tuned to perform, its just a different animal than the 72 down.

So very true. I have taken the iso bushings out of the front of my bird but have not done the rear yet. You can feel the difference between the two. Where the front feels appreciably solid, the rear still has a bit of a mushy feel.

 

[AlexTheMachinist]

Hmm... Curious if it is even worth it to keep the charger then. Might just flip it and get a 70-72 Dart. Those things handle amazing when you do a little suspension work on em.

 

[Revhendo]

Hmm... Curious if it is even worth it to keep the charger then. Might just flip it and get a 70-72 Dart. Those things handle amazing when you do a little suspension work on em.

Depends on if you like the car or not, or what your purpose for the car is going to be. It's just parts. You could go the A body route, but then you're looking at different parts. Big bolt pattern disc conversions, rear brake upgrades, torsion bars and rear springs. Pretty much just parts, but different parts. (Yeah, I own a 2dr 69 Valiant, too).

 

[MoparBillTX]

I love my '71, nice solid feeling.
My brothers '73 felt like we were riding on marshmallows, HUGE improvement with solid bushings on the front and removing the iso mounts on the rear. Can't see how the later suspension was any kind of improvement :confused3:

 

[RICHIES ARMOR]

Another suspension question: Is there any difference between 71-72 and 73-74 spindles? the reason I ask is that I just purchased Magnum Force lowered spindles and they sit in a bit farther and rub against the lower control arms(both sides) Left a nice groove in my rotors. The backing plates wont line up either.

Anyone else have problems with these or other spindle issues?

Richie

 

[moparmarks]

Another suspension question: Is there any difference between 71-72 and 73-74 spindles? the reason I ask is that I just purchased Magnum Force lowered spindles and they sit in a bit farther and rub against the lower control arms(both sides) Left a nice groove in my rotors. The backing plates wont line up either.

Anyone else have problems with these or other spindle issues?

Richie

The 73/4 spindles are taller than the 71/2. I've used the MF 2" drop spindles on the 71/2's but not the 73/4"s.
You'll also notice that the 73/4's take larger T-bars cuz they are heavier than the 71/2's. A bare 73/4 K-frame weighs about 40# more than the 71/2. For handeling the 71/2 is much better. Also 73/4 have to pull the T-bars to pull the tranny.

 

[moparmarks]

Hmm... Curious if it is even worth it to keep the charger then. Might just flip it and get a 70-72 Dart. Those things handle amazing when you do a little suspension work on em.

Yes they do. I have three 71 Darts.