airfuelEddie wrote:I have done it a few times but not on a Challenger. My best advice is to get the correct tools first. Mancini Racing, Year One, Paddock, ACME, many more suppliers sell them as well as Just Suspension or Firm Feel. Another tip is soak the Hell out of the bolts you are going to remove with penetrating oil,(cam bolts on the upper control arms are an example), this may make the job easier, especially if you soak them for a few days before venturing out with Sledge Hammer in hand. Also if you use the Poly bushings instead of the rubber bushings the lower control arm stud has an inner sleeve that must be removed if rubber is used, poly reuses the old bushing. I skinned the hell out of my hands when doing it. It takes some brutal strength to remove the upper ball joints and replace them. Only remove them if they are really bad. It's not a "pleasant job" for some people, I would rather degree in a cam, port heads, time the dizzy, re-build a carb, wash parts, ect..
airfuelEddie wrote:Sure thing man. www.justsuspension.com then tools. They have a sixpack installation kit that includes the complete set. Are you going to replace the Leafs in the rear as well? Also RR do you have a friend that has any experience in this area? It would help, if not ask any questions and we will help you as much as possible. You defintiely have the strength, just dont get mad at it!
airfuelEddie wrote:Well, you have 2 choices, buy a "kit" which contains everything from www.billkayparts.com which isn't cheap, about 2k! Or you could piecemeal it with used and sometimes questionable parts. Both choices will cost. You do now that with the right parts a single four and intake will make more power? The dual plane intake, which a sixpack has, becomes the "cork" in airflow to the valves. A single plane by it's virtue of a large plenum that "feeds" the cylinders can ingest a larger quantity of fuel and air, thus producing more high RPM Power. The SixPack is undoubtedly sexy and purposeful in it's underhood "appearance" it's kinda like a ugly faced chick with a killer body! I'm not saying a sixpack cant be fast. Many out there that will clean your clock. It's just when you want to get serious, really serious the dual plane will become a cork. Ask any street/bracket racer.
dave-r wrote:Replacing the suspension bushes is easy except for two critial areas.
First of all, if your rear springs are sagging a bit replace them first. Then replace the bushes at each end. Poly bushes in the rear make a big difference and act a little like (but not as well as) a rear sway bar. Which you can also fit if you want.
Mount the rear chassis on axle stands and use a combo of axle stands and a trolley jack to support the rear axle as you unbolt the spring bushes. Do one end of the springs at a time. If the original bushes are tough to get out take a blow torch to them. Once they are alight they push out easy.
At the front you will need to remove the front suspension torsion bars (tricky job - check the workshop manual) and the upper and lower control arms along with the diagonal strut that runs from the LCA to the front of the K-frame (engine crossmember).
The UCA bushes have to be pressed out and in. The correct tool makes this easy. But I used some bolts, sockets and washers to draw mine out. Then you have to press them in. Again this is covered in the workshop manual.
The LCA has a pivot with a bush on it. If your suspension kit includes a poly bush for here just burn the old bush out leaving the outer metal sleeve of the bush in place. If you have a stock type bush then do the same but then you will have to cut out the metal sleeve as well.
Again the new bush presses in.
The bushes for the ends of the diagonal struts are dead easy.
It all sounds complicated but I had never done it before and managed OK. It made a big difference to the car.
Don't forget you will need to re-set the front rige height and suspension geometry. But I can tell you how to do that quite easily.
fbernard wrote:SO that's what the Hotchkis springs look like.
How do they feel, did you do a test drive?