Best Coilover IFS for '71 duster?
Playing devils advocate for a moment.. if the steering style we have is easily fixed... why the big outcry for rack style steering mods? If they are so equal why are so many people throwing out nearly $5k on a different system? I was under the impression the only answer was rack & pinion from reading on the forums. I know our stock steering and suspension is very misunderstood but is it to the extent that this coilover ifs thing is just because its what most prople are familiar with?
Honestly?
I think that most people swapping to coilovers and racks have no idea how torsion bar suspension works. Or, for that matter, how coilovers and racks even really work. It doesn't help that the factory slapped in ridiculously soft torsion bars and that the stock handling of these cars is miserable. Add to the fact that a lot of these cars are bought needing a full suspension rebuild and are worn out and wobbly. So, guys buy into the advertising about how great the coilover conversions are. And hey, it costs $5k, it has to be the best right? And it bolts right on! It's easy!
Proof of that is the fact that you read some forums and think the "only answer" is rack and pinion steering. That's just magazine racing at its best. Yes, a brand new rack and pinion set up gives a nice steering feel. But its just physics. Find out the ratio and amount of boost. Racks wear and get sloppy too. Are they better than having pitman's and idler's and all that linkage? Sure, they are. Is it worth spending $5k on a front suspension conversion? Not even close, at least in my opinion. But I'm just a cave man that likes manual steering. Yes, my 16:1 manual box makes turning my 275/35/18's kind of entertaining at parking lot speeds. But at anything greater than 10mph its great, and if I wanted a nice, easy to drive car I'd buy a pree-***.
There are absolutely advantages to the coilover conversions out there. Denny builds AWESOME stuff, and he knows what he's doing. So does Bill over at RMS. And for some folks I think that really is a good way to go. If you're really yanking your engine out every week, it might the right thing for you- I can absolutely say that getting my Doug's headers into my car with 1.12" torsion bars, a Milodon road race pan, poly spool mounts, and a 4 speed was a colossal PITA. But its all in there now, and it doesn't bother me driving my car everyday.
But there are
disadvantages to those coilover systems too. All suspension design is a trade off, and anyone that says different doesn't know anything about suspension design.
I just hate seeing guys that think they
NEED to have coilovers to have a good handling car. You don't. You can get all of the caster and camber adjustment that you want out of the torsion bar suspension. Sure, it helps to go to tubular UCA's and adjustable strut rods. But if you do that you can set your car up with as much or as little camber and caster as you want. My Challenger is currently set up with -1* of camber and +5* caster, and I could get more or less of either. My Duster has a little less caster with the manual steering, but that's just easier for me.
Ultimately, it really comes down to what you want. Me personally, I'm not going to spend more than twice as much to convert to coilvers when I know there are guys like tomswheels out there embarrassing $150k, art morrison Camaro's on the autoX course. Sure, I bet his car is VERY different to drive than those cars. But its still faster.
Hey I know I'm a little late adding my 2 cents, but it really is all about what you want to spend. I'm sure a car with coil overs and a rack and pinion will be EASIER to drive quickly on an autocross, and if you have the money to do it, great. I don't have the money so my 69 Barracuda convertible runs torsion bars, leaf springs, $14.95 Gabriel gas shocks, a firm feel box, front sway bar, and subframe connectors. That's it. Less than $1000 in suspension/steering. At the last Goodguys Autocross in Del Mar it beat the $150k Camaro that just got invited to Optima (Alcala) and Steven Rupps "Bad Penny" Camaro. Just goes to show you torsion bars can still surprise the big-bucks guys....
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