5.7L Hemi into a 74 Duster, Front suspenion questions

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MasterGunnerWoody

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anyone who has info or experience with any of the following suspension systems please let me know what u think of them, how they have worked out for u.

1 CAP Auto Products Tubular K Frame Kits
2 Hotchkiss Total Vehicle Systems Front Supension Kit
3 Magnum Force Mopar Tubular K-Member Conversion Suspension System
4 XV Products Level I or II Suspension Systems
5 AlterKtion Suspension System

Thanks.
 
You forgot one. It is the most popular one to and the most recomended out of all of them.

I would go with the Reilly Motersports Alterktion.

Only buy CAP if you want to put your self and others in danger. Remember CAP is short for crap. Same with the Manum Force set up. XV is to much money. Hotchks is just upgraded stock stuff like bigger T bars and sway bars.



AlterK is the way to go.
 
Hotchkiss- don't knwo too much about that. there is a thread floating around here that has a member that installed that system...

magnumforce- hear too many stories of poor fitment and poor geometry

xv- i haven't seen anything good or bad about their system..

alter-k- you'll never read anything bad about that system or customer service. very good product.
 
capauto Ray will help out tremendously i used his package easy bolt in. my K member was a slant six ao my pitmon, idler, and centerlink wouldnt work put on rack and pinion and kept my torsion bars. 4 bolts and it's on there
 
Of course Alterkation and others who use the same geometry are going to be good, they use a Mustang II front end which we all know is much better then the Chryslers torsion bar and torsion bars are only used by cheap manufacturers such as Mopar, Porsche, Mercedes and BMW. Hiedt was the first to use the Mustang II front end for hot rods so everyone else can follow their footsteps, Hooray for the Mustang II Hooray, hooray :cheers::cheers:
 
HotLines said:
Of course Alterkation and others who use the same geometry are going to be good, they use a Mustang II front end which we all know is much better then the Chryslers torsion bar and torsion bars are only used by cheap manufacturers such as Mopar, Porsche, Mercedes and BMW. Hiedt was the first to use the Mustang II front end for hot rods so everyone else can follow their footsteps, Hooray for the Mustang II Hooray, hooray :cheers::cheers:
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wow really... torsion bars are crap huh...
 
HotLines said:
Of course Alterkation and others who use the same geometry are going to be good, they use a Mustang II front end which we all know is much better then the Chryslers torsion bar and torsion bars are only used by cheap manufacturers such as Mopar, Porsche, Mercedes and BMW. Hiedt was the first to use the Mustang II front end for hot rods so everyone else can follow their footsteps, Hooray for the Mustang II Hooray, hooray :cheers::cheers:
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...and the Mustang II is superior???
 
Not by a long shot, but all of you speak so highly of the Alterkation front end as if it were a God send. I'd rather change the engine then the torsion bar suspension. Why do so many do it?
 
I read your build some time back Will and I applaud you but you are only one of the many who haven't a clue as I would put it to what the torsion bar suspension is all about.

I should have waited till more members have shown up on this thread.
 
I wouldn't say I don't have a clue. While I'm not educated in suspension matters, I've done a lot of research and I do know that torsion bar systems are a good design and can be made to handle, and do so very well. As you pointed out, that's why many of the "elite German" manufacturers use the design. I wanted to do something different from the beginning. Part of my need for change is packaging, and the fact that I don't have the skillset required to redesign the torsion bar system to fit the package required. I want and plan to run air. I could have chosen a more optimal geometry than the Viper for my build, but that wouldn't fit the theme of my build. As it is, I will be tweaking the Viper geometry a bit to get better handling performance for my particular build.

So to say I, and many others, "don't have a clue" is a bit unfair to say the least. While I and others may not be "educated" on all the ins/outs and pluses/minuses of torsion bar setups, I think most would agree Mopar had a great design back in the day. To each his own though...
 
MasterGunnerWoody said:
anyone who has info or experience with any of the following suspension systems please let me know what u think of them, how they have worked out for u.

1 CAP Auto Products Tubular K Frame Kits
2 Hotchkiss Total Vehicle Systems Front Supension Kit
3 Magnum Force Mopar Tubular K-Member Conversion Suspension System
4 XV Products Level I or II Suspension Systems
5 AlterKtion Suspension System

Thanks.
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I apologize for my endorsement of CAP I went back and read all the posts and admit I was unaware of this problem. I hadn't used the products until 2009 to the present and fortunately haven't had problems. Hopefully the QC was improved on the parts I bought. Again I'm sorry. As old as I am I'm still learning. 75Sport
 
75Sport said:
I have installed the CAP products ( tubular control arms and K frames ) on some A bodies along with improved brake systems. The CAP stuff was always well made. Unfortunately for some reason it's cheaper to buy it through Mancini than direct from CAP. I prefer to buy in MI when I can. My opinion only. 75Sport
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Funny the CAP Auto products are all made in Canada. The business is registered in Canada and the US. I know the shop where the front K frame are fabbed up and tacked together. The owner of CAP then takes them and finishes welding.

Riddler
 
Riddler said:
Funny the CAP Auto products are all made in Canada. The business is registered in Canada and the US. I know the shop where the front K frame are fabbed up and tacked together. The owner of CAP then takes them and finishes welding.

Riddler
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Thanks for that information.
 
HotLines said:
Of course Alterkation and others who use the same geometry are going to be good, they use a Mustang II front end which we all know is much better then the Chryslers torsion bar and torsion bars are only used by cheap manufacturers such as Mopar, Porsche, Mercedes and BMW. Hiedt was the first to use the Mustang II front end for hot rods so everyone else can follow their footsteps, Hooray for the Mustang II Hooray, hooray :cheers::cheers:
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Do your research before talking trash.........the alterK uses a modified MII spindle, it's own upper/lower arms/sway bar and geometry specs.

I ain't jockin the nuts of the AlterK....hell I cut mine to pieces for the install, but the OP (original poster) listed a handful of companies asked for INFO or EXPERIENCE.

I had both the AlterK and MF system in hand at one point and chose the AlterK
 
I think one of the deciding factors is if you want power steering or not. The angle of the exhaust port on the new hemis hits the bigger power gearbox. I personally wouldnt want to be without power steering .
 
Quote from rjsjea: Do your research before talking trash.........the alterK uses a modified MII spindle, it's own upper/lower arms/sway bar and geometry specs.

Do my homework, my God I been doing my home work since my first Plymouth in 1959, and the fact is that the torsion bar suspension is Mopar and the Alterkation is Mustang II

So it alright to use a Ford part or a Chevy part as long as it fits the curriculum of the masses, the problem I find with this is many here are being taught things which are used by those who feel Mopar parts aren't good enough and everything is honky dory as long as there are no engine changes.

ummm, very interesting........ I'll be quiet now
dec09009.jpg
 
I think mustang II is a generic term to this style of suspension. The aftermarket has been upgrading this design for many years.
I think most people building a modern hemi project are generally wanting to build a pro-touring style car with power steering ,fuel injecton, a/c ,handling like a newer vehicle ( not even a firm feel type gearbox would match the response of a modern rack and pinon)
There is no advantage in putting a modern hemi engine in an A-body unless you are after driveablility.
If you could drop it in a stock style suspension and keep your power steering then it would be a no brainer.
 
yes drive-ability is what persons seek but the fact remains that torsion bar suspension is still king among cars like the Mercedes and Porsche as well as many newer American vehicles. To me Mustang II front ends like the Heidt and Alterkation are just an excuse for a simpler solution. In 1990 I put a rack and pinion in my Signet yet still using the torsion bar front end and for some strange reason after a while removed it, granted I do not have the hi dollar vehicles you may own that I see here on FABO and I appreciate the eye candy but the fact remains torsion bar suspensions are still king in the real world and if I were to change anything it would be the engine. I've done things on my Signet back some 20 plus years that we see today and I will do some more that we'll see tomorrow

Understand this, it took Chrysler more then 30 years ( that's 3 decades as the 360 came out in 1971 ) to add another great engine to their list as not everyone wanted a K-car and the only engines back then which would work in an A-body like mine would be the LA small blocks and now that this has changed it seems that its cool to use another manufacturers design whether Ford or Chevy just as long as you don't change the engine.

I still believe this to be the best Mopar site even if we disagree.
 
HotLines said:
but the fact remains torsion bar suspensions are still king in the real world and if I were to change anything it would be the engine.
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So how do you keep the torsion bar suspension with power steering and a modern hemi?
Do you have a 5.7/6.1 hemi a-body car with that setup?

I dont have anything against stock style setup, it just isnt an option for most here doing a swap to a modern hemi, IF they plan on keeping power steering. The a/c compressor hits the gearbox too on the low mount setup on a 6.1 hemi.

I think the advice to go with an alterkation was good based on the fact that he wants a 5.7 hemi in a duster. JMHO
 
HotLines said:
yes drive-ability is what persons seek but the fact remains that torsion bar suspension is still king among cars like the Mercedes and Porsche as well as many newer American vehicles. To me Mustang II front ends like the Heidt and Alterkation are just an excuse for a simpler solution. In 1990 I put a rack and pinion in my Signet yet still using the torsion bar front end and for some strange reason after a while removed it, granted I do not have the hi dollar vehicles you may own that I see here on FABO and I appreciate the eye candy but the fact remains torsion bar suspensions are still king in the real world and if I were to change anything it would be the engine. I've done things on my Signet back some 20 plus years that we see today and I will do some more that we'll see tomorrow

Understand this, it took Chrysler more then 30 years ( that's 3 decades as the 360 came out in 1971 ) to add another great engine to their list as not everyone wanted a K-car and the only engines back then which would work in an A-body like mine would be the LA small blocks and now that this has changed it seems that its cool to use another manufacturers design whether Ford or Chevy just as long as you don't change the engine.

I still believe this to be the best Mopar site even if we disagree.
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You keep say Mercedes and Porsche both still use torsion bar suspesion. Please for the rest of the users, back up those claims. I've checked each and every one of the current Mercedes and Porsche vehicles in the line up today and not one of them used a torsion bar set-up. I also don't remember any automobiles other than a few trucks still produced with a torsion bar suspension. Maybe you can name a few so the forum can check those out as to why they are so superior.

As for torsion bar suspensions still being king. Highly unlikely, most auto manufacturer's are using a McPhearson style suspension or have gone to an active electronic suspension type as found in Mercesdes, Audi, Porsche and other high end vehicles.

While you may not like the wave of the future, new meeting old, it's more advanced, better handling and over all a better suspension. Since you haven't crawler out from under the rock your under, maybe some light reading so you can see what most vehicle manifacturer's are using now-a-days. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McPherson_suspension

Is the Alterktion a simplier solution? Yes and that's why many people have bought it. It's easier to use, provides more space for larger engine/trans combo's, out performs torsion bars, has modern steering in the rack and pinion.

I'm sure you'll find some reason to still think Torsen bars out handle other types of suspenions but I can't find one reason why it's superior.

Riddler
 
I have the AlterKation for my 70 Dart. Every piece is top notch. I'd say it is better than the Mopar torsion bar suspension, rack and pinion steering, less unsprung weight, all the oil pan and header clearance you will need...
 
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