Shock Recommendation

-
Lil Demon

Lil Demon

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
277
Reaction score
98
Location
Laredo, Texas
I'm looking for recommendations for my 71 340 Demon. I've done the entire USCT setup on it and currently running the cheap blue Monroe shocks and the 1.04 torsion bars. I also had the vehicle at the lowest ride height setting, car drove great felt solid but just not enough damping. I will be raising the ride height. I will be sticking with the 15 inch wheels and likely going to use the M/T ET S/S tires out back cause that's likely the stiffest sidewall tire that can give me decent traction, not sure what I'm going to use up front yet. Now to the point; I've always leaned towards Bilsteins on most of my rides. Love the firm positive feel they provide. What is the general consensus given my setup and what are the part numbers if anyone has them handy? Thanks!!
 
Lil Demon said:
I'm looking for recommendations for my 71 340 Demon. I've done the entire USCT setup on it and currently running the cheap blue Monroe shocks and the 1.04 torsion bars. I also had the vehicle at the lowest ride height setting, car drove great felt solid but just not enough damping. I will be raising the ride height. I will be sticking with the 15 inch wheels and likely going to use the M/T ET S/S tires out back cause that's likely the stiffest sidewall tire that can give me decent traction, not sure what I'm going to use up front yet. Now to the point; I've always leaned towards Bilsteins on most of my rides. Love the firm positive feel they provide. What is the general consensus given my setup and what are the part numbers if anyone has them handy? Thanks!!
Click to expand...

I would suggest either the RCD Bilsteins or the Hotchkis Fox shocks. I have run both, they're both great shocks. With the 1.12" torsion bars on my Duster I found that the Hotchkis shocks were an improvement over the RCD's, but it was a pretty small difference. It was noticeable but it wasn't a night and day kind of deal. And I think a lot of it has to do with the size of the torsion bars. With 1.04" bars I think it would be harder to tell the difference between the two.

PST sells the RCD Bilstein's #BIL7056065, they have a FABO members discount as well but I think you need to call them for that
Bilstein High Performance Shock Set - Front & Rear

The Hotchkis shocks. These are the non-adjustable ones, same as I have on my Duster. They also make adjustable versions, which of course are more expensive
1974 DODGE DART Hotchkis Sport Suspension 1.5 Street Performance Series Shock Kits 79020015
 
Thanks for the response and links. Great information on your experience with both. Now to make my decision. I might occasionally take it down the quarter mile. Which would you take between these two. I know there’s much better adjustable drag shocks but I’m gonna mainly cruise this one if anything it’ll just see the occasional street brawl, hehe
 
Lil Demon said:
Thanks for the response and links. Great information on your experience with both. Now to make my decision. I might occasionally take it down the quarter mile. Which would you take between these two. I know there’s much better adjustable drag shocks but I’m gonna mainly cruise this one if anything it’ll just see the occasional street brawl, hehe
Click to expand...

That one is a bit out of my wheelhouse. Neither of the shocks I listed is adjustable and both are set up for handling, not the 1/4 mile.

The Hotchkis shocks are available in an adjustable version which I can only imagine would be better as you could back them off for the strip, but they’re significantly more expensive. So I guess the real question is if the little bit of time they might be worth at the track a few times a year is worth the price

1971 DODGE DART Hotchkis Sport Suspension Adjustable Performance Series Shocks 79030015
 
You want adjustability you may want to consider the warrior line of Viking double adjustable shocks. I have set a number of guys up in this forum and FBBO with them and they have been extremely happy with the performance on and off the track.

Thanks
James From
PST
 
I sell the RCD bilsteins as well. Bergmanautocraft.com
I prefer them because they are monotube construction which yields a higher quality part. Personally, I stay away from the popular twin tube types which is most of the market. For drag racing do need a a whole different setup. I’d suggest one or the other.
 
I have Koni shocks on both my Duster and my Coronet. I like the fact that they are adjustable. But you can't go wrong with either the Bilstein or the Hotchkis Fox shocks.
DSC_4144 (Large).JPG
 
Hey Andy, is that brake rotor on the wrong side of the car?
I don't have any experience with them, just wondering.
 
AndyF said:
Looks to me like they are on the right side of the car.
Click to expand...

Hmm. I thought I set mine up right and the slots on mine face the other direction. Could be I screwed it up though. I thought the idea was the air moving across the rotor would force the hot gasses away from the rotor

img_5376-jpeg.jpg
 
Upon further investigation the internal vanes determine which side of the car they go on.
The rotor surface slots can go either way.
Hey, I learned something today!
 
To the OP I installed KYB's on my car this spring and its a huge improvement over the cheap Monroe's that I removed. There not as stiff as the others or adjustable but they cost a lot less too.
 
bobscuda67 said:
Upon further investigation the internal vanes determine which side of the car they go on.
The rotor surface slots can go either way.
Hey, I learned something today!
Click to expand...

You are 100% correct. I've been using slotted and drilled rotors for 30 years. The vanes when they are angled, determine the direction of the rotor. But I have seen rotors that are labeled wrong. But if the vanes are straight, you can install them if the cross drill or slots look like the picture on the left below for directional vanes. I always just check the direction with a screw driver.
upload_2020-7-20_12-43-55.jpeg
 
Last edited:
AndyF said:
I have Koni shocks on both my Duster and my Coronet. I like the fact that they are adjustable. But you can't go wrong with either the Bilstein or the Hotchkis Fox shocks.
View attachment 1715563756
Click to expand...
You wouldn't happen to know the part number for those Duster shocks would you? I can't seem to find Duster/Demon or Dart in their website
 
Lil Demon said:
You wouldn't happen to know the part number for those Duster shocks would you? I can't seem to find Duster/Demon or Dart in their website
Click to expand...
Koni doesn't know that their shocks fit A body cars. But most Mopar guys know that A, B and E body cars all share front suspension parts.
 
Lil Demon said:
You wouldn't happen to know the part number for those Duster shocks would you? I can't seem to find Duster/Demon or Dart in their website
Click to expand...
Here is the same part number Koni shock on my '65 Coronet. I don't think Koni knows that their shocks fit early B body cars either. Koni is a weird company that makes good shocks but they are too lazy to figure out what their shocks fit.
 
Just an update, I decided to go with the Hotchkis Fox shocks all the way around. I love the way the car feels. It feels very modern and no more body roll nor bottoming out in speed bumps. Highly recommended
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top