71ChargerRT
Well-known member
What's ya'lls opinion on the '73/'74 Charger, specifically the front suspension? I know it's much different than the '72 and older, but what are the ups and downs?
73/4 Charger
- Thread starter 71ChargerRT
- Start date
Diplomat_Wagon
Hiding In The Bushes While
The '73-'74's have rubber insulated k-frame were as the '72 and older were not. Other then that the suspension is the same. IIRC
71ChargerRT
Well-known member
I thought there was something with a different K member, and upper control arms, as the front brakes and knuckles are different. Jass, Stretch???
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
Totally different front ends. The '73-'81 B- and R-bodies are actually closer to the F/M/J-body setup than they are to the '62-'72 B-cars.
They use the same spindles, upper control arms, calipers, mounting brackets, and rotors as the F/M/J-cars, with the exception of the pin-type calipers and the large 11¾" setups, which use different calipers and mounts, and obviously rotors on the big-brake deal.
The K-member is anchored to the frame through 8 large rubber biscuits. This was done to decrease NVH at the cost of handling precision. The front frame rails can flex quite a bit more, and the K can wobble in its mounts--this is why the '73-up cars have a large rag joint in the steering column not found on the earlier design--it wasn't needed with the solid-mount K. Having owned at least one of every year of '71 Charger, I can tell you the later cars feel downright sloppy when driven back-to-back with the '71-'72 car. F/M/J-cars are even worse, due to wildly-varying suspension geometry throughout its travel caused by the transverse torsion bars used in that design.
The '73-up B/R torsion bars are longer (I can't remember exactly, but I think it's like 4"-5"), and anchor at the rear in a rubber-isolated removable crossmember (also for NVH, also at the cost of handling). They actually pass through the frame holes where the rear anchors would have been welded in the early design, making servicing the torsion bars more of a pain.
The upper control arms are anchored to the K-member, rather than the frame, as are the shocks. Were it not for the rear torsion-bar crossmember and the strut-rod forward mounts, the suspension would be totally self-contained on the K (it actually is 100% self-contained on the F/M/J-cars).
The '73-up cars use a one-piece, fail-safe "spool"-type motor mount, whereas the earlier design used the bracket/insulator combo of which we've all broken at least two. Also, unlike the early cars, there are different K-members for big- and small-block engines, and a third for Slantbangers. The previous generation used the same K for all V8s except Hemi, though some 440s had a skid plate added on.
Out back, most--but not all--'73-up cars use rubber-isolated mounts between the axle and leaf springs, known as iso-clamps. Once again, it was done in the name of ride quality, and once again, at the cost of performance. My '73 Rallye 340 didn't have 'em, Stretch's does.
Stretch has replaced all these rubber pieces with polyurethane, and has mentioned on more than one occasion that the car feels much tighter. There are also sources for solid-iron or aluminum K-member mounts, usually marketed as being for F-cars but reversing them front-to-rear allows them to fit the '73-'81 B/R design. If you solidly-mount the K, you can also lose the rag joint, which will give you more precise steering. Getting rid of the iso-clamps out back is as easy as using early-design rear lower shock plates, normal spring center bolts, and a non-iso rear axle housing (or welding a stout washer in the spring perch hole).
I seem to recall that someone was now making HD torsion bars in the '73-up length, but I'm not 100% sure. My car has the goofy hockey-stick T-bars, so I haven't been T-bar shopping in a long time.
They use the same spindles, upper control arms, calipers, mounting brackets, and rotors as the F/M/J-cars, with the exception of the pin-type calipers and the large 11¾" setups, which use different calipers and mounts, and obviously rotors on the big-brake deal.
The K-member is anchored to the frame through 8 large rubber biscuits. This was done to decrease NVH at the cost of handling precision. The front frame rails can flex quite a bit more, and the K can wobble in its mounts--this is why the '73-up cars have a large rag joint in the steering column not found on the earlier design--it wasn't needed with the solid-mount K. Having owned at least one of every year of '71 Charger, I can tell you the later cars feel downright sloppy when driven back-to-back with the '71-'72 car. F/M/J-cars are even worse, due to wildly-varying suspension geometry throughout its travel caused by the transverse torsion bars used in that design.
The '73-up B/R torsion bars are longer (I can't remember exactly, but I think it's like 4"-5"), and anchor at the rear in a rubber-isolated removable crossmember (also for NVH, also at the cost of handling). They actually pass through the frame holes where the rear anchors would have been welded in the early design, making servicing the torsion bars more of a pain.
The upper control arms are anchored to the K-member, rather than the frame, as are the shocks. Were it not for the rear torsion-bar crossmember and the strut-rod forward mounts, the suspension would be totally self-contained on the K (it actually is 100% self-contained on the F/M/J-cars).
The '73-up cars use a one-piece, fail-safe "spool"-type motor mount, whereas the earlier design used the bracket/insulator combo of which we've all broken at least two. Also, unlike the early cars, there are different K-members for big- and small-block engines, and a third for Slantbangers. The previous generation used the same K for all V8s except Hemi, though some 440s had a skid plate added on.
Out back, most--but not all--'73-up cars use rubber-isolated mounts between the axle and leaf springs, known as iso-clamps. Once again, it was done in the name of ride quality, and once again, at the cost of performance. My '73 Rallye 340 didn't have 'em, Stretch's does.
Stretch has replaced all these rubber pieces with polyurethane, and has mentioned on more than one occasion that the car feels much tighter. There are also sources for solid-iron or aluminum K-member mounts, usually marketed as being for F-cars but reversing them front-to-rear allows them to fit the '73-'81 B/R design. If you solidly-mount the K, you can also lose the rag joint, which will give you more precise steering. Getting rid of the iso-clamps out back is as easy as using early-design rear lower shock plates, normal spring center bolts, and a non-iso rear axle housing (or welding a stout washer in the spring perch hole).
I seem to recall that someone was now making HD torsion bars in the '73-up length, but I'm not 100% sure. My car has the goofy hockey-stick T-bars, so I haven't been T-bar shopping in a long time.
71ChargerRT
Well-known member
Thank you good Doc, I knew they were different, but wasn't sure how much. Once again you've proven to be a great source of info :bravo:
Now I'm going to save that bit of info :toot:
Now I'm going to save that bit of info :toot: