Best aftermarket suspension setup?

[Spartan040]

Whenever I finally get around to starting my resto mod project, I want my E-Body to corner better than some of the modern Mustangs and Camaros, or at least better than one of the 2015+ Challengers, but still retain good street comfort. Therefore I believe some kind of coilover system would be a good idea. An IRS rear would be cool too.

Should I go with some aftermarket coilover system like AlterKtion and either a 4 link rear or adapt a C6 Corvette rear unit (there is a kit for it), and install a chassis stiffening kit from US Car Tool? Go more simple with a Hotchkis TVS setup? Or go whole hog with something like a Schartz G-Machine chassis, should my budget allow for it eventually? I don't need to win road races, I just want something that can handle very well on the street and occasionally on a track or some mountain roads.

[Cuda Cody]

Welcome to the forum  @Spartan040      If it was me, I would not try to re-invent to much of it.  There's several good aftermarket companies that provide a good system, but price is always an issue.  IT really boils down to the budget and time you have to put in to the car.  Tells us more about your project and what budget you have to work with.

[Spartan040]

Welcome to the forum  @Spartan040      If it was me, I would not try to re-invent to much of it.  There's several good aftermarket companies that provide a good system, but price is always an issue.  IT really boils down to the budget and time you have to put in to the car.  Tells us more about your project and what budget you have to work with.

I don't have the car yet, I'm just in the planning stages. I mean it to be something I could daily drive or take on the track, which is why I was thinking about adjustable coilovers, and budget is around 40-50 grand for the car, parts, and labor.

[ledphoot]

For the money the Hotchkis TVS is pretty hard to beat. Making an e-body outhandle the bloated pig that is the current Challenger shouldn't be too hard. I believe my Cuda will do that at the very least, I am knock deep in the build right now so I can't say it DOES yet. I did the QA1 front suspension kit, ridetech single adjustable shocks on all four corners, Hotchkis rear leafs, borgeson steering box, 1.12" torsion bars, DoctDiff's 13" Cobra brake kit and then put 255/45/17's on front and 275/50/17's on the rear. I will probably do Hotchkis subframe connectors and rear swaybar as well before I wrap it all up.

I'd wager I will be able to out handle a modern Challenger R/T. Not sure about T/A or SRT variants yet.

[soundcontrol]

I was thinking the same thing when I started with mine, read a lot about it, investigated coilovers etc. I ended up staying with the stock stuff, just upgraded. Firmfeel T-bars, upper control arms, rear springs and all new stuff in the suspension, Bilstein shocks. And US Car tools stiffening kit. I don't know how much better it is yet, my project is on hold for now. Check out the E-max Challenger by Hotchkis.

[Spartan040]

I was thinking the same thing when I started with mine, read a lot about it, investigated coilovers etc. I ended up staying with the stock stuff, just upgraded. Firmfeel T-bars, upper control arms, rear springs and all new stuff in the suspension, Bilstein shocks. And US Car tools stiffening kit. I don't know how much better it is yet, my project is on hold for now. Check out the E-max Challenger by Hotchkis.

I have seen that thing, it's impressive. I'm sure it can turn circles around any modern Challenger that doesn't have adaptive suspension.

I actually like the new Challengers and I've driven a Scat Pack before, I'd like to have one of them as well. But with the smaller size and weight of the E-Body, I know it probably has a lot more handling potential with the right upgrades. Plus it's hard to beat the original looks, as much as I like the modern 2015+ Challenger

[ledphoot]

The E-Max is pretty well dialed in, I'd wager that it could take a modern Challenger SRT but I doubt its ride quality will be anywhere near as good for general cruising.

Give me a few more months and I'll be able to tell you how well I did and see what if anything I will be changing.

[Chryco Psycho]

Welcoem to the site from Panama 
I agree with above , stiffeners to the chassis & better components will get you close to 1g cornering potential without redesigning what is already a very good system
Brad has done amazing work with his Chall just using good parts

[7212Mopar]

SRT Challenger handling is still not very good due to weight even you upgrade the sway bars. I am not saying it has bad handling but it is just too heavy. Hate to say it, the Cameros and Mustangs handle better. The ride quality at the sport setting is definitely on the harsher side. The old Challenger with SB definitely feels lighter but steering is much slower.

[7212Mopar]

I dreamed of having a Schwartz Performance chassis and the Helliphant and a 6 speed in an E Body. I think the chassis, brakes and wheel package before install is going to be over $25k. That is already half of your budget.

[GoodysGotaCuda]

Keep in mind that tire selection is going to be a major contributor here as well as your ability to tune the suspension to the car's needs.

Adding coil overs will not magically make the car handle any better, it has a shock and a spring already. The adjustability of a coilover is what makes it desirable. If you don't know [already] how to dial them in, money is likely better spent elsewhere...the same goes for some driver training.

Tires and proper technique will take any car to the next level. Expensive parts alone won't do that.


That said getting something that has already been dialed in reasonably to the chassis, like what Hotchkis sells may be the best bang for buck. Stick some good tires on it and enjoy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Spartan040]

SRT Challenger handling is still not very good due to weight even you upgrade the sway bars. I am not saying it has bad handling but it is just too heavy. Hate to say it, the Cameros and Mustangs handle better. The ride quality at the sport setting is definitely on the harsher side. The old Challenger with SB definitely feels lighter but steering is much slower.

Not sure if you've driven a 2015+ SRT, but the 3 mode adaptive suspension is pretty sweet. And yes, the Mustangs and Camaros do handle better due to being lighter and smaller, unfortunately. I've driven both a Shelby GT350 (very sweet car) and a 2015 Scat Pack.

Supposedly the next iteration of the current Challenger platform (it was originally going to be based on the new Alfa Romeo Giorgio platform, but no longer) is supposed to address the weight concerns at least. The current platform has potential if you put the right upgrades into it, but you need adjustable coilovers with a lowered ride height, thicker sway bars, front and rear strut tower braces, subframe connectors, wider rear tires, and possibly adjustable control arms to get the most out of it before you even start thinking about replacing bushings. The Mustangs and Camaros just do better from the factory and can be pushed farther than the Challenger can with aftermarket parts.

[Spartan040]

The E-Max is pretty well dialed in, I'd wager that it could take a modern Challenger SRT but I doubt its ride quality will be anywhere near as good for general cruising.

Good point, that 3 mode adaptive suspension is pretty tough to beat. Street mode feels like a Cadillac. But with the right adjustable shocks I'm pretty sure I could get an E-body feeling pretty good on the street as well, and adjust accordingly depending on what I'm about to use the car for.

[Spartan040]

Welcoem to the site from Panama 
I agree with above , stiffeners to the chassis & better components will get you close to 1g cornering potential without redesigning what is already a very good system
Brad has done amazing work with his Chall just using good parts

Hey Chryco, I remember you from the old Cuda-Challenger forum! Glad to know Brads70 is here too. Do you know what exactly he's used?

Also, something I'm a little confused about, I hear people who've gone with systems like AlterKtion talk about how they now have power rack and pinion. I thought a rack and pinion was just a standard steering system that could be power assisted or manual? They talk as if the original E-body didn't have a rack and pinion.

[Chryco Psycho]

The Challenger is currently built on an old Daimler chassis & is outdated but is still not too bad for an older chassis but it is heavy .
I read somewhere that tires are 40-50% of the handling alone , so going from Good Year 15" bias plys to to 17/18 " modern sticky radials would change any cars handling  drastically !
@Brads70 can let you know exactly whay changes & components he used , I know on the rear  he has Carbon fiber leafs double adjustable shocks & a massive sway bar , the front is done even better .
I remember Ehrenberg & the green Valiant [green brick] , he made low buck changes but was cornering in the high .9g range almnost touching 1g , I am sure all the info is out there on the internet on what he did , I know tires were a big part of the handling too .
There are 2 types of steering really , the recirculating ball which a worm gear type system ,stock for Mopars in the 60s & 70s & rack & pinion , which is more like a gear meshing with the teeth on a rake , so rack & pinion is lighter & simpler too , with a single shaft running through a tube & the gear connected tot he column forcing the teeth on the shaft to go left or right , adapting rack & pinion to an older Moper i not easy , if you stay with rear steer everthing wroks easy but the rack is under the oil pan , most want the rack up front out of the way but there has never been a proper ball joint designed to accomodate this so often the fall back is the Mustang II /Pinto system , personally I don't want to use Pinto parts just to use a front steer rack & of course the E body is far wider than a pinto so bump steer issue are included . not the hot set up