New Shock Frustrations ...

[Gerald Morris]

Test drive today. Went over the worst potholed and rough roads I could find.

It was like driving a cloud! Just floating along and we didn’t feel any of them.

Steering seemed better, too.

Those KYB shocks ARE the BEST FOR THE DOLLAR (or Deutschmark) shock absorbers on the market today. I have them all around Mathilda, and have since this Spring. The ride EXCELS many other well known brands. The pity about them is that KYB, like too many corporations, uses grunt labor from the cheapest asiatic slave states they can hire now. So, issues such as that which plagued you will arise, and if they persist in hiring ill motivated, semi-literate rice paddy peons to toil for them, then their quality WILL inevitably decline. Japanese should know better! They DO KNOW BETTER, but short-term, bottom line piggery has become the norm of crapitalism in its senesence. You can go read about Imperialism elsewhere though.

Good front shocks DO improve steering and other aspects of front suspension. Sway bar bushings also can be kept in good trim to help keep your ride driving straight and true. I hope der Vaterland's roads aren't so grossly neglected as they are in this 3rd world cesspool I dwell in. The monsoons this summer have washed out MANY new potholes, which will destroy many front suspension systems. I foresee another overhaul on mine the coming year.....

 

[CBODY67]

Should have the normal C-body front sway bar, which was standard equipment. No factory rr bars back then, except aftermarket from Helwig.

 

[Knebel]

I would just try to pry it open a little and whack the shock in!? If that dosent work.... I'd leave the sock there and just try to grind off some on the bushing.

 

[Ghostultramarine]

I would just try to pry it open a little and whack the shock in!? If that dosent work.... I'd leave the sock there and just try to grind off some on the bushing.

I did just grind some off the bushing. Works fine and is a lot better than the ones that were on there. (Which were completely shot.)

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

Yes, the new KYB is larger. Just over a mm wider than the ancient Delco ones.

(I’m going to guess Delco was the old name of what is now AC Delco?)

This is your problem, GM shocks in a Mopar that when the mechanic air wrenched the bolts tight squeezed the two sides of the LCA together. Better than if some DIY'er left it loose or minimal torque as over time and age and proper maintenance the improper installation will wear the shock bolt hole leading to a bigger problem.
Easy fix if you have the space is to insert a same diameter longer full thread bolt and a bunch of nuts the inside ones being the what do you call them half nuts(?)
Lock one side tight to the LCR and turn the other inside nut to jack the arm apart, it don't need much, I've come across this a few times.


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[Ghostultramarine]

Easy fix if you have the space is to insert a same diameter longer full thread bolt and a bunch of nuts the inside ones being the what do you call them half nuts(?)
Lock one side tight to the LCR and turn the other inside nut to jack the arm apart, it don't need much, I've come across this a few times.

That’s a handy technique to know!

 

[John Kirby]

Should have the normal C-body front sway bar, which was standard equipment. No factory rr bars back then, except aftermarket from Helwig.

Not on all of them. My dad's 71 Monaco didn't have one. A mechanic friend of ours came by with one (and a 12 pack of beer) he took off a car. I installed it and corners we could barely take a 35 we could cruise through at 55-60. Amazing difference. If you can find the complete setup + new bushings it is money very well spent. One of the easiest performance upgrades you can do.

 

[CBODY67]

Was you Dad's car a LA-engined car?

 

[John Kirby]

Was you Dad's car a LA-engined car?

No, it was a 383 2-barrell. Last year for the 383.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Spread the control arm wider, or easier route is to just file/grind a bit off bolt tube. It will not hurt anything either way. I would say it is more likely some gorilla/mechanic with a air impact tightened the right one up that it crushed the tube some and bent control arm inward slightly.