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broke a strut rod!! (72 hornet)

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nothingface5384 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nothingface5384 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/24/2017 at 8:06pm
ive tried hard attempting to get someone to make a custom lower control arm where it and the strut rod is one piece like how ride tech does with the ford lowers....no bites..

1972 Pro-Toured Buick Skylark Twin turbo efi 355 v8

1973 Pro-Toured Ford Maverick 302 v8

1975 Stock AMC Hornet 232 I6

1978 Stock Plymouth Volare 225 /6
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tyrodtom View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tyrodtom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/24/2017 at 8:06pm
From 1970 up all AMC 2wd cars , except the Pacer, use the same front suspension members, knuckle, upper and lower control arms, ( along with that strut rod ).  The just use different springs for the different weights. And different bolt on spindles for the different brake configuration.
That's Hornet, Gremlin, Spirit, Concord, Matador, Ambassador, Javelin and AMX.
66 American SW, 66 American 2dr, 82 J10, 70 Hornet, Pound, Va.
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tomj View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/24/2017 at 10:18pm
shocks: physically, shocks exchange over a crazy wide range of cars. AMX rear shocks fit 1961 Americans. between two different year javelins the difference shoudl be zero if the mounts are the same.

for the rest, and the "catalog collapse" that's just getting worse, the shock rates are utterly incompatible. for no reason i can work out stiff shocks are thought to be "better" -- even i succumbed to this, for years -- and since there's nearly zero data on details of damping rate most of the AMCs iave owned rode badly and handled not well, even with new springs, wheels, tires, etc. i finally came to my senses and went through catalogs and chose shocks with the correct mounts and length, then chose some based on the *curb weight* of the car (to get *some* sense of damping rate).

i ended up putting Toyota Starlet shocks on one end, and some other import car's shock on the other, and LO! smooth ride, vastly better handling, etc.

i do not drag race. i drive curvey stuff in mountains, deserts, and city traffic.

too-stiff shocks prevent (delay) the SPRINGS from absorbing impulses from deviations in road surface (holes, bumps) and tossing a car into a turn. 

1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

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tomj View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/24/2017 at 10:21pm
strut rods: fat chance of working out interchange "on paper". lol, it was funny to see this old thread pop up, my first thought on the title was "uh, that happened to us!" lol.

AMC seems to have made many tiny variations willy nilly, maybe there was reason but it's ahrd to discern.

you could certainly pick the right ones from a pile, but i ain't seen no pile 'of 'em to pick from. the variations are frustratingly small but fatal to interchange.

1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tyrodtom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/24/2017 at 11:21pm
As for strut rods ,   70 and up 2 wd , ( except Pacer)  there is no difference.

I put strut rods from a 75 Matador on my 70 Hornet,  no problem.
66 American SW, 66 American 2dr, 82 J10, 70 Hornet, Pound, Va.
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kenoshakicker View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kenoshakicker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/28/2017 at 3:05pm
Originally posted by tomj tomj wrote:



i ended up putting Toyota Starlet shocks on one end, and some other import car's shock on the other, and LO! smooth ride, vastly better handling, etc.



On what end did you use the Toyota shocks?  Do you have a part number for either pair of shocks you used?  Thanks.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/28/2017 at 11:21pm
Originally posted by kenoshakicker kenoshakicker wrote:

Originally posted by tomj tomj wrote:



i ended up putting Toyota Starlet shocks on one end, and some other import car's shock on the other, and LO! smooth ride, vastly better handling, etc.



On what end did you use the Toyota shocks?  Do you have a part number for either pair of shocks you used?  Thanks.

there's a catch... there's always a catch... :-)

the pre-64 Americans have an absolutely unique front shock. the lower eye is HUGE, no other car ever used the lower eye at any time. all thats elft are ancient and expensive NOS shocks.

so i made a simple bracket that bolts onto two existing holes in the lower A-arm and that has a hole that accepts a normal shock stud mount. been in use for > 10 years. so that's required for the fronts.

here are the shock i'm running in my '61 American, which weighs 2250 lbs measured weight after i chopped out A LOT OF METAL.

 

< ="text/">
Shocks, frontVolvo 122, frontGabriel 812702400 lbs requires fabricated mount (was Gabriel 82069, NAPA 5819; too stiff)
Shocks, rear81..84 Toyota StarletGabriel 814401600 lb ... (was KYB 343135; too stiff)
1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

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