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66 Rambler American Front suspension upgrade?? |
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OEF14vette 
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Joined: Aug/25/2019 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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 Topic: 66 Rambler American Front suspension upgrade??Posted: Aug/27/2019 at 11:52am |
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So I been looking into completely disassembling and rebuilding the front suspension on my 66 American. By the time I get new ball joints at $120 a piece and a bushing kit from prothane, and everything else it's pretty spendy all in all. I've been looking at the dairyland fab setup or fabbing my own setup with new upper and lower control arms using mopar screw in style ball joints and aftermarket coilover shock. It's not my first choice but I do want to drive the car alot and enjoy it and make maintence simple and affordable for years to come. Mustang 2 setup has been recommended to me but I'm not a fan.. anyone have any success stories on upgrading their 66-69 with newer suspeion or do's and dont's or any info to assist in making a decision on what route to go. Thanks
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farna
Supporter of TheAMCForum 
Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19676 |
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Posted: Aug/29/2019 at 8:04am |
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Dairyland and Control Freaks have some upgraded suspensions. Both are a bit pricey compared to a stock rebuild. While a stock rebuild isn't cheap, it's going to be cheaper than any other option. Once rebuilt you should be good for another 20+ years and/or 100K+ miles. Unless you anticipate having to rebuild it 3-4 times in coming years you're not going to save anything by upgrading. If you really want/need the slight handling advantages (for a street car -- if you intend to autocross/road race more noticeable) or just have some money to spend they are a good idea.
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Frank Swygert
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tomj
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Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: earth Status: Offline Points: 7544 |
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Posted: Aug/29/2019 at 11:32pm |
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the path through parts and rebuild, alignment and driving through rebuild of the stock suspension will be faster, easier, cheaper, and not require all the fabrication, accommodation and fixing of countless little details that always get glossed over at the sales side of things. the 63 to 66? 67? suspension, while it uses the "large taper" ball joints and tie rod ends, which makes them expensive, is a very reliable design. you won't regret rebuilding it. smooth, easy rides great. i dont know those years americans; is it the AMX style rubber bushed trunnion? if so they're a no-brainer to rebuild. i use the Prothane kit -- not because i think polyurethane is "better" but because it was $27 for both sides, i'm tight for money since i had so much work to do. no squeaks yet. wasn't even sure if rubber was avbailable for that. you have to honestly ask yourself what you will actually be doing with this car. sunday driver? daily driver? long distance cruising? autocross/track stuff? if anything but the latter, stock rebuild is probably the way to go. |
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1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5 http://www.ramblerLore.com |
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OEF14vette
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Joined: Aug/25/2019 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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Posted: Sep/11/2019 at 3:53pm |
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I do plan to do some "spirited driving" with the car whether that is at the drag strip or road America I would like to handle nice and be extremely worry free. I do plan to drive the car long distances, this past weekend I put 480 miles on my 74 corvette and with Fuel injection I was pleased to get 21 MPG not too shabby making 517 RWHP. So with that being said I guess I think I may refine and innovate the dairy land setup or reach out to him and possibly purchase his whole setup and go that route. I do appreciate the responses. |
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Rob Scouse
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Joined: Mar/13/2017 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 1 |
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Posted: Mar/04/2021 at 2:55pm |
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Dairyland and Control Freaks Suspensions are basically a "monopoly"(supply & demand paradigm) so they will charge what the charge to "recoup" their manufacturing/fabbing costs....imo;i believe an easier (some lite fabrication work???) route would to use a mopar volare IFS but not sure what exactly what a volare IFS would need in terms of fabrication work....
Edited by Rob Scouse - Mar/04/2021 at 2:57pm |
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6768rogues
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Joined: Jul/03/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 6241 |
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Posted: Mar/04/2021 at 10:31pm |
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If you rebuild the stock suspension and use urethane bushings then add a sway bar it will corner like a slot car. Expensive new systems might be a little better, but at a lot higher cost. Your money, your decision.
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Content intended for mature audiences. If you experience nausea or diarrhea, stop reading and seek medical attention.
Located usually near Rochester, NY and sometimes central FL. |
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LakesideRamblin
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Joined: Dec/21/2015 Location: So. California Status: Offline Points: 2692 |
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Posted: Mar/04/2021 at 10:59pm |
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I agree with 6768Rogues. I rebuilt my front end with OEM parts and all new Polyurethane bushings and added an Addco sway bar. Fun to drive, nice and tight without being bone jarring. And I love the manual steering! I'd buy a Caterham Seven if I wanted all new racy suspension technology.
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LakesideRamblin
69 Rambler 360 73 Javelin 360 "If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month." T. Roosevelt |
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Midnight Rambler
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Joined: Jan/17/2011 Location: SoCT Status: Offline Points: 1670 |
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Posted: Mar/05/2021 at 6:02am |
Also agree, I had a sway bar but replaced all the rubber and wear parts and the car drives surprisingly sweet. |
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 '66 American 440 Convertible 290/M-40/AMC 20 3.15/PS/PB '04 Jeep Wrangler X Rocky Mountain Edition 4.0 5sp |
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Buzzman72
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Joined: Sep/15/2009 Location: Southern IN Status: Offline Points: 2725 |
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Posted: Mar/05/2021 at 9:15am |
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The primary thought I have is "obsolescence." On a car that hasn't been built since 1969 in that configuration, how long are parts going to remain available?
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Buzzman72...void where prohibited, your mileage may vary, objects in mirror may be closer than they appear, and alcohol may intensify any side effects.
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LakesideRamblin
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Joined: Dec/21/2015 Location: So. California Status: Offline Points: 2692 |
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Posted: Mar/05/2021 at 9:49am |
Well, it's been 52 years since my car was made. I figure there will be parts available until I'm either in the dirt or they ban gas powered cars. I may be wrong but I think you can get almost anything OEM you need from Forum members, AMC vendors or other internet sites for the foreseeable future. If that all goes away so does our hobby.
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LakesideRamblin
69 Rambler 360 73 Javelin 360 "If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month." T. Roosevelt |
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LakesideRamblin wrote: