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Member
Posts: 40
Location: Oak View, Calif. | I have Monroe heavy duty shocks on my '58 Fury that still work OK but have been on the car from before I purchased it in 1977, so they are over 40 years old. I put a new set of gas shocks from Kanter or PST on the car in 2008 but they were so soft that I put back the old Monroe shocks which were 100% better but I want better handling and less lean in corners and less bounce in dips but without a harsh ride. Has anyone had experience with a firm shock without a harsh ride and if so what brand? Does anyone make an adjustable shock for these cars, I believe all '58 Plymouth's used the same size shock but the
fury's were heavier duty and stiffer.
Lastly, I have a sway bar(without brackets,which I will need) off a '57 Dodge station wagon which I got from a wrecking yard.Will this sway bar fit my '58 Fury as they were not equipped with them from the factory and will it make a noticeable difference in the handling? Has anyone out there had any experience with either or both these issues or do I need to go to a front end shop or custom car shop?
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Bill (mprmgic@aol.com)
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Location: Under the X in Texas | IMHO the best bang for the buck is KYB Gas-a-Just shocks. Numbers to be found with a search of this site. Front lower bushing has to be ground down to fit. I've bought from Summit Racing a few times. Every car should have an anti-sway bar and you will appreciate the difference in cornering. I'd expect that Dodge bar to fit - might even be HD diameter having come from a wagon and that is very desirable. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9663
 
Location: So. Cal | I really like KYB shocks for the front. You can use part number KG4507, but you have to grind down the lower bushing to get them to fit. KYB shocks are really good performers and not excessively expensive. For the rear, I like to use Monroe Sensa-trac overload shocks just to give the rear end a little more control when you get people in the back seat. But you could install KYB's back there too. The rear uses the same shock all the way into the '60's so no issues there.
The front sway bar makes a big difference in the handling - second only to tire choice. Unfortunately, if your car didn't come with one, you will have to weld the frame brackets on your car in order to mount it. It's not real hard to do, but does require some fab skills. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1102
Location: Hayward, Calif | Bill, I read somewhere if you put a sway bar on the front, a sway bar should be put on the rear also. Years ago I replaced the original sway on a 61 Olds Cutlass with a heavy duty sway bar. It really made a big difference when cornering. There was no sway bar on the rear. So I guess ,,,,take the advice with a grain of salt. Also years ago I put heavy duty shocks on a 58 Dodge. It handled great, but rode like a lumber wagon with no springs. You probably will not be doing any racing with this car so, Looks like you will have to find a happy medium between ride and handling. Jerry |
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Location: Under the X in Texas | Sway bars come on almost every front end or a car and most trucks. Seldom OEM on the rear. Example from out era: the '57 Chrysler 300C came with a front sway bar. The rear DID NOT and none has ever been offered in the aftermarket up to this day. (Although the cars needed a rear one by modern handling standards so I like to add an extra spring leaf each side to compensate) |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9663
Location: So. Cal | Where do you put the extra spring Wayne? Between 1 & 2, 2 & 3 or etc.?
I replaced the rear springs on my '58 Desoto with new progressive rate spring material and it made a huge difference. The car handles really well afterward. But if I could achieve nearly the same thing with just one additional spring, I might try that instead, to save some money. |
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Member
Posts: 40
Location: Oak View, Calif. | Much thanks to all of you for the great advice! I will check on the KYB shocks and check with a fabricator on mounting the sway bar. It will have to be powder coated and new bushings installed as well. I think the Fury has heavier duty spring rate leaf springs as well as an extra leaf, so maybe I will just have them rebuilt if necessary (the car has only 97,000 miles). Thanks so much to you all, Forward Look cars forever!! |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 6500
Location: Newark, Texas (Fort Worth) | I found the front shock at rock auto for $29: Rebates for 4 shocks! and our 5 percent discount...
http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=503020&jsn=12
What is the rear Part number for kyb shocks for 1957-1959 Plymouths and Dodges?
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Expert
Posts: 3575
Location: Netherlands | Not sure what level of 'handling' you are looking for in your car, but swaybars only become noticable more effective at at least 1" or thicker.
Along with bigger torsion bars and heavier/more leafsprings, this will help in keeping the car more level in corners.
KYB's on a heavy car work 'OK' because the weight of the car masks the initial harshness of the shock.
But once the KYB shock/suspension is in movement, I think their damping qualities still don't come close to the performance of a good quality shock absorber.
They are a nice improvement over the stock shocks though.
An (adjustable) performance shock (along with other upgraded suspension parts) can update the handling of a FLWK close to that of a 50 year newer car.
Shock mounting/layout hasn't changed much or any of the span of some 15+ years ('57-mid '70s).
I've once had the KYB4507 on my daily driven '73 Dodge Dart, but once I upgraded to an adjustable Hotchkis front shock, the car felt much more like a well handling luxury car. Even still being a lowly Dodge Dart.
On the rear I have adjustable QA1 shocks, upgraded from a pair of Monroe Sensatrac's. The handling performance-upgrade was night and day.
Along with 7 blades per side in the leafspring pack, this car can now hold its own well with today's modern Sport & 'Performance' cars. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 5006
| Sounds like for the money you can't beat the KYB's. part numbers: KYB Gas-a-Just series Front - KG4507 (need some of the rubber bushing trimmed to fit) Rear - KG5511 Gabriel part numbers for reference. https://www.kyb.com/save/ Gabriel gas shock absorber Front - Gabriel 82072 Rear - Gabriel 81469
Edited by mikes2nd 2017-04-27 7:39 AM
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Member
Posts: 40
Location: Oak View, Calif. | Thanks again, much good information to think about. You guys are great people! |
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Expert
Posts: 1906
Location: Ontario, Canada | Powerflite - 2017-04-26 5:01 PM
Where do you put the extra spring Wayne? Between 1 & 2, 2 & 3 or etc.?
I replaced the rear springs on my '58 Desoto with new progressive rate spring material and it made a huge difference. The car handles really well afterward. But if I could achieve nearly the same thing with just one additional spring, I might try that instead, to save some money.
Put another half leaf at the bottom. You will be surprised how much that helps. And, it is not a big deal to do it! Sorry that I don't have any! I took all that stuff to scrap metal some months ago!!
Greg |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 6500
Location: Newark, Texas (Fort Worth) | rockauto kg5511, $31.79 -5 percent and $40 off 4 shocks!
http://www.rockauto.com/?mfr=KYB&partnum=KG5511
http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=502163&jsn=19&jsn=19
shipping $9.99 for me.
Edited by mstrug 2017-04-29 6:32 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 520
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado | BigBlockMopar - 2017-04-27 3:56 AM
Not sure what level of 'handling' you are looking for in your car, but swaybars only become noticable more effective at at least 1" or thicker.
Along with bigger torsion bars and heavier/more leafsprings, this will help in keeping the car more level in corners.
KYB's on a heavy car work 'OK' because the weight of the car masks the initial harshness of the shock.
But once the KYB shock/suspension is in movement, I think their damping qualities still don't come close to the performance of a good quality shock absorber.
They are a nice improvement over the stock shocks though.
An (adjustable) performance shock (along with other upgraded suspension parts) can update the handling of a FLWK close to that of a 50 year newer car.
Shock mounting/layout hasn't changed much or any of the span of some 15+ years ('57-mid '70s).
I've once had the KYB4507 on my daily driven '73 Dodge Dart, but once I upgraded to an adjustable Hotchkis front shock, the car felt much more like a well handling luxury car. Even still being a lowly Dodge Dart.
On the rear I have adjustable QA1 shocks, upgraded from a pair of Monroe Sensatrac's. The handling performance-upgrade was night and day.
Along with 7 blades per side in the leafspring pack, this car can now hold its own well with today's modern Sport & 'Performance' cars.
Got some part numbers for the hotchkiss and qa1 stuff?
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 5006
| only a 1+ inch sway bar matter? I have to disagree. All swaybars matter.
Monroes are junk.
QA1 shocks run 150-170$, these KYB's are 30$... They better be better 
I own QA1's and Aldans, Teins etc... Bilsteins, Hotchkiss etc etc... You can pay 30$ or 800$... shocks are like buying smartphones... Yes once you get over a certain amount your paying for the "name" and if they think they can get you to pay double.
For my vette suspension you can get QA1's for 300-400 or spend 3000$... is the 3000$ coilovers worth it? nope, are the QA1's for that price the best? probably not.
I stuck KYB's on my 57 dodge, it was 120$.
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9663
Location: So. Cal | Very well said Mike. I agree 100%. |
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advice on shock absorbers & sway bar for '58 Fury
