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Expert
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Location: Fairfax, Minnesota | I have kept everything stock/original on my 61 Chrysler. There is one thing I may want to do. Any helpful opinions, information, ideas would be great. I am exploring the idea of dropping the height by approximately .75". Why? Probably not important. Just exploring for ideas and trying to learn. Rear - take out a leaf? was the 300G lower than other models-would 300 springs work? other ideas? will the ride/handling be affected a noticable amount? Front -If I adjust the torsion bars and realign,same question on ride/handling. Thanks Ray |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: So. Cal | Ray - 2017-01-23 3:50 PM
Rear - take out a leaf?
No, don't do it. Yes, the handling will suffer if you remove a leaf. I am not certain about the 300, but the best handling upgrade you can make to these cars, other than tires, is to purchase a heavier set of rear springs. So if you weaken them, you will definitely notice a detrimental change. But not to worry, the rear is very easy to lower, just hard to raise. Just get a .75" aluminum lowering block with a 1/2" hole/pin in the center and place it between your rear axle and the top of the spring. That will lower it without creating any bad effect to your handling.
Front -If I adjust the torsion bars and realign,same question on ride/handling.
.75" isn't too big of a drop for the torsion bars to handle the geometry change. Just lower it evenly on both sides until you get the right amount and then go get the car re-aligned.
Edited by Powerflite 2017-01-23 9:51 PM
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
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Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Agree as for the rear lowering. As for the front, 0.75" is ok for the geometry, but lowering by the torsion spring adjustments makes the front end more sloppy.
I'd say that using a pair of Heavy duty trorsion bars and lower them 0.75" would be good.
Lowering the front end by the torsion bar adjustments will actually even help to get a better negative camber angle (for radial tires only) and still being able to adjust the caster more positive (Power steering only).
But, it's a balance between the correct height and the achievable front end alignment adjustments.
I have one extra main leaf (adapted) in the rear, stock correct front end height and new shocks, all new bushings and front end alignment for radial tires, tires of the correct class - the ride is fantastic |
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Expert
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Location: Fairfax, Minnesota | It appears as if my first action should be that of measuring the current ride height. I may luck out and find it is too high. Thanks for all the information. |
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Location: Under the X in Texas | Chrysler 300 "Letter Cars" all have heavy duty suspension. When you look at factory photos or look at the AMA specification sheets, you see that these cars rode about 1" lower than standard suspension models such as their New Yorker counterparts. For '55-56 that meant coil springs made from larger diameter wire but with 1" less total height. For '57 up that meant torsion bars of thicker diameter then adjusted about an inch lower when in the car. Rear leaf springs in all these years had one additional leaf and they had slightly less arch to get the 1" lowering. The intention was to control the car through the lower center of gravity as well as the higher spring rates.
I would never remove a leaf from a leaf spring to lower a car because it will make the car sway during cornering. I have used a pair of 1" lowering blocks on several cars including 300s. I have turned torsion bars down to lower ride height on standard and 300 models. Depending on the dips and potholes of roads you drive, when you start lowering more than 1" on the bars you can expect to bottom out on the rubber frame stops on occasion.
The 3/4" you want to lower will probably not be noticeable to you in ride or handling. Indeed it is VERY likely that your leaf springs have sagged from miles and age that much or more already. Also likely that an alignment shop over the decades adjusted the torsion bars to keep the car level. What I'm saying is, look in the shop manual and get the dimension the front stood up from the factory. I'm guessing you will find your car is already lowered over 1" from what it was when new.
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Expert
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Location: Fairfax, Minnesota | StillOutThere - 2017-01-24 9:27 AM Chrysler 300 "Letter Cars" all have heavy duty suspension. When you look at factory photos or look at the AMA specification sheets, you see that these cars rode about 1" lower than standard suspension models such as their New Yorker counterparts. For '55-56 that meant coil springs made from larger diameter wire but with 1" less total height. For '57 up that meant torsion bars of thicker diameter then adjusted about an inch lower when in the car. Rear leaf springs in all these years had one additional leaf and they had slightly less arch to get the 1" lowering. The intention was to control the car through the lower center of gravity as well as the higher spring rates. I would never remove a leaf from a leaf spring to lower a car because it will make the car sway during cornering. I have used a pair of 1" lowering blocks on several cars including 300s. I have turned torsion bars down to lower ride height on standard and 300 models. Depending on the dips and potholes of roads you drive, when you start lowering more than 1" on the bars you can expect to bottom out on the rubber frame stops on occasion. The 3/4" you want to lower will probably not be noticeable to you in ride or handling. Indeed it is VERY likely that your leaf springs have sagged from miles and age that much or more already. Also likely that an alignment shop over the decades adjusted the torsion bars to keep the car level. What I'm saying is, look in the shop manual and get the dimension the front stood up from the factory. I'm guessing you will find your car is already lowered over 1" from what it was when new. Thank you- more great information. The leaf springs were replaced about 10 years ago-EATON Detroit. The image displayed was made before the new springs were installed.
Edited by Ray 2017-01-26 3:13 PM
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Expert
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Location: NorCal |
The front suspension ride height as described in the FSM isn't an actual overall dimension in reference to the ground, it's the difference in two dimensions measured from points on the lower control arm to the ground. |
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Ride height
