Question on Ridetech coilovers

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Dec 11, 2018 | 10:50 PM

elwood13

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From: McKinney Texas

Question on Ridetech coilovers

I’m looking at the ridetech rear coilover setup for my 67 and debating on using Global West front a arms with coilovers. I don’t plan on racing the car but am curious if you really need the ridetech front for overall better handling. For those of you that have installed the rear coilover system did you use their front arm setup as well?

Thanks in advance.

Dec 12, 2018 | 07:56 AM

69ttop502

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From: Watkinsville, GA and Glen Cove, NY

I have the Ridetech rear on my 69 and am using Ridetech coilovers on the front with a Global West upper and lower control arms. The lower is the extended travel coilover arms. My reasoning is I already had purchased the Global arms and I am staying with 15 inch wheels, and with the new Ridetech spindle, there aren’t many brake kits available for use with 15 inch wheels. Made it simpler and am using Wilwood D8-6’s on the front. Just didn’t feel the front was worth it if I was staying with 15’s. Having said all this, I am just finishing up my chassis and will be posting a build thread very soon. I will say the Ridetech stuff is great as well as the Global arms. They are seriously beefy.

Dec 12, 2018 | 09:58 AM

cagotzmann

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Quote:

Originally Posted by elwood13

I don’t plan on racing the car but am curious if you really need the ridetech front for overall better handling.

The only point in changing from the factory setup to anything else is to allow more clearance for wider wheel options and improve ride comfort. If you are not going to track the car then better handling for street driving will never be noticed. As for comfort this you will notice. So if comfort is your goal then continue with changes. Also coil overs "just look cool" nothing wrong with cool looks and comfort. I have a VB&P Street & Slalom setup on my 78 and use the car for track days. In the stock style setup it handles very well at the track, as for street comfort compared to my C6 Grandsport, no comparison. The C6 is way more comfortable in the seat of the pants. As for over all street handling with either car, you cannot drive them hard enough to notice a difference.

Dec 12, 2018 | 10:36 AM

elwood13

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From: McKinney Texas

Thanks guys. 69ttop, I think I read your plan on another thread. There seems to be more in the C3 section than C2. I guess I should have included I’m going with 17 or 18” wheels and widening the rear quarter 1-1/2” to get the widest tire in the rear. I’m also installing the borgeson power steering and a 454. My son and I are rebuilding this car together and it will go to him one day. He did mention that he wants to do road courses one day but I don’t know how realistic that is. I think the Global West arms look really strong and I have a set of C3 front spindles. They just look stronger that the ridetech front even though I know looks can be deceiving.

Thanks

Last edited by elwood13; Dec 12, 2018 at 10:38 AM.

Dec 12, 2018 | 11:20 AM

69ttop502

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From: Watkinsville, GA and Glen Cove, NY

I think if I would have been going to bigger wheels, I might have gone ahead with the Ridetech front as well. It is definitely a proven system, although you have to build in the cost of new brakes as well. Love their splined sway bar as well as I am going to adapt it to my Global lower arms. I can’t imagine there being stronger control arms than these Global’s and their Del a lum bushings seem to get great feedback as well. If you go with the Global arms, definitely get the extended travel arm if you are going to lower any. Look forward to seeing what you do.

Bill

Last edited by 69ttop502; Dec 12, 2018 at 11:21 AM.

Dec 12, 2018 | 11:32 AM

SteveG75

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From: FL

One advantage of the Ridetech front system is the updated steering arms on the new spindle. C-3's can have pretty bad bumpsteer and the new components help eliminate that. I ended up using the VB&P bump steer blocks that drop the tie rod end down and in and that pretty much eliminates bump steer. You can do the same thing with tall tie rod ends. Unfortunately, VB&P are now out of business.

Dec 12, 2018 | 12:10 PM

elwood13

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From: McKinney Texas

Thanks Bill. I’m going with the Wilwood brakes as well. From what I’m reading it looks like ridetech uses the camero spindles. The system looks well engineered for front and rear and that is why wondered how well it worked without the front. As stated I probably wouldn’t notice any difference in daily driving.

Chris

Dec 12, 2018 | 12:14 PM

elwood13

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From: McKinney Texas

Thanks Steve. I guess I need to read more about that. The body is at the painter and I hope to have the rear end out this weekend and then I will have a bare frame.