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You can buy the Ridetech stuff from Summit to save the shipping. It was recommended to me that unless auto crossing the car, you don’t need the rear muscle bar. I don’t have it on mine and it handles great. Mine came with shims and bolts, however the bolts it came with were wrong. I think they have since corrected that.
Last edited by 69ttop502; Apr 24, 2021 at 06:50 AM.
I believe Ridetech has free shipping and don’t remember on the tax. I bought some parts from Ridetech and the rest through Summit. Purchased the rear first and sent the arms to GTR1999 for assembly. Then saved for the front. My 67 is a frame up case so I was not in a rush to be driving.
As others have said, and Ridetech, you don’t need the rear muscle bar unless you are racing the car. The only fit problem I had with the rear kit was the breather hole on my Muskegon diff cover. Evidently the factory cover hole is closer to the front of the car and the Muskegon to the rear. Sent the cover back to Gary to plug and drill a new hole. Probably could have found someone local but since he built my Super 10 I felt better about sending it back to him.
69ttop502, I must have gotten your bolts as my kit came with a couple bags labeled for C3 only. Lol.
If it is the same thread I read a few weeks ago he admitted to installing the system with wore-out strut rod bushings. I think he now believes this may have caused his issues.
You cannot go off anything in that post as all his bushings were completely shot and he did with all credit to him admit that. Sharkbite is a good system when installed correctly and anybody saying otherwise does not know the system.
I believe Ridetech has free shipping and don’t remember on the tax. I bought some parts from Ridetech and the rest through Summit. Purchased the rear first and sent the arms to GTR1999 for assembly. Then saved for the front. My 67 is a frame up case so I was not in a rush to be driving.
As others have said, and Ridetech, you don’t need the rear muscle bar unless you are racing the car. The only fit problem I had with the rear kit was the breather hole on my Muskegon diff cover. Evidently the factory cover hole is closer to the front of the car and the Muskegon to the rear. Sent the cover back to Gary to plug and drill a new hole. Probably could have found someone local but since he built my Super 10 I felt better about sending it back to him.
69ttop502, I must have gotten your bolts as my kit came with a couple bags labeled for C3 only. Lol.
I talked to Ridetech yesterday on the phone and they did offer me no tax and no shipping and a free shirt. I've decided instead of getting the rear muscle bar I would get more for my money by getting the Borgeson steering box and the Ridetech support bracket. I'm still thinking about whether or not to make the purchase over this weekend $3355.00 is a lot of money to this poor old boy. If I waited on the steering box and bracket that would drop the damage to $2600. I went ahead and ordered Timken bearings, races, seals, spacers, shims, and installation tool kit for $316.99, and a solid stainless steel parking brake kit for 48.03. You have a nice setup under there. Those Kick *** spindles/outer axles and sexy rotors are looking good! I need some of Toms's inter and outer axles. Are they still in business since he passed?
VS coil overs sit ahead of the axle. Ridetech sits aft of the axle providing better geometry and range of motion. You pay a premium for Ridetech’s engineering and beefy extra components.
The green circle is the oem upper shock mount. VS includes a reinforcing bracket and this is where their upper coil over mounts. It is ahead of the axle as is the oem lower mount meaning the TA has a leverage advantage and it requires a stronger spring with less travel range. The upper blue circle is the sombrero mount and one end of the Ridetech upper coil over mounting frame. The lower circle is the lower mount at the end of the TA. The arrow shows I am using the lowest ride height.
Do you think I'll be able to run the lowest ride height on the rear since my front will still be stock? Or will my rear end sit lower than the front then?
They are still in business and I know they make the outers again as I got mine when they just started producing them again. Not sure on the inners as Gary had a set in stock. I did get my billet pinion and US Gear 3:73’s from Tom. Give them a call and see what they have. Yes, it’s a lot of money to me as well. Saving as I go and I guess that’s why I’m on year 3 of not driving. Lol.
Last edited by elwood13; Apr 24, 2021 at 06:24 PM.
Do you think I'll be able to run the lowest ride height on the rear since my front will still be stock? Or will my rear end sit lower than the front then?
Not without looking like an old gasser! I kid.
Not to spend your money, but with an adjustable rear, you really need an adjustable front end. Some people think corner balancing is only for racing, but it is IMO a critical part of chassis tuning when you have that tuning option. Also, there is no way to predictably adjust front ride height with side to side balance without some form of fine adjustment. Yes, trimming coils can get you there, but it is a challenge and if you cut too much...
Anyway, you can install the rear and set it higher to accommodate your total balance and look and then adjust to your desired height once you address the front. On my ‘69, I addressed the front first installing adjustable QA1 coil overs. It is important to realize that front coil overs on a C2/3 are “semi-coil overs” in that the lower mount and spring perch is that of a traditional coil over as is the upper mount. However, the upper spring perch is the oem frame spring pocket. The reason for this is the geometry of the front end. There is insufficient spring range when you consider the distance between the spring mount on the LCA and the frame spring pocket when you introduce a coil over with the height adjuster/lower coil over spring mount sitting above the LCA. A semi-coil over is the most economical solution (what I am using on my ‘69), but there are three other options. A completely redesigned monoleaf or other design; the Ridetech redesign that uses a taller spindle, with custom control arms that enable a longer coil over with an exaggerated tower to clear the frame upper spring pocket; grinding out the upper frame spring pocket for clearance and using a traditional coil over (the solution I used on my highly modified ‘64 - Ridetech made me a custom coil over to my specs for the same price as their regular coil overs and they were great to work with). Or just cut some coils and take your chances.
However you decide to go, plan your work and work the plan. Good luck!
I have a couple of questions since y'all seem very knowledgeable on all of these systems.
Can you use offset rear control arms (like in the Ridetech and Van Steel kits) with sharkbite?
Also when your installing any of these kits on an older much needed car, are there pieces that the big companies don't really include or tell you to take care of while everything is off the car?
Like rebuilding the front and rear spindles or any other random bushing or plate kit that I might not be thinking of? I guess a better question is what did yall also go ahead and rebuild or replace when you put in your suspensions?
I want to do this soon, and I really want offset rear control arms for some wide ole tires later on down the road, and I will def be rebuilding my half shafts, and sand blasting and painting, but what else should I do while I have my rear end tore up?!
thanks guys!
Between Ridetech and Sharkbite I would definitely choose Ridetech. You mention offset trailing arms a number of times - are you aware that if running 17" or larger diameter wheels that relocating the handbrake cable on the standard arms gives just as much clearance for larger wheels/tyres as offset arms?
I did not know that, I thought that is the main reason most people got offset trailing arms. So why do most people get the offset trailing arms if its not for the wider tire capabilities?
I did not know that, I thought that is the main reason most people got offset trailing arms. So why do most people get the offset trailing arms if its not for the wider tire capabilities?
Connecting the thoughts - you need them for wider tires on a 15” wheel. The 17” wheel diameter gets the wheel drum above the area that an offset helps with clearance.
Offset trailing arms have a kick out for clearance and also relocate the parking brake cable so it doesn’t interfere with the wheel/tire combo. So, if you’re running larger diameters you only have to relocate the parking brake cable.
