Camaro front suspension same as HQ ?

[56 Effie]

I have a camaro front clip in my 56 pickup l have been told HQ parts may fit and be cheaper to rebuild front end. I think it is @ a 74 vintage. Any advice much appreciated.

[swampy]

Hi
U might need to photogragh some parts and send to suspension makers

IF Hq parts do fit your front end

In Ozzy
**TRW all steering and ball joints
**Mackay Rubber bushes , Kelpro are not as good quality [not long enough]
*** Super Pro, [ Blue] Urethane bushes ,these are like synthetic rubber and not rock hard =bad
Urethane sway bar links
Urethane front lower inner bush either in Std or H/Duty--preferred

Standard height suspension Shocks Monroe GT gas
DBA disc last a lot longer than Chinese junk
Bendix pads
PBR/ Bosch brake seal kits

[immortality]

Super Pro bushes ..... = bad? How so, I prefer them over Nolathane any day.

[swampy]

HI

*** Super Pro, [ Blue] Urethane bushes ,these are like synthetic rubber and not rock hard =bad
explanation , super pro are like synthetic rubber = soft and not rock hard like other branded Urethane bushes = bad

Always ask the duro = hardness rating of a urethane bushing . Old school and cheap Chinese brands are harder . Old urethane formulations crumble and fall apart as well .
Many shackle bushes as an example are that hard they will wear steel away .
Always install with either bushing/rubber /moly grease
Due to the longevity /maintenance issues I only install them where I am having trouble with rubber bushes not coping with the load .

[immortality]

Superpro is a great product that falls nicely between OEM type rubber bushes and rock hard Urethane bushes like Nolathane. Just because Superpro aren't rock hard doesn't mean they are bad.

[GtoGeoff]

I think the ball joints would be the only parts that would fit.

[HQ 368]

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the bushes are the same as well.

I know the same vintage stub axles and calipers go straight onto HQ with only a slight adjustment to caster.

[swampy]

Hi
Super Pro purchased by Fulcrum suspension many many years ago. Super pro once did about 4 different levels of hardness way back in the early eighties red black orange blue until the business was sold . Then in the 90`s started using the Fulcrum blue shackles nice and soft compared to the hard plastic of competition . The Super Pro blues were the only shackle bushes that lasted and did not wear the brackets out . Every leaf/shock/ joint that came with there own bushes we used to throw in the bin and replace with the superior Super Pro blue. Every 3 mths I was replacing All Suspensions on the mining utes . The bushes helped reliability a lot

Fulcrum head office will make bushes to sample .
Immortality ,hope that explains my opinion, sounded like u misunderstood me .

Have not used Pedders for a long while . Used the first of there Ford spring saddle mounts in urethane mid 80`s ,lasted way longer than Factory saddle mounts .

But its all to do with the urethane receipe together with the hardness /duro that makes a bush work .

[cluxford]

easier to just jump on line and buy parts from US. Bolt straight in and cheap.

[GtoGeoff]

Exactly. Buy the correct parts from the USA.
When I bought my GTO, a popular swap was HQ disk front end to replace the drums [ I went back to the factory drums, it stopped better ]. Use the HQ stub axles they said, a bolt on swap, many have done it. When I compared the HQ axle to the GTO axle, I found these differences:
- HQ axle was shorter in height; greater camber change with the HQ axle.
- the position of the stub where the wheel brgs sat was different, cannot remember which way it was now, but it changed the ride height.
- the angle of the axle relative to the c/line of the b/joints was different requiring a lot of shims to get wheels aligned.

I made caliper brackets & used the GTO axles & had it engineer certified for rego.

[swampy]

HI
Op needs to identify what generation and or year of front end first then work out how much dodgy work has been done .

[desoto30]

I agree with all the above comments saying use the std parts. the potential savings are probably minimal. You will probably only rebuild the front end once EVER and when you look back the extra $$ spent will be insignificant in the build cost of the single vehicle that you are doing.... I have had similar experience as swampy Re: those stinking nylothane bushes,, absolute rubbish

[56 Effie]

Thanks for the replies. I decided to go original camaro parts. With the help of American suspension and driveline in Ballarat, l now know it is a 75-76 model and l have all new components and calliper kits to completely rebuild the front end.

[56 Effie]

At last re assembling front end, but with jack under lower ball joint,top ball joint doesn’t reach top control arm it’s like the spring has expanded with no load on it. It’s the same pedder spring the PO had pedders install. Spring part no RS 7110, tempted to cut the spring. Any clues why it won’t go back as it was ? Thanks

[56 Effie]

I have a Camaro front end in my 56 Effie, after rebuilding front end, bushes ball joints etc with a jack under bottom ball joint the top ball joint doesn’t reach as far as the top ball joint. I have re installed the pedder spring that the PO had pedders install its looks like the front spring has expanded with no load on it. Ideas?