Dodge Charger front suspension complete rebuild

[@xcrimsonairx]

THIS is how DIY home mechanic videos should be! I like that you started with that reality check up front, if you aren't confident, you'll bite off more than you can chew and that will cost you a lot more than paying someone else to do it.

[@EpicChubs05]

I want to thank you and other creators for having these EXTREMELY helpful videos, because of your and other videos I was able to successfully change the suspension on my sisters charger. Thanks for giving me the confidence with your helpful videos to help out my family and get comfortable working on cars.

[@WJHandyDad]

glad I was able to help. If you have a small but powerful impact wrench this job becomes very manageable. While original filming took over a year, I could probably do this whole job now in a few hours

[@antoniomarc7174]

Man I’ll tell you what that is incredible that you did that all by hand no impact gun or special tools and you did it all with the vehicle on the ground not up on a lift…I think your next investment should be a lift for your shop a good used one are pretty easy to find and are in good working order. 👍👍👍

[@WJHandyDad]

I spent so much time under it that I could do it now pretty easily, especially since that Popoman impact wrench I got fits darn near everywhere and has enough torque to loosen every bolt

[@jlrockafella]

​@WJ Handy Dad man if you think the front end had a poor design, wait til you gotta drop the rear sub frame just to remove 2 control arm bolts😂

[@shark70007000]

@jlrockafella I have to do that on my 2006 SXT. When I put polyurethane bushings on the whole car, I only found out one nut on that rear set, for each side, was single use only. Even though I used lock tight on all the nuts and bolts, the one loosened and fell off. So, I have to replace the upper forward rear control arm. I figured I might as well just replace both of them while I'm at it. The one on the other side was a little loose. So I'm putting standard type arms with preinstalled bushings. I had to special order the nuts and bolts, directly from MOPAR. I remember dropping the whole rear end to change the bushing on the rear suspension.

[@noahkeith4366]

That tip to getting those spinning bolts off was insanely helpful! Thank you!

[@WJHandyDad]

glad I was able to help. I could re-do this video in 1-2 days now using an impact wrench. I learned a lot filming it.

[@noahkeith4366]

@@WJHandyDad yeah I ended up using an impact with a 10mm socket and it zipped right off

[@markhubanks3715]

I'm doing this complete replacement on my Dodge Charger, Thank You for a great how to video!

[@luiscolorado4708]

Thank you for the great video! Also i appreciate the dedication and patience that took you for making this vid might of been tough to be worried about the filming and taking that troublesome balljoint out😅😂 Now wish me luck on changing mine😂 thanks again!!

[@WJHandyDad]

with a powerful impact wrench and the correct sized tools they come out pretty easy... my lesson learned, don't do suspension work without an impact!

[@bernie472]

Those lower ball joints are a pain. I have an electric plug- in impact wrench that I used to remove them both on my 14' Charger R/T. Really wish I had a air drivin' one, as they are even more powerful than electric ones, and would have made it a lot easier.

[@WJHandyDad]

having an impact wrench that can fit into places is a game changer. I could probably do this job in a couple hours now. I think it took me 6 months when I filmed this video

[@HeyMon747TGIF]

Awesome WJ《☆》Nice Job👍🏾🍺🤳I hope my Dewalt XP cordless Impact will fit into any tight spots if needed. I was thinking about getting a Hydraulic Press anyway but definitely before trying to do this Job. The Orange Bushings look Kool. Hopefully they last Forever eh✌😎☮

[@DJGRoc]

Unless they're poly bushes, they'll only last 50-75k miles.

[@wickeddbudnovich636]

Thank you so much for posting this this is how I'm gonna spend my coming weekend. Gives me a lot more confidence seeing it done.

[@WJHandyDad]

if you've got a good impact wrench the job is MUCH easier!!

[@wickeddbudnovich636]

@@WJHandyDad coll thank you ill get one. The mechanic wanted 1000 dollars. Ill buy a couple tools if needed. I've always worked on my own cars but never had a Chrysler or mopar

[@Chriselectricfingers]

Good vid , did you turk ur CA bolts nd shock bolt to clevis all to 130 fp with suspenssion under LOAD!!! as bushing needs to be loaded not to deteriorate

[@WJHandyDad]

I torqued several things under load. Basically everything that was in the shop manual

[@MathiasFarrell]

17:44 is that tool needed? And if so what's it called? (Edit) Found it. Thank you anyway and for the video.

[@ManoElMacho]

Good work. I would have recommended using heat on the lower ball joints

[@WJHandyDad]

that probably would have been better :)

[@shark70007000]

What year is this one? I'm wondering if only the V8 model has that upper control arm designed to rip off the rubber on the upper bushings when you take a hard turn a little too fast? My 2006 SXT has a better design but is smaller than my 2011 RT. I will have to make a short video to share since I can't add pictures into a reply. I will do that later. At 12:15 in your video, I just used a short 18 mm and 1/2" wratchet with no swivel. It came out easier than what it took you to do it. I found the red stuff gets dry and creaks on bumps. I put that stuff on the 2006 SXT. I'm just replacing with standard bushings on my 2011 RT.

[@WJHandyDad]

mine is a 2010 police Hemi

[@DJGRoc]

There's really no difference between the V6 & V8 models for most components. The difference is in the spindle between the SRT & standard models, as the SRT's have different mounting points for the brake calipers due to the extra space required for the Brembos.

[@shark70007000]

​@DJGRoc my 2006 SXT, does have a smaller upper control arm. My 2011 RT has the same as here. The V6 version actually has a the rubber bushing sandwiched between two pieces of metal, so it never broke loose on the rubber bushing for the upper section. So the SXT upper control, with the upper ball joint, lasted about 300K miles. The RT with the desing like yours only lasted about 220K miles. One night I took a left turn a little faster than usual, becausethe light was yellow. I heard a loud clunk on the front right. It was the inner metal of the bushing that separated from the rubber of the bushing. So the suspension was shaking there at high speeds, until I replaced them. Then it smoothed out. I posted a comparison of the parts on charger forums. I can't post photos here though.

[@DJGRoc]

@@shark70007000Is your SXT an AWD model? If so, those control arms are distinctly different. If it's just smaller, then it has to do with the weight of the car. The V8 models are much heavier up front.

[@Loshultz]

Love the work

[@shark70007000]

Rewatching after replying to a message, and I came across where you said you didn't think the parts were side specific. The forward control arms are side specific. Maybe you mentioned it later when you get there? I don't remember. Update, I continued watching, you did have them on the correct side. Sadly for me, my kit came with two right sides. The company said to deal with rockauto, rockauto said to send the kit back for a replacement. I'm not removing everything to put the old parts back on. I do have the 12 ton press you need for some of those parts. When I changed the parts, I was at mother in laws house. I still need to change those lower ball joints. But that is something I need to do at home. LOL

[@WJHandyDad]

I just sued Rock Auto over a different vehicle. They literally have the worst customer service - they only provide for return/exchange without any common sense or way to talk to anyone. I eventually got a small and powerful impact wrench and I could probably redo the whole job in just a couple hours. Originally this video began October 2, 2020 and filming completed September 27, 2021. Almost a full year! But I am so happy with the end result

[@melanielaraway8181]

You said “get these tight or you’ll have clunks, ask me how I know” at 25.02 min. So how do you know? I am having problems by hearing that clunk.

[@WJHandyDad]

I was chasing a clunk for a long time with it. I was driving around with multiple go pro style cameras under it trying to see what was causing it. In the end it was the upper control arms not being torqued tight enough. I tightened them and the clunk went away.

[@melanielaraway8181]

Oh that was a smart idea to find it. Glad it was an easy fix. I recently had my front suspension done. Took it back because I never heard this noise before last month when I took it in. He said him and two others have looked at it and they can’t figure out “where it is coming from because it isn’t consistent.” Asked if I could bring it in next week so an older more experienced technician can look and they can rack their heads on where it’s coming from. He swears everything was tightened and it’s safe to drive but no offense I don’t find it ironic.

[@WJHandyDad]

@@melanielaraway8181 remember the upper control arms should be tightened when the vehicle is lowered and resting on the wheels, not up on jacks. Hopefully you can find and eliminate your "clunk"

[@arielgutierrez3405]

Yeah taking out that ball joint out of the knuckle is so hard I’m starting to think it is built in

[@WJHandyDad]

I think if you have a perfectly sized ball joint tool *and* a powerful impact wrench it works fine but I didn't learn that until long after the video was made

[@jlrockafella]

I think my rear diff may have a problem. When I do a burn out with my charger one wheel spins more than the other. I have 2wd

[@WJHandyDad]

do you have a "limited slip" differential? If not, it's normal for only 1 tire to spin.

[@DJGRoc]

This is normal unless you got the Track Pack/Super Track Pack option on an R/T, or unless you get a Scary Pack. The V6 models & the base Charger R/T have an open diff, with like 2.90 gears. Like the man said, you need an LSD in order to get power to both wheels. Easy way to tell is by looking at the diff. If it doesn't have cooling fins on the bottom then no LSD.

[@JoseMedinaIII]

Any links you have for suspension?? I have a charger my self and need good suspension

[@WJHandyDad]

this is the one I used: amzn.to/3wioxJL

[@albertomartinez6347]

Can you just pit the Damm thing together

[@WJHandyDad]

if I had to do it again, I'd probably knock out the whole thing in just a few hours. But when I filmed this I think it spanned six months.

[@MLEB723]

Would an 18 MM ratcheting Box wrench work on that upper control arm bolt that was under the Master Cylinder instead of the deep well 18 Socket?

[@WJHandyDad]

yes probably work great. When I made this video I didn't have one. I do now!! LOL

[@MLEB723]

Cool, I'm about to do some work on my 14 Charger, it has 89,000 miles and I think it's time. Thanks for the video, I know how much work it is to create them. I have about 10 videos I'm currently editing that span about about 3 years. Doing the work is easier than making the Video. @@WJHandyDad

[@DJGRoc]

That should work much easier than a rachet wrench, but you also do not need a deep socket. A standard depth socket fits on that but just fine. The biggest racheting wrench I have is a 17mm, so I had to use a regular 18mm wrench. Had to use the open end, as the angle of the box end wouldn't allow it to clear the master cylinder. It also helps to hold the flag bolt in the wheel well, as it just keeps rotating against you. 😕

A Draper 52020 flexible ratcheting 18mm spanner is the answer for those rear nuts!

[@nicholas440]

All that and you installed incorrectly. Suspension needs to be preloaded before doing the final torque. That way the bushings are preloaded and don't have to twist to settle to ride height

[@WJHandyDad]

you must not have watched the whole video. I did torque the upper and front control arms "weighted" and it mentions that in the torque specs at the end of the video.

[@nicholas440]

@@WJHandyDad my bad I see it now, how is the suspension kit doing ? Il be needing to do my front end in the next few months

[@WJHandyDad]

@@nicholas440 it's amazing. I love how it rides. Smooth and quiet. Highly recommend.

[@DJGRoc]

You should've used metric tools instead of SAE. Everything is metric on vehicles now.

[@WJHandyDad]

seems like most of mine still have a mix... and of course there are some sizes that are almost identical

[@DJGRoc]

It's true that some sizes are almost the same, but I promise that metric will fit better for everything on this car. I've done this same procedure on my Challenger. Front & rear. Most common used sizes are 10, 12, 13, 15, 18, 21, & 22mm. And I did it in the ground like you also.

[@Rayjr1982]

Parts link?

[@WJHandyDad]

I always put links in the video description

[@glennrichmond6358]

Using a claw hammer to work on your car? Real professional.

[@JuanGarcia-dg7bi]

Got er done either way😂😂😂😂