For enthusiasts who push their Dodge Hellcat to the limit on road courses, achieving precision handling and stability is the difference between a thrilling lap and a white-knuckle battle. The Hellcat’s brutish power—ranging from 707 to 840 horsepower depending on the variant—demands a suspension system that can manage massive weight transfer, keep the massive tires planted, and inspire driver confidence through high-speed corners. Stock suspension components are tuned for street comfort and straight-line performance, but they often leave the chassis wallowing, squatting, and rolling under track loads. Upgrading key components transforms the Hellcat into a corner-carving predator. This guide explores the best suspension upgrades for Hellcat track days, covering coilovers, sway bars, strut braces, control arms, shocks, springs, bushings, and the alignment strategies that tie everything together.

Understanding Suspension Fundamentals for Track Use

Before diving into specific components, it’s helpful to understand how the Hellcat’s suspension system influences track behavior. The suspension must maintain tire contact with the pavement while controlling body motion, steering response, and weight transfer during braking, cornering, and acceleration. For a 4,500-pound car with nearly 650 lb-ft of torque, the demands are extreme. Upgraded components reduce flex, adjust geometry, and allow precise tuning of spring rates, damping, and ride height. The goal is to minimize body roll (which delays steering response), eliminate squat under throttle (which unloads the front tires), and prevent dive under braking (which reduces rear tire grip). Each upgraded part plays a role in this balancing act.

Coilovers: The Foundation of Track Performance

Coilovers are the single most impactful upgrade for track-focused Hellcats. By integrating the spring and shock absorber into a single unit, coilovers allow independent adjustment of ride height, spring preload, and damping characteristics. This lets you lower the center of gravity, reduce weight transfer, and fine-tune the suspension to specific track conditions.

Adjustability and Damping

Most performance coilovers offer separate compression and rebound adjustment, allowing you to dial in compliance over curbing versus control through high-speed sweepers. A typical track setup uses stiffer damping to control the heavy springs needed to support the Hellcat’s weight during aggressive cornering. Look for monotube designs with large piston diameters for consistent performance under heat.

Top Brands for Hellcat Coilovers

  • KW Suspension (V3 or Clubsport) – KW’s V3 coilovers feature independent adjustment for high- and low-speed compression and rebound. The Clubsport line is even more track-focused with stiffer spring rates and revised valving. KW Suspension
  • BC Racing (BR Series or DS Series) – BC Racing offers budget-friendly coilovers with 30-click damping adjustability and camber plates. Their BR series is a popular entry point; the DS series adds remote reservoirs for heat management.
  • Fortune Auto (500 Series) – Fortune Auto’s 500 series coilovers are built in the USA and feature digressive valving, external reservoirs, and custom spring rates. They’re known for excellent ride quality even at aggressive track settings.
  • MCS (Motorsports Customer Shocks) – For serious track rats, MCS coilovers offer double-adjustable or triple-adjustable damping with a huge range of spring options. Expect race-level performance but at a premium price.

When choosing coilovers, pay attention to spring rates (typically 400-700 lb/in front, 300-600 rear), shock travel, and whether the kit includes camber plates for front alignment adjustment.

Sway Bars: Controlling Body Roll

Even with high-quality coilovers, the Hellcat’s substantial weight will generate significant body roll without stiffer anti-roll bars. Sway bars (also called anti-roll bars) connect the left and right suspension components and resist the twisting motion during cornering. Upgraded sway bars dramatically reduce body lean, improve turn-in response, and allow the tires to work more evenly across the contact patch.

Front vs. Rear Sway Bar Adjustability

Most aftermarket sway bars offer multiple adjustment holes—a softer setting for street use and a stiffer setting for track days. A common track recommendation is to run a larger front bar (typically 35-38mm) combined with a stiffer rear bar (28-32mm) to balance understeer and oversteer. Adjustable end links are also recommended to prevent preload and ensure proper bar leverage.

  • Hotchkis Performance – Hotchkis offers a complete sway bar kit for Hellcats with CNC-machined splines and Teflon-lined bushings. Their bars are designed to work with the factory mounting points for easy installation. Hotchkis Performance
  • Eibach – Eibach’s Pro-Truck and Pro-Plus sway bars are made from hollow, cold-formed steel for light weight and high stiffness. They offer both front and rear kits with multiple adjustment settings.
  • Whiteline – Whiteline’s adjustable sway bars feature a unique blade adjustment system that provides four positions of fine tuning. They also offer adjustable end links and polyurethane bushings to minimize deflection.

Strut Braces: Stiffening the Chassis

During aggressive cornering, the Hellcat’s unibody can flex, especially at the strut towers. This flex introduces steering lag and inconsistent geometry. A strut brace (or strut tower bar) ties the left and right strut towers together, increasing chassis rigidity and reducing flex. The result is sharper turn-in, better feedback, and more predictable handling.

Front vs. Rear Braces

Front strut braces are most common and effective, but a rear strut brace (especially on coupe models) further stiffens the rear chassis. Some braces also serve as mounting points for additional components, like a master cylinder brace.

Top Strut Brace Brands

  • Steeda – Steeda’s aluminum strut tower brace is lightweight yet strong, with a dual-weld design that ensures a tight fit. It clears the Hellcat’s supercharger without interference.
  • BBK Performance – BBK offers a polished stainless steel strut brace that adds rigidity and engine bay style. It comes with all hardware and is drilled for easy installation.
  • Moroso – Moroso manufactures a tubular steel strut brace that is powder-coated for durability. It fits both Hellcat Charger and Challenger models.
  • Fays2 Watts Link – For the rear suspension, consider a Watts link system (see next section) that also adds lateral stiffness.

The Hellcat’s rear suspension uses a multi-link setup with stamped steel control arms. On track, these arms can flex under heavy loads, causing toe changes and wheel hop. Upgraded control arms—made from aluminum or tubular steel with polyurethane or spherical bearings—eliminate deflection and allow precise alignment adjustments.

Rear Upper and Lower Control Arms

Adjustable upper control arms let you set camber and pinion angle, while lower control arms position the axle and affect toe. A good track setup includes:

  • Adjustable upper control arms (e.g., BMR Suspension) to gain negative camber and reduce wheel hop.
  • Lower control arms with polyurethane bushings (e.g., UPR Products) to improve tracking under power.
  • Toe links (also from BMR or SPC) to independently adjust toe alignment for stability.
  • UPR Products – UPR manufactures CNC-machined aluminum control arms with sealed spherical bearings. Their Pro-Street line is a popular choice for track Hellcats.
  • BMR Suspension – BMR offers adjustable rear control arms with polyurethane bushings and a metallic additive that reduces friction. Their track proven arms are used on many SRT builds. BMR Suspension
  • SPC Performance – SPC’s adjustable camber and toe arms are designed for fine-tuning alignment. They feature a patented locking mechanism to prevent loosening under vibration.

For ultimate rear axle control, consider a Watts link conversion. The factory Panhard rod allows lateral movement of the axle. A Watts link centers the axle during cornering, eliminating rear-steer tendencies and improving grip coming out of turns. Some popular options come from Fays2 and Hotchkis.

Shock Absorbers: Damping Control

If you’re not ready for full coilovers, upgrading just the shock absorbers—in combination with lowering springs—can still yield significant improvements. High-performance shocks offer better valving control, heat dissipation, and adjustability than factory units. The Hellcat’s standard adaptive dampers (on some models) are decent but lack the thermal capacity for sustained track sessions.

Standalone Shock Options

  • Bilstein B6/B8 – Bilstein’s monotube shocks provide excellent fade resistance and a sportier ride. The B8 series is specifically designed for lowered vehicles.
  • Fox Racing Shox – Fox offers adjustable shocks with remote reservoirs for the Hellcat. Their 2.0 series shocks are rebuildable and custom-valved for track use.
  • Penske Racing Shocks – For those chasing every tenth of a second, Penske’s double-adjustable shocks (8750 series) allow independent low-speed and high-speed damping adjustment. They require a professional tuner to maximize but offer race-winning performance.
  • MCS (single- or double-adjustable) – Both remote and non-remote options are available. MCS shocks are top-tier for road course use.

Note: If you already have coilovers, the shocks are integrated. Standalone shocks are best used with quality lowering springs (see below).

Springs and Bushings: Supporting the Setup

Equally important as dampers are the springs that support the vehicle’s weight and the bushings that connect components to the chassis. Upgrading both complements the overall suspension system.

Lowering Springs

If you choose not to use coilovers, a set of progressive or linear lowering springs can lower the Hellcat by 1.0 to 1.5 inches, reducing center of gravity and improving aesthetics. Match spring rates to your track driving style—softer for sharper transitions, stiffer for sustained cornering. Recommended brands: Eibach Pro-Kit (linear, progressive rates), H&R Sport Springs (linear, firm), Swift Spec-R (linear, high tensile strength).

Polyurethane and Spherical Bushings

Factory rubber bushings allow too much deflection for track use. Replacing them with polyurethane (e.g., Energy Suspension, Prothane) or spherical bearings (e.g., Howe, QA1) eliminates slop and keeps alignment changes predictable. Common areas to upgrade: front lower control arm bushings, rear subframe bushings (cradle lockout kit), and sway bar bushings. Note: spherical bearings transmit more noise and vibration, so they’re best for dedicated track cars.

  • Energy Suspension – Hyper-Flex polyurethane bushings for control arms and sway bars.
  • BMR Suspension – Cradle lockout kit to eliminate rear subframe movement.
  • Prothane – Complete bushing kits for front and rear suspension.

Alignment and Corner Balancing: Dialing It In

All the components in the world won’t help if alignment settings are off. For track use, a performance alignment should include:

  • Camber: Aim for -2.0° to -2.5° front, -1.5° to -2.0° rear. This maximizes tire contact during cornering. Use camber plates or adjustable control arms to achieve these numbers.
  • Caster: As much positive caster as possible (6°+) for improved straight-line stability and steering return.
  • Toe: Zero or slight toe-in (1/16” total) front and rear to prevent darting at high speeds.

Corner balancing (scaling) ensures each wheel carries the optimum load. After lowering the car, scales are used to adjust ride height and preload to equalize weight distribution diagonally. This improves handling balance and tire wear. Many shops offer corner weighting for $200–$400.

Even the best suspension cannot overcome poor tire traction. For track days, switch to a performance summer tire like the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 or Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS. Lighter wheels (forged aluminum or one-piece flow-formed) reduce unsprung weight, allowing the suspension to respond faster and improving braking. Popular wheel brands for Hellcat track cars: Forgeline, HRE Performance, Apex Race Parts, BBS. Consider 18x10 wheels with 285/35R18 tires (requires a brake kit for some) or 20x10 with 305/30R20.

Putting It All Together: A Track-Focused Suspension Package

For a well-rounded Hellcat track car, a typical build might include:

  1. Coilovers: KW V3 or BC BR series with moderate spring rates (600 lb front, 450 lb rear).
  2. Sway bars: Hotchkis front (1.375” hollow) and rear (1.125” hollow), set to middle position.
  3. Strut brace: Steeda front bar.
  4. Control arms: BMR adjustable upper and lower arms with poly bushings.
  5. Bushings: Energy Suspension front LCA bushings, BMR rear cradle lockout.
  6. Alignment: -2.2° front camber, -1.8° rear, 0 toe, max caster.
  7. Tires: Michelin Sport Cup 2 in 305/30R20 on 20x10 forged wheels.
Budget for such a setup ranges from $4,000 to $8,000 depending on brands and installation. For a more budget-oriented build, start with coilovers and a front sway bar, then add control arms and tires as funds allow.

Conclusion

Upgrading the suspension components of a Dodge Hellcat can transform it from a straight-line monster into a capable track companion that inspires confidence through every corner. By investing in high-quality coilovers, sway bars, strut braces, control arms, shocks, and bushings—and then setting up proper alignment and tires—you achieve the precision handling and stability needed to maximize lap times and driving pleasure. Remember that suspension tuning is a process; start with the fundamentals, test on track, and adjust details over time. With the right components and setup, your Hellcat can deliver an exhilarating track experience that matches its epic power.