As everyone ever try to made their own tubular K-member ?

[rimspec]

hemirunner are you located in texas? I am thinking of building my own k member also.

 

[Kern Dog]

Pinto parts. Mustang parts. Tubing cut and welded using a tape measure for "precision".
Thousands of dollars spent to gain some header clearance versus spending less than half to have similar handling and less durability. I'm still not convinced.
Nobody has proven that any aftermarket front suspension gives any competitive advantage on the road course over a well prepped stock based torsion bar suspension.
Thevendors in the aftermarket are plenty happy to tell you different and to take the money though.
The advantages of the aftermarket stuff?
Header clearance? Buy decent headers instead of Hedman or Hooker.
Adjustability? Tell me how ride height isn't adjustable on a torsion bar suspension.
Steering feel? I guess nobody told you about the Firm Feel or Borgeson steering setups ?


Hey....If the goal is to look cool and modern with the new and flashy stuff, I can appreciate that. Just understand that you are spending a lot of money to go no faster, handle no better and to last no longer than a properly improved factory setup.

 

[smb03]

Pinto parts. Mustang parts. Tubing cut and welded using a tape measure for "precision".
Thousands of dollars spent to gain some header clearance versus spending less than half to have similar handling and less durability. I'm still not convinced.
Nobody has proven that any aftermarket front suspension gives any competitive advantage on the road course over a well prepped stock based torsion bar suspension.
Thevendors in the aftermarket are plenty happy to tell you different and to take the money though.
The advantages of the aftermarket stuff?
Header clearance? Buy decent headers instead of Hedman or Hooker.
Adjustability? Tell me how ride height isn't adjustable on a torsion bar suspension.
Steering feel? I guess nobody told you about the Firm Feel or Borgeson steering setups ?


Hey....If the goal is to look cool and modern with the new and flashy stuff, I can appreciate that. Just understand that you are spending a lot of money to go no faster, handle no better and to last no longer than a properly improved factory setup.

as circle track racer who maps out and builds front suspension i can tell you the stock front end geometry and components are junk. i have taken a stock 70 charger on a 3/8 banked oval and it was slow as ****. it did haul *** down the straight but man did it push bad, i mean one of the worst handling cars ive ever tried to drive hard. if you do the roll center from the control arm angles its junk. if i used that geometry on my circle track stuff it would push horribly. even on my car ill be replacing the k frame even though i modified the hell out of it just to get better geometry soon. the lower control arm balljoints need to go down about 3". the pinto spindles puts the balljoint back on the lower instead of the spindle giving it that drop that it needs. also the bumpsteer is way off on the mopars with the drag link having a drop to it instead of being centered with the pivot point of the lower control arm and outer ball joint center. the bushing setup on the original torsion style is garbage. everything is so sloppy on the factory lowers. aftermarket bushing control arms have a sleeve thru the urethane bushing thats greasable and freely spins in the bushing, the stock setup...nope, works off just the flex of the spongy bushing. so as your cornering under heavy load the caster and camber is being changed from big spongy sloppy bushings. if you wanted a lowered car the balljoint angle is way off on stock lowers aswell.

so by going with a modern front end geometry k frame you will save alot of weight, go faster, handle better and last much longer than the factory k frame suspnsion. all around waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better

 

[Hemirunner]

My first lower control arm on top....RMS lower below.

 

[68 HEMI GTS]

My first lower control arm on top....RMS lower below.

You have mad skills!!
What kind of bender are you using for all your tubing work?

 

[smb03]

stock k frame but adjustable length tubular coilover lowers on an actual bushing

 

[Hemirunner]

You have mad skills!!
What kind of bender are you using for all your tubing work?

Thanks! I bought a JD2 model 3 bender and spent way too much on dies, lol.

 

[Greg55_99]

Saw this Aussie mod a Mustang II crossmember into a B body:

http://www.protouringmopar.com/showthread.php?1094-RECHARGD-1974-Dodge-Charger-Build-Up/page2

An A body swap as well:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/threads/mustang-ii-front-end.37036/

I guess it depends on how much you want to cut and weld.

 

[ozmercury]

Hi there ,I have a 72 Roadrunner 505 RB ,ford Automatic Overdrive trans .I am building a front end measured of an rms ,but styled more on the control freak set up as the box section RMS one looks terrible,looks like they have just slapped it together expecially the steering rack mounts.I also copied the street lynx rear end,they have some nice pictures and tell you the measurements of the linkages. I emailed Andy Helgeson at viking shocks he told me which spring rates and shock lengths RMS uses for the front and rear end.if any one wants to know measurements and part numbers I can supply them ,but they are in metric .haven't quite finished the front end yet,the sway bar I make out of 1 1/8 4140 just heat it up around formers and leave to aircool

 

[ELLIOT]

Hi,

what a cool set up you've got ! The mesuerements would be a great help ! RMS give them to you ?

Thank you !

 

[Budnicks]

Here's the "easy jig"

That's actually a great & simple idea , thanks...

Your doing a great job & have mad skills too...

 

[Budnicks]

stock k frame but adjustable length tubular coilover lowers on an actual bushing

View attachment 376655 View attachment 376656 View attachment 376657

Very nice fab skill, you certainly have talent too...

 

[roadrunner69440]

Good read! I kinda agree with both guys earlier , on that it is a TON of work and money for only header clearance it seems and unless you are pushing the pedal into the carpet in the turns it would make more sense to just throw a set of TTI or Schumacher headers on it . On the other hand there is always a bit to be desired for the stock suspension and handling could always be improve upon . Like most other things in this hobby , budget and planning to figure out the best bang for your buck , don't forget to figure in time !

 

[Hemirunner]