tubular k-member

[88stangmangt]

DnD has a very nice one for 350 that alows you to use both stock and after market a-arms and also coil-overs. M&M also has a very nice peice but you have to replace EVERYTHING... and it is 300 more so i dont want the one from M&M. haas anyone used DND's k-member should i get it? or is it a waste of money? i have the engine out so now would be the best time. also DND's site said it costed more to up-grade to cromoly steel should i spend the extra if i decide to get it? i also thing you can run the enigine in the same stock cradle location.

 

[dartman]

i got the ground pounder for my 83gt ,it has 2 motor mount locations ,i just use the ft . one if not i will have to shorten driveshaft,,i have the one with the lower arms,have no spring perch,,i got the coil over kit ...i have 200lbs springs ,,you can adjuet the height for the ft. end..i like it ,,,i dont have the lt.weight ft. brakes just yet,,i just hurt my motor an building a dart 351w block,,it knocks off a good bit of weight,,are you dragstrip??or roadrace??pm me...if i can help you more...

 

[stangbear427]

Since you specifically mentioned D&D and MM, you may be interested in this. MM's K-member weighs 36lbs, and their control arms weigh 8lbs each, a total of 58lbs. Stock Ford K-members run about 50lbs, and stock control arms weigh about 14lbs each, a total of 78lbs. The difference in weight between the stock spring and strut vs coilover spring and strut is barely worthy of mention, and probably gets made up for with the addition of c/c plates. D&D claims to shave 75lbs off the front end with their complete K-member kit, while MM only shaves off about 30lbs. Think about this! If you shave 75lbs off an 80lb front end, you have a five pound kit. Not only is this too preposterous to believe, if a Mustang has a K-member kit in it that's 75lbs lighter than the stock setup, I wouldn't even want to sit in that car, never mind ride in it. There is a reason the MM one costs twice as much- it is the absolute highest quality one out there, and it's the only one I know of that is actually stronger than stock not weaker. Lots of people get hurt every year when these cheaper, lightweight parts fail. I wouldn't push my luck... I'm saving for the MM one.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

i agree with stangbear427....MM rules as far as quality. I've never owned the D+D unit, but i've seen them first hand. They're nice and all, but even from the picture you can tell the MM unit is nicer. I know all about money constraints, i'm as poor as it gets..lol...but i dont think it's worth the effort to put a tubie on without tubular A arms and maybe even coilovers....these could probably wait, but stock A's on a tubie is silly.

I'd DEFINATELY recommend the chromoly in either brand. I spent 17 years racing and riding freestyle BMX, and while it's not the same type of thing as a K member, the strength and long term quality of chromoly is unmatched. I've snapped just about every frame i've ridden hard on, except for the higher end chromoly frames. Plus chromoly is rust resistant as well.

 

[4eyed5.0]

Stock K-member, A-arms, springs and camber plates weigh 122 lbs. D&D K-member, A-arms, coil-over spring kit and steel cc plates weigh 44 lbs. I weighed them on bathroom scales, not totaly accurate but close. MM is better in quality, but i got the D&D really cheap from a friend who ditched his project. Chrome Moly isn't generally recomended on a street car because although it is stronger in terms of tensile strength, it is more brittle, more likely to develop stress cracks. Mild steel weighs more but it is ductile enough to survive potholes and such. If i had to buy my stuff new i would get a MM or Ground Pounder.

 

[Smokedawg]

I bought the D&D kit and love it..Havent had one problem out of it..

 

[Rick 91GT]

I'll give ya another option...

I use the UPR chrome-moly piece, fit was perfect and it is very light. It also has more header clearance then the D&D piece.

The Performance Automotive piece is also very nice www.paracing.com

 

[88stangmangt]

so as of now is it a waste of money? i do like the upr set-up becuase it has everything for like 700? but my dad would $hit he thinks all of that stuff is crap and a waste of money.

 

[ponyboy19]

I personally believe that you can't beat the AJE (Anthony Jones Engineering) K members.. Kooks headers recommends these and says that the D&D K member actually reduces header clearance where the AJE gain it. They also make adapter perches to allow stock A arms to work. I've never heard anything bad about them and the price is in the 350 range. I believe they clain 120 lbs savings with the complete kit and coil overs. they also have a ton of options with rack placement and motor swaps/placement

http://www.ajeracing.com/

 

[stangbear427]

so as of now is it a waste of money?

If all of your suspension mods are listed in your sig, then yes... you are jumping the gun a bit. Just remember, when it comes to structural components, lighter is usually not better. In a street car, definately not. Aluminum heads, driveshafts, fiberglass hoods, racing seats, all great. Lightweight K-member? I am not trusting my life, the weight of the engine, impact routine of the front wheels in turns, potholes and powerstops to a major component that weighs under 40lbs. I've heard of too many of them failing while doing something as simple as braking in a corner on the track, and costing way more money in repairs than were saved in their purchase. Not to mention the racers who are lucky to be alive at all...

 

[88stangmangt]

true.............so i guess stock k-memeber with some coil-over and tubular a-arms for the front.

 

[TIMMY2734]

I'll give ya another option...

The Performance Automotive piece is also very nice www.paracing.com

Something is wrong with my a-arms/ball joints. The ball joint is larger by 30 thousandths...... therefore it wont fit.

I hope nobody takes this the wrong way. Ive got one problem and hopefully when i call them up, they will take care of the situation. Im not trying to bash them in any way or anything, just one snag that i ran into.

Hopefully, their customer service is what others say it is. BTW, the balljoints that i tried to press in were sent by PA racing, so it was not the fact that I messed up something of the sort.

 

[Rick 91GT]

Something is wrong with my a-arms/ball joints. The ball joint is larger by 30 thousandths...... therefore it wont fit.

I hope nobody takes this the wrong way. Ive got one problem and hopefully when i call them up, they will take care of the situation. Im not trying to bash them in any way or anything, just one snag that i ran into.

Hopefully, their customer service is what others say it is. BTW, the balljoints that i tried to press in were sent by PA racing, so it was not the fact that I messed up something of the sort.

Jason stands behind his product and will take care of 100%, he modified a friends K-Member "(another brand)" to make it fir since it was so off....Jasons a real nice guy.