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Made my own front Weight jacks!!

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Old Mar 15, 2015 | 09:06 PM
  #1  
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From: Trumbull CT
Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Could have went with ground control but I don't want rear weight jacks ( have new QA1 coil overs going in). So I set out on making my own setup that will work with my Moly Racecraft Kmember with spring perches. The race craft spring perches have a ring to center the springs and I built mine around that but based off the GC wight jacks design.

I bought the weight jacks, adjusting plate and 1 1/8" coarse thread x 6" adjusting bolt from speedway with a 9.5" 850lb truecoil springs. I then got 2 pieces of 5" DOM tubing cut to 1.5" tall and 1 piece of 4" DOM tubing cut to 1" tall. I welded the 5" DOM piece to the top of the spring cup (that fits into the Moly Kmember spring perch) and I cut the 4" DOM tubing into 8 pieces as a inner spring isolator and I welded that to the adjusting plate. I then sent it out to get powder coated and when it came back this is what it looks like! The adjusting bolt is 6" long but only has 5" of threading. I then purchased 7/8" ID thrust washers with support washers before receiving the bolts… now i realize I should have gotten 3/4" ID thrust washers for a tighter fit.

I then used a urethane spring isolator between the spring and the adjusting plate to help eliminate any extra road noise.

All in all I have about $200 in everything including the outrageous $32 shipping from speedway and the cost of powder coating etc.

Hope y'all enjoy! Not installed as the car is still apart and on stands.

This is what the Kmember Spring perch looks like
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These are the adjusting plates (nut was already welded by speedway)
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These are the spring cups that fit into the Kmember perches. The inner steel ring fits inside the Kmember perch to keep it centered (actually worked out well and has alittle wiggle room). The outer ring keeps the load of the spring in the spring perch area.
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the Weight jack assembled before powder coat.
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A height measurement of the weight jack, its 2" plus the spring of 9.5" = 11.5" now the urethan isolator is about 1/4-3/8" thick but will squish with the weight of the car on it. So i would say total height is about 2.25" plus the 9.5" spring = 11.75". My cut moog 5664 had a 12" free height so I'm about 1/4"-3/8" lower than that but might be alittle more due to an 850 spring rate ( I think my cut moog 5664 was calculated to about 900ishlb).
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Assembled after powder coating and this is how it would be installed in the car, bottom part of the spring indexed in my tubular UMI front Aarm.
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Full adjustment range of about 5".
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All the way down after powder coating, and pic of the thrust washer.
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Adjusted up to show placement of thrust washer.
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Adjustment plate installed on spring.
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Old Mar 20, 2015 | 09:33 PM
  #2  
//<86TA>\\'s Avatar
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Engine: 408 stroker sbc
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Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Looks good
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Old Mar 20, 2015 | 10:22 PM
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Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Thanks. Hoping it works good too.
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Old Mar 18, 2016 | 10:34 AM
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Car: 1991 BandittII Firebird
Engine: 5.7 HSR
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Axle/Gears: 3.27 9 bolt
Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

How have these worked out for you?
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Old Mar 18, 2016 | 11:07 AM
  #5  
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Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Originally Posted by 91banditt2
How have these worked out for you?
Worked great. Haven't cut any coils off the front. The lowest setting would be lower than stock but it's not exactly slammed. I was running 20's with a 28" tall tire and actually had to increase ride height slightly. Now I have 18's but a 26.5" tall tire and have yet to have it back on the ground to see where it's sitting. But they rode and drive fine.
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Old Mar 19, 2016 | 01:50 PM
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Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Looks good!
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Old Mar 23, 2016 | 10:41 PM
  #7  
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Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Thank ya! Got the car on the ground briefly and she's sitting a bit high on the lowest setting. Of course I figure it will settle another 1/2-1" after a short trip so I'm going to leave it for now. Jacked her back up and Raised the rear 5/8" to help even it out and give my 4" exhaust more clearance from the axle tube. So far it has worked great.
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Old Dec 4, 2016 | 04:45 PM
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Car: 1991 Z28 Vert
Engine: 383 single plane efi
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 8.8 with 3.73s
Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Is this the weight jack kit that you bought?
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Front-...Jack,3386.html
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Old Dec 4, 2016 | 05:19 PM
  #9  
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Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Nope, I bought the plate with the nut already welded on it. And then fabbed as seen in the pics. Probably didn't need to add the outer ring like I did but did that to make sure it stayed... not necessary tho.
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Old Dec 7, 2016 | 03:46 PM
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Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Nice work !!
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Old Dec 10, 2016 | 08:13 AM
  #11  
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Car: 1988 camaro "SS"/ 1991 305/T5
Engine: 383 LT1 in progress/LT1TBI 355 soon
Transmission: Probuilt 700R4 3600 stall/ T5
Axle/Gears: Moser axles, 3.42 Eaton Posi
Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Which ones did you buy?
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Old Dec 10, 2016 | 12:41 PM
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Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

READ and SEARCH. Very powerful functions in Life. He even says "Nope, I bought the plate with the nut already welded on it." 2 posts up.

You will have to copy and paste this link. I need you to learn how to computer. Edit: Changed link structure due to the OP not wanting to teach people. So now we have a double post for the same thing. Darn you OLD PEOPLE.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/WEIGHT...LATE,6509.html

Last edited by I H8 WWD; Dec 11, 2016 at 01:03 AM.
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Old Dec 10, 2016 | 03:07 PM
  #13  
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Car: 1988 camaro "SS"/ 1991 305/T5
Engine: 383 LT1 in progress/LT1TBI 355 soon
Transmission: Probuilt 700R4 3600 stall/ T5
Axle/Gears: Moser axles, 3.42 Eaton Posi
Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

I did READ and SEARCH. The website has a few different options for prewelded plates. Hence why I asked him. No need to be a dick.
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Old Dec 10, 2016 | 04:57 PM
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Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Originally Posted by robertfrank
I did READ and SEARCH. The website has a few different options for prewelded plates. Hence why I asked him. No need to be a dick.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/WEIGHT-JACK-WELD-IN-PLATE,6509.html

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Old Dec 10, 2016 | 06:34 PM
  #15  
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Car: 1991 Z28 Vert
Engine: 383 single plane efi
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 8.8 with 3.73s
Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Tuned Performance is like a mythical creature, he pops up every now and then so people remember him and then he disappears and there's another thread about where did tuned performance go?

I could only find that particular bolt/stud in the pre-assembled piece that I posted. Perhaps my searching abilities need tuned up too.

I'm thinking I'll make this a project when my wife recovers from all of my current Camaro projects.
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Old Dec 11, 2016 | 12:38 AM
  #16  
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From: Salt Lake City, Utah
Car: 1988 camaro "SS"/ 1991 305/T5
Engine: 383 LT1 in progress/LT1TBI 355 soon
Transmission: Probuilt 700R4 3600 stall/ T5
Axle/Gears: Moser axles, 3.42 Eaton Posi
Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

I already have the regular GC weight jacks for my 88. I wouldnt mind making a set for my 89.
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Old Dec 11, 2016 | 02:34 AM
  #17  
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From: Salt Lake City, Utah
Car: 1988 camaro "SS"/ 1991 305/T5
Engine: 383 LT1 in progress/LT1TBI 355 soon
Transmission: Probuilt 700R4 3600 stall/ T5
Axle/Gears: Moser axles, 3.42 Eaton Posi
Re: Made my own front Weight jacks!!

Seriously dude....was that really even necessary? You need to calm down. All that was asked was a SIMPLE question that required a SIMPLE answer. When I did the search it came up with different vendors with different welded plates. So for simple clarification I asked which ones were purchased to also help others browsing this thread to be able to directly find the exact parts needed for this. Harness your damn chi dude.
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