Tubular K member??
Tubular K member??
Considering a tubular K member for my bracket race only Camaro. What K member have you installed and how good is the fit of it? Did you use a rack or stock steering? Mild steel or chromoly? Actual weight savings? Coilovers or stock springs?
I have a stock K member now with Moroso trick springs and 90/10 struts.
I have a stock K member now with Moroso trick springs and 90/10 struts.
Re: Tubular K member??
I run the PA racing front K member with stock springs and stock steering. I dont know how much weight savings there was, but lifting the parts in my hands would guess around 40lbs. or so. Chrome moly is stronger, but there is no weight advantage, so I went with mild steel.
I had my local alignment guy get everything set up for the track and havent had any problems. 1.54-1.55 60fts on really low boost and fat tune.
I had my local alignment guy get everything set up for the track and havent had any problems. 1.54-1.55 60fts on really low boost and fat tune.
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,028
Likes: 78
From: Desert
Car: 1991 Z28 Vert
Engine: 383 single plane efi
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 8.8 with 3.73s
Re: Tubular K member??
Considering a tubular K member for my bracket race only Camaro. What K member have you installed and how good is the fit of it? Did you use a rack or stock steering? Mild steel or chromoly? Actual weight savings? Coilovers or stock springs?
I have a stock K member now with Moroso trick springs and 90/10 struts.
I have a stock K member now with Moroso trick springs and 90/10 struts.
Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 397
Likes: 11
From: new york , n.y. , USA
Car: klowny1969 <-youtube 4 3rd gen vids
Engine: subscribe to klowny1969 on youtube!
Transmission: subscribe to my channel on youtube
Re: Tubular K member??
I have a chrome molly spohn k-member with coilovers and tubular a-arms..i was going to get a manual rack but decided against it..i swapped in a manual gear box from an s-10 and hated it..so i went back to power steering..the weight savings with the coilovers and a-arms/kmember was about 60lbs..i noticed a difference
Re: Tubular K member??
Im running a spohn mild steel tubular K. Weight difference is minimal. Cleared up alot of space though. I absolutely hate the thing, but its faults really wouldnt affect a bracket car
Modified a coilover K to accept stock springs and reused the stock A-arms
Install was a basic R&R, no fuss
Modified a coilover K to accept stock springs and reused the stock A-arms
Install was a basic R&R, no fuss
Moderator

Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 17,262
Likes: 168
From: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: Tubular K member??
Profab mild steel k-member and a-arms in my car. Moroso trick springs, Koni SPA1 struts. Manual steering box from an S10.
The only thing I would have done differently would be to get rod ends for the a-arms instead of bushings especially for a race only car but that still doesn't stop me from pulling the wheels sky high. With rod ends, you can play with steering/suspension geometry slightly.
Weight saving over an OEM k-member is very minimal. Room around the engine is the biggest saving. CM does save a little bit of weight but doesn't justify the added cost. CM, although it's a little lighter because it can use thinner tubing for the same strength also has a shorter life span because the metal is so brittle. The metal and welds will show signs of cracking long before mild steel will. It all depends on how you abuse it. You don't see a lot of old CM tube chassis race cars for a reason while there are still a lot of old mild steel tube chassis cars.
The only thing I would have done differently would be to get rod ends for the a-arms instead of bushings especially for a race only car but that still doesn't stop me from pulling the wheels sky high. With rod ends, you can play with steering/suspension geometry slightly.
Weight saving over an OEM k-member is very minimal. Room around the engine is the biggest saving. CM does save a little bit of weight but doesn't justify the added cost. CM, although it's a little lighter because it can use thinner tubing for the same strength also has a shorter life span because the metal is so brittle. The metal and welds will show signs of cracking long before mild steel will. It all depends on how you abuse it. You don't see a lot of old CM tube chassis race cars for a reason while there are still a lot of old mild steel tube chassis cars.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 590
Likes: 1
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Car: 86 Camaro IROC-Z
Engine: 565ci 900 hp
Transmission: T56 Magnum by RPM Transmissions
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" w/4:56 Detroit Locker
Re: Tubular K member??
I have Racecraft chrome moly Road race K-Member, with UMI A-arms with Delrin bushings, Racecraft 2" drop spindles with shorten arms and also have Unisteer Rack and Pinion.
Love the setup, but I really noticed the difference when I put on the Edlebrock 3 point strut brace, that made a world of a difference
Love the setup, but I really noticed the difference when I put on the Edlebrock 3 point strut brace, that made a world of a difference
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,028
Likes: 78
From: Desert
Car: 1991 Z28 Vert
Engine: 383 single plane efi
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 8.8 with 3.73s
Re: Tubular K member??
I have a stock k member with a arms attached laying around and I can weigh it and give the amount. Ill call UMI and ask for their weight of the k and a arms.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 590
Likes: 1
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Car: 86 Camaro IROC-Z
Engine: 565ci 900 hp
Transmission: T56 Magnum by RPM Transmissions
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" w/4:56 Detroit Locker
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