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Making (yet another) investment. FRONT suspension. Opinions/Advice

Here's a GREAT instructional video for the Mopar specific SPC UCAs
 
I weighed them
rounded up to the nearest 1/2# to #

SPC dbl. adj. UCA's weigh appr. 7# ea. x 2 = 14#'s
including hardware & ball joints,
more caster built in, adj. on the car

QA1 LCA's weigh appr. 8.5#'s each x 2 = 19#'s
with pins & rubber bushings
& provisions for sway bars welded on

QA1 Dynamic adj. Strut rods weigh appr. 2.5#'s ea. x 2 = 5#'s

QA1 K-Member weighs appr. 36#'s
it has motor mt.'s towers & steering mounts welded on
& hardware is 2#'s

appr. 76#'s total give or take a pound here or there

+ or - a few ounces, maybe a 1/2 a pound here or there
weighed on a bathroom scale for shipping
nominal weights of boxes etc.
 
Last edited:
1967coronet440 said:
Pretty damn good as a matter of fact lol
Click to expand...
BWA-HA-HAAAAA!!
:poke:
:lol:
I already placed the order...
God knows I've researched and pondered and hemmed and hawed long enough, and then there's this thread for good measure!
I'm confident that my $1,718.85 is well spent and will be well worth it!
The price difference between the COMPLETE replacement of my front suspension components going this route vs Gerst (was a top contender) Magnum Force, etc etc, those which would have gotten me :lowdown: rack and pinion steering and I think also changed over to coil overs as well...The PRICE DIFFERENCE AKA the money I saved will pay for the Gerst or RMS triangulated rear suspension system that I absolutely have decided on, so in effect I'm getting a front and rear suspension redux for the price of one of those "other" front suspension kits only.
:D:luvplace:
 
Last edited:
biomedtechguy said:
BWA-HA-HAAAAA!!
:poke:
:lol:
I already placed the order...
God knows I've researched and pondered and hemmed and hawed long enough, and then there's this thread for good measure!
I'm confident that my appx $1,800 is well spent and will be well worth it!
The price difference between the COMPLETE replacement of my front suspension components going this route vs Gerst (was a top contender) Magnum Force, etc etc, those which would have gotten me :lowdown: rack and pinion steering and I think also changed over to coil overs as well...The PRICE DIFFERENCE AKA the money I saved will pay for the Gerst or RMS triangulated rear suspension system that I absolutely have decided on, so in effect I'm getting a front and rear suspension redux for the price of one of those "other" front suspension kits only.
:D:luvplace:
Click to expand...
Ya those numbers were surprising. You can’t tell me those things don’t look like they weigh a ton. Well when I do my uppers SPC just became the top contender
 
I want to thank ALL of you for your help and suggestions.
I want to give a special "shout out" to... :thumbsup: :lowdown: Budnicks for helping me more than is evident in this thread.
He was the first to welcome me years ago when I joined FBBO, has been a particularly good and reliable source of information ever since I have been here, and he selflessly helped me in making the choices and decisions that I made regarding the front suspension.
Thanks brother!
Hey, he loves Labrador retrievers, so he can't be that bad...
:lol:
 
I am also a big fan of the QA1 k-member and other components. If I did it, it would be just what you got...without the sway bar...I don't drive mine on the street enuf to worry about that.
 
Mike Gaines said:
I am also a big fan of the QA1 k-member and other components. If I did it, it would be just what you got...without the sway bar...I don't drive mine on the street enuf to worry about that.
Click to expand...
:thumbsup:

:lowdown: Mike Gaines :drinks:
Thanks man! That is like a Catholic being blessed by the pope!:praying: :)
 
My car had a bent K-frame when I got it (not horrible but enough to get the driver's front tire out of position) and I also went with QA1 K-frame, sway bar and LCAs, with UCAs from RMS. Hotchkis torsion bars (1.03 I believe) and shocks. I still have the original steering box and I suspect mine has a bit more slop in it than it should, but even still the driving experience has been wonderfully improved.

I think you will be very happy with your upgrade, enjoy!
 
funknut said:
My car had a bent K-frame when I got it (not horrible but enough to get the driver's front tire out of position) and I also went with QA1 K-frame, sway bar and LCAs, with UCAs from RMS. Hotchkis torsion bars (1.03 I believe) and shocks. I still have the original steering box and I suspect mine has a bit more slop in it than it should, but even still the driving experience has been wonderfully improved.

I think you will be very happy with your upgrade, enjoy!
Click to expand...
Thanks!
:thumbsup:
Encouraging to hear that from people who actually have the same or similar parts!
:drinks:
 
Certainly not to say that good front suspension is components are a bad investment, but I can offer that a buddy of mine with a 67 Chevelle did all tubular front suspension a few years back; spent a good chunk of change. This past summer he told me that if he could go back, he wouldn’t have done it, and considered it a waste, as he says he didn’t get much performance gain, if any, out of it at all. Now, important to note this was on a 10-second drag-strip only car. For a street car, the value would definately be higher.
On the flip side, A couple of years ago I had the front end in the Satellite completely rebuilt with the original stock components and I sometimes wish I had gone to some tubular components, mostly just for weight savings. Ultimately, it’s your car.... craft it as you choose.
 
Last edited:
LemonWedge said:
not to say that good front suspension is components are a bad investment
Click to expand...
It would have been worth the full $1,700 to have not had just the one problem that I had at Cruisin the Coast this year. If I wouldn't have caught the front tires making a squealing sound, then noticed they had belts showing (from falling horribly out of alignment when the cam adjuster bolt nut stripped) that could have killed me or wrecked my car.
Now I will finally be able to have enough adjustment to get the front tires aligned properly, and the new K member may make oil filter changes easier and less messy.
 
weight saving alone 'should be good for a little'
70#'s = maybe 0.070 ET,
a lot of that (or more) could be in the 1st 60 ft

weight of the nose, is like adding some to the rear
better weight bias
better weight transfer too
should aid to better traction too
frees up the travel in the front suspension
more caster adj., more adj. period,
better tracking
all of the above 'are pluses in my book'
especially at the track

also;
marginally less wear & tear on the, brakes, shocks, tires,
even possibly clutch etc., if set up properly

less weight = more power to weight ratio

your very welcome & good luck Bio
 
Last edited:
Budnicks said:
70#'s = maybe 0.070 ET, a lot of the in the 1st 60 ft
Click to expand...
:thumbsup:

:lowdown:
You know because of your faithful following my "cries for advice" posts how critical it is that I improve my 60 ft times and traction!
More encouraging news!!
 
K-member already here! Everything else due Monday!
IMG952018112495110443630.jpg

:thumbsup:

:bananadance:
 
My e-body vert.......Stock K-Frame, Borgeson box, Hotchkiss adjustable uppers, QA1 lowers, 1 1/4" swaybar, 2" dropped spindles, c-body tie-rod ends with billet adjusters, QA1 adjustable strut-rods, larger torsion-bars, silicone boots. Stock idler, pitman, and center-link. Should really handle.

My b-bodies require "stock" suspension for their drag-racing classes.
 
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