Superbee K Member Upgrade? QA1?

[SuperBeeChad]

Getting all my parts rounded up to do a hellcat crate in my 69 Superbee. I was thinking of putting one of the more rigid and lighter tubular K Frames, A arms, etc in. I've been looking at the QA1 setup. Any other suggestions? Pros and cons with QA1?

Thanks for the input!!!

 

[vintage chromoly]

My suggestion would be to leave the car old school.

If you must cut up an old car, use a base model.

 

[Sahara]

I’m building a ‘70 Bee clone from a Coronet. I got the QA1 k member. Seems like a quality product.
The only problem I had was that the mount for the steering box is drilled and tapped then welded on, but you have to drill or grind in the tapped holes to make them deeper or else the bolts for the steering box bottom out long before they get tight.
No, I’m not cutting the bolts shorter.

 

[biomedtechguy]

I have to install it, but I just got a complete front suspension system including the tubular K-member. All QA1 except for the UCAs which are SPC.
My 70 Roadrunner is a real V-code. 71 440
Make it like you want it, and after looking for over 2 years, I chose the above.

 

[Derwud]

I’m building a ‘70 Bee clone from a Coronet. I got the QA1 k member. Seems like a quality product.
The only problem I had was that the mount for the steering box is drilled and tapped then welded on, but you have to drill or grind in the tapped holes to make them deeper or else the bolts for the steering box bottom out long before they get tight.
No, I’m not cutting the bolts shorter.

What steering box are you running?

 

[Derwud]

 

[SuperBeeChad]

Sounding like the QA1 setup is the way to go. Seems like that has the least headaches getting it setup and is a quality product.

Not sure on steering box yet. Still finalizing how the whole powertrain is going to work and with what. Trying to integrate as much as I can off a Hellcat. Figuring out what trans to go with has been tough.

 

[Sahara]

What steering box are you running?

Stock ‘70 B body power box. Two of the three mounting bolts went through the mount plate and bottomed on the tube.

 

[Derwud]

Stock ‘70 B body power box. Two of the three mounting bolts went through the mount plate and bottomed on the tube.

I called QA1 and found I was missing a spacer on one of the bolts when running the Borgeson box.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Sounding like the QA1 setup is the way to go. Seems like that has the least headaches getting it setup and is a quality product.

For me it was a question of cost vs benefit.
My main use of my car is cruising, car shows, and track time. I have had problems with the front end not being able to be 100% aligned due to lack of adjustability, and I had a UCA nut strip that threw the alignment off and destroyed my 2 front tires, and it could have led to disaster.
The additional cost to get rack and pinion steering also meant coilovers, and spending $4-5k vs $1,740 and I just couldn't justify the difference.

 

[coloradodave]

No help on the K member, but will chime in on the quality of QA-1 parts. I installed their upper and lower control arms plus their adjustable strut bars on my 63 Fury. Everything fit well, instructions were great and they made a big improvement in overall drive-ability. The powder coating is a plus...

 

[biomedtechguy]

The powder coating is a plus...

Looks great and should provide protection for decades.
Can someone explain what the adjustable strut bars do and how? I have them, but I am not looking at the suspension and I would like some education.

 

[5.7 hemi]

They allow the lca to move up/down without binding unlike the stock bushing strut rods do.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Can someone explain what the adjustable strut bars do and how?

They allow the lca to move up/down without binding unlike the stock bushing strut rods do.

 

[biomedtechguy]

My only expectations in replacing the entire factory front suspension system was more adjustability, resolving an issue I have always had of several knowledgeable, experienced mechanics that could not get an ideal alignment. In addition to that, I wanted new parts for 2 main reasons: my recent issue which could have wrecked my car and possibly killed myself and others when the UCA adjustment bolt's nut stripped, and to have a better overall ride and range of adjustments to maximize performance, traction via weight transfer, for the 1320 and cruising.
Once threads on these topics were filled with posts, I am very excited about getting it done because I believe my expectations are going to be met and exceeded.
This all goes to further my goals of having a boulevard bruiser and a worthwhile competitor of a car for grudge racing and competing against other guys in my car club, plus the occasional "pick up" race that may come from "car show conversations"....
Oh, and to stay competitive against my wife's GTO

 

[Budnicks]

QA1 52315

QA1 Dynamic adj. Strut rods

QA1 LCA's with sway bar tabs & pins & rubber bushing installed

SPC UCA's with ball joints,
dbl adj. on the car & poly bushed
better built in caster & more camber adj., if needed