Why install a tubular K member?? - 2003-04 Mach 1 Registry Owners Club

WhtMach1 · 01-04-2006, 03:47 PM

Question for those who have done or considered this mod.......

New issue of Muscle Mustangs has an article on installing MaximumMotorsports K Member, 36 lbs Vs 50 lbs stock. a 12 lb savings.

For drag purposes this seems a ton of money for very little wt saved.
Are there other drag racing related benefits I'm not seeing??

H-TownMachI · 01-04-2006, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhtMach1

Question for those who have done or considered this mod.......

New issue of Muscle Mustangs has an article on installing MaximumMotorsports K Member, 36 lbs Vs 50 lbs stock. a 12 lb savings.

For drag purposes this seems a ton of money for very little wt saved.
Are there other drag racing related benefits I'm not seeing??

MM k-members are the heaviest/sturdiest made and most expensive. I guess if you need clearance for headers it would be a good mod.

Phil · 01-04-2006, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhtMach1

Question for those who have done or considered this mod.......

New issue of Muscle Mustangs has an article on installing MaximumMotorsports K Member, 36 lbs Vs 50 lbs stock. a 12 lb savings.

For drag purposes this seems a ton of money for very little wt saved.
Are there other drag racing related benefits I'm not seeing??

Chrome moly tubular K members are about 14 lbs for drag racing.

TwinCam · 01-04-2006, 04:35 PM

only reason I see is for header clearance or for turbo plumbing. My brother put a MM K-member on his 99 GT with a turbo (428 RWHP with a stock engine, exc. for larger fuel injectors).

He didn't put his car in gear all the way one day and his car backed itself out of the driveway and the passenger front tire hit a 2 inch diameter tree in his yard. The accident bent the lower control arm. He had to replace it.

My bro's driveway is not steep and his car had to travel 20 feet into his grassy front yard to hit the tree (no damage to the tree). I would be concerned about the durability of the unit driving on the roads we have to drive on here in Dallas. Way too many big potholes and washboard asphalt roads.

8616v · 01-08-2006, 05:55 AM

Having put headers a GT with a tubular K member i would say that its deffinately worth the money just in agravation saved.

98StangRidah · 01-08-2006, 11:16 AM

I was told by a suspension friend of mine that going to a aftermarket K can create safety issues (reducing crash safety).

daddy rob · 01-10-2006, 08:15 PM

With the tubed k-member you're reducing weight and a little flex.When installed the front end feels crisper also due to bushing change you will increase road noise on the inside of the car cuz there is less bulk of the factory k-member to soak up that shock and noise.As far as safety if your a street racer and your pushing 400 + hp down the back roads your obviously not thinking safety are you . If your not and just like a some what fast car to play in then yeah i can see how this would alter front end safety geometry in a collision .

Silverstangs · 01-11-2006, 11:01 PM

The K-member is worth it, and I would reccomend it. I perfer the MM version because it is beefier than everyone else, so it's better for autocross. There are other versions, which are lighter in weight. Those other versions I would use in a V6 or a drag car. Becareful of where you get yours from. I have seen a couple which didn't line up correctly with the stock bolt locations...

daddy rob · 01-12-2006, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverstangs

Becareful of where you get yours from. I have seen a couple which didn't line up correctly with the stock bolt locations...

this is correct some of the back door here today gone tomarrow shops are kicking these out and in the suspension you dont wanna skimp.

01-04-2006, 03:47 PM	#1
WhtMach1 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sacramento CA Posts: 252	Why install a tubular K member?? Question for those who have done or considered this mod....... New issue of Muscle Mustangs has an article on installing MaximumMotorsports K Member, 36 lbs Vs 50 lbs stock. a 12 lb savings. For drag purposes this seems a ton of money for very little wt saved. Are there other drag racing related benefits I'm not seeing??

01-04-2006, 04:35 PM	#4
TwinCam Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 81	Re: Why install a tubular K member?? only reason I see is for header clearance or for turbo plumbing. My brother put a MM K-member on his 99 GT with a turbo (428 RWHP with a stock engine, exc. for larger fuel injectors). He didn't put his car in gear all the way one day and his car backed itself out of the driveway and the passenger front tire hit a 2 inch diameter tree in his yard. The accident bent the lower control arm. He had to replace it. My bro's driveway is not steep and his car had to travel 20 feet into his grassy front yard to hit the tree (no damage to the tree). I would be concerned about the durability of the unit driving on the roads we have to drive on here in Dallas. Way too many big potholes and washboard asphalt roads. __________________ '03 Azure Blue, automatic JLT True Ram Air Intake Kit Flowmaster Mufflers DynoJet results: 246 HP / 258 FT-LBS SAE, BONE STOCK currently own: fully restored (13 years in the making) '69 Camaro, 500 hp Procharged 350, Tremec TKO; Shown in Hot Rod Magazine 11/03 (page 50) visit my website at http://www.geocities.com/gheatly for pics. previously owned: 1991 GT 5-sp hatchback, '91 GT 5-sp convertible Hey, I can sit on the fence if I want to!

01-08-2006, 05:55 AM	#5
8616v Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: omaha NE Posts: 804	Re: Why install a tubular K member?? Having put headers a GT with a tubular K member i would say that its deffinately worth the money just in agravation saved. __________________ '86 Scirocco 16v '03 20AE '03 Mach 1 Azure Blue ...went IRS...never looked back... Born: 03/26/2003 Bought: 09/07/2005

01-08-2006, 11:16 AM	#6
98StangRidah Where'd my zafu go? Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 2,707	Re: Why install a tubular K member?? I was told by a suspension friend of mine that going to a aftermarket K can create safety issues (reducing crash safety). __________________ For Sale: 2004 Comp. Orange Mach1 - purchased 3/26/2005 Exhaust MRT H-Pipe with cats Magnaflow catback Suspension Bilstein struts & shocks Steeda sport springs MM - caster/camber plates, steering rack bushings, swaybar bushings and endlinks 18x9 Bullits with Michlein PS2s in 255/40 Other stuff - MGW shifter, MRT hood struts and black exhaust tips, SCT tune, PHP spacer

01-10-2006, 08:15 PM	#7
daddy rob TWISTED MARINE Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Olathe Kansas Posts: 131	Re: Why install a tubular K member?? With the tubed k-member you're reducing weight and a little flex.When installed the front end feels crisper also due to bushing change you will increase road noise on the inside of the car cuz there is less bulk of the factory k-member to soak up that shock and noise.As far as safety if your a street racer and your pushing 400 + hp down the back roads your obviously not thinking safety are you . If your not and just like a some what fast car to play in then yeah i can see how this would alter front end safety geometry in a collision . __________________ catless pro chamber,loudmouth catback,frpp alum flywheel,frpp king cobra clutch,frpp alum d/s,mgw short throw,frpp 31 spline tracloc,frpp 3.73 gears,strange 31 spline axles,sloted cross drilled rotors,hawk brake pads,mm tube k member,a arms, adj lca,panhard bar,strut tower brace,frame conectors,tq arm and c/c plates,bilstein struts/hyper coilover front,bilstein hr springs rear,motoblue hp series fuelrails,bullit rims,nitto drag rears,fram air hog filter,all royal purple oils

01-11-2006, 11:01 PM	#8
Silverstangs Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Nor Cal Posts: 148	Re: Why install a tubular K member?? The K-member is worth it, and I would reccomend it. I perfer the MM version because it is beefier than everyone else, so it's better for autocross. There are other versions, which are lighter in weight. Those other versions I would use in a V6 or a drag car. Becareful of where you get yours from. I have seen a couple which didn't line up correctly with the stock bolt locations... __________________ Power is what you make of it

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)