how much do we save in weight?? aje "K" member setup...

bolts to hold the "K" in place..

There was a question about these bolts coming loose after a while.. When I dropped the old one down I looked at the bolts before I cleaned them for reinstall. You can see the lock tight on them, so like I said before, you MUST use lock tight when doing this upgrade. Also make sure you use cleaner as well so you get a good clean bond on both the bolts and the frame of the car.....Rich:D
 
too late now, but I'd love to know what the strut upgrade weighs (coil over, spring, spindle, camber plate), so that others can judge if the weight savings is worth their $1300 price tag. Based on info from others, looks like the AJE setup saves about 30lbs but that's before the strut conversion.

Are the coil overs adjustable? If so, single or double adjustable?

Looking great!!
 
here you go

too late now, but I'd love to know what the strut upgrade weighs (coil over, spring, spindle, camber plate), so that others can judge if the weight savings is worth their $1300 price tag. Based on info from others, looks like the AJE setup saves about 30lbs but that's before the strut conversion.

Are the coil overs adjustable? If so, single or double adjustable?

Looking great!!

the coil's are two pounds each.. the upper a arms are 4.2 lbs each, the spindle/strut are 8 lobs each. they are double adjust hope that helps you.. also you can put bigger brakes on this set up as well.. ..Rich
 
Pictures showing the upper control arm mounting.
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This is fascinating. I'm trying to imagine this in my mind.
When the car's weight is on the suspension in a stock setup, the body is pushing down on the LCA and even when the suspension is weighed down, the spindle maintains the same camber set by the LCA throughout its range of movement since the spindle is held by the UCA.

If I'm seeing this correctly, the top of the coilover setup is at the end of the UCA in this new setup.

Q: At rest (weight of the car resting on the shock), what is preventing the UCA from being slammed up against the top of the fender well?
Q: Under spring compression (say at the bottom of a hill), the UCA will still stay in that same position, right? In that scenario, the camber should go (slightly) negative because the spring is being shortened/compressed in and the spindle is in a rigid relationship at the bottom of the coilover assembly, right?

-g
 
mounting the upper.

This is fascinating. I'm trying to imagine this in my mind.
When the car's weight is on the suspension in a stock setup, the body is pushing down on the LCA and even when the suspension is weighed down, the spindle maintains the same camber set by the LCA throughout its range of movement since the spindle is held by the UCA.

If I'm seeing this correctly, the top of the coilover setup is at the end of the UCA in this new setup.

Q: At rest (weight of the car resting on the shock), what is preventing the UCA from being slammed up against the top of the fender well?
Q: Under spring compression (say at the bottom of a hill), the UCA will still stay in that same position, right? In that scenario, the camber should go (slightly) negative because the spring is being shortened/compressed in and the spindle is in a rigid relationship at the bottom of the coilover assembly, right?

-g

The upper is mounted to the bottom of the stock location, hence it does not move at all. All the movement will be from the lower and the strut. The upper is fixed in place.. This setup is more for drag racing then for road racing.. I would not do this setup if I was building a canyon racer, rather this is for drag and some street use.. I hope that clears up your questions.. My new chrome rack should be here by wed so I can add this to the mix and then put it on the ground and check ride height.....Rich
 
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The upper is mounted to the bottom of the stock location, hence it does not move at all. All the movement will be from the lower and the strut. The upper is fixed in place.. This setup is more for drag racing then for road racing.. I would not do this setup if I was building a canyon racer, rather this is for drag and some street use.. I hope that clears up your questions.. My new chrome rack should be here by wed so I can add this to the mix and then put it on the ground and check ride height.....Rich

... and that was the last piece of the picture i was missing. Thx.
For you, reducing overall weight matters more than anything else, right?

In the rear, wouldn't going with a solid axle setup help with traction? Have you done this already?
-g
 
yes the rear has to get done.

... and that was the last piece of the picture i was missing. Thx.
For you, reducing overall weight matters more than anything else, right?

In the rear, wouldn't going with a solid axle setup help with traction? Have you done this already?
-g

I have had good luck with the irs so far but this car is going to get a solid rear as it will need it to live. I don't think there will be any weight saving on the rear as it will get a back half setup with a 9" and 35 spline axles as well as a locker.. so this will add weight rather than loose on that end...Rich
 
really interesting setup. Certainly not what I imagined. I envisioned it being a true strut assembly, where there would be a top-mount in the factory location and the upper arm would be removed completely. So you're saying that the upper arm is fixed in position and cannot rotate? And it there solely for the purpose of having a remote location for the top of the shock to mount to?
 
really interesting setup. Certainly not what I imagined. I envisioned it being a true strut assembly, where there would be a top-mount in the factory location and the upper arm would be removed completely. So you're saying that the upper arm is fixed in position and cannot rotate? And it there solely for the purpose of having a remote location for the top of the shock to mount to?
Yes and no,,... I know what you are saying but it does have some movement.. The strut goes into a heim type setup and it does move some. The upper control arm is fixed but the center does move to keep the strut from binding up as everything moves. The big thing about this setup is the weight saving I got out of this setup....Rich
 
s. The big thing about this setup is the weight saving I got out of this setup....Rich

This is my biggest draw as well. I've been running my version of K-member, with good weight savings...about 21lb's. Not as much as the AJE setup, but i'm also able to retain the factory LCA and Strut rod (for better or worse). What's attractive to me is the savings of weight from the removal of the cast knuckle and heavy factory-style shock.

I had plans of making a coil-cover setup in a similar manner to what Bill @ SCP is selling, but with a double-adjustable version and a little more focused on straightline performance. However, once you figure in shocks ($250ea min) and springs ($150/set), I'm halfway to the cost of the strut conversion, but still have to fabricate and won't get the same weight savings as you're seeing.

If the setup you have is truly a dual adjustable for rebound and compression separately, then this is something i'm very interested in.

Keep us updated!
 
This is my biggest draw as well. I've been running my version of K-member, with good weight savings...about 21lb's. Not as much as the AJE setup, but i'm also able to retain the factory LCA and Strut rod (for better or worse). What's attractive to me is the savings of weight from the removal of the cast knuckle and heavy factory-style shock.

I had plans of making a coil-cover setup in a similar manner to what Bill @ SCP is selling, but with a double-adjustable version and a little more focused on straightline performance. However, once you figure in shocks ($250ea min) and springs ($150/set), I'm halfway to the cost of the strut conversion, but still have to fabricate and won't get the same weight savings as you're seeing.

If the setup you have is truly a dual adjustable for rebound and compression separately, then this is something i'm very interested in.

Keep us updated!
1) It all depends on what you are optimizing your toy for (unless you are a getaway car driver, anyone willing to put $$$ into suspension work a chassis worth $ is doing it as a toy vs a practical car). I recently finished redoing the front end of my car for road course racing with Bilstein inserts from a Mitsu 3000GT. For me, keeping the stock geometry makes but gaining a much stiffer dampening system up front is worth more than shedding a few pounds of semi-unsprung weight (hence my questions). I still love reading about other ways to skin the same cat for different purposes (you make wallets, I make hats) and a totally see the value of replacing the front spindles with a lighter weight unit.

2) I do think your estimate is a bit overblown though on coilover conversion costs though (aka duplicating what SCP sells). All I had to do was lathe down the inserts and fabricate a pair of sleeve nuts (vs fabricating brackets).
http://forums.tccoa.com/44-suspensi...sion-options-summary-bilstein-insert-diy.html

While the QA1 single adjustable shocks are $250/pair shocks, matching 650LB springs from QA1 are <$30 each vs $150 as quoted. You'll be spending time/money adapting this to a car but not serious $$$$.
http://www.jegs.com/i/QA1/122/10-650/10002/-1


---
Back to the question about saving weight on the front end:

Q: I believe I see where the tie rods would attach to the spindle so you can actually steer but with this tubular front LCA setup, is front caster adjustable or is that fixed by the forwardmost part of the "V" shaped tubular LCA. On the stock setup, caster is dialed in by the strut rod brace.


Q2: While Front Toe is probably the most critical front alignment adjustment for a drag racing vehicle (to keep the car aimed in the right direction), how important in your experience is front caster for your application (drag racing)?
This article says it helps with self steering; it also comments that having some negative camber will be helpful as that would exhibit better drive characteristics. if I get things correctly, you'll get max negative camber under compression which during a drag race would be when you brake, right? That's probably a good thing.
http://www.onallcylinders.com/2015/01/15/steering-straight-inside-story-wheel-alignments/

Having not really ever drag raced though (I think I took my DD -- a honda accord -- to a qtr mile track once in college for giggles), when does stuff get most scary during the 1/4 mi: at launch or during braking?
 
each place has it's hot points..

you ask which is better or worse.. Each one can be a hand full.. If you make a lot of power and spin the wheels you can have it get away from you. this is true as well as you go down the track and you are making a lot of power.. the car can and does go sideways and that is never fun... Now when you get to the end of the run you are at a faster speed so everything gets added 1000% if you get loose.. I have been loose at the big end and it is not fun... you may need a new pair of panties when you get out of the car..
So to answer you they are both scary, I think the big end is more so than the starting line, but that is me.....Rich
 
not really

It sounds like you're building a car that's gonna see some big end speed:D

Just want to be ready to spank Kurt K if I get next to him at the next shoot out??:eek: or maybe my own son who has a fast car as well.. lol.:D. no really I am trying a couple of new ideas to see if they will pan out here. Got to see how things come together and be ready for them......Rich:confused:
 
and???

Ole Kurt K and his single intercooler!!! :D:D:D

I think if you take that car apart you will find a lot of other things that no one knows about... Got to give him credit, he does have not only a fast car, BUT something that you can drive all over the place.. He has done the power tour a bunch of times and always drives it home at the end.. I can't say that I would have something that could do that....Rich
 
I think if you take that car apart you will find a lot of other things that no one knows about... Got to give him credit, he does have not only a fast car, BUT something that you can drive all over the place.. He has done the power tour a bunch of times and always drives it home at the end.. I can't say that I would have something that could do that....Rich
Thanks for the props. There are no secrets in my combo. Everything just works well together. Nothing is likely to change with it again this year....too many family activities.

I'm looking forward to seeing what your car will do if you can keep it together.
 
I got lots of gum for x mas..

Thanks for the props. There are no secrets in my combo. Everything just works well together. Nothing is likely to change with it again this year....too many family activities.

I'm looking forward to seeing what your car will do if you can keep it together.

The kids got me lots of gum this year so I should be able to stick everything back together if need be.. You got to first get past Scott, then you can worry about my hot rod.....lol....Rich P.S. I have dropped more than 800 lbs already so that is almost a second off my time in itself....:D:eek:
 
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