K-Member Questions / Need Advice

[SVT Sam]

Hey guys,

I'm looking at picking up a K-Member this weekend, but I have a few specific questions I couldn't really find a good solid answer to browsing the net.

I know this topic has been beaten to death across Mustang forums on the net, but I am specifically looking for people that have experience with the QA1 K-Member. I've ran across people bad mouthing their product and then others seem to enjoy with no issues. Most of the ones I have seen with people bad mouthing them are "I knew a buddy one time...." and you know how it goes from there. Or, people that have purchased a car with the K Member already installed and then have issues with bent tabs, A Arms etc. and who knows how the original install went.

I probably wouldn't even be looking at the K-Member at this point but I find a local guy that has a brand new, still in the box QA1 K Member, plus he is throwing in a brand new (still in the box as well) set of March pulleys with the fluid damper, and a new Steeda air filter for a CAI for $200. I think that's a pretty good deal. If I hadn't came across this, I probably wouldn't even consider a K-Member right now. I do like the advantages of clearance and the weight savings.

Now, if the K-Member is purchased, I will also be adding the rest of the QA1 front setup (A Arms, Coilover conversion, etc.)

Here is a few things that bother me. QA1 says this is drag race only K-Member, but this car is daily driven. I think sometimes companies add stuff like that just to cover their ass. Just like with all of the O/R pipes we buy say Off road use only. But, the K-Member is also an essential structural integrity piece of the car, unlike H and X pipes.

As I mentioned, the car is a daily driver. The car will not be an AX car or a road track car. If it goes to a track, it will be a strip. I really just want to make sure nothing crazy is going to happen if this piece is installed on a daily driver. Hopefully it never happens, but how do these hold in the event of a crash? Can they take the abuse, or will they just collapse?

As far as goals for the car, at the moment its a DD. I'm looking to lay down only about 330 or so at the tire with a 4:10 gear in the back. Friend of mine has a dyno, so it will have a good tune. I would be happy with 305+ at the tire for now because I am thinking I will need long tubes to get to the 330hp mark. Which is also another reason I want to go ahead and add the K-Member, a lot more clearance for a long tube installation down the road.

So if anyone has ran or currently is running the QA1 as a daily driver, please enlighten me on your experience. I wanted to get some other opinions before I take the final plunge and pick this thing up.

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to get everything out there the first time.

-Sam

 

[2000 gt]

I run a afco k member on my car. Haven't had any problems and I don't mind the feel. I could daily it easily. As far as collision goes I would say it doesn't matter at this point any crash that wrecks the front end k member or not. The cars done u just gotta be ok..... god forbid

 

[SVT Sam]

Yea, I just want it to hold up for safety reasons during a crash.

I had a lot parts on my old 94 5.0 that were "drag use only" and I DD it, but none of those really were downright structural integrity pieces of the car either.

I want a K member, I just want to know the negative effects before I go spending money and making a dumb decision.

 

[po-po 5.0]

That k-member sacrifices structural integrity for weight savings. Will it "hold up" in a crash? Sure. The k member really isn't a crash part. BUT it's not the kind of part you throw under the car, and forget about for 60k miles. They're designed to be cheap, super light, and be replaced every few years. That's why they're sold as drag only. Do people DD their cars with them? Sure. Would I, personally? No. It'd either be the MM or steeda piece for a DD.

 

[jrgoffin]

Lightweight is nice, but so many of them look like they will snap way too easily.

I went with the Steeda K - it'a built like a tank and uses the stock control arms and springs.

http://www.terminator-cobra.com/chassis & steering.htm

 

[01yellercobra]

If you're worried about crash standards then stick with the stock piece. But even the stocker isn't bullet proof. I know a couple guys that got hit and it tweaked the stock K.

 

[soccerman002]

Lightweight is nice, but so many of them look like they will snap way too easily.

I went with the Steeda K - it'a built like a tank and uses the stock control arms and springs.

http://www.terminator-cobra.com/chassis & steering.htm

I've been running a unit from PA Racing that has held up to mild street use (my car isn't daily driven), but I plan on upgrading to the Steeda piece once I install my longtube headers. I had to purchase an oil filter relocation kit, so I figure between selling both the PA Racing k-member and the relocation kit (since it's not needed), I shouldn't be out but a couple hundred bucks.

That's a great site you've got there by the way.

 

[jrgoffin]

I've been running a unit from PA Racing that has held up to mild street use (my car isn't daily driven), but I plan on upgrading to the Steeda piece once I install my longtube headers. I had to purchase an oil filter relocation kit, so I figure between selling both the PA Racing k-member and the relocation kit (since it's not needed), I shouldn't be out but a couple hundred bucks.

That's a great site you've got there by the way.

Thanks for the kudo's - trying to stop wasting as much time on forums, so other ventures help.

You'll love the Steeda K-member, it really is a nice piece. I laugh when guys complain about how "expensive" it is, yet they buy a cheap K, then proceed to add coil-overs, a-arms, etc., and jack the price right up. Whatever.

 

[Darkc0bra]

I have a UPR K member and I have no complaints over here. I did't want to run coilovers at the time so I have been running spring perches. Ride really smooth but a little sloppy in the corners since I got rid of all my extra bracing. Drag race is what my car has become now. I do drive it back and forth to work and all over sometimes and as I said I can't complain with it one little bit.

 

[SVT Sam]

Thanks for the kudo's - trying to stop wasting as much time on forums, so other ventures help.

You'll love the Steeda K-member, it really is a nice piece. I laugh when guys complain about how "expensive" it is, yet they buy a cheap K, then proceed to add coil-overs, a-arms, etc., and jack the price right up. Whatever.

It is an expensive piece. I looked at it the other day. If I were going to drop that much on the K-Member, I would probably just save a bit more and buy the full MM K-Member kit for the street.

I did decide NOT to buy it. It wasn't just that is was QA1, but I did read several other discouraging posts about the AJE and QA1 of failures that could be detrimental if it happened on the street. Like I said, I happen to come across it local and it was new, but decided against it. I'm not really down for cutting corners on things, and the more I pondered this, the more I felt it was cutting corners.

Didn't pickup the March pulleys either. Turns out they were for a 99 that has the long style water pump, so the water pump pulley was out. The crank pulley was just that, the pulley. It wasn't the solid once piece pulley/fluid damper combo I was looking for. Waste of money for me.

Thanks for all of the info guys. I'm going to start another thread soon on some direction for first mods. I know gears are in order, but need some other advice as well. Thanks again!