Anyone use a QA1 K member on a 74 Duster

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Steve Agrella

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Thinking of going this route if it will work, the QA1 is designed for 67=72 was wondering if anyone has adapted one to work on 74
 
I would be interested in your original one if you go this route. Your LCAs will bolt to the QA1 since the LCAs are the same from 62-76 except for swaybar mounts. The K frames will all swap from 67-76. Engine mounts will be the issue. You will likely need the 67-72 mounts to attach your engine to the QA1 K frame.
 
I don’t know why anyone would want to use this K. The mounting is what I feel is seriously lacking. The OE k has double wall precise holes with tapered washers. The QA1 has sloppy tubing and long bolts creating a cantilevered mount. How is it that Mopar make 100s of thousands of Ks that fit perfectly and QA1 has to use tubing for mounts. Seems sloppy and weak to me.
 
Thinking of going this route if it will work, the QA1 is designed for 67=72 was wondering if anyone has adapted one to work on 74
I believe on there website it says you can use it, but you have to change over to the earlier idlers etc, pitman arm and so on.
I have not done one though. Give them a call.
 
I got two Qa1 k members being used and one old CAP,,,,,in 71 dart...71 duster...and 71 Demon...I love all the extra room that it give me....

It will fit if you use the earlier engine mounts.....not sure why you would need to change all the other stuff...the steering mounts and idler arm mounts are the same.
 
I got two Qa1 k members being used and one old CAP,,,,,in 71 dart...71 duster...and 71 Demon...I love all the extra room that it give me....

It will fit if you use the earlier engine mounts.....not sure why you would need to change all the other stuff...the steering mounts and idler arm mounts are the same.
I just checked moogs website and the pitman arm and the idler arm
Are a different part number on 73-up
 
that is correct...but if he takes his pitman arm and idler arm along with his drag link.....

why would that not work?
 
I don’t know why anyone would want to use this K. The mounting is what I feel is seriously lacking. The OE k has double wall precise holes with tapered washers. The QA1 has sloppy tubing and long bolts creating a cantilevered mount. How is it that Mopar make 100s of thousands of Ks that fit perfectly and QA1 has to use tubing for mounts. Seems sloppy and weak to me.
Since when is round tubing weak. There is only tubing on the front mounting points. The back ones are very similar to stock.
The design is to make room for headers and big oil pans which it does very well. Previously I had broken the passenger side mount on the frame off several times.
 
that is correct...but if he takes his pitman arm and idler arm along with his drag link.....

why would that not work?
I cannot remember all the reasons. I just know it will work on the later years, you just have to change a couple things.
 
Yep they sure are different part numbers, and this corresponds to the 73 up centerlink and large sector shaft 73 up power steering box (different spline count and larger diameter) because of this and how the pitman arm is shaped along with spline count, if using the 73 up steering box, you will have have to use the 73-76 pitman arm, requiring you to use the 73 up idler arm, center link, and inner and outer tie rods.

The idler arm mount on the k frame however is the same from 68-76, and the steering box location is the same from 67-76.

As long as your using the entire steering gear setup. Idler arm, center link, pitman arm and steering box inner and outer tie rods from the 73-76 it's a direct bolt in on a 68-72 k frame.

adjusting sleeves are the same from 67-76

What you cannot do and make it work is mix 67-72 and 73-76 center links pitman arms, idler arms tierod ends and steering boxes.
 
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He can use a QA1 setup on his 73 up car. Either change out all the steering pieces for 68-72, or use all his 73-76 steering parts. Do not try to mix n match years with this stuff except for adjusting sleeves which are the same from 67-76
 
that is correct...but if he takes his pitman arm and idler arm along with his drag link.....

why would that not work?

It will work as long as he takes all the steering gear including the box. The idler arm mount on the k frame is the same from 68-76, ditto for the steering box location.

Theres differences in the center link and the steering sector shaft diameter that will not allow mix n match of the steering components between the years, but the "complete" steering assembly from a 73-76 car will bolt in and work fine on a 68-72 k frame.
 
i forgot I have a 75 Duster with a 71 K member in it...using the 75 center link...put a new pitman arm and idler arm on it cause it was worn out
 
I don’t know why anyone would want to use this K. The mounting is what I feel is seriously lacking. The OE k has double wall precise holes with tapered washers. The QA1 has sloppy tubing and long bolts creating a cantilevered mount. How is it that Mopar make 100s of thousands of Ks that fit perfectly and QA1 has to use tubing for mounts. Seems sloppy and weak to me.

They’re not weak.

The way the QA1 K-frame is located isn’t as precise, that is true. Rather than just bolting it up like a stock K you do have to take care to make sure it’s centered because the K to frame mounts have more play. Or room for adjustment, depending on your point of view.

It can make for an extra step when you’re installing your engine or headers, or doing your final wheel alignment only to find you can’t get the numbers you want on one side because the K is shifted slightly to one side or the other. So it can add some extra drama to your build if you don’t get it centered the first time.

As for why, plenty of those 50-ish year old original K members aren’t straight anymore. Or have rusted, or have been damaged, bent or broken. And the QA1 does give some additional clearance vs. a stock K, which can be useful.

I run reinforced stock K’s on my cars, and I do like them once I’ve added some welds and gussets. A buddy of mine has a QA1 K though and it’s a quality part. It just have to make sure they’re centered up. If I needed a K-frame for some reason I’d buy a QA1 vs. trying to find an original and hoping I got one that wasn’t bent or damaged, and then doing all the work to clean it up, seam weld and gusset it.
 
I went with the QA1 K member and their upper and lower control arms, hope it all works out.

It’ll work fine, you just have to pay attention to keeping it centered when you install it and be prepared to adjust the K-frame on its mounts if you do run into any clearance or alignment issues.
 
They’re not weak.

The way the QA1 K-frame is located isn’t as precise, that is true. Rather than just bolting it up like a stock K you do have to take care to make sure it’s centered because the K to frame mounts have more play. Or room for adjustment, depending on your point of view.

It can make for an extra step when you’re installing your engine or headers, or doing your final wheel alignment only to find you can’t get the numbers you want on one side because the K is shifted slightly to one side or the other. So it can add some extra drama to your build if you don’t get it centered the first time.

As for why, plenty of those 50-ish year old original K members aren’t straight anymore. Or have rusted, or have been damaged, bent or broken. And the QA1 does give some additional clearance vs. a stock K, which can be useful.

I run reinforced stock K’s on my cars, and I do like them once I’ve added some welds and gussets. A buddy of mine has a QA1 K though and it’s a quality part. It just have to make sure they’re centered up. If I needed a K-frame for some reason I’d buy a QA1 vs. trying to find an original and hoping I got one that wasn’t bent or damaged, and then doing all the work to clean it up, seam weld and gusset it.

While I usually agree, mounting with long bolts which cantilever is not a strong mount.
In all my years, I have never seen an original K that didn’t fit.
It’ll work fine, you just have to pay attention to keeping it centered when you install it and be prepared to adjust the K-frame on its mounts if you do run into any clearance or alignment issues.
 
While I usually agree, mounting with long bolts which cantilever is not a strong mount.
In all my years, I have never seen an original K that didn’t fit.

A quick search here will give you quite a few examples of bent K frames.

Hey @Jim Lusk, how many original K frames have you straightened?

Before we even get into torn out pivot tubes and cracked steering box mounts. I’ve seen the QA1 front mounts in person, the long bolt set up wouldn’t be my first choice but I would wager it’s still stronger than the original. Tubular steel vs a folded flange with a couple of sloppy welds? I wouldn’t worry about the QA1’s strength.
 
While I usually agree, mounting with long bolts which cantilever is not a strong mount.
In all my years, I have never seen an original K that didn’t fit.
This is my friends hemi ls car. It runs 9.20s at 147mph 1.26 60ft
Look closely at the k member. Looks the same as qa1 to me.

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This is my friends hemi ls car. It runs 9.20s at 147mph 1.26 60ft
Look closely at the k member. Looks the same as qa1 to me.

View attachment 1715398381
Exactly , lots of newer car designs utilize this type of sub-frame attachment , however using much thinner steel than QA1. Some modern vehicles even have isolated rubber around the ferrule , Look at a modern LX rear sub frame.I used a machined washer from a late RAM P.S. rack mount hardware that fit the tube perfectly in the front and extra thick 5/8 washer on the rear K bolts and torqued to 135 ft.lbs. with upgraded , slightly longer grade 8 , large flange bolts. Really locked in K .The front end stiffness of my B body is noticeably more ridged.Very happy with the set up. Ill get some pics , also the steering link doesn't rub my oil pan any more.
 
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Purchased all of the parts from summit yesterday $1345 with my veteran discount, not bad for a new front end.
Should be a huge improvement over stock handling. it also has provisions to fit my Helwig sway bar and has tow rings if I should ever need to use them.
 
Thanks again for all of the input, you guys are so generous with your knowledge, I’ve learned a lot on here thank you
I run 640 HP stroked 440 on a fiberglass front end all supported by a QA1 front end. Multiple hard landings and launches spanning several years. Still running strong no breakage. Low tens in 1/4 all day everyday.
 
Hey @Jim Lusk, how many original K frames have you straightened?

One that was REALLY bad and a couple of others that were slightly tweaked. The one that was really bad I separated the halves because I had no way of really heating it up enough to be able to straighten with the equipment and jig that I have. I also added some extra reinforcements inside while I was at it. I took it on just to see if I could, but made pretty good money on it in the end.
 
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