Custom/ 1-off Front suspension

[racerdude5]

Does anyone have a custom, one of a kind front suspension system or k member? Has anyone made a reinforced pivot for factory lower control arms?

 

[1970Duster]

You have rms alterKation, Hemi Danny K frame setup, hotchiks TVS setup. Not so much as a one off because anybody can buy one of those. That said if you want to use the same parts a modern/new car uses you'll need to use the suspension setup from the roadster shop.

 

[Jim Lusk]

What do you want to reinforce on the LCA pins? It's not that hard...

 

[racerdude5]

So there's like a support with a bearing that slides over the torsion bar socket and bolts to the k-member

 

[inkjunkie]

You have rms alterKation, Hemi Danny K frame setup, hotchiks TVS setup. Not so much as a one off because anybody can buy one of those. That said if you want to use the same parts a modern/new car uses you'll need to use the suspension setup from the roadster shop.

With what was mentioned above why would one want to re-invent the wheel, so to speak? Unless you understand all the necessary geometry you will be flirting with disaster...

 

[pishta]

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=103721&page=1

 

[Jim Lusk]

So there's like a support with a bearing that slides over the torsion bar socket and bolts to the k-member

For what purpose? Are you eliminating the torsion bars?

 

[racerdude5]

Not for eliminating the torsion bar, simply for making the pivot of the LCA a little more robust.

 

[72bluNblu]

The weakest point of the LCA pivot pin assembly is at the K frame, which is where the pivot pin mounts tend to tear out. But, the pivot pins don't rotate. At all. So there's no point in having a bearing there. The pivot pin mount is easily strengthened by welding reinforcing "washers" to the outside of the K-frame and capturing the pivot pin tube in the K frame, something that is done pretty frequently by those reinforcing their K frames similar to how Firm Feel does it (I've done two so far).

Like so

In this picture the plates used for the LCA pivots are the "half washers" on the outside right of the picture. The plates that look like whole washers are for the strut rod mounts.

And here's a whole thread on K-frame reinforcement, with a lot of focus on the LCA pivot pins specifically.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=278056&highlight=pivot+pin+reinforcement

As far as reinforcing the pivot on the LCA, I don't see the need. I've refurbished a few sets of LCA's by installing the boxing plates, and in doing so tighten up the torsion bar socket in the LCA. But on all of the sets of LCA's I've seen the LCA isn't actually worn any where the socket goes through the LCA, all of the play is due to the LCA spreading apart at the end where the pivot is. Which is easily addressed when the LCA boxing plates are installed.

Jim Lusk covers all of that in his LCA video...

http://youtu.be/Nwes-SP8u4w?list=FLZE4z1bplLPyJTJck2AR1ag

If you add the reinforcing plates to the K frame and the LCA's you won't have any issues. No need to reinvent the wheel.

 

[racerdude5]

That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for! Thanks!

 

[Jim Lusk]

Since my welding skills are just slightly better than metal melter, I prefer cutting the k-member open below the pin tubes and adding reinforcement welds and/or half washers on the inside. When you look at how poor those were attached originally...

 

[Jim Lusk]

I had that k-member completely apart (bought from a member here because it was not square from an accident). I did get it straightened and reinforced.