Gerst Tubular Suspensions

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wireweld said:
I've exchanged emails and he stated it was adjustable from 58.5 to 60 inches.
Click to expand...
I'm a fan of all tubular coil-over conversion kits and I applaud any efforts to broaden the breed but
I would like to see an actual measurement by an end user that illustrates that a 58.5" hub face - to
hub face track width is achievable with this unit. That would be very important when fitting tires.
 
Spun Bearing said:
I'm a fan of all tubular coil-over conversion kits and I applaud any efforts to broaden the breed but
I would like to see an actual measurement by an end user that illustrates that a 58.5" hub face - to
hub face track width is achievable with this unit. That would be very important when fitting tires.
Click to expand...


I should have mine fully in some time this week, I can let you know then. Now I wont have wheels and tires, but i can measure the hub width, just not the track width.
 
dukeboy_318 said:
Now I wont have wheels and tires, but i can measure the hub width, just not the track width.
Click to expand...
Hub to hub width would be the measurement to use for comparison. Track width would vary and
would be affected by wheel width and offset.
 
looks like a heck of a deal to me.
 
The pics remind me of someone copying alterkation, but using the control freaks style of a tubular mid-piece.
 
magnumdust said:
The pics remind me of someone copying alterkation, but using the control freaks style of a tubular mid-piece.
Click to expand...

Ehh. You can make a comment like that about several different kits really. Heck, you could say they all are copying the factory design to a point, just because they mount to the factory locations. I compared all 3 that I saw at the nats, RMS, HDK and GTS. All had similarities, all had differences. To me, its about building a better mouse trap. That's pretty much what the after market is about. Improving on what is already out there. Here's why I chose the kit over the others:

A: It didn't use the factory shock towers like the HDK. I know HDK rienforces the towers in their kit, which I'm sure does work just fine. But it's not something I wanted ultimately

B: It uses stronger and thicker steel than the others, granted it weighs a tad more than the others, but it appears stronger. It's also got more gussests than the others I saw as well. RMS is at 3/16th steel, GTS is 1/4, not sure on the HDK to be honest.

C: No drilling the frame. Only cutting required is to remove the bump stops.

D: Construction. The welds look AMAZING. again, everything is designed to improve factory caster/camber specs, lowers and uppers are designed to eliminate the caster/camber issues with the factory. Plus fully adjustable. Lower control arms are double shear, 2 cross bars, bucket style lower control arms, all of which are unique to this kit.

E: Bang for the buck. Price is way less than the RMS and even the HDK, even if you go high end on the brake kits. There are a couple cheaper kits out there, but I saw their quality and it sucks. Ultimately, this is to me, the best bang for the buck.
 
So whats the bare bones cost at the end of the day? I'm not seeing it in the thread.

you can typically pick up a rack for $75, spindles for $100, so on, I'm also not sure what brand coilovers those are? was everything pictured included?
 
johnnymac2k6 said:
So whats the bare bones cost at the end of the day? I'm not seeing it in the thread.

you can typically pick up a rack for $75, spindles for $100, so on, I'm also not sure what brand coilovers those are? was everything pictured included?
Click to expand...


3300 plus shipping for a basic kit with stock style brakes and a manual rack. you can upgrade from there to power steering, wilwood, sway bar etc.

Viking dual adjustable coil overs.


Yes, everything in the pictures is included in my kit. I opted for no brakes since I have a set of mustang 2 brakes in the shop from my dad's project. A kit like mine is 3050 plus shipping. Course bare, non powdercoated may be even cheaper than that.

Comparison: All data off respective company's websites and or flyers. Prices may have changed or whatever but this is the most recent i could find.

RMS ALterkation = with brakes: 5600 plus shipping without brakes: 4995.00 plus shipping

HDK= bare kit, no powder coatingno brakes, no spindels, no rack, no coil overs: 2800, add 100 for the rack, plus 600 in brakes plus 600 in coilovers, plus the spindels (price not listed on their website for spindels, so i didnt include that): 4100 plus shipping

GTS: Basic kit, everything but the brake kit. = 3050, basic kit with stock style brakes, 3300 plus shipping. The GTS kit comes with QA1 rebuildable and adjustable tension ball joints, viking dual adjustable coil overs and springs. Manual rack(upgradable to power), mustang 2 spindels, upper, lower control arms.

800 cheaper than the HDK and complete. and 2300 cheaper than RMS.
 
dukeboy_318 said:
3300 plus shipping for a basic kit with stock style brakes and a manual rack. you can upgrade from there to power steering, wilwood, sway bar etc.

Viking dual adjustable coil overs.


Yes, everything in the pictures is included in my kit. I opted for no brakes since I have a set of mustang 2 brakes in the shop from my dad's project. A kit like mine is 3050 plus shipping. Course bare, non powdercoated may be even cheaper than that.

Comparison: All data off respective company's websites and or flyers. Prices may have changed or whatever but this is the most recent i could find.

RMS ALterkation = with brakes: 5600 plus shipping without brakes: 4995.00 plus shipping

HDK= bare kit, no powder coatingno brakes, no spindels, no rack, no coil overs: 2800, add 100 for the rack, plus 600 in brakes plus 600 in coilovers, plus the spindels (price not listed on their website for spindels, so i didnt include that): 4100 plus shipping

GTS: Basic kit, everything but the brake kit. = 3050, basic kit with stock style brakes, 3300 plus shipping. The GTS kit comes with QA1 rebuildable and adjustable tension ball joints, viking dual adjustable coil overs and springs. Manual rack(upgradable to power), mustang 2 spindels, upper, lower control arms.

800 cheaper than the HDK and complete. and 2300 cheaper than RMS.
Click to expand...

Looks like a nice piece, i will point out the minor correction for the sake of apples to apples comparison that the $600 listed in your other examples, Appears to be about $280 higher than what i see some shops selling the Viking double adjustables for. not to split hairs :) But it looks to be like $500 cheaper, and 1900 cheaper is a little closer, But hey...thats still substantial savings. Wonder if there are any long term users?
 
johnnymac2k6 said:
Looks like a nice piece, i will point out the minor correction for the sake of apples to apples comparison that the $600 listed in your other examples, Appears to be about $280 higher than what i see some shops selling the Viking double adjustables for. not to split hairs :) But it looks to be like $500 cheaper, and 1900 cheaper is a little closer, But hey...thats still substantial savings. Wonder if there are any long term users?
Click to expand...

You're right. I had added them twice, so yeah subtract 300
 
for an accurate comparison.....no guessing

HDK........................................2800
spindles and 11" brake kit ...... 350 (e-bay, package)
manual rack............................ 100 (e-bay)
QA-1 coilovers........................ 400 (summit)
econo shaft hook up................ 100 (summit)

total....................................... 3750....complete. (add $300 for powder coating.)

I agree with Dukeboy318....it is all about building a better mousetrap, not to mention the bang for the buck. Please keep us up to date.

Denny
 
I'm still waiting to hear on that installed hub face-to-hub face measurement.
If you can get it down to the mentioned 58.5" it's still 1/4" a side wider than
an HDK and anything wider is a non-starter for me. I want my front wheels to
be tucked in like a stocker; not way out to the fender lips and running VW tires
for clearance. This (and the price) is what made me shy away from the RMS.




.
 
Spun Bearing said:
I'm still waiting to hear on that installed hub face-to-hub face measurement.
If you can get it down to the mentioned 58.5" it's still 1/4" a side wider than
an HDK and anything wider is a non-starter for me. I want my front wheels to
be tucked in like a stocker; not way out to the fender lips and running VW tires
for clearance. This (and the price) is what made me shy away from the RMS.




.
Click to expand...

I haven't had a chance to finish the install yet. I broke one of the eccentric bolts of the upper trying to take my stock ones off the car, have new ones enroute.
 
I was wondering how much travel the GTS has. could you measure that too?

I got this from the FAQ section of the HDK web site:

"The suspension travel (at the spindle) of an HDK 67-76 A-body front suspension using
the QA1 #DS 501 coil over shock and 12" spring is 5.5" to the bump stop (which leaves
another approx. 1/4" in reserve). This keeps your shocks from bottoming out, especially
compared to other brands that have less travel and don't even offer bump stops."

Does the GTS have integrated bump stops? The HDK has uppers and lowers with the ones
for the drop being completely adjustable.

Anxious to see how this new one measures up.
 
dukeboy_318 said:
I haven't had a chance to finish the install yet. I broke one of the eccentric bolts of the upper trying to take my stock ones off the car, have new ones enroute.
Click to expand...

Photos! Don't forget photos! I saw this guys product at the Nats and it looked good. He can't be a bad guy if he's from Iowa! LOL
 
DR HEMI said:
I was wondering how much travel the GTS has. could you measure that too?

I got this from the FAQ section of the HDK web site:

"The suspension travel (at the spindle) of an HDK 67-76 A-body front suspension using
the QA1 #DS 501 coil over shock and 12" spring is 5.5" to the bump stop (which leaves
another approx. 1/4" in reserve). This keeps your shocks from bottoming out, especially
compared to other brands that have less travel and don't even offer bump stops."

Does the GTS have integrated bump stops? The HDK has uppers and lowers with the ones
for the drop being completely adjustable.

Anxious to see how this new one measures up.
Click to expand...

I'll let you know on suspension travel
 
HemiDenny said:
for an accurate comparison.....no guessing

HDK........................................2800
spindles and 11" brake kit ...... 350 (e-bay, package)
manual rack............................ 100 (e-bay)
QA-1 coilovers........................ 400 (summit)
econo shaft hook up................ 100 (summit)

total....................................... 3750....complete. (add $300 for powder coating.)

I agree with Dukeboy318....it is all about building a better mousetrap, not to mention the bang for the buck. Please keep us up to date.

Denny
Click to expand...


Denny, are those QA1s dual or single adjusting?
 
Spun Bearing said:
I'm still waiting to hear on that installed hub face-to-hub face measurement.
If you can get it down to the mentioned 58.5" it's still 1/4" a side wider than
an HDK and anything wider is a non-starter for me. I want my front wheels to
be tucked in like a stocker; not way out to the fender lips and running VW tires
for clearance. This (and the price) is what made me shy away from the RMS.




.
Click to expand...



just out of curiosity, couldn't one use a different back spacing to run a bigger tire? We're talking a 1/4 in each side here, assuming we can get down to 58.5, which i'll confirm later.
 
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