Tubular Front End
10-08-2004, 10:53 AM
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Alcohaulin Ass
Posts: 727
Tubular Front End
Who makes a complete tubular front end kit out there. I tried doing searches on yahoo, google and summit, but I found nothing. I have an 86 Z. Anybody know of anything?
thanks
Nick
thanks
Nick
10-11-2004, 01:07 PM
#2
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Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: MI
Posts: 3,978
Re: Tubular Front End
search a little harder.
anthony jones makes a complete unit, pa racing makes a complete unit, pro-fab racing makes a complete unit, art morrison makes chrome chromoly a arms with the coilover kits and carries the pinto manual rack provisions. many companies including eibach make springs for the setups.
all of these companies make units in mild steel and chromoly, many make both the stock tubular spring/strut setups and coilover converision setups along with many other options. if your going coilover email me and let me know what you plan to do. i have a few things left over from my coilover conversion i'm not longer using like adjustable bilstein struts and several weight rated eibach ers springs.
to get you started
http://www.paracing.net/
http://www.ajeracing.com/
http://www.artmorrison.com/
good luck, feel free to email or ask any other questions. thirdgen.org has a few members running various setups as well as a few here however even though the setups have been out for awhile not many are running them. there has been a big fear of them breaking over the years however no one has shown proof of one failing. i've personally had my pa racing chromoly version with coilover provision for 2 years and been happy but there has been alot of lessons i've had to learn to make it right. spohn has been saying he was going to make one for a few years now, many are waiting for his version and will continue to wait. a company called roadtech use to make a setup that was good for auto-x. however their employees were rather ignorant and rude and ended up getting shut down. it was a smaller based company and just gave up. good luck with it.
anthony jones makes a complete unit, pa racing makes a complete unit, pro-fab racing makes a complete unit, art morrison makes chrome chromoly a arms with the coilover kits and carries the pinto manual rack provisions. many companies including eibach make springs for the setups.
all of these companies make units in mild steel and chromoly, many make both the stock tubular spring/strut setups and coilover converision setups along with many other options. if your going coilover email me and let me know what you plan to do. i have a few things left over from my coilover conversion i'm not longer using like adjustable bilstein struts and several weight rated eibach ers springs.
to get you started
http://www.paracing.net/
http://www.ajeracing.com/
http://www.artmorrison.com/
good luck, feel free to email or ask any other questions. thirdgen.org has a few members running various setups as well as a few here however even though the setups have been out for awhile not many are running them. there has been a big fear of them breaking over the years however no one has shown proof of one failing. i've personally had my pa racing chromoly version with coilover provision for 2 years and been happy but there has been alot of lessons i've had to learn to make it right. spohn has been saying he was going to make one for a few years now, many are waiting for his version and will continue to wait. a company called roadtech use to make a setup that was good for auto-x. however their employees were rather ignorant and rude and ended up getting shut down. it was a smaller based company and just gave up. good luck with it.
Last edited by kandied91z; 10-11-2004 at 01:09 PM.
10-12-2004, 10:39 AM
#4
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Posts: 39
10-13-2004, 04:24 PM
#7
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Alcohaulin Ass
Posts: 727
Re: Tubular Front End
Cool.... Thanks a lot for all of the info guys.
I did find out that http://hawksthirdgenparts.com offers some too.
I was told that a K-member would help my suspension, improve clearance for headers and on top of that, it would be less of the frame to sandblast and paint.
would anyone recomend that I don't do this?
Nick
I did find out that http://hawksthirdgenparts.com offers some too.
I was told that a K-member would help my suspension, improve clearance for headers and on top of that, it would be less of the frame to sandblast and paint.
would anyone recomend that I don't do this?
Nick
10-14-2004, 12:03 AM
#9
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Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Calgary, Ab, Canada
Posts: 731
Re: Tubular Front End
So I was looking on this site http://www.paracing.net/ , looks like they have a nice k-member with a-arms.
What are the advantages of Chrome molly over mild steel? Anyone know how much weight these guys loose over stock? What about stock brake lines?
and also, what about this "coil over" kit, does this make a third gen strut have a small coil over it, or, does it replace the stock front coil? If so, how do you control the ride height? Is all the stress moved from the k-member/a-arm to the strut towers?
I don't mind some road noise, but I still want the car to be nice and streetable. Should I be looking for stuff with front spherical rod ends/ or/ just stuff with bushings? Thanks.
What are the advantages of Chrome molly over mild steel? Anyone know how much weight these guys loose over stock? What about stock brake lines?
and also, what about this "coil over" kit, does this make a third gen strut have a small coil over it, or, does it replace the stock front coil? If so, how do you control the ride height? Is all the stress moved from the k-member/a-arm to the strut towers?
I don't mind some road noise, but I still want the car to be nice and streetable. Should I be looking for stuff with front spherical rod ends/ or/ just stuff with bushings? Thanks.
10-14-2004, 12:13 AM
#10
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Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: MI
Posts: 3,978
Re: Tubular Front End
if you search the thirdgen section here and at thirdgen.org you'll find alot more info on the subject.
chromoly is lighter then mild steel, the metal is also much more expensive and you can have a smaller dia using chromoly and be just as strong or stronger then a larger dia mild steel. i'm running chromoly but only because it wasn't much more at the time and everything else on my car is chromoly from the stb and cage to the rear suspension as well. depending on which kit you get the stock brake lines should work withalmost all of them. i didn't have to change mine at all.
coilover is just that, a coilover spring that sits on a "perch" that is attached to either the shock or strut. look up some info on the internet and it will explain everything about them. you can adjust the coilover by turning the perch that sits on a threaded sleeve. this allows height adjustment basically. in order to run these you will need to change your k-member and a arms which can be found on the sites above. yes all the stress is moved to the strut towers. one should definately consider purchasing a strut tower bar.
this won't change the road noise...bushing choice will however. you have to decide that yourself. i had the coilovers on the street for almost 2 years. i'm still running a coilover front end but air struts instead for my air ride.
good luck with it.
chromoly is lighter then mild steel, the metal is also much more expensive and you can have a smaller dia using chromoly and be just as strong or stronger then a larger dia mild steel. i'm running chromoly but only because it wasn't much more at the time and everything else on my car is chromoly from the stb and cage to the rear suspension as well. depending on which kit you get the stock brake lines should work withalmost all of them. i didn't have to change mine at all.
coilover is just that, a coilover spring that sits on a "perch" that is attached to either the shock or strut. look up some info on the internet and it will explain everything about them. you can adjust the coilover by turning the perch that sits on a threaded sleeve. this allows height adjustment basically. in order to run these you will need to change your k-member and a arms which can be found on the sites above. yes all the stress is moved to the strut towers. one should definately consider purchasing a strut tower bar.
this won't change the road noise...bushing choice will however. you have to decide that yourself. i had the coilovers on the street for almost 2 years. i'm still running a coilover front end but air struts instead for my air ride.
good luck with it.
10-14-2004, 01:13 AM
#11
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Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Calgary, Ab, Canada
Posts: 731
Re: Tubular Front End
Originally Posted by kandied91z
if you search the thirdgen section here and at thirdgen.org you'll find alot more info on the subject.
chromoly is lighter then mild steel, the metal is also much more expensive and you can have a smaller dia using chromoly and be just as strong or stronger then a larger dia mild steel. i'm running chromoly but only because it wasn't much more at the time and everything else on my car is chromoly from the stb and cage to the rear suspension as well. depending on which kit you get the stock brake lines should work withalmost all of them. i didn't have to change mine at all.
coilover is just that, a coilover spring that sits on a "perch" that is attached to either the shock or strut. look up some info on the internet and it will explain everything about them. you can adjust the coilover by turning the perch that sits on a threaded sleeve. this allows height adjustment basically. in order to run these you will need to change your k-member and a arms which can be found on the sites above. yes all the stress is moved to the strut towers. one should definately consider purchasing a strut tower bar.
this won't change the road noise...bushing choice will however. you have to decide that yourself. i had the coilovers on the street for almost 2 years. i'm still running a coilover front end but air struts instead for my air ride.
good luck with it.
chromoly is lighter then mild steel, the metal is also much more expensive and you can have a smaller dia using chromoly and be just as strong or stronger then a larger dia mild steel. i'm running chromoly but only because it wasn't much more at the time and everything else on my car is chromoly from the stb and cage to the rear suspension as well. depending on which kit you get the stock brake lines should work withalmost all of them. i didn't have to change mine at all.
coilover is just that, a coilover spring that sits on a "perch" that is attached to either the shock or strut. look up some info on the internet and it will explain everything about them. you can adjust the coilover by turning the perch that sits on a threaded sleeve. this allows height adjustment basically. in order to run these you will need to change your k-member and a arms which can be found on the sites above. yes all the stress is moved to the strut towers. one should definately consider purchasing a strut tower bar.
this won't change the road noise...bushing choice will however. you have to decide that yourself. i had the coilovers on the street for almost 2 years. i'm still running a coilover front end but air struts instead for my air ride.
good luck with it.
What about aftermarket sway bars? Something worth the upgrade.
10-16-2004, 04:44 PM
#12
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: MI
Posts: 3,978
Re: Tubular Front End
i can't notice noise because of the 4" exhaust and loud stereo. i also don't feel the vibration that is associated with them either. i was quite happy with the setup. as far as sway bars, i loved my 1-le and for the price it wasn't worth the upgrade to me. someone who auto-x on regularly i'm sure would notice it probably. my car never leaned even with air bags so i couldn't see how it could get any better by going to an upgrade from the 1-le.
suspension are excellent idea to improve the ride but their is a point where you can go overboard and not notice the expenses. just choose wisely.
suspension are excellent idea to improve the ride but their is a point where you can go overboard and not notice the expenses. just choose wisely.
10-17-2004, 02:27 PM
#14
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Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: MI
Posts: 3,978
Re: Tubular Front End
lol...yeah that's not very light for the extra money. the other brands are much lighter. however you have to remember your spending x amount to save another 30lbs on the k-member itself so in that idea alone is it that smart? it's all a combination of parts for an overall weight.
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