K-Member / Rack & Pinion Steering Suggestions
Sorry, but an RMS AlterK IS an MII based system, and the original MII design goes back to the late 60's. Says so right in the description on the RMS website- "Brake kits are widely available for Mustang II spindles, so if you don't want to use the Wilwood kits we carry, you can easily choose your own brake kit from any aftermarket manufacturer". So, MII based spindles then yeah?
It probably has just as many contemporary parts as the torsion bar suspension on my car, of which only the spindles match the original design. Aftermarket and contemporary are not interchangeable, they mean different things. If all you're looking for is new parts, well yeah, everything in my torsion bar suspension is aftermarket and new except the spindles themselves. But neither it nor the RMS, or HDK, or Gerst, or any of the other coilover conversions out there are truly contemporary designs. Which is fine, just don't think it's some new fancy thing.
The basic double wishbone suspension has been around since the 1930's. Same for torsion bars. MacPherson struts? Debuted in the 1950 Ford Consul. Very little in suspension design is actually brand new.
F1 uses 18" wheels now too! Torsion bars and 18" wheels, imagine that. Porsches used the heck out torsion bars too for a lot of years. Brand new Pierce Enforcers have torsion bar suspension, hows that for contemporary? TAK-4® Independent Front Suspension System | Pierce Mfg
And a C7 'Vette uses a transverse leaf spring in the back. Now there's an old idea. But it's composite now so it's fancy. :D
Wait, I thought the OP wanted a "contemporary" system? Like, not torsion bars. That's what you said. So, you get to talk up torsion bars and post up pictures of your torsion bar suspension, but if I do I'm the bad guy?
There's really no need to open up the torsion bar crossmember if it's solid. If the welds on the outside have good penetration then welding the inside doesn't do anything for you. Same really for the K, although if you have issues with the LCA pivot tubes you do have to open the K to get to the forward end of the those if the welds have broken loose.
I just degreased and pressure washed the K's for my cars. From a welding standpoint I had more issues with porosity in the factory welds bleeding over into my welds when I went over the originals than I did with grease contamination. But I wasn't going to grind out all the factory welds and start completely over.
This is the K from my EL5 '71 GT, after I cleaned it up (again, no hot tanking, no sandblasting, just some degreaser and a scrub brush, followed by some pressure washing.) The factory welds are pretty bad
After I seam welded, gusseted, and went over the factory welds. Between my Dart and my Duster one of them got a Firm Feel gusset kit, the other one I just made all the gussets myself. They're pretty self explanatory anyway.
Sorry, but an RMS AlterK IS an MII based system, and the original MII design goes back to the late 60's. Says so right in the description on the RMS website- "Brake kits are widely available for Mustang II spindles, so if you don't want to use the Wilwood kits we carry, you can easily choose your own brake kit from any aftermarket manufacturer". So, MII based spindles then yeah?
It probably has just as many contemporary parts as the torsion bar suspension on my car, of which only the spindles match the original design. Aftermarket and contemporary are not interchangeable, they mean different things. If all you're looking for is new parts, well yeah, everything in my torsion bar suspension is aftermarket and new except the spindles themselves. But neither it nor the RMS, or HDK, or Gerst, or any of the other coilover conversions out there are truly contemporary designs. Which is fine, just don't think it's some new fancy thing.
The basic double wishbone suspension has been around since the 1930's. Same for torsion bars. MacPherson struts? Debuted in the 1950 Ford Consul. Very little in suspension design is actually brand new.
F1 uses 18" wheels now too! Torsion bars and 18" wheels, imagine that. Porsches used the heck out torsion bars too for a lot of years. Brand new Pierce Enforcers have torsion bar suspension, hows that for contemporary? TAK-4® Independent Front Suspension System | Pierce Mfg
And a C7 'Vette uses a transverse leaf spring in the back. Now there's an old idea. But it's composite now so it's fancy. :D
Wait, I thought the OP wanted a "contemporary" system? Like, not torsion bars. That's what you said. So, you get to talk up torsion bars and post up pictures of your torsion bar suspension, but if I do I'm the bad guy?
There's really no need to open up the torsion bar crossmember if it's solid. If the welds on the outside have good penetration then welding the inside doesn't do anything for you. Same really for the K, although if you have issues with the LCA pivot tubes you do have to open the K to get to the forward end of the those if the welds have broken loose.
I just degreased and pressure washed the K's for my cars. From a welding standpoint I had more issues with porosity in the factory welds bleeding over into my welds when I went over the originals than I did with grease contamination. But I wasn't going to grind out all the factory welds and start completely over.
This is the K from my EL5 '71 GT, after I cleaned it up (again, no hot tanking, no sandblasting, just some degreaser and a scrub brush, followed by some pressure washing.) The factory welds are pretty bad
After I seam welded, gusseted, and went over the factory welds. Between my Dart and my Duster one of them got a Firm Feel gusset kit, the other one I just made all the gussets myself. They're pretty self explanatory anyway.