Magnumforce front suspension

Pete D · Post by **Pete D** » Thu Mar 12, 15 6:51 pm

Hi guys, has anybody got/used a Magnumforce front suspension set up. What's your thoughts on the set up, anybody used them what they like to deal with.

Jerry Smith · Post by **Jerry Smith** » Thu Mar 12, 15 9:00 pm

I've used the tubular k-member in the past on a race car and installed the new transformer k member on my current car, it seems a very well put together kit, I've got double adjustable coil overs power steering and the big anti-roll bar, still on with doing the car so not driven it yet, they're great to deal with and will give you a "favourable" invoice for customs, but it isn't just a bolt in job you need to brace the shock towers see http://www.moparuk.com/forums/viewtopic ... &start=135
Currently installing one of there 4 link rear end kits too

Pete D · Post by **Pete D** » Mon Mar 16, 15 7:37 pm

Hi Jerry thanks for the reply. Have spoken to Magnumforce they informed me that when using tubular suspension kit that forward struts are not necessary, but i'm only putting it in a street car where I understand yours is a race car.

Dave999 · Post by **Dave999** » Tue Mar 17, 15 9:17 am

you have to be careful

what is excellent for a race car that goes in down the strip (often light weight and extremely strong in the plane it needs to be strong in)

isn't necessarily up to the rigours of driving on the street i.e isnt neccesarily as strong as stock when putting up with tight curves at speed with potholes and curbs to bounce off. it won't break then but it might compromise its strength when you need it on the strip

i'm not commenting on the company you mention i have no idea about them

but do check that anything you buy isn't race only if you intend to do more than race.

i'm basically reitterating a warning i have read a number of times i have no experience of usuing race only equipment (apart from a dodgy exhaust on a scooter

)

Dave

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Tue Mar 17, 15 10:00 am

I wouldn't use any Magnum Farce suspension for street or track without bracing the shock towers, they are not designed to hold the weight of the vehicle and will flex. RMS Alterkation is the only true bolt in kit that does not use the stock shock towers for support and doesn't need any additional bracing.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Tue Mar 17, 15 10:29 am

Totally agree.

AlterKation is the market leader, but as has been said before, it is quite an investment once you include Ford-based Brakes that you have to convert to....

Dave999 · Post by **Dave999** » Tue Mar 17, 15 12:08 pm

do you need a tubular fornt end?

are you fitting a massive motor into a tiny car and want big fat headers i.e need the space traditionally filled with torsion bars

or want a rack n pinion

the standard set up is OK if you renew/restore everything.

the beauty of the standard Upper A Arm is no welds, no welding at all just 1 consitent piece of pressed and contoured steel.

in an accident it will possibly fold and bend but it will not snap
and you'd be hard pushed to pull the balljoint through the arm
the lower arms are held in place agintst impact and road restsiance by strut rods in tension . to provide consistent toe in so can put up with pot holes and curbing and still return the lower arem to more or less the correct position

the track rods are delibeately the weakest link so that they will bend not snap and not force a track rod end balljoint to pop out.

all orginal balljoints were metal on metal joints that can not pull through no plastic socketed joints were used

the steering box is connected to the steering shaft by a slip joint so that car chssiss flex doesn't break:-
bearings in top of steering box
circlip at top of column
impact collapsable connectors for the column to the car

the only issue is that the factory insisted on setting it up with minimal positive castor and (too much power assist) so it was easy to steer (the marketing guys won out over the engineers)

more positive castor is a safety thing

if you have more the steering self rights and the car naturally centers and goes streight on.

hence if you fall asleep

or

pop a track rod end

or you have a blow out

the wheel isn't ripped from you grasp becaseu it wants to run forward

either way the car isn't pitched into a tight turn that could result in a roll

they put a lot of time and effort into the design

Dave

Jerry Smith · Post by **Jerry Smith** » Tue Mar 17, 15 12:23 pm

No mine is a street car hence using the fuel injected hemi and 5sp auto, they do a bolt on brace for the shock tower but I'd still brace it, also I'm using the transformer k member for the street not the tubular like I used on the old race car

Pete_B · Post by **Pete_B** » Tue Mar 17, 15 12:55 pm

Interesting to hear that someone else is thinking along going on these lines too, I've decided to go with an upgraded/rebuilt stock set up, and to focus on saving weight instead.

This is primarily for two reasons;

In absolute honesty, the first is cost. by the time you included the brake change etc, it really does add up.

Secondly, until the rest of the car has had some significant tweaking it would seem that however good the front end set up is it will be compromised by the fact that the rest of the car is running a stock set up (particularly when we look at weight distribution, a heavy stock radiator and all iron engine will compromise handling regardless of the suspension/steering set up).

My plans for my own car are to lighten the nose up as much as possible and see where that gets me before i make major changes...

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Tue Mar 17, 15 1:10 pm

If saving some weight is your primary concern, lightweight parts for the stock set up will lose much the same weight as a bolt in kit would. I can tell you that from personal experience. You only start to make big savings with a custom made strut set up.

Pete D · Post by **Pete D** » Sat Mar 21, 15 9:28 pm

Thanks for the replies guys. The RMS Alterktion set up was the other kit I was also looking at. Liked the way it uses its own spring, shock mounts as I didn't want to weld in the forward struts for the Manumforce kit.