 Joe Charles utilizes a HAL...  Joe Charles utilizes a HAL tubular K-member in his modular-powered coupe to help aid weight transfer. Even if my K-member only saved me 5 pounds I would still run it because of the increased header clearance, Joe says. Header clearance is important when running a modular motor in a Fox Mustang. Employed as Performance Center manager at Parkway Ford [(888) FORD-SVT] in Adairsville, Georgia, Joe sold 43 HAL K-members from February to the middle of August. |
 This photo illustrates the...  This photo illustrates the size and weight difference between a stock K-member and a tubular unit. Adding a tubular K-member in place of your factory K-member can remove as much as 60-70 pounds off the front of your Mustang. Tubular K-members are lighter than factory units because the stock K-member is made of sheetmetal and features more material than a tubular unit. |
 A tubular K-member is also...  A tubular K-member is also useful on a road racer where weight bias is of the utmost importance. Weight bias is the difference in weight between the front-end and rearend of a car. Of course, optimum weight bias is 50/50. This weight bias is fairly hard to achieve with a front-engined car, but utilizing a tubular K-member, as well as corresponding coilovers and tubular A-arms, will get your Mustang that much closer to this number. |
In the fitness world, a supplement known as chromium picolinate is used to help keep weight off competitors. By getting fat off of the body, muscle shines through more effectively. This same concept can be used in racing, whether at the drags or on a road course. The less weight an engine has to move, or the more proportionate the weight is moved around on a car, the quicker it's going to be. The muscle under the hood shines through more effectively.
We've all seen people whose upper body is built to the hilt, but their legs are skinnier than a power-steering rack--they look just plain silly. In road racing, you want an equal front/rear weight bias. If your road racer has a lot of weight over the front end, you're going to look silly when you try to turn that thing at speed. The car will have major understeer. In both cases, steering geometry also plays a big part as to whether you win or lose. One of the easiest ways to decrease the weight over the nose of your Mustang and gain improved steering geometry is by adding a tubular K-member.
There are a few things to remember when contemplating the switch to a tubular K-member. If you're going to keep the rest of your Mustang's frontend stock, you'll need to get a K-member with spring perches and motor mount brackets. In this fashion you'll more than likely pay the most money for a K-member.
Generally, the less you get with the K-member, the cheaper it's going to be. If you order one without spring perches, keep in mind you'll have to add a coilover kit to it. On the other hand, if you get one without motor mount brackets, you'll need a motor plate to bolt the engine to when you reinstall it. Whether you want to upgrade to a coilover setup or plan on adding a motor plate, most K-member manufacturers have everything you need to do so. They will build a K-member with whatever you want, or don't want, on it. Just keep this in mind when ordering. The amount of money you spend greatly depends on what you get with it.
Obviously, we can't tell you which one is better for your Mustang. The best way you can protect yourself from being several hundred dollars lighter is to ask people who have already installed one in their Mustang. Which one did they get? Who installed it? Find out what, if any, problems they encountered or if they had to do anything special to install it. Doing so will protect you from getting burned. Instead, you'll be able to burn some fat off your Mustang.
Horse Sense: Several K-members featured in this story are made of drawn-over-mandrel (DOM) steel tubing. DOM steel tubing is a seamless design, much like rollbar tubing. Instead of sections of tubing welded together, the K-member is made from one section of mandrel-bent tubing.
Check out the following sidebars for specifics from several manufacturers.