Moparts
CAP Tubular K and LCA's
Posted By: BcudaChris
CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 04/25/08 04:27 PM
Anyone use the CAP Tubular K-Member and/or their LCA's yet? Can you post your experiences?
I'm looking for first hand experiences here.
My intended use is a small block E-Body, severe street duty with HPD events and some Autox. I will be driving the wheels of of this thing...
Thanks
~Chris
Posted By: 71charger
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 04/25/08 04:45 PM
I have one, but have not yet had it installed. The LCAs are available with sway bar tabs. The k-frame, however, is not set up for one. When I asked CAP, they said they can do it, prior to powder coating. However, I forget how much extra they wanted. I chose to let my friend and his shop do it for me. I'm hoping they get started on it this coming week or the week after. As long as it's done before I get back to the States in late June so I can take it to Carlisle.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 04/25/08 06:20 PM
CAP is a good company but the K frame isn't much stronger than stock. The light weight tubular LCA wont buy you much on a auto cross car. Firm Fell makes heavy duty K frames and sway bar kits that will make the car handle like a slot car. CAP is a good product its just not what you need for your application.
Posted By: BcudaChris
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 04/28/08 08:40 PM
Anybody else with a CAP K-frame that wants to share their experience?
Posted By: migsBIG
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 04/29/08 12:32 AM
I saw them with some friends at the MATS show and got to hold them in my hands. Though the lower control arms are lighter, they do have better design and a stronger construction compared to stock controlarms and would be a good use for a street car. The uppers seemed average and would be in similar in camparison to other control arms. The k-member though light and very strong, just didn't have some more reinforcments in perfered ereas. I am no tech specialist, but I could see that the k-member was something I would not use on a daily driven car. The guy there was very nice and informative, but the strenght and welding of the k-member was what I was checking out. Quality work, just not recomended for a 2500+lb car for the street.
Please feel free to correct me, as these observations were done with personal viewings on the parts.
Posted By: slantzilla
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 04/29/08 12:43 AM
Tubular K's and severe street duty do not go together. If I had my heart set on a aftermarket K for a street car I would go to an AlterK-tion from Bill Reilly.
Posted By: sycboi
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 04/29/08 01:12 AM
Quote:
Tubular K's and severe street duty do not go together. If I had my heart set on a aftermarket K for a street car I would go to an AlterK-tion from Bill Reilly.
I have had one for more than a few years and I agree!
-Michael
Posted By: Sinister68
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 04/29/08 04:42 AM
I have the LCA's installed on my car. Took them 3 months to finally get the driver's side right. I guess I was the first
LCA purchaser. They promised to send me a small refund due to all the problems I had - Never got the refund.
Posted By: BcudaChris
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/02/08 07:51 PM
Quote:
The k-member though light and very strong, just didn't have some more reinforcments in perfered ereas. I am no tech specialist, but I could see that the k-member was something I would not use on a daily driven car.
Quote:
Tubular K's and severe street duty do not go together.
Those are my impressions and understandings of conventional wisdom as well. I'm still hoping to hear from someone who might have a few miles on one.
Quote:
If I had my heart set on a aftermarket K for a street car I would go to an AlterK-tion from Bill Reilly.
As would I. I want to stay with the stock type suspension though.
I've heard the same thing regarding severe street duty and the Alter-K as Slantzilla mentioned about tubular K's. We know Alter K's do the job, and I'm wondering if the tubular K's don't as well.
Posted By: slantzilla
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/02/08 09:00 PM
Quote:
I've heard the same thing regarding severe street duty and the Alter-K as Slantzilla mentioned about tubular K's. We know Alter K's do the job, and I'm wondering if the tubular K's don't as well.
About all the builders of tube K's I talked to told me outright that their K's were not meant for anything more than an occasional street ride.
Unless you really have your heart set on a tube K, or need header/pan clearance, you can cut about 15 pounds out of a stock K, and save yourself a ton of money. 
Posted By: mark7171
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/02/08 10:24 PM
anybody make tubular lower control arms loaded with bushings?
Posted By: Evil Spirit
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/03/08 02:25 AM
Quote:
anybody make tubular lower control arms loaded with bushings?
CAP Auto Products shows them on website - www.capautoproducts.com
Posted By: 9secondart
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/16/08 02:52 PM
I am not sure where the impression that a Tubular K frames are for moderate or light use came from, but that simply is wrong. Seamless tubing and JIG machined surfaces and JIG welded opposed to a stamping with spot welds? The fact of the matter is they are stronger whether it be CAP system or Alter K.
Ray
Posted By: jcc
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/16/08 05:58 PM
Quote:
I am not sure where the impression that a Tubular K frames are for moderate or light use came from, but that simply is wrong. Seamless tubing and JIG machined surfaces and JIG welded opposed to a stamping with spot welds? The fact of the matter is they are stronger whether it be CAP system or Alter K.
Ray
That is a pretty broad statement and I believe incorrect. Maybe a tube vs a stamping in strictly tension might be stronger, but in any bending situations any member with the deeper cross section is almost always more rigid. Since it is not completey understood what the real life loads are that are resisted by these k members, and some with Tb's and others with CO's, which makes for completely different loading, I think it is wrong to make such a blanket statement with nothing to back it up for us to consider, as to why your statement has much merit. I think the loading is actually pretty complex and one has many variables to consider, and with many different right answers, depending on the application, etc. 
Posted By: BcudaChris
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/16/08 06:52 PM
Well, in my application, the stock K-frame will be picking up weight, Firm Feel style.
I am currently a non-practicing A&P, when I was practicing I observed 1st hand the strength of tube frame air-frames subject to tension, torsion, compression and bending stresses. Aerobatics and pilot training impart some major loads. And we're talking 1" dia chro-mo round tubing with .040" wall thickness.
I've also, from very close proximity, observed the strength of tube-frame Cup cars.
That experience leads me to believe that tube construction *should* be able to get the job done, and be lighter than a stamping. I would think if the right material is used, it should be able to deal with the continous vibration without cracking.
What I don't know is if anything on the market is proven the way an Alter-K is...
Posted By: rjsjea
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/16/08 08:04 PM
Since the AlterK and Magnum force K-frame have been out for years and I have not read anything about either of them failing, twisting, or distorting.....I think that proves that they are okay for the street, right???
What more is needed??? crash tests?? torsional load data???
Posted By: jcc
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/16/08 08:28 PM
Quote:
What more is needed??? crash tests?? torsional load data???
Well that would be a start, you ask for cam specs, right?
And trying to to compare a well designed space frame tube structure to a basically plane truss to stamped fcatory designed structure that hase billions of proven miles is in IMO a stretch and not an accurate comparsion. The aftermarket K frames are not space frames. They do not have significant depth in their cross sections. In at least one direction they are not near as strong as a well designed stamping. Whether that is imporatnt or significant, no one here seems to know. The love affair with tubing is mainly becuase it is common, plentiful, cost effective, strong for what it is and a lot less expensive then a well designed stamping. I hate to point out the king has no clothes. Ignorance is bliss. And to make sure I am clear, I don't have a problem with the AlterK (I own one), I have a problem with unsupported statements.
Posted By: slantzilla
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/16/08 08:42 PM
Take a good look at an AJE, DARE, or Magnumforce K frame. They are not built anything at all like an airplane or Cup car.
I have an AJE. It is a piece of junk. A DARE is worse. Magnumforce told me his was not for street use. LRT will tell you the same thing.
An AlterK-tion is technically not a tube K. It is much more structurally sound than a real tube K.
I have no dispute with the strength of tubing used properly. I was underneath a 6 second Top Sportsman '57 Chevy today and was amazed at how small of tubing the lower A-arms were. However, it was constructed properly and will see absolutely no street miles ever.
On the other hand, would you trust you life to a bunch of tubing welded together by Bozo the Clown?
Posted By: ThermoQuad
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/17/08 03:50 PM
If the product was good it would be in my car...it's not...does that tell you anything?
Posted By: rjsjea
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/17/08 05:56 PM
Quote:
Quote:
What more is needed??? crash tests?? torsional load data???
Well that would be a start, you ask for cam specs, right?
And trying to to compare a well designed space frame tube structure to a basically plane truss to stamped fcatory designed structure that hase billions of proven miles is in IMO a stretch and not an accurate comparsion. The aftermarket K frames are not space frames. They do not have significant depth in their cross sections. In at least one direction they are not near as strong as a well designed stamping. Whether that is imporatnt or significant, no one here seems to know. The love affair with tubing is mainly becuase it is common, plentiful, cost effective, strong for what it is and a lot less expensive then a well designed stamping. I hate to point out the king has no clothes. Ignorance is bliss. And to make sure I am clear, I don't have a problem with the AlterK (I own one), I have a problem with unsupported statements.
Then the cost would be 4x what it is now......impractical. Does Wilwood, Baer, Heidts, TCI, Detroit Speed do test like that?? ....NO, it's way too cost prohibitive.
I have an AlterK and have no doubts about it's street integrity. Cant speak for CAP or Mgnfce
Posted By: jcc
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 05/18/08 04:18 AM
This is IMO another pretty useless thread that just once again goes in circles. If you don't believe this, and since I want to support a statement like this clearly, reread the entire thread before you respond to my last reply.
Posted By: 71charger
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 06/22/08 02:27 PM
Posted By: 71charger
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 06/22/08 02:29 PM
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Posted By: pro451bee
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 09/10/08 05:11 AM
Have you tried it out yet ? IT looks awsome . How did the alighnment go ? Does it drive nice?
Posted By: 71charger
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 09/10/08 04:02 PM
It drives very nicely, alignment was no problem. When I get home again next summer, I'm going to have more caster dialed in. All in all, I'm very happy with the installation. If I had it to do over, I definitely would.
Posted By: Lefty
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 09/10/08 09:14 PM
Quote:
I'm looking for first hand experiences here.
Oooooo... you want the facts not just speculation! 
Good luck... 
I don't think anyone has tested any of the K frame replacements for strength. I've never seen anything. 
I've heard lots of speculation, but never heard of anything actually failing installed in a car.
Posted By: therocks
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 09/10/08 09:19 PM
I have Bills strut rods on my 65.Nice piece.I saw hid K and the newest one with the short T bars that he designed.Its a work of art.Id buy one in a minute if my 65s body wasnt so bad.If I find a good body it will get his K.Rocky
Posted By: BcudaChris
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 09/10/08 09:50 PM
Quote:
Oooooo... you want the facts not just speculation! Good luck...
Well, I see the pics of 71Charger's install. Experience will follow....
Nice looking pieces!
Posted By: 71charger
Re: CAP Tubular K and LCA's - 09/11/08 03:38 AM
CAP control arm thread The following is a photo I took to show the exhaust, but some of the K-frame is visible
exhaust system photo Unfortunately, that's the best I can do for now. I'm in Afghanistan, my files are in Egypt, and the car is in Maryland.
