K-member difference ??

[sportony]

I read in a previous thread that chrysler made several types of the V-8 K members from 63 through 72 ( I believe the thread said 5).  I realize all V-8 K-members (with the exception of the Hemi) are, at least to my understanding, interchangable; however, what is the deal with the stearing box alignment ?  I have researched the archives and done some homework on line, but I can't come up with weather or not the stearing box mounts were the same throughout the above years or not.  Would a 71 B body k-member interchange with a 68 B Body ? Or, if there is in fact a difference, does the steering box alignment differnce exist from Body type to Body type (ie. from C-body to E-body to B-body)?   
(If this was listed in a previous post, please forgive me for overlooking it....)

[Mike DC]

   
The K's are not that interchangeable.  Every 2-4 years there was enough difference for them not to be swappable.

The slant-6 and Hemi cars always had their own separate K-frames (each) from the other wedge-head V8 motors.  The smallblock and big-block wedge motors used different motor mounts (bolted onto the same basic K-frame) in the 1960s.  But the SB and BB cars eventually went to 2 different entire K-frames in 1972 (this was done for no good reason except to complicate our lives more effectively).  The K-frames also went to rubber isolators (instead of being totally solid-bolted to the subframe rails of the unibody) about that time. 


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Steering boxes?  No major swapping issues there.  It was all the same mounting setups for the same two (power and manual) steering gearboxes throughout the muscle era. 



The AAR Cuda and Challenger T/A cars briefly got a "fast ratio" steering box setup.  But this wasn't as high-tech as it sounds.  The factory basically just gave these cars a longer pitman arm (without even a longer idler arm to match!) in order to speed up the steering ratio from about 16:1 to 12:1. 

(The fast-ratio setup called for its own separate steering box according to legend.  But the truth is that it was still the same 16:1 gearbox rate as the slow-ratio power steering boxes.  The only difference was that it got some internal stops put into it to limit the wheel pivoting distance before the tires hit the framerails.)

[sportony]

OK... thanks for the info..... Didn't know that before 

But, I'm still wondering if a 71 B-body K- member (satellite) will work on a 68 charger   (Specifically would there be any problems with the steering box alignment between the B-Body years)

OOps...

Modification:  - looks like you answered my question chief....  thanks !!

[Nacho-RT74]

the main diff between 71 and 68 is the front sway bar different attaching and how goes through side to side, what I think changed in 70... I think rest is the same and matches.

the diff K member between SB and BB were in 73, as stated with isolations between K member and Frame. Also shocks mounted on a bracket mounted directly to K frame instead the tower to Frame Rails. This kind of later mounting is more resistant than the earliers.

[maxwellwedge]

   



Steering boxes?  No major swapping issues there.  It was all the same mounting setups for the same two (power and manual) steering gearboxes throughout the muscle era. 



The AAR Cuda and Challenger T/A cars briefly got a "fast ratio" steering box setup.  But this wasn't as high-tech as it sounds.  The factory basically just gave these cars a longer pitman arm (without even a longer idler arm to match!) in order to speed up the steering ratio from about 16:1 to 12:1. 

(The fast-ratio setup called for its own separate steering box according to legend.  But the truth is that it was still the same 16:1 gearbox rate as the slow-ratio power steering boxes.  The only difference was that it got some internal stops put into it to limit the wheel pivoting distance before the tires hit the framerails.)

The AAR and T/A boxes are their own unique casting with different bearing sizes. You could get fast ratio on A-Bodies as well...and it may have been both manual and power....have to check.

[sportony]

OK.  I contacted FirmFeel, and Dick (great guy by the way) informed me there IS a difference; the 68-69 B Body K-member has about a 3 to 4 degree higher rise with respect to the steering box mount, as opposed to the 71-72 B-body K-member in which the steering box mount is angled slightly lower. 

Just in case anyone wanted to know that little tid bit of info...............