cougar k member vs. stock mustang k member

Topic: cougar k member vs. stock mustang k member (Read 1250 times) previous topic - next topic

cougar k member vs. stock mustang k member

July 01, 2006, 08:59:37 AM

I know this has been discussed before. From what I have read, the only advantage to using a stock mustang K member would be better motor mounts and possibly more motor to hood clearance if needed. I have a stock 87-93 mustang K member that I was thinking about swapping in when I replace my worn out 5.0. Since Chuck has made a good set of motor mounts for the birds & cougars, I don't really see the motor mounts being an advantage anymore except the mustang mounts are more readily available. Is it worth going through the work to change out the cougar k member and are there any other advantages?

cougar k member vs. stock mustang k member

Reply #1 – July 01, 2006, 09:40:31 AM

Oh My, you came out of the woodwork didn't you!

The control arms are different as well between the cougar and mustang.

cougar k member vs. stock mustang k member

Reply #2 – July 01, 2006, 03:17:28 PM

Like I said, I know there has been discussions about this. Maybe I did come out of the woodwork but I had asked about the k member not the control arms. I know that the mustang control arms are shorter than the cougar arms. If there are worth while advantages to using the mustang k member, I'd using the cougar arms to keep the alignment geometry close to what it should be.

cougar k member vs. stock mustang k member

Reply #3 – July 02, 2006, 06:16:33 PM

I hate to disappoint you, but you will lose engine to hood clearance if you put in a Mustang K. I dont know why, but my engine came up when I installed a Mustang k, and urethane mounts. I used the control arms that came on the stang K, and now I am having a hell of a time getting things to straiten out on the front end. If you still have your stock 87-88 front K and arms in, would you please measure from the center of one balljoint to the center of the other? My front track looks right, but I am not sure.

cougar k member vs. stock mustang k member

Reply #4 – July 02, 2006, 09:40:22 PM

slowfoxbird, I have measured the cougar kmember and control arms to come up with a measurement of 54 1/2" - 54 3/4" center to center of the bottom of the ball joints at ride height (I'm gathering the parts to build the replacement motor, cougar still driven daily). I have measured 52 1/2" center to center of the bottom of the ball joints with mustang k member upside down (with only the control arms on the k member, no springs, etc...). My cougar control are slightly pointing upwards at the wheel ends. Here is the post I had read saying that the mustang k member allows the motor to sit lower: http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=205&highlight=member. Hope this helps.

I have a problem going over speed bumps that I rub either my subframe connectors or the exhaust when the suspension compresses when the front wheels reache the bottom of the speed bump. This usually happens on the nromal to higher speed bumps. I have to take the time to look to see what is rubbing. I'm sure that the busshing in the control arms are bad with having 180,000 miles on the clock.

cougar k member vs. stock mustang k member

Reply #5 – July 03, 2006, 01:24:15 PM

Hmm, well, my car was never wrecked, and neither was the mustang I got my k and my arms out of. I do know that my fan bladeshiznit the hood pad though after the Mustang K and the Mustang poly bushings.