wILL AN 86 svO FRONT END FIT ON AN 87?

[ROBSLXTASY]

A fella wants to sell me a complete front end including the following..for $125 bucks

SVO-Kmember
SVO- A-Arms
SVO-Spindles
SVO-rotors
SVO-Rack and pinion
SVO-Onion head struts
SVO front brakes
All I really want is the control arms, k-member, and rack... Is the k-member the same as a regular k-member?? I know the ball joints are different on the control arms.. I am wanting to keep the front stock coil set up so it would be nice with those control arms..

Heres my plan
SVO k-member
SVO control arms
SVO rack
95 Cobra spindles and brakes
Tokico Illuminas 5 way adjustable
and H&R springs
sTERN 3 PIECE 17X8 RIMS

Will it all work???

 

[5LugFoxFanatic]

Don't be a dumbass lol. Buy that stuff for 125! SVO stuff is hard to find and might be worth some decent $$$ to someone out there, even if it doesn't fit your car.

 

[thegabrielles]

I am running a complete 86 SVO bottom end on my 82, Dont pass up the deal!!!!
I am not sure why you would want to go with anything but what came with the SVO though. I ran SCCA Solo II with my Shock/struts on stiff, then changed the front to soft and drag raced, The stock stuff is great. My car handled great and hooked hard. 1.72 60ft. with the stock SVO suspension on street tires.

 

[Mustang5L5]

K-member is the same i beleive. It's the control arms that were different. SPindles are same as 5.0 spindles also i beleive.

Keep in mind using those control arms will push your front wheels out 1.25" each side.

 

[Matt90GT]

Everything is different in the SVO.

The A arms and K member are tubular. But the arms weight a TON! Also the balljoints are NOT replaceable. Your track will widen by about 2-3" total, thus you will need the SVO wheels to keep stock offset ones under the body.

The union head strut mounts are junk. Really you are buying 20 year old parts with rubber bushings. Rubber does not last that long in a performance application. I would pass it up and go tubular aftermarket parts. Less weight and better stuff.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I agree. SVO Mustangs may be awesome cars, but their parts really are outdated.

The aftermarket is your friend

 

[thegabrielles]

Well, sorry Matt but the SVO was not tubular. The K-frame is supposed to be slightly different, but looking at it, it appears to be the same. The A-arms were made from square stock. They are actually were supposed to be considerably stronger but I do not believe there was a weight advantage or disadvantage. The SVO has about 1/2" different offset rim so that totals 1" wider but yes special rims are necessary. It is definitely better to have a Tubular K-frame and control arms, but the SVO was one of the best Handling Mustangs ever. The setup works. I ran the factory SVO springs for a couple of years before upgrading because I wanted to lower it slightly. But hey if price is an option $125 is a pretty good deal. Maybe you can buy it, find someone with an SVO sell it to them and use the extra $$ for the Tubular stuff.

 

[Matt90GT]

Forgot to mention that the regular mustang spindles will NOT fit on the SVO balljoints.

 

[ROBSLXTASY]

oh boy..

Wow.. This is crazy.. I have posted on several boards including the turbofords website and I am getting answers all over the place.. I know the k-member is not tubular, but what I am confused on is the non servicable ball joints.. By that you mean no zerk fittings right? New SVO ball joints are 30 each an bushings are 48 for all four. I dont trust anything aftermarket except Griggs and I can't afford two cars with griggs stuff so this one I was trying to get cheap/ I mean creative.. And most tubular control arms require coilover setup.. I am tired of driving on AZ roads with coilovers.. Thanks for all the answers so far, I knew Matt would be dropping by, thanks for the info.

 

[Matt90GT]

Well the balljoints are not serviceable. meaning that you cannot replace them. They are the same arms off the 82-83 continental and are DISCONTINUED from Ford.

now if someone has figured out how to cut them out and weld new ones, great. But the arms just about weight more than your stock K member. Plus the balljoints will not fit any other 79+ mustang spindle.

Personally it is a dumb move. you will widen your track, increase the weight on the front end and still have 20 year old parts. Go buy a new tubular K member from the aftermarket. The QA1, MM and griggs will lengthen the wheelbase. The AJE and PA will keep things stock there.

 

[ROBSLXTASY]

info

Heres some info a buddy found on four eyed pride..

YOU HAVE TO USE SVO K-MEMBER WITH SVO CONTROL ARMS.

SVO Mustang control arms are 14" long.

'79-'93 Mustang non-SVO control arms are 13" long. Not sure on SN95 cars.

'87-'88 T-Bird control arms are 13 3/4" long.

PRE-'88 K-member:

51.37" from ball joint to ball joint
22.75" from center to center of front A-arm bushings
30.125" from center to center of rear A-arm bushings
A-arm is mounted at a 16.5 deg angle off centerline of car.

'88-'93 K-Member:
52.37" from ball joint to ball joint
23.75" from center to center of front A-arm bushings
31.125" from center to center of rear A-arm bushings
A-arm is mounted at a 16.5 deg angle off centerline of car

'84-'86 Mustang SVO -K-member:
53.36" from ball joint to ball joint
23.00" from center to center of front A-arm bushings
29.5" from center to center of rear A-arm bushings
A-arms is mounted at a 14.5 degree angle from centerline of car.

SVO K-member is designed for a 4 cylinder and to give the best handling suspension on a Fox Body. It overcomes many of the shortcomings of the Fox design. The A-arms are longer but the mounting points are moved in 1" and moved up 1 ". This is to reduce changes in roll height center as the suspension cycles. The SVO uses the control arms, spindle and brakes from the '82-'83 Lincoln Continental. You can mount a V8 in a SVO (infidels!) but because it is narrower the space is a little tighter than normal for exaust and headers.

I6 K-members are different from the rest and I have not heard before that V6 K-members were different. I know several guys that have done the swap and they didnt mention having any problems.

The above specs info is from "Mustang Performance 2 Handbook" by William R. Mathis

If you use SVO control arms on a stock Mustang you will move the brakes and strut out 1" farther. Since the Mustang strut is not vertical it is already less than effective. By adding more angle to the strut you would be causing more handling problems.

It seems you could use a pre-'88 K-member with the longer '87-'88 T-Bird A-arms to gain some of what the SVO was trying to do but you still dont gain the advantage of the A-arm mounting points being raised.

_________________

 

[rd]

Heres some info a buddy found on four eyed pride..

YOU HAVE TO USE SVO K-MEMBER WITH SVO CONTROL ARMS.

SVO Mustang control arms are 14" long.

'79-'93 Mustang non-SVO control arms are 13" long. Not sure on SN95 cars.

'87-'88 T-Bird control arms are 13 3/4" long.

PRE-'88 K-member:

51.37" from ball joint to ball joint
22.75" from center to center of front A-arm bushings
30.125" from center to center of rear A-arm bushings
A-arm is mounted at a 16.5 deg angle off centerline of car.

'88-'93 K-Member:
52.37" from ball joint to ball joint
23.75" from center to center of front A-arm bushings
31.125" from center to center of rear A-arm bushings
A-arm is mounted at a 16.5 deg angle off centerline of car

'84-'86 Mustang SVO -K-member:
53.36" from ball joint to ball joint
23.00" from center to center of front A-arm bushings
29.5" from center to center of rear A-arm bushings
A-arms is mounted at a 14.5 degree angle from centerline of car.

SVO K-member is designed for a 4 cylinder and to give the best handling suspension on a Fox Body. It overcomes many of the shortcomings of the Fox design. The A-arms are longer but the mounting points are moved in 1" and moved up 1 ". This is to reduce changes in roll height center as the suspension cycles. The SVO uses the control arms, spindle and brakes from the '82-'83 Lincoln Continental. You can mount a V8 in a SVO (infidels!) but because it is narrower the space is a little tighter than normal for exaust and headers.

I6 K-members are different from the rest and I have not heard before that V6 K-members were different. I know several guys that have done the swap and they didnt mention having any problems.

The above specs info is from "Mustang Performance 2 Handbook" by William R. Mathis

If you use SVO control arms on a stock Mustang you will move the brakes and strut out 1" farther. Since the Mustang strut is not vertical it is already less than effective. By adding more angle to the strut you would be causing more handling problems.

It seems you could use a pre-'88 K-member with the longer '87-'88 T-Bird A-arms to gain some of what the SVO was trying to do but you still dont gain the advantage of the A-arm mounting points being raised.

_________________

Wow, some info here.

From a long time ago, I read the details on the SVO stuff, and would figure that it was worth having, especially for that price. None of it appeals to me, because the stock 4 banger stuff drag races just as well. But for handling, the SVO stuff was supposed to be jam up. I think the control arm mounting point changes were the key to the overall effectiveness of the package. All of it could be duplicated with stock stuff if you really needed to.

I think the 5 lug part would be worthwhile on its own.