I know this is here somewhere,but I could not find.I am ready to purchase my front suspension kit.johnny law has what I want,at a good price[for next 2 days].I have heard helix is not as good as some others.my truck will be for daily use,not speed,race,or show.Just a comrordable ride. 5.8 aod 8.8 [3.73] rear & ifs front.I would like any input about helix ifs. thanks

 

As you've heard, the reports are their parts are really, really cheap off-shore crap of inferior quality and will fail. Thinner wall crossmember and hats of weak alloy steel. Shocks don't last. Springs collapse. Rubber deteriorates before the truck is on the road, etc. I know you're trying to justify it to yourself, but by your asking, I think you already know the right thing to do. Pass up this "good deal" and buy yourself, and your truck, something deserving of being on there. That's my 2c.

 

I have never read one good review of the Helix stuff, I would not want to risk my life running low quality parts. There are plenty of low buck ways to get IFS, depending on initial cost I end up with around $600 in my jag IFS installations after doing the rebuild.

 

IMHO I would not buy any Hoffman Group company product. They are a vulture investment group that buy up smaller specialty supplier/manufacturers that are in financial trouble, take their product prototypes and have them cloned by lowest bidder overseas manufacturers. There is no quality control/oversight of materials or specifications, standard replacement parts. HG is not interested in providing a quality product to the market, only in their bottom line. The Harbor Freight of the hot rod world.

 

Would you recommend swaybar with heidt coilover kit,stock height spindle.THANKS again

 

Any IFS should have a sway bar IMHO. The very high roll center of our trucks and heavy front end weight needs a substantial bar to control body roll. I'd ask Heidts for their recommendation.

 

DON'T BUY IT!!!!!

I bought my helix kit from johnny law and not only were the parts really poor quality, the customer service was ridicules. I've purchased a Heidt's kit previously (on another project) and I assumed the felix kit would be "close enough" The crossmember was not pre-cut (like it was advertised) and when I called the customer service to question it the "technician" was extremely rude to me (and even hung up on me). I asked my wife if maybe I sounded like I was offensive on my end and she couldn't believe the guy was being so rude to me (he declined to even give me his first name). They eventually sent me the cut crossmember and it was way off (I ended up cutting the original one instead). The wheel bearings were cheap, the hardware was cheap (and missing parts) the springs and shocks were garbage as well as the brake line fittings. I spent almost as much as the heidts once it was all said and done (I purchased all new parts to replace the crappy ones) how much is your time and sanity worth? Save yourself some time and aggravation, spend a little more for the heidts, I know, I've installed both and there isn't any comparison.

Wally

 

I installed a Heidt's IFS on my 50 F-1 about a year ago. Everything was "right" and nothing required modification or trimming. It came with a 1" swaybar, drilled/slotted rotors, and stainless lines. I bought it through JPL Streetrods for less than $1800 w/ free freight to my house. I can't recommend Heidt's or JPL highly enough!




Heidt's Mustang II

The mustang wheels don't fit, but they are temporary anyway!

 

JPL supplied my first '51 Heidt's kit and they were great to deal with as well. Highly recommend them and the Heidt's kit.

Wally

 

TCI makes a nice IFS and they have recently improved the way the upper a-arms mount which eliminates the "T" bolts and keeps the IFS in alignment longer.

 

FYI: Helix (Johnny Law) shipped standard hex head bolts rather than the "T" bolts. I bought the correct bolts elsewhere.

Wally

 

I totally agree with AX. Stay away from Johnny Law and Hoffman group. Go play with a rattlesnake, at least they give you some warning that you are going to get bitten.

 

I'm in the market to purchase a front cross member as well and was looking at the Heidt's kit. Was wondering if the coil overs are worth the extra money ride wise?

 

I like coilovers over std coils for their versatility, assuming they are height adjustable and damping adjustable (rebound or rebound and compression adjustable, but NOT both with the same adjuster). Coilover springs (again assuming std diameter) are very inexpensive, available in many rates and lengths which allows experimentation. Changing the spring rates requires the ability to adjust the shock damping. With shocks one size does not fit or work for all.

 

I am planning to put a heidts m11 kit in my 49 f1.coilover&stock spindles.Does anyone know where the spindle will be ,in relation to bottom of frame[@ centerline of axel]. THANKS