The ony thing I have from KB is the subframes on my Cobra. Compared to the MM ones I have on my GT they are wimpy. I can't comment on any of the other things KB has for sale. I tried to check out their front brake ducts but the KB website is a piece of shlt. I was only able to get a basic education on why I should buy KB parts and a rundown of all his wonderful accomplishments from 15-20 years ago but no current information or pictures of his parts. I'm not about to make a LD call on my dime to just get put on hold until I can get a fast sell on why their parts are so wonderful. Parts I cannot even see a picture of on their website.

I currently run MM suspension parts on my track car and street car. They are some of the highest quality parts I have ever bought. The MM website is packed with great information and helpful downloads. When I have called them on the very few occasions I needed technical help they were very prompt in answering the phone and provided the tech I needed. Maybe that's why you can find a lot of testimonials to MM and very few on KB?

 

Yeah, it continues to amaze me that Kenny Brown can't find someone to design his website, which has been "under construction" for as long as I remember. In this day and age IMO their lack of web support is inexcusable for an established company.

I've had KB subframe connectors and a KB strut tower brace on my car in the past. Both bits have been replaced with MM parts. The subframe connectors I honestly would not have replaced but for the fact I was getting the MM TA/PHB rear suspension, and KB's subframe connectors aren't beefy enough to support the load of the TA. The STB I replaced because it didn't provide enough room to clear good caster/camber plates. When I changed out the KB STB for the MM STB I could definitely feel a difference in the front of the car (keep in mind I have a flexy convertible).

About the only good thing I've heard about KB's stuff is their IRS parts - they were really the first to start offering anything for the Cobra IRS.

 

I echo the above comments about the Kenny Brown website. Absolutely ridiculous!! A friend of mine's wife actually did alot of marketing work for them in an attempt to help grow their business. I guess Kenny doesn't see the use in forking out the money necessary to make more money. I've heard that their logo and slogan are not even trademarked.

But alas, go to Kenny Brown and get the Extreme Matrix system ($500 installed). This includes subframes, jacking rails, and a lattice structure that connects the two. Go to MM for everything else such as CC plates, STB, UCAs, LCAs, PHBs, etc.

I will say that Kenny has been a pioneer in IRS and has some great products for those cars. But your 2000 GT is not an IRS so who cares.

Good luck in your decision.


Brian Steuerwald

 

Contact- Jeremy_red91LX thru a pm or I will tell him to come over here. He has pretty much the entire KB line on his car including Kmember.

I live in Indy too and have two KB parts: Jacking rails and k-brace(the KB 4 point K brace allows me to run longtubes where the mm only only allows a 2 point) The rest of the car is all MM/Griggs. KB is way pricer and has a different philosphy than others. He is a 4 link believer

 

I dropped off my 2000GT at their shop in Indy and had the "level 3" installed before I knew any better. Subframes are tinkertoys compared to MM or Griggs, CC plates were extremely poor and I promptly broke their panard bar. I still have those wimpy subs but everything else has been replaced by MM. There is a great thread on corner carvers about KB.
As has been mentioned they do have good IRS stuff, I've swaped in an IRS (stock not KB) into my GT. However get out one or maybe two credit cards because none of KB's products is cheap.
Just as an example log onto MM's site and then compare it to KB's.

 

dssmith - If you need a local shop to install the MM stuff you purchase contact

They also have a dyno that coincidently KB uses to program customers cars since kb doesn't have wide band or a programmer. Automotive specialist have done MM suspension on a friends car.

AUTOMOTIVE SPECIALIST
1337 PLEASANT ST, NOBLESVILLE, IN 46060
Phone: (317) 773-0322

 

Indy Speed and Custom out in Brownsburg does some good welding too. After I hung my exhaust, I had them weld up the mufflers and the x-pipe connections. They do nice work. I mentioned that I was thinking of going to the MM full-lengths (have MM standards now) and they said tehy's be happy to do the welding. Cary's guys do some nice work although it is mostly custom and hot-rod!

 

Why not Steeda parts. I run all steeda and I love them. My car runs great on the track.

 

I have the Kenny Brown Super Subs. They aren't the end all be all of sub connectors I can assure you. However, finding them at a good price, and havign to work with a side exhaust, I was rather limited.

I can't honestly say, "I would'a got first place, had I gone with XXXXXX Sub frames, instead of these Kenny Brown's." before. Take that for what it's worth.

Also FWIW, I was able to tell they DID make a difference in the car's feel, so they are doing something, just may not be as night/day as another brands subs are. I also ended up picking up their jacking rails, only for convenience sake though. So far, I'm really happy, the jacking rails have made putting a jack under the car/changing tires GREAT!!!

 

steeda

Why not Steeda parts. I run all steeda and I love them. My car runs great on the track.

Yes and they are shiny and super bling-bling! By all means go with steeda, less competition for the rest of us.

I'll turn the sarcasm off now, I've yet to see a steeda equiped car at an open track event, let alone a race. Lots of them in parking lots bragging about how cool the parts are though.

 

Yes and they are shiny and super bling-bling! By all means go with steeda, less competition for the rest of us.

I'll turn the sarcasm off now, I've yet to see a steeda equiped car at an open track event, let alone a race. Lots of them in parking lots bragging about how cool the parts are though.

:lol: That is pretty funny. I have some Steeda stuff on my car(C/C plates and shifter). I bought the C/C(3-bolt design)used for 40$ but now that I'm getting more involved in the suspension of my car, the MM units will replace them.

 

2k2GT, do your Super Subs work directly with the side exhaust, no mods needed?

 

Thank you all for posting, I did forget to mention that I put the Kenny Brown Extreme Matrix System on (jacking rails, subs, matrix brace). I may just go ahead and go with MM from now on. Their products are used everywhere and their prices are relatively inexpensive. Thanks CARREW for the post about Automotive Specialists. I live in the Castleton area off of Fall Creek so that isn't to far a drive. I will check them out next time I'm home from Purdue. Thanks again all and if anybody has any more advice please post.

 

2k2GT, do your Super Subs work directly with the side exhaust, no mods needed?

Yea, they work great, alot better than I'd imagined. Only issue I have/had was that I wanted as much ground clearance as possible, so when I installed the Spintech Catback, I installed the exit pipes very very close to where it crosses the sub.connectors.

On hard launches(mainly just at launches at the beginning of autox/drag racing)I could hear a clang clang sound. Was determined that it was the drivers side exit pipe hitting the sub.connector. I fixed this while at an autox by using some split heater hose, and zip ties to hold the rubber piece on.

I always meant to get back under the car and fix it the right way, but since it doesn't really bother and I don't hear anything anymore............I just left it. I figure "track cars" are real cars when they got zip ties and various uses of heater hose on them. (by the way, it's not noticeable...so it doesn' t look ghetto. )

 

I run all steeda and I love them.

Well in THAT case, sign me up! That's all the technical endorsement anyone should ever need.

Actually TennGT, Lane Holcomb's Cobra ran pretty well with his Steeda stuff, but you're right, there's always been something about Steeda that attracts no-tech asshats like moths to a flame. It's a shame, because some of their stuff isn't all bad.

 

I have several KB suspension parts (ok maybe a lot) on my ’91 LX including the K-member and haven’t had any problems with them on the track. One major reason I went with them is that they are local for me as well so if I ever had problems w/ anything I can go to them directly vs. over the phone and won’t have to deal with shipping things back and forth. My car does not see frequent track events, maybe 2 weekend events per summer and several auto-x events. As far as competition use everything that KB uses on their track cars are the same parts they sell to the customers. Their race/track cars are going through as much track abuse as you or anyone could put them through I’m sure.

I’ve heard good thing from both KB and MM. Parts from the two are very similar so most peoples reviews are going to be personal preference or opinions or I got a good deal on this part so I bought it and has worked. I don’t think you will be wrong either way. Remember not every one drives the same way so what works for one person won’t necessarily work for you.



KENNY BROWN’S WEBSITE SUCKS!

 

I've yet to see a steeda equiped car at an open track event, let alone a race. Lots of them in parking lots bragging about how cool the parts are though.

Actually there are a number of very fast race cars out there running Steeda stuff, (sort of). I can name several very fast ASedan/AI drivers who run the 5-link (several of them have track records). However the 5-link pretty much sums up the Steeda parts list on those cars though and most of them knew what the 5-link was before Steeda bought the rights to it.

Kenny brown makes some pretty good performance street stuff, and it fits pretty well (I have installed a bunch of their parts at my old job, as well as all the other popular brands). If you ever plan to track the car with any form of sticky tires, get something a little stronger and go with MM, Griggs, Steeda (5-link only)...

 

I just got done grinding out my KB super duper matrix brace supreme sub system. MM full lengths have replaced them. Like comparing tooth picks to lincoln logs. If you plan on running a torque arm MM says the KB system is not strong enough. When you have them side by side to compare you WILL believe them...I do like the jacking rails thou.

 

OK, Gotta get some things straight about KB and MM parts.

Yes both make good quality parts for either street or track, and depending on which type of driving you do, a different setup will be good for you. As for the individual pieces that both offer, MM's subframes are full-length, while KB's aren't as long (if thats what you mean putting them next to each other and looking). The reason KB's aren't full-length is because there is no need to be. If you look at the under body of your car, you will see that MM's subs just actually add about 4 more inches that really don't do anything. A buddy of mine has all the KB susp. pieces and after further review it makes perfect sense!

MM's designed theirs to look longer/beefier, where as KB designed theres to work! MM just adds 4 more inches of small weight that connects to nothing important. Now, I'm not gonna argue back n forth as to which is better or greater because again, it all boils down to personal opinions really.

And whoever started talking about Steeda...LOL get outta here! Steeda needs to change their name to Sticker. All they do is slap a Steeda sticker on other peoples parts. LOL Steeda...GOOD ONE!! 0_o

 

Thanks Red Rocket, you have made a valid point. Most of the posts on this thread have been about how much "better" and "bigger" and that MM "looks beefier" than KB but nobody has any technical facts but rather just personal opinions that vary and sometimes even cary on form one person to another. Does anybody actually have track opinions as to experience of KB not performing as well as MM or visa versa

 

Thank you all for posting, I did forget to mention that I put the Kenny Brown Extreme Matrix System on (jacking rails, subs, matrix brace). I may just go ahead and go with MM from now on. Their products are used everywhere and their prices are relatively inexpensive. Thanks CARREW for the post about Automotive Specialists. I live in the Castleton area off of Fall Creek so that isn't to far a drive. I will check them out next time I'm home from Purdue. Thanks again all and if anybody has any more advice please post.

I live off of sunnyside Jeremy lives just of I-69 and steve lives over in the geist hood too.

I'll send you a pm on a local private site you might be interested in.

 

Does anybody actually have track opinions as to experience of KB not performing as well as MM or visa versa

Just ask all the guys running Kenny Brown stuff in American Iron and American Iron Extreme. Oh, wait, there aren't any!

I have about a 1" tear in the floor of my trunk from running a KB Trackit Plus II panhard bar setup for a couple years. At that time I didn't know jack **** about auto-x and open tracking. In a couple years of street driving a car on street tires that maxed out at 245s, I started to tear the floor of my trunk due to KB's wonderful panhard design.

I had no complaints about the KB Super Subs I used to run. If I hadn't gone with the MM TA/PHB rear suspension, I would never have replaced the KB subs. They undoubtedly made a big difference in how my flexy convertible felt. They also undoubtedly aren't as stout as the MM subs, so for the TA mount to work right I now have the MM subs.

I started looking into replacing my K-member and A-arms with something better a little while (maybe 6 months?) after KB released their front end stuff. When I called them (because God forbid I actually be able to see their stuff on a website!) to ask about the K-member the guy could give zero explanation of why it's better than a Griggs K-member (MM's wasn't out yet) or stock, for that matter! No knowledge of materials, what suspension geometry was changed, etc etc. The best he could do for me was send me a brochure, which also had zero real technical information in it. When I called Griggs on the other hand they were able to explain that kind of stuff to me. I gave KB the benefit of the doubt, figuring their new front suspension stuff deserved a look, but they couldn't give me any tech to back up why I would want their stuff, so they didn't get my business.

Pat

 

I believe that the only Steeda product to have results comparable to that of Griggs or MM is the 5-link as others have said. Most of the CC.com guys wouldn't put any KB parts on their cars. I'm still waiting for a 5-link and EVM (or similar) 3-link comparison...not that I even have a mustang anyway, but hopefully sometime soon.

 

OK, Gotta get some things straight about KB and MM parts.

Yes both make good quality parts for either street or track, and depending on which type of driving you do, a different setup will be good for you. As for the individual pieces that both offer, MM's subframes are full-length, while KB's aren't as long (if thats what you mean putting them next to each other and looking). The reason KB's aren't full-length is because there is no need to be. If you look at the under body of your car, you will see that MM's subs just actually add about 4 more inches that really don't do anything. A buddy of mine has all the KB susp. pieces and after further review it makes perfect sense!

MM's designed theirs to look longer/beefier, where as KB designed theres to work! MM just adds 4 more inches of small weight that connects to nothing important. o

Just a question not a flame: If you took say a popsicle stick and was building a bridge to span to ends together. Would you use a short popsicle stick where only a 1/4" of glue on each end to support the stress in the center. Or would you rather have a longer popsicle stick where you could glue 1/2" of glue to support the stress even more. Thats the purpose of the longs you are able to weld more to the front and rear subframes allowing more structural integrity. Its not about weight, if your worried about weight than wait till you have to install a 8 point cage. The gauge of the material also allows more structural integrity. If your worried about weight and want minimal amount of excess I believe steeda still sells a cute pair of flexy carbon fiber sfc's. KB does make some nice "street" components for the price of race components that are much more heavy duty. It always comes down to asking yourself. What is the ultimated goal of usage of this car? If its street occasional autocross and 1-3 OT events than any brand is acceptable. If your looking to use it for 45 minutes door to door racing for the 5 years or more than you want something that will last. Also I recommend you stick with one brand and not mix and match. Yes KB is local to me, but I wanted a quality equipment that could take a beating and has lots of success. So I went MM/griggs and installed all of it myself.

 

AI/AIX

Just ask all the guys running Kenny Brown stuff in American Iron and American Iron Extreme. Oh, wait, there aren't any!

Ok, KB stuff in AI or AIX. If you would look back and do your homework, you would know that KB stuff in those classes pretty much got ousted. There actually was a couple cars with KB race set ups that kept winning in a big way, but since MM is such a huge "sponser" type in that class, they pretty much put the kabosh on KB parts. The reason is because MM had contingency for a lot of the cars in the series, but MM kept getting beat by KB stuff. So they slowly squeezed KB out of the series.

So now I know theres a couple big name guys in AV8SS that run KB stuff and they keep on winning. I know that the leading points driver has a KB fox car, David Morrison I think is his name.

And as for the popsicle stick guy. I understand what you are saying, however, these aren't made of wood nor are we making a bridge. Why add more to something that can be done without as much? The main objective of the Sub Frame Connector is to do just that, connect the sub frame. From the rear part to the front part really isn't that much more, and why risk welding more on (MM part) that in an accident would just end up tearing up your rear floor??

As you can tell I most likely side with KB. I know pretty much everyone in the Mustang business just because I've been around it for so long. MM, Griggs, KB, Saleen, Steeda, Roush, etc. They all have good parts, it just depends on what you want. This is how I break it down---

Track/Performing on Street--- KB
Street/Street Racing-------- MM/Griggs
Visual ONLY-----------------Steeda
Visual+Performance----------Roush
Name Brand-----------------Saleen/Roush/Steeda
Drag Racing-----------------Griggs

I lobby with KB simply because I know what that company and that guy can do. KB has a great history of racing and a friends dad of mine remembers him from back in Nebraska working on Porsche's. He knows the track and how cars need to be setup. MM is relatively new, and on top of that they're a Westcoast brand. Left Side is WAAAYYY out there anyway. Different opinions that don't really make sense some times. But thats the nature of this industry. Its all personal opinions and word of mouth.