Is there anyone here that is running a Corvette accessory drive setup? It looks like it will give a little more room for clearance but I don't know if it will clear everything.

I want AC but I refuse to notch my crossmember and idler arm. I also will not use the AC bracket with the original style compressor. Has anyone else seen any alternatives?

Thanks.

 

........

 

oh sorry the bracket uses the LT1 a/c

 

I should have made myself a little more clear. I was refering to the LS1 although I do appreciate you posting your solution. Someone will no doubt gain from it. So thanks.

 

Just notch your k-member, lower your idler arm down a little bit and use this fitting with custom AC lines.

 

where could you get custom A/C lines?

 

No.

I refuse to hack on my k-member. There must be a better way and I intend to find it.

 

You don't have to notch the k-member, I took a big ball peen hammer with the engine on an engine stand, all accessories hooked up, picked the k-member up, marked where it needed to clear and just started hitting until I got clearance. With all the accessories in place, you can't even see where it was hit, and after I painted it, you can't see it if you looked at it, and I have room to get to the motor mount bolts.

Just don't heat up the k-member, it can weaken it if you do, cold bend it.

Plus if you move the compressor to another location, you just end up hacking the harness to extend it to where you go since the wires are a certain length.

 

Does this looked hacked up? If I would've ground the welds perfectly smooth it would look factory... hell it almost does anyways. There's nothing wrong with it, looks great!

 

Have a shop make them. It wouldn't take anything to make hoses to hook up your compressor to the condenser and dryer if you used that bulkhead fitting up above with the threaded inlet/outlet. As for me, I'm just going to make them at the shop where my dad works. We use to make them all the time for semi trucks.

 

Yes.


Just kidding of course. It looks really great. I'm still a little leary about cutting on the crossmember. Seems like it would weaken it although I'm sure it would still be better than a tubular one.

You wouldn't happen to have any pictures of the k-member after it was cut but before the hole was welded up would you?

 

GTA91...that looks really nice....good work!

 

I'll have to check at home on my computer. I think I have pics of it cut before welding it back in. If I don't reply tonight, remind me again!


*Thanks for the compliments.

 

What Compressor do you use for the swap? Thats would make you want to cut in to the cross member.

 

there are 2 options normally used.

the stock LS1 compressor

or the stock 3rdgen compressor.


the LS1 compressor is mounted low, and hits the Kmember... a tubular Kmember or a notched factory one lets it clear.



the 3rdgen one must be mounted high with custom brackets... one guy sells them, but he asks such a absurdly high price that noone buys them... lol

 

I have to corvette accesories for mine. My dad notched the frame out, but it seems like the vette compressor goes farther back then the f-body one. just for the comprssor to fit in we had to cut back to just about where the custom motor mounts sit. So now before we have a weld shop fill in where it was cut out, i'm on a missions to get a f-dody compressor and bracket to fit that up and see if/ how much of a difference their is.

 

Firebrat,


I was wanting to know how did the reloc brackets work out for your AC? I heard that they were not worth the $$$$$$ for them

I am about to do the same swap and wanted to know which would be best.

Thanks

 

pics: https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...highlight=pics

I would try the 20 ounce hammer-to-the-kmember mod first. You can't use the brackets if you need emissions stuff.

They are nice though. I can take off the passenger side valve cover with no problems, when the a/c compressor is mounted.

You'll see that they wanted me to put the coil up top by the throttle cables. That doesn't work if you have a throttle bracket cover. Simple fix, mount the coil in the stock location, the mounting holes are there.

To make the LT1 f-body A/C compressor work with these brackets, 89-92 V6 lines must be used. Then an adapter must be made to make the V6 lines mount to the LT1 compressor. 4 LT1 A/C comp sealing washers are used, 2 on each side of the adaptor.

I'm planning on taking my brackets off and doing the "hammer" mod or get a tubular k-member installed. If I can get the compressor mounted down low and get the v6 lines out of my way then it will look cleaner. Plus, i'm hoping it weighs less to not have the brackets and V6 lines. Then I'm going to get the alternator relocation brackets, the ones where they move the alternator down low on the pass side and put a alt delete bracket where the alt used to be. There will be no accessories mounted above the valve covers, as long as you don't count the alt del bracket. Anyway, I plan on taking these a/c reloc brackets off and selling them along with the V6 lines, my custom adapter, sometime this spring/summer.

 

I too was worried about the load on the k member after notching. One thing I've learned is mods can work great for a little while but after years of pounding they tend to show any flaws or weak points in design. I didnt take any pics of mine but I will borrow 91GTA's ( hope you dont mind ) to show how I did it. From the outside mine looks pretty much the same as these pics but on the inside I did quite a bit more reinforcing.

Using a slightly heavier 3/16" vertical piece of plate I made the whole piece into a gusset on the inside of the K member and welded it everywhere I could. I tried to draw out in red the shape of the plate so visualize it being one piece without the rounded part at all and you should get the idea. Then in blue on pic two I showed where i welded it ( the spots you cant see that is of course the entire perimeter is also welded ). Again this is all on the inside of the k member so I have welded to the top and bottom of the k member on the inside all on the vertical plate only. After sufficient reinforcing where i felt it was at least as strong as stock I then welded in the rounded filler piece for appearance but primarily the strength all comes from the vertical piece. Hope this makes sense

 

I found a pic of mine. Its all buttoned up so you cant see the gusset but its a different angle and might help. Lousy quality cel phone pic

 

I cut mine and it looks like it was meant to be like that.

 

That's kinda how we did mine. You can't see it in my old original pics up top but its got a little reinforcing in it. I've got over 10k miles on this k-member over the past 3 years or so... no problems. I can't see it being a problem at all...

 

any pictures of how the idler hits the a/c clutch? I have an idea around it but I need to see if I even have the right idea of how and where it hits

 

Some people have problems with it hitting, mine cleared without modification. I have read that if it does hit, just loosen the idler arm and it is slotted and it will slide down.

 

Silly question. Where do you get that fitting?

 

http://www.acsource.com/index.asp?Pa...ROD&ProdID=377




I have an a/c write up I had started but have been too buisy to finish it yet. I hope to get it done soon and it will have an answer to all these questions in one final place in stead of 10 threads. plus some things never mentioned

 

Why isn't anyone going with the tubular k-member ? I am planning on using the tubular k-member as well as tubular control arms with my LT1 conversion project. Is there something I should know about going tubular or is everyone just choosing the quickest / cheapest route ?

 

No argument here

 

Why spend money when it's not needed? You can't see the modification to the k-member.

I've seen too many tubular control arms break on daily drivers and stress cracks on tubular k-members......no thank you.

 

Mainly because there are mixed feelings about whether they are good for daily driver status....not to mention when I was building mine, tubular k-members were kinda hard to get ahold of and they were $$$$$...

Took me an hour with some cut off wheels, a piece of steel, and my welder to make a nice pocket in mine. I didnt have to wait for shipping delays, or deal with fitment problems, or worry about strength for street duty. A done and done sort of deal.





haha...Klortho beat me to it. I had the window open for awhile. guess I should have refreshed before typing

J

 

Not to mention straight up shielding for your oil pan and vital parts. The tubular k member offers no protection should you run over something.

 

Here's what I'm doing Custom bracket from a guy on the corvetteforum. It looks like I'm still going to need some custom lines to make it all look right though.

 

What is the measurement for that notch in the K-member?


I would love to use my R-12 compressor but i live in cali and have EGR system so that would not work.

Ive been reading alot of ghettocruiser treads. He has a really sweeeeeeet setup. Hey Ghettocrusier get ready for some PM's from me LOL

 

I know this is a dumb question but i have a 92 camaro...did you move the engine mounts if so what are the mesurements??

 

How did your install turn out?

I would like to reuse my 3rd gen A/C compressor too, as my LS1 never came with the 4th gen swap.

Are these brackets available?

 

Does anyone have any actual evidence of a tubular K-member breaking? I've read countless posts about it but have never seen any pictures.

I have the Spohn tubular K-member and my idler arm did seem like it was going to barely contact the a/c clutch (engine is LS2 with stock accessories). But I loosened the idler arm and moved it down, as is suggested above. Not sure how this affected steering if at all, but it only moved down a small bit.

 

Youre going to have to do some digging. Most of the failures I remember are from back when they first started to prodcue them. Obviously the companies have learned and fixed the issues, so you wont see as many breakages now. If you do, its a faulty weld or something quite uncommon. The odd weak piece of tubing etc.

I cant remember who it was...but someone had issue with the k-member and someone else had an issue with tubular a-arms.

Its probably safe to say those issues have been worked through by now. If you are concerned, go with chrome moly for some extra stength.

J.

 

how much did you cut away can you please supply mesurments starting my swap tomarrow after school lets out

 

I have a tubular K-Member but I'm running the a/c bracket from KwikPerformance just so I can make room for other goodies.

 

You dont need measurements really. Its not an exact science. If you install the swap mounts, you can look at the pictures, either mine or the others, and judge where to cut. Do a pre-fit before you weld up the pocket if you want to be 100% sure, but mine has tons of room. SO if you make your notch even close to mine, you'll be ok.

There were never any measurements that I know of...we all just did it the old fashioned way by test fitting cutting test fitting and then closing it up. Piece of cake

J.

 

Just want to make something clear for the LT1 crowd - the idler arm does not need to be modified/moved for LT1 a/c. I've had a few people ask me about this lately.

 

Since I did this recently I thought I would add a couple pics to support what was said above. One pic shows the k-member opened, and the other shows where I shaped my insert to be welded at the bottom.

I relieved the bottom of my insert a little more (after this pic) to ensure clearance for the lower A arm travel.

Because I was hesitant to cut my k-member, I didn't create as large a notch as others have. My measurements say I should have just enough room for AC and fittings. Fingers crossed that I didn't blow it.

 

Hey guys I have a 95 lti and I wana put it on my 88 camaro it curently has a 2.8 on it and I wana keep my ac please help I been looking but I really cant find nuttin

 

If you could clearly state what you have (motor, car, compressor, etc.) and what you want to do (put what where?) and then succinctly outline the answers you are looking for, I think you will get a lot of help.

Otherwise perhaps not.

I think you have 95 LT1 motor that you want to put into an '88 camaro. The camaro currently has a 2.8L motor (that is to be replaced) but you want to keep the AC equipment that came with the 2.8L. Are you asking about keeping the compressor from the LT1? And using the condensor, evap, etc. that is stock on the '88?

I can't offer any help with these questions, except to say that the people who know the answers are more likely to help you if you take the time to make your facts, and questions, clear.

And once you organize your thoughts, it would probably be best to post your question in the cooling forum:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/cooling

 

Ok I have a 88 camaro that it has at the moment a 2.8L V6, that engine is gonna be replaced with a 95 lt1 engine that I bought I wana know what would I need for the swap concerning the k member and the ac, I'm not sayng that I wana keep the actual ac from the 2.8 I wana know what would I need to have AC with the lt1 in the 88 camaro

 

This site has some info and pictures of the K member and mount bracket mods needed to run the LT1 compressor with F body accessories.

http://www.hpsalvage.com/

 

i was looking at mine tonight and i found out that a gto compressor is different than the f body compressor.the ac lines come out on the side instead of the back.has any body used a gto compressor. the only reason for asking is because i would have to knotch the k member farther to the side

 

Great thread as I'm doing a LT1 swap into a 83 Camaro. The Lt1 is coming from a 95 Chevy Caprice Classic. The K-member issue has been one that worried me and I was going to use the 92 Corvette style of Compressor and alt mounting. Then I found out that this front accessary set up cost way too much. More than what I paid for the Caprice. One question, I notice that some have taken the K-member out. Is it hard to do? Is it just bolted in place? Thanks guys.

 

I don't know how hard it is as I have never done it. Came close though. Sounds like you need to be a little careful about the springs.

I found these threads useful:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...r-without.html

And about half way down this specific page, Ghetto does some K-member stuff:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...-again-10.html

Hope that helps.

 

It's "just" bolted in place, but you have to disconnect everything that is attached to both it and the chassis, like steering arm, brakes, struts.