Blownz28man

iTrader: (2)

Ok. Getting all my parts ordered for my swap. And have a few questions about K-members.
-Whats the diff in the Sbc and Lsx swap k member. You still need eng stands.
-Website states that alternator will hit bracket. Inless using thirdgen alt.
-How strong are they?I've heard people saying spohn is junk.
-What other k-members are out there??
-You should save like 40lbs right?

Thanks guys! I'll post some pics soon.

SheldonZ28

iTrader: (1)

I know BMR makes one. Cant help you anywhere else

socal

have 2 already and about to order another

1 cro moly 1 mild steel
the steel one is a bit heavy but the cromoly actually feels about the same weight as the stock k-member

Stevo

iTrader: (45)

Spohn's mild steel k-member is lighter then stock. By about 20 pounds. Closer to 25lbs less with spohn a-arms.

Mine fits, looks rigid but i wasn't happy with how difficult it was to line up the motor mounts. Also the springs are a complete bitch to install if you are not running coilovers. Not sure if the LSX k-member has the same problem with the motor mounts. I don't have any road miles on my k-member so i can't tell you how strong it is. I'm really not worried about that part. I do love how easy it is to work around the car with the motor installed.

Other k-member choices: BMR and PA Racing im sure there is another 1 or 2 companies but i can't remember off the top of my head.

socal

sphon told me there is only about a 5lb difference between the cro vs. mild.
The mount's on the lsx are a bit of a pain as well but the piece has held up well so for, and yes you do have to play with the springs a bit to get them is there but your going to do that w all of them

r62mcmahon

anthony jones makes a really nice k-member, you can get the with a rack

Blownz28man

iTrader: (2)

Also have you guys seen the K-Member put out by Racecraft.com? Its chromeoly and is only 549.99 w/ls1 mounts. Check it out. Tell me what you think.

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

Cool - Got a link for it??

Stevo

iTrader: (45)

Could be, i was posting the weight difference between a stock k-member and spohns.

tireburningZ

i think this is the link for those k members (top 2). its more for the ls1 motor mounts but only $50 http://www.racecraft.com/products.php?cat=20

Blownz28man

iTrader: (2)

What do you guys think about the above link? Never heard of them.

Blownz28man

iTrader: (2)

Well heck.. I just jumped in and bought the K-Member and mounts. Its 660.00 to my door about. Damn shipping. Kinda makes me nervous running a brand I Know nothing about

92camarors5spd

i am thinking about running a paracing but my friend just installed his for the ls1 conversion he is doing and he said it centered the motor in the engine bay and he had to cut and reweld one of his head tubes on the drivers side.

any thoughts on that?

86T-Top TA

will you let us know how your K member from racecraft looks and fits when you get it. I have been talking to them for like 6 months trying to order one but they are working on the rack mounts.

Blownz28man

iTrader: (2)

Oh..Sorry. I mean I bought the spohn. There a big company.. So there name is on the line if its junk. So it has to be good.

Racecraft Inc.

We have that k-member done: http://www.racecraft.com/proddetail....d=4282LS0000OE


Mark

86LT1

iTrader: (1)

I like sphon products a lot. they do a great job with everything.

IROC4LIFE

Yea, until he rushed his K-member out the door.

I have a spohn K member with Arms both in Chromo. Besides taking forever to get here and being EXPENSIVE. It totally has made NOTHING work in the front end of my car.

The K member went into the car without much of a hassle, installing the springs took a special compressor from MTI which from my experience and what others have told me is the only one that works.

The Steering hits the K-member and even after tons of ajusting and messing around, doesn't look like its ever going to clear.

The wheels have moved back about 3/4 to one inch so now the tires smash into the fenders with about 1 turn of the steering wheel.

we went to mock up an engine block and the motor mounts wern't even close.

Biggest mistake ever, don't know how to fix it, gonna have to pay again to get a BMR one.

Blownz28man

iTrader: (2)

Man..That sucks. Mine was lookin like it wouldn't bolt on to the frame. I came back the next day it popped right in. Everything lined up great. Wheels are in the same place and my 275/40/17's clear great. That sucks though. I'd be sending it back. Or doing so measuring on the old one and see how off it is.

007BALT

Could it possibly be that your Maro might have been in a accident?

Just asking.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

How unthinkable is it to use stock a-arms with a tubular crossmember?

screeminchicken

iTrader: (2)

I thought the Spohn LSX swap K-memeber would accept stock A-arms. Anybody run into issues with this ?

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Please tell me you contacted spohn and, calmy and politely, described your problems and offered to send them pictures of your fitment issues? If not...then you didnt even take the first step in resolving your problem.

Steve is a pretty reasonable guy. If he provided you with a part that will not fit, and its NOT due to your car being out of wack, I would assume he'd do something for you.

All too often I see guys get these CUSTOM parts and have issues and instead of trying to solve the issue, they fly off the handle (not saying thats what you are doing) and never contact the manufacturer. If they do, they are flipping out on the phone and cursing and demanding things. Not the best way to get service. Usually these are the guys that bought CUSTOM parts and decide to try to order and install within a tight time table. I keep putting custom in caps, because if you are at the point of modifying your car to that extent, you have to be open to the possibility that some parts might not fit perfect, or will need more work to fit...or may just need to be exchanged due to a mistake in manufacturing. It happens to the best of em. If you dont want that possibility, and want to be SURE your car will go back together on time...maybe keep the stock parts on, and stick with the smaller aftermarket items.

*again...not bustin anyones stones. Just wanted to interject.* Ive been dealing with spohn for a good number of years and havent been disappointed yet.

Ide like to upgrade to a tubular k-member. But I worry about daily driver duty. And I cant see spending the money on one just yet. The main thing that makes me want one is oil pan clearance and general space savings. Weight doesnt mean much to me.

J.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

The Spohn description specifically states it will work with stock A-arms. But, I don't recall seeing anyone who did it.

screeminchicken

iTrader: (2)

I got to talk to steve today.... sounded like a very nice guy and was willing to answer any questions.

To do a LSX swap in a 3rd gen he recommnded ordering the following K-member part # 703-LSXR with Stock Coil Spring , No Brace Mounts, No K-Member Braces.

He said that the braces interfere with the LS1 f-body accessories. When asked about how this setup would last as a daily driver, we mentioned that most 3rd gens didnt come with these triangular braces anyways. so it shouldnt matter.

Anybody broke a spohn K-member because of not having these braces on?

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Both TA's that I have came with the braces from the factory. I didnt put them back on my 87 after my swap. The only brace that "interferes" is the passenger side. Driverside should still fit perfectly. The LS1 A/C compressor gets in the way on the passenger side. So if you arent running the LS1 A/C compressor, you can use both braces.

I chose to cut my passenger side brace and install it so I had SOMETHING over there. I dont think those braces have much to do with K-member intergity. I think they just sort of tie things together. I never noticed any issues from not having them installed on my 87.

J.

screeminchicken

iTrader: (2)

I am guessing you cut the actual K-memeber brace mount and the brace it self on the passenger side and
not just the brace it self (black triangular pieces).

IROC4LIFE

From the looks of the frame and how stright the car is, no. Also the K memeber installed into the car square and without issues aligning the holes, the issues I am having are exactly the same as Viprkllr and others with the K-member/Arms combo moving the position of the tires to toward the rear making them hit the fenders. (this is also possibly the cause of the steering hitting the K-member.)

To Ghettocruiser (awesome name by the way, My Crew is Called N.E Ghettoland Racing.)

I Have been dealing with Spohn for a long time also, in the early days directly, but the last couple years, though Performance Plus. Over 1/2 the stuff on my car is Spohn, and its all been pretty good until this.

As Far as contacting him, well thats a long story, the short version is, my dealer ordered a ton of stuff from them, and they claim fedex lost it, fedex claims it was never shipped, and in the end Spohn basicly told us both to **** off and never call him again. I informed the dealer I bought the part from about this problem, and they tried contacting Spohn, which yielded nothing.

I also realize that aftermarket parts are not perfect and things do happen, there is quite the story about a guy from Canada and Racecraft Inc regarding a K member being made wrong about 3-4 times.

As far as making it work, its in the car, its square, and nothing lines up, now the question becomes, is it the arms that are wrong or is it the A-Arm mounts that are wrong, or is it the whole damn K-member. Not to mention to ship this back to Spohn and then ship another one to me will almost be the cost of the K itself, this is why I was dealing with performance-plus instead of direct, to save on duty and shipping. So I might as well just get something else.

With something like a K-member though, you would think that it would be right the first time, this isn't a small item and its supposed to be made in a Jig.

All i know is, every mustang has a UPR or Wolfe one, and Every Fbody around has a BMR or AJE one and im the only one having a problem with a Spohn one.
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ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

My k-member is notched for the LS1 A/C compressor. Which eliminates one of the holes for the triangular brace. So I just cut the brace, so its basically just a straight piece now. No triangle. But its pretty stout since its a stamped piece and its pretty thick. So i figure its better than nothing.

IROC4LIFE: Ok I gotcha now. Thanks for explaining! Sad to hear that you had issues like that with him. I would have never figured him to not care enough to make things right with all the helps he's given me in the past. But then again, I really havent delt with him in a couple years I guess.... I got all my parts at almost the same time when I was building my 87. When I built my 86, I just transferred it all over so I didnt need anything from him. I last dealt with him shortly after the fire at his building. Havent had any comm since he relocated. Good luck getting things sorted out one way or the other though!

J.

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

I was going to use my stock k-member, but didnt want to cut and box it to clear the oil pan. I'm using the BMR, fits great, no problems.

Stevo

iTrader: (45)

Some thoughts about the spohn unit. Yes, my front wheels crushed my fender i had to trim them quite a bit to fit 275/40 on 17x9.5" z06 rims with a 2" spacer. You have to compress the springs all the way till the coils are touching each other(dangerous) to get them to fit and its still a pain in the ***. Next the engine mount pads on the k-member needed the holes slotted to get them to line up. The steering rubs if the car is off the ground, on the ground i think it clearanced itself. I don't have any noise turning so its good now. All 6 bolts lined right up to the frame though...

All and all this spohn k-member was an absolute pain in the *** to install but it is nice for long tube headers to just slide right in. Also took 25lbs off the front end.

So was the Money + Time worth the results...well that's up to you to decide. I think so. My car has a complete tubular suspension everything has been replaced. With iron smallblock alum heads, rollcage and 92 z28 gfx/spoiler and big brakes on the front. That's with a sub in the hatch and full stereo. Car weighs 3175lbs. That's pretty light for what it is.

IROC4LIFE

I see you have simular issues. the problem is, im going to drag my car so the wheels will be comming off the ground, having the steering bind up is very dangerous, Second im not even using full size wheels, there skinny's with 26inch MT fronts. Third Compressing those springs was VERY dangerous, esp since you had to use an impact gun to do it, pretty much goes against everything I ever learned in shop in both HS and Collage. Fourth Slotting the engine mount holes is great, but then your trying to get a perfectly aligned motor/driveline, so you don't destroy components in a high HP drag race application, well its not the best idea.

After having a friend look at it, he thinks in a differnt car, with lowering springs and differnt offset wheels, this setup might work, but for what I want to do, its not gonna happen.

Stevo

iTrader: (45)

Ya i hear ya. I had to use an impact on the spring i basically compressed it with a chain still tied around the a-arm tight in case it let go. I didn't like the install at all i didn't feel that safe. I agree i shouldn't have had to slot the holes but it just wasnt going to budge anymore with the new poly mounts. I could get all 4 bolts on 1 side through then the other only get 2 or whatever. I cut a pretty good chunk out of my inner fender and gfx but made it look clean enough that i'm the only one that notices.

Next time round i will go with BMR i have heard nothing but good from there products. Or if UMI ever makes one for 3rd gens.

IROC4LIFE

Well im not saying that you shouldn't have slotted the holes, but in my application, I need the MOST level and straight drive line. and having holes that are slotted at this power level, could cause drive line shift. (right on the edge of needing engine plates.) I think anyway.

Im not willing to "trim" my fenders and GFX being I spent alot of time and money on this paint and bodywork to start trying to "trim" it just cause of a weird angled K member.

Ditto on the BMR deal, I just wish BMR made there coilovers with more support like Spohn's. But there alot better looking IMHO than any one elses. As for a K member. BMR or UMI. MAYBE Racecraft, but ive been reading about some even more severe issues than Spohn's here on Thirdgen. Being in Canada, is not like I can just "ship it back" without substantial cost.

The Parts Place I work with (Performance-Plus) has since dumped spohn and gone with UMI and BMR, and so far, not one issue, one lost package, or one wrong made part. UMI actually replied to a post here, and talked to me a on the phone about a problem I had with ANOTHER Spohn part, before suggesting one of there products.