rstanko

Anyone install a Pro Fab K-Member and have clearance problems with the stock steering?

After I installed the new K-member, the outside tie rods rub the front of the K-member. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this or has heard about it.

And if you have, what was the fix?

primo

Any pics?

bottledbird68

Sounds like you got one designed for a steering rack, not the stock box setup.

rstanko

No pics, I am still trying to adjust the K-Member to see if I can gain clearance.

This was not a rack unit, just a standard replacement.

I am going to call Pro-fab and see if there was a possible issue with this one.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I had the same probs with my PA K member had to grind and reweld a ton of stuff to make it fit right I had to cut apart and strech the dr side a quarter Inch so the STOCK "A" ARMS would fit ....
ALL AND VERY POOR QUALITY CONTROL would NEVER BUY ANYTHING FROM THEM AGAIN

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

drkgnldvigh

MrDude_1

eh, its semi close on mine, but theres still a good half inch of clearance.

make sure your idler arm is in the proper place. if its on wrong, it could be off enough to make the passenger side closer to the Kmember.


btw, you shouldnt be able to "adjust" the k member location.. thats why it uses locating pins.


Tony Walch:
what? the stock a arms dont fit, but you could have just used the tubular a arms its designed for... or returned it back.

knowing how its designed, unless you intend to move the mounting locations of the a arms, somthing i woudl NOT reccomend, you cant fit the stock arms.


unless you're talking about cutting the tubular crossbrace... and that would be kinda stupid to do too.

got any pics of your fix?

greezemonkey

iTrader: (14)

Yea, they are close on the passenger side, mine is at least, it in fact, it impacts the tubing when it is on the lift but when it is on the ground it just squeaks by. I have talked to Vernon at Pro Fab and he has told me that the K member jig was based on a 83 or 84 camaro, up until 1984 the idler arm was shorter and using a later design idler will cause it to be close. I checked and there was a 1st design idler but it is superseeded by the 2nd design. best place to score one he said was from a salvage yard....My reply was..these things wear out how many good ones am I likley to find? Answer...."iunno?"

Have you checked the clearence at ride hieght? Either way you and I and many others have had the same problem and noone has made an adjustment to the product to eleviate it...it`s
I`m happy overall with mine but it for sure, isn`t good business.

Vernon will probably do what it takes to make you happy, he has told me in the past " I rather be poor and out of business than have a ton of unhappy customers" I believe him. He has gone out of his way to make it right by me

MrDude_1

hes also done alot to try to satisfy the problems i had... all were service related.. if it wasnt for him bending over backwards to help me, there would be a "pissed at profab" thread.. thats for sure... lol.

i would say, go ahead and check where your idler arm is. i suspect thoes of us that have problems with it rubbing are really only having issues because of where their idler arm is bolted at... it can move around a good bit when the bolts are loose.

greezemonkey

iTrader: (14)

They do move but only up and down..maybe at a slight angle but not enough to make a huge difference

bottledbird68

And I can point you to a couple of people who had issues with the K-memebers they ordered from there not getting exactly what they ordered. Even on the second and third trys. Assume nothing from them, I changed and reworked a few things to get ours to work right...

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Its a whole big long story ....Do a search, I was pissed.. The Pass side "A" arm fit with no prob but the DR side was a half inch or so shorter than the other side..I was told everything will fit and it was because my car was wrecked Never has been.. Then they told me that one side of the car is shorter than the other???? Every "A" arm that I have ever measured was the same width from bushing to busing DR and PASS....They didn't have "A" arms that were for stock springs at the time and i couldn't use coilovers>>(17x9" 96 WS6 wheels)...

In short they need a ton more refinement and it would work right..
Well really they should just start over

stage20

iTrader: (3)

i have a PA unit and my inner tie rod alomst hits the k member. right where the tab is welded on for the control arm. it dont touch, but lets put it this way, there is grease off my tie rod on it.

i chose the PA unit cause the guy at profab was a moron. he couldnt tell me what grade tubing he used, or what brand rack and pinion unit he uses in his kit.

you would think he would know this offhand.