StevenK

iTrader: (1)

Hey guys, just wanted to put this out and see if anyone else has had any problems.....

I went to put all my front suspension back together, and the passenger side tie rod is hitting the K-Member so I can't get it far enough towards the spindle to connect.



Also the stock lower A-Frames, seem to rub on the front side on the K-Member as well, dont have any pics of that here....

Has anyone else run into problems like this?

ThirdGenLS1

mine rubs a little but didnt come in full contact, but those k-members seem to differ from cars to cars. I had to use a bottle jack and a 2x4 to spread it a little so i could get the bolt holes to line up.

Justin

StevenK

iTrader: (1)

I'm sorry, can you explain that a little better, I dont understand how a jack will help my situation?

I e-mailed bruce the pics, so hopefully he will get time to check email soon and let me know what he thinks.

ThirdGenLS1

oh sorry i was talking about getting the k-member bolted up to the frame. Was just trying to say that the k-member just didnt fit the greatest and there has been different experiences with different people with it. You also wont be able to run a pro-kit with it.

Justin

kairles

iTrader: (2)

why can't you run a pro-kit with the K-member

im guessing you mean the lowering spings

StevenK

iTrader: (1)

I'm running stock springs with 1 coil cut off to make up for the weight loss.....

So noone has any info on how to deal with this problem.

shr00m

iTrader: (2)

Please let me know if lowering is an issue. I might have to cancel my order! I've got the GroundControl weight jacks and I'm definately lower then a pro-kit.

Kevin D.

StevenK

iTrader: (1)

I'll let you know how my cut springs work when I get the car on the ground, but until I can sort out this tie-rod issue I'm pretty screwed.

And after looking at it some more, the stock A-Arms are also rubbing, I can see paint from the k-member on the front side of the a-arm and a big *** scratch in the paint above the front of the a-arm when the a-arms are at full drop.

This fitment isnt very good, I sure hope bruce gets back to me soon.

shr00m

iTrader: (2)

How long ago did you get yours? I wonder if this has anything to do with Spohn now making them?

Kevin D.

StevenK

iTrader: (1)

Ummm, got it a few months ago....maybe 5?

bac67

iTrader: (2)

I talked to spohn recently and they told me in december it would be out.

5.0Camaro

i got mine during the summer, and the pro-kit didnt work because the coils were thicker and wouldn't fit up in the perch, but i'm sure they will fix that when spohn makes them.

Justin

kairles

iTrader: (2)

I take it thats way their on a 4 week back order. ordered my on the 9th

camaro05

iTrader: (1)

Hello, just had a quick question about the tubular K member. what are the benefits of it verses the stock unit? weight savings? thaknks in advance.

kairles

iTrader: (2)

weight and also header clearance

StevenK

iTrader: (1)

Also its already made to fit the LS1 motor mounts.

camaro05

iTrader: (1)

thanks for the info. Does the Tubular K member give you more clearance for the Hawks LTs or will they not fit at all on the stock K member?

ThirdGenLS1

They will fit on the stock k-member. The tubular will save you about 25-30 pounds but the room that it gives is almost worth the money makes working underneath the car a lot easier. I was going to go with the stock k-member but after having to pay for the motor mounts and ac relocation bracket it was only like 100 more for the tubular one so figured why not.

Justin

shr00m

iTrader: (2)

Steven,

Did you ever find out what the issue was? Mine's going in in about a week.

Thanks,

Kevin D.

StevenK

iTrader: (1)

The Hawks headers will fit the stock k member

StevenK

iTrader: (1)

Nope, havnt figured it out, Bruce says he has done 20 or so swaps with this K-member and never had a problem.

I'm either going to:

A) Flip over the center (drag) link, so the angle of the tie-rods starts from farther in front, and hopefully clears the steering box and idler arm.

or

B) Notch the holes in the k-member, take a BFH to the underside of the car and 'massage' the body to allow the K-member to sit back farther.

ThirdGenLS1

man that sucks, mine rubs on that side too but doesnt hit like yours. Bruce is a good guy but i had all sorts of problems with mine, i'm sure once the spohn one is made most of those problems should be fixed.

Justin

shr00m

iTrader: (2)

I'll let you know how mine goes! I had to wait 3-4 weeks for Spohn to get them rolling.

Kevin D.

jtmiller92

iTrader: (42)

Been waiting since the first week of November. I was told it will be another 3 weeks before its available.....jt

StevenK

iTrader: (1)

Any of you guys ever get your k-members? Anyone installed the "old" one recently? I'm curious how everyone else's "old" k-member is going with regards to the steering.

My update is this....My car is put completely back together, its been inspected, and its ready to drive....

Except the ****ing steering still isn't right. If you look at the pic of my tie rod above, you will see how it hits...so, I flipped the drag link over to get some more room. Problem with that is, steering geometry. I'm not sure exactly how much of a difference it makes, but I'm pretty sure its significant enough. Just visualizing in my head, if you move the drag link up, you are taking some of the travel out, which can make the wheels turn different amounts. At least thats my guess since I now have some serious rubbing and I practically can't turn the car around. Granted, I'm running a wider rim than I should (ZR1, 275s), but they did not rub with the stock k-member, and now I have two nice silver spots on the framerails where the rims are hitting.

So I've been investigating getting a shorter drag link and steering arm...basically that isn't working out so well, I can find shorter ones, but they don't fit the drag link...right now I'm waiting on a machine shop to hopefully make some shims to make up for the larger holes in the pitman/idler arms. Somehow I doubt this is going to turn out how I want though.

So I was looking around on the net and I come across this pic:


Is it me, or is his drag link on backwards?

God I don't want to spend yet even more money to go with the rack and pinion...especially because I have a really bad feeling that there will be issues with that too...seems like nothing I buy actually fits :-(

Anyway, if anyone has some advice about how to proceed, or can post up pictures of their Hawk's k-member with a similar angle to my above pic, I would apriciate it.

MrDude_1

put it back on correctly, and move the idler arm forward...

problem solved.
----------
btw, this wont apply to you, but to the guys running stock style tie rod connectors:
make sure the bolts on the crimp-clamps are facing away from the Kmember... otherwise they will hit.

StevenK

iTrader: (1)

Dude, how do I "move the idler arm forward"?

Do you mean elongate the holes in the frame forward instead of up/down? If thats what you mean, at what point to I move them forward, right now we have it in the all the way down position. So I guess my idler arm holes would then look like an "L" for both holes?

And that probably does apply to me, I have stock tierods, the pic above is from someone else's car.

jtmiller92

iTrader: (42)

The new Spohn K-Member has a clearance built into it for the steering linkage, cant say as to how well it will fit as I havent installed mine yet.

StevenK

iTrader: (1)

I talked to Bruce about that, he says spohn has redesigned them so they no longer have to notch them.

jtmiller92

iTrader: (42)

When did he do this? I just received my K-Member from them and its notched, plus it was a 4-6 week wait due to build time. If he redesigned them he hasnt starting selling that version yet.

StevenK

iTrader: (1)

I talked to him Last week, so my guess is any of the new ones being made as of last week no longer have a notch. Thats my guess.

MrDude_1

loosten the bolts, and it'll move forward enough to clear... it does have some front/rear play... atleast i know the one on my sisters car did.. i changed it two months ago...

StevenK

iTrader: (1)

Nope, the holes are only slotted vertically.

BrOdBaNd

iTrader: (8)

Sorry to bring this back from the dead, but I'm having the same issue with the steering linkage and tie rod arms hitting my tubular kmember. Any fix?

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Just band-aids like moving the idler arm forward, flipping the centerlink, swapping in S10 pitman/idler arms etc

Heck, even Spohn's "fix" was a band-aid itself. He simply notched the main hoop which corrects this at ride height, but bumps with the wheels turned contacts just the same, not to mention a blatant weak point

Only real solution is pick a different K-member

camarotucker

iTrader: (2)

I remeber about a year ago MSD ignition would give you money (towards purchase) in if you traded in a competitors system. That would be nice if BMR or Racecraft would do that, I imagine that they would get quite a few Spohn trade ins.

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Mine would be out the door first. I cant stand that POS

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

I regret buying the Spohn torque arm many years ago. They powder coated on top of rusty metal for gosh sakes! First time I touched it when new a big flake of paint came off exposing the rust underneith.

My Kenny Brown pieces are a work of art. It really displays who is just one step above a backyard outfit, and who has real engineers and production processes. My BMR K-member and A-arms seem like they have some thought behind them too. Man, I wish Kenny Brown still made 3rd gen stuff though. Just outstanding stuff!

BrOdBaNd

iTrader: (8)

Well, ive got the PA racing a arms/kmember combo. So far when you all say "bandaid", do you mean that flipping the steering link is not going to last? I did this last night after doing some reading, and it all looks fine.

rickyzZ28

iTrader: (4)

Is this an issue with all tubular K-members or just spohn and PA racing? Have they been updated since 2006 when this thread was originally posted? I have a BMR waiting to be installed and had never heard of this till someone brought this thread back up.

Jaysz28

iTrader: (30)

I have a spohn tubular K-member and it looks like my inner tierod ends are going to hit the k-member, even with the notches. I bought mine in January.

I was thinking of flipping the center link and inner tie rod ends for more clearance... but afraid I'll have geometry issues.....

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Parts will last. Geometry is wrecked, but still drivable. Back to the it works vs is right argument

I have a newer spohn K-member with the notch and it rubs like crazy above and below. Pass side isnt as bad with the idler arm at max forward, but drivers side... see for yourself

hawksthirdgen

Hi,
The K members BMR make for us do not have these geometry issues, but you will have to run there A ARMS as well. Please let me know if I can help you guys at all.
Thanks,Bruce
www.hawksthirdgenparts.com

camarotucker

iTrader: (2)

Hawks is aware of the issue with these, yet continues to sell them?

"Please let me know if I can help you guys at all." Hawks could help by not continuing to sell a part that does not function. They (Hawks) could offer a trade in credit to customers who trade in thier defective Spohn pieces for a BMR piece.

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

Yes, I forgot about the nasty little surprise I got when I put in my BMR K-member before realizing I needed another $700 of A-arms. I consider tubular A-arms to be money down the pooper and entirely worthless. I bought my K-member cheap as "new in box never used" from somebody so I didn't take time to do my research because I jumped on the deal right away before somebody else got it. But it fit, and I'd rather spend more and have it fit then spend less and not be satisfied. It's a good chunk of change either way.

The other I was considering is Racecraft.

91ls1t56

Spohn = JUNK

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

I must be the only person that loves my Spohn k member and doesn't have any issues with it...

91ls1t56

Do you have or have you checked for the rubbing issues Pocket pointed out?

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

I have 0 rubbing with mine as well. Love it.

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

Yes I've checked it twice now, and have put roughly 2,000-ish miles on it, no rubbing at all.