So, about this AC compressor issue. . . - LTX and LSX - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

soulbounder · 06-24-2005, 09:16 PM

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.

Firebat · 06-25-2005, 10:23 AM

know the feeling....

i went with this alternative. just bought the parts last week. Its a kit that puts an ac delete pulley where the ac is and then a bracket that moves the ac where is it on the vette. And you get the bolts and the belt all around $264 with shipping, i think? when i got it he had not setup credit cards yet but i sent him a check. its best to give him a call. its a pretty new product.

its bowers race and rod shop's

www.bowersrodshop.com

Firebat · 06-25-2005, 10:24 AM

oh sorry the bracket uses the LT1 a/c

soulbounder · 06-25-2005, 04:14 PM

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.

GTA91 · 07-21-2005, 04:35 PM

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

Ramair21 · 07-22-2005, 01:03 AM

where could you get custom A/C lines?

soulbounder · 07-22-2005, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GTA91
Just notch your k-member, lower your idler arm down a little bit and use this fitting with custom AC lines.

No.

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

Klortho · 07-22-2005, 08:27 AM

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.

GTA91 · 07-25-2005, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by soulbounder
No.

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

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!

GTA91 · 07-25-2005, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ramair21
where could you get custom A/C lines?

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.

soulbounder · 07-26-2005, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GTA91
Does this looked hacked up?

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?

406TPI · 07-26-2005, 08:27 AM

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

GTA91 · 07-26-2005, 09:02 AM

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.

CMDeOro · 07-26-2005, 11:34 AM

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

MrDude_1 · 07-26-2005, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CMDeOro
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

Camaro0605 · 07-29-2005, 05:06 PM

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.

zmack28 · 02-15-2007, 07:07 PM

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

Firebat · 02-15-2007, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zmack28

Firebat,

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: http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/lt...highlight=pics (Firebat's LT1 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.

cam- · 02-18-2007, 10:59 AM

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

cam- · 02-23-2007, 10:37 AM

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

Bradlyj8Z28 · 03-11-2008, 01:00 PM

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

GTA91 · 03-11-2008, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cam-

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

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...

88 350 tpi formula · 03-11-2008, 11:33 PM

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

Bradlyj8Z28 · 03-14-2008, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88 350 tpi formula

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.

trakcar · 07-19-2008, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTA91

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

Silly question. Where do you get that fitting?

88 350 tpi formula · 07-20-2008, 09:06 AM

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

ERICSCHEVY · 08-07-2008, 02:45 AM

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