Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
#51
Member
Re: Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
15,000 miles on mine. I have very minor rubbing on the bottom of the notches,nothing like what pockets pictures show. I also went to a good alignment shop witch I think may have helped,but I will stick to my previous statement and give credit where credit is due Spohn products should be described with capital J !
#52
Senior Member
iTrader: (16)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Crestview, Florida
Posts: 651
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 86 IROC-Z, 98 Z28
Engine: 370 LSx, LS1
Transmission: T56's
Axle/Gears: 3.73, 3.42
Re: Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
Wow. I hope I get lucky and dont have any of these issues. I guess I'll find out in the next two months.
#53
Supreme Member
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Macedonia ,OH
Posts: 3,968
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: Formula
Engine: 6.0 LSX
Transmission: 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 9 Bolt 3:27
Re: Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
Just looked under my car, 300 miles on teh setup and zero rubbing. My car is stock height though.
#55
Supreme Member
iTrader: (24)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NC
Posts: 7,899
Likes: 0
Received 90 Likes
on
54 Posts
Car: 92 Firebird
Engine: Supercharged 6.0
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 8.8 3.73
Re: Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
With as many different reports from owners it seems like he must not use a jig at all but eyeball all the pieces
Main hoop is at different levels and angles. Mounts wherever, firewall clearance varies. Wheels are centered on some, not on others. Sometimes the front brace clears, usually not. Headers usually fit fine but some touch the framerail...
Little too much variance for a repeatable jig
Main hoop is at different levels and angles. Mounts wherever, firewall clearance varies. Wheels are centered on some, not on others. Sometimes the front brace clears, usually not. Headers usually fit fine but some touch the framerail...
Little too much variance for a repeatable jig
#56
Supreme Member
iTrader: (4)
Re: Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
With as many different reports from owners it seems like he must not use a jig at all but eyeball all the pieces
Main hoop is at different levels and angles. Mounts wherever, firewall clearance varies. Wheels are centered on some, not on others. Sometimes the front brace clears, usually not. Headers usually fit fine but some touch the framerail...
Little too much variance for a repeatable jig
Main hoop is at different levels and angles. Mounts wherever, firewall clearance varies. Wheels are centered on some, not on others. Sometimes the front brace clears, usually not. Headers usually fit fine but some touch the framerail...
Little too much variance for a repeatable jig
#57
Supreme Member
iTrader: (24)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NC
Posts: 7,899
Likes: 0
Received 90 Likes
on
54 Posts
Car: 92 Firebird
Engine: Supercharged 6.0
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 8.8 3.73
Re: Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
True, but alot of these issues are coming from unwrecked garage queens as well and knock around toys. Some of the things that change are things that shouldnt matter what condition the car is like engine angle, F/R orientation and main hoop depth/angle
#58
Member
Re: Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
I will admit when I first got the stuff I thought it was of nice quality and money well spent. When installing and seeing all the issues it really changed my mind first with the K member tie rod clearance. I think the transmission crossmember is what makes the engine sit unevenly. The manual transmission is not bolted to the bellhousing strait up and down,it's rotated a few degrees. My crossmember goes across the car evenly. The torque arm fit the stock and 4th gen rear ends just fine and even lined up with mount on the crossmember,but its huge one size dose not fit anything else design is just stupid. To make it even worse the instructions even say grind away your expensive upgrade to make our garbage fit and it wont line up with the crossmember anymore. I would never recommend their products to anyone. I would feel guilty if I were to except money from someone else for this garbage I cant even sell it.
Last edited by 91ls1t56; 10-11-2011 at 07:43 PM.
#59
Supreme Member
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Il
Posts: 11,723
Received 773 Likes
on
520 Posts
Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
Engine: 4++,350 & 305 CIs
Transmission: 700R4 4800 vig 18th700R4 t56 ZF6 T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70 9"ford alum chunk,dana44,9bolt
Re: Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
I have a PA "K" and it should have a name change to POS Kmember.
Im not going to but if you do a search I had these issues many many years ago.
I had to cut mine apart and redo a LOT to make the A arm mounts equal on each side. And then there is the steering linkage rubbing issues you guys are having..
not to mention the powdercoating that was flaking off and the oil and rust under it.
One of these days Im going to make my own the way they should be made. .
I used heat and a BFH to "clearance" main hoop on both sides for steering clearance..
Im not going to but if you do a search I had these issues many many years ago.
I had to cut mine apart and redo a LOT to make the A arm mounts equal on each side. And then there is the steering linkage rubbing issues you guys are having..
not to mention the powdercoating that was flaking off and the oil and rust under it.
One of these days Im going to make my own the way they should be made. .
I used heat and a BFH to "clearance" main hoop on both sides for steering clearance..
#60
Re: Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
Hi Guys,
Wanted to chime in here, I have seen some cars that have had the clearance issues with the Tie rods and it seems to be on cars that have specific brand aftermarket tie rods, with that being said it SHOULD NOT RUB no matter what tie rod is on the car, I have spoken with Steve at Spohn about this in the past with no avail to change as that would make it a must to use AFTERMARKET lower a arms when using a tubular k member. This is the reason the spohn cross bar is so far forward and the BMR cross bar is toward the rear more with a dif angle. This is the reason you CANNOT use facotry a arms with a BMR K member, for this reason I try to get customers to steer toward the BMR K member AND a arms so I can INSURE that there will be no clearance issues. If any of you guys have any questions BEFORE ordering feel free to give me a call in the office and I will talk it over with you as I have used them all and know the ends and outs.I look forward to helping if I can.
Thanks,Bruce
www.hawksthirdgenparts.com
864-855-2694
Wanted to chime in here, I have seen some cars that have had the clearance issues with the Tie rods and it seems to be on cars that have specific brand aftermarket tie rods, with that being said it SHOULD NOT RUB no matter what tie rod is on the car, I have spoken with Steve at Spohn about this in the past with no avail to change as that would make it a must to use AFTERMARKET lower a arms when using a tubular k member. This is the reason the spohn cross bar is so far forward and the BMR cross bar is toward the rear more with a dif angle. This is the reason you CANNOT use facotry a arms with a BMR K member, for this reason I try to get customers to steer toward the BMR K member AND a arms so I can INSURE that there will be no clearance issues. If any of you guys have any questions BEFORE ordering feel free to give me a call in the office and I will talk it over with you as I have used them all and know the ends and outs.I look forward to helping if I can.
Thanks,Bruce
www.hawksthirdgenparts.com
864-855-2694
#61
Member
Re: Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
Hi Guys,
Wanted to chime in here, I have seen some cars that have had the clearance issues with the Tie rods and it seems to be on cars that have specific brand aftermarket tie rods, with that being said it SHOULD NOT RUB no matter what tie rod is on the car, I have spoken with Steve at Spohn about this in the past with no avail to change as that would make it a must to use AFTERMARKET lower a arms when using a tubular k member. This is the reason the spohn cross bar is so far forward and the BMR cross bar is toward the rear more with a dif angle. This is the reason you CANNOT use facotry a arms with a BMR K member, for this reason I try to get customers to steer toward the BMR K member AND a arms so I can INSURE that there will be no clearance issues. If any of you guys have any questions BEFORE ordering feel free to give me a call in the office and I will talk it over with you as I have used them all and know the ends and outs.I look forward to helping if I can.
Thanks,Bruce
www.hawksthirdgenparts.com
864-855-2694
Wanted to chime in here, I have seen some cars that have had the clearance issues with the Tie rods and it seems to be on cars that have specific brand aftermarket tie rods, with that being said it SHOULD NOT RUB no matter what tie rod is on the car, I have spoken with Steve at Spohn about this in the past with no avail to change as that would make it a must to use AFTERMARKET lower a arms when using a tubular k member. This is the reason the spohn cross bar is so far forward and the BMR cross bar is toward the rear more with a dif angle. This is the reason you CANNOT use facotry a arms with a BMR K member, for this reason I try to get customers to steer toward the BMR K member AND a arms so I can INSURE that there will be no clearance issues. If any of you guys have any questions BEFORE ordering feel free to give me a call in the office and I will talk it over with you as I have used them all and know the ends and outs.I look forward to helping if I can.
Thanks,Bruce
www.hawksthirdgenparts.com
864-855-2694
#62
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Titusville, Fl
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1984 Trans Am
Engine: 350
Transmission: JW Performance 700R4
Axle/Gears: Borg Warner 9-bolt, 3.08 gears
Re: Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
Just installed a Spohn k-member in my '84 T/A and the tie rods hit the k-member. So bad you can't get the steering wheel to go lock to lock. I did notice that the hoop sticks out further from the a-arm front mounting points where on the stock k-member the front mounting point for the a-arm is flush with the front of the k-member. That's why basically everyone is having issues with this k-member. I believe that this k-member was originally designed for a rack and pinion application where the hoop placement was not an issue. They got lazy and just sold it as a replacement for all applications instead of checking and doing some proper redesign work.
Last edited by 84ws6ta; 12-29-2011 at 01:11 PM.
#63
COTM Editor
iTrader: (22)
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 9,929
Likes: 0
Received 1,860 Likes
on
1,274 Posts
Car: '89 Firebird
Engine: 7.0L
Transmission: T56
Re: Hawks Tubular K-Member Issues
Hi Guys,
Wanted to chime in here, I have seen some cars that have had the clearance issues with the Tie rods and it seems to be on cars that have specific brand aftermarket tie rods, with that being said it SHOULD NOT RUB no matter what tie rod is on the car, I have spoken with Steve at Spohn about this in the past with no avail to change as that would make it a must to use AFTERMARKET lower a arms when using a tubular k member. This is the reason the spohn cross bar is so far forward and the BMR cross bar is toward the rear more with a dif angle. This is the reason you CANNOT use facotry a arms with a BMR K member, for this reason I try to get customers to steer toward the BMR K member AND a arms so I can INSURE that there will be no clearance issues. If any of you guys have any questions BEFORE ordering feel free to give me a call in the office and I will talk it over with you as I have used them all and know the ends and outs.I look forward to helping if I can.
Thanks,Bruce
www.hawksthirdgenparts.com
864-855-2694
Wanted to chime in here, I have seen some cars that have had the clearance issues with the Tie rods and it seems to be on cars that have specific brand aftermarket tie rods, with that being said it SHOULD NOT RUB no matter what tie rod is on the car, I have spoken with Steve at Spohn about this in the past with no avail to change as that would make it a must to use AFTERMARKET lower a arms when using a tubular k member. This is the reason the spohn cross bar is so far forward and the BMR cross bar is toward the rear more with a dif angle. This is the reason you CANNOT use facotry a arms with a BMR K member, for this reason I try to get customers to steer toward the BMR K member AND a arms so I can INSURE that there will be no clearance issues. If any of you guys have any questions BEFORE ordering feel free to give me a call in the office and I will talk it over with you as I have used them all and know the ends and outs.I look forward to helping if I can.
Thanks,Bruce
www.hawksthirdgenparts.com
864-855-2694
1. Update your website with application information so internet shoppers can make informed choices before purchasing Spohn, BMR, Race Craft, or whatever K-members you might sell. Fair enough considering the pitfalls each options might have.
2. Make Spohn K-member a special order item where customers have to call your shop to place order and you can talk them through the obstacles.
3. Stop carrying Spohn K-members if it doesn't meet your expectation. You can carry other Spohn products that work well. Just be selective to protect your customers and your reputation.
You provide a unique service for 3rd gen owners not equalled elsewhere. Nobody else is doing so much to bring products to us, nobody else is representing our voice like you, and after all that effort I know there isn't a lot of money to be made. This is just something you enjoy doing and that is why you do it so well. But you have more influence than you realize. Don't be a victim in your supplier relationship with Spohn, especially considering you have choices in what you will sell.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post