articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

with out a doubt one of the most posted complaints about K Members has been linked to Sphon's name.(for a reason)

a lot of guys have paid good money for their K Member
and a lot of guys install them with out any hick ups..
some get away with bolting them in and driving to work or school. or getting out on a sat night cruise..they look past the front wheel setting back a few inchs..they dont care... car has an aftermarket K member..kewl

but then you have a few guys who drop there cars down a few inches.
and snivle as ther tie rods beat the main tube to Death as the car drives on this thing we call the street..after all there car sits lower than stock.
so thats their tough luck..right?

then you have the guys with rare low mile cars (under 50.000) say who have just about every aftermarket hot rod part they can bolt or weld in/onto the car & have a few more horse power (600+) and drive their cars to a drag strip. and on a cruise night.. and like to get on it...(street race maybe)
and run into a few things like tire setback..tie rods beating the main hoop to death every time you move the car.or hit a dead leaf in the road..(it's hard to miss them all..)

after all.. a lot of us guys had been thinking. we could take our cars out into the public roads and streets and drive the cars we have put a lot of money & time into... ya drop 600+ into a bolt on part ya want it to work
(some times ya only drop $300 into a $600 part..but still) ya want it to work.

so im posting this to set the record straight!
if you dont plan on running a rack and pinon steering set up on your 3rd gen camaro... stay away from the sphon K member.
unless you buy the tie rods they want you to run.(thats a finger cross fix)
look past tire set back (ya got to love a shorter wheel base)
and looking at how they cut up their parts to get them to fit a camaro
(with god forbid reg power steering) subhuman driver/owners
then feel free to drop $600+ and be the kewl guy with a sphon K member
and reg power steering....Just Sayin
for the record

tnitz8787

Word!

I H8 WWD

iTrader: (5)

I've liked Spohn for a long time, never had a chance to start my purchases in that department, but now I'm a little sad. Spohn is actually the ONLY manufacturer that has a part in every step of our cars bracing and suspension. From steering brace to k-member. I like UMI/BMR and hear good things about Founders...but, they're all still lacking the complete line Spohn has to offer, in the options you can choose as well, chrome-moly, adjustable, del-sphere. My situation now is to wait it out and see who starts completing this list I have from Spohn. That, or I just buy a different k-member, and everything else Spohn.

UMI seems to be stepping up to this challenge though. Like with their new a-arms, feature rich a-arms. I like that, all options and the ability to choose.

I'm looking for a heavy drift setup within the next few years. So once I start on the Suspension and Bracing (the main phase), I have to know I have a company out there that is going to stick around not just for good business, but because they absolutely love us here at TGO lol.

P.S. Oh...and...Word!

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

so ya know..i held out for all sphon parts my self..and i saw alot of post before i put out good money for there parts.. telling my self. im sure it's not all true...lol
coil over front set up sphon
K member sphon (gone)
A arms poly bush sphon(gone)
trans cross member sphon (gone) fit was fine..just wanted a more streamlined part (bmr)



well it's true..not all there parts are up to snuff for fit. and working right with the GM parts. the way we would want..

i told my self. im sure if there was a problem sphon would work with me to fix it..LMAO now!
customer service on problems goes like this...it's your problem...lol
thanks for calling...click....dial tone....
you can list every thing down to lugnuts..but if they dont fit and work..why buy them..

save your self alot of time and money... buy from another maker who has a good rep...

Steve.. ya should remove the stock steering K Member(3rd gen) from your line of parts. untill ya make it right.. it's been hacked together a long time now...fix it
or make a center link and tierods to work with it...(remember steve. they got to be small)

but untill then guys..just spend your money with a place.. that makes them right..plug and play

just last week i spent money with UMI... thinking ill have better luck (So far..just talking with them..is better)
and i also gave sphon another $360 for there rod end A arms...call me silly..but i am doing this to see if they can even make them to boot...i will be doing a post on fit... with UMI's K Member....if not...ill send them back.. WITH TRACKING..and visa carg back...dont wana pay a restocking fee they charg for a return of parts.
that dont fit...
but if they fit.. ill post that also...tryn to help ya out steve...it's called helpn a brother out.

tnitz8787

The UMI K-member and A-arms are so much better than the Spohn stuff. Aside from the fact that the Spohn stuff wouldn't even fit on my car, the UMI pieces just look better and stronger. I could've saved myself $1000 if I had just bought the UMI stuff first.

I H8 WWD

iTrader: (5)

UMI needs to complete their line-up with chromoly, everything adjustable (even that darn wonder bar for pre-load). I'd really like to mess with that, a tight front, but either pulled in or out. I wonder how that might affect the steering feel in and out of a corner. Then and only then will I look into UMI. My big plans for this car are a lightweight, adjustable, tune-able street-car. Mild steel is heavier than chromoly, spherical ends are louder than del-sphere ends. It's a fight for another customer. This all starts next year. This year was to get my car running and daily driving. Next year starts the suspension and bracing phase of the car. Then motor and body the following.

I assume that's UMI next to Spohn? The UMI a-arms look much better, as well as the k-member. They definitely do good work. I just want more hehe.

Marc 85Z28

iTrader: (3)

Chromoly does not belong on the street. And if you're looking to drop weight with a K-member and A-arms, UMI and Spohn are the LAST companies you should be looking at!

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

I would not use sphon K Member if your running tie rods...they just dont fit right..there are alot of things to drop weight off the front and.

aluminum heads
headers
aluminum brake calipers
lighter aftermarket wheels
plastic headlights
tubular a-arms
coil overs
tubular K member
battery to trunk
fiberglass hood

Just this few things can take 130lbs+ off the front end


chrome moly I think would be a waste of money..

DeathStarr89

iTrader: (1)

I had 0 issues with my Spohn K member. Worked fine with stock A arms, stock power steering and stock suspension (lowered in the front). I put maybe 100 passes on the car and enough highway miles to notice any problems.


It was pretty close to the weight of the stock K member, I just needed the oil pan clearance.

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

Well just bolting my new sphon parts on...with wheel setback...and not enough room for the suspension to move. I had to pass.

my car runs 10s and 11s with the old eng...with violent holeshot launches. ..
there is no way it would not have hit the tierods....and after looking how they hacked up the main tube to fit the tierods...theres no way I would have used it on my car....to iffy

Iv had my car for over 22years...going yo drive it another 22+..

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

the new UMI K member looks better the the sphon K member did.
will bolt it in soon. and see how the fit is..

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

I'm running a Spohn k-member AND the center link/tie rods they sell along with their a-arms. That said, my car is lowered with Eibach Pro springs. The tie rod joints rub only when my suspension is fully compressed.

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

thats not Aceptable in my book....and why i sold off my sphon K Member.
and move up to a better Engineered Part..

if this is what some guys think is ok..good luck to ya

the Engineering was done with a hacksaw and a 12 pack!..GO Sphon!


all gold zink parts are GM Parts.. on my GM car...NOT After market as my car was a low mile car..i plated the ones on the car and a set of aftermarket also.
if ya cant fit GM part...ya cant fit any parts..just sayn

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

You selling the spohn k-member ?

-- Joe

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

yes...but it was sold weeks ago.. for what i paid for it.

K member
a arms
crossmember
all sphon $725 shipped long gone


it was replaced with UMI k member Sphon Rod end A arms. BMR crossmember.

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

what part would you want to bet your car on?

I H8 WWD

iTrader: (5)

WOAH!

dennisbernal91z

iTrader: (2)

UMI does look better. Can't deny that.

MY-92-RS

iTrader: (3)

I heard an old saying that really fits here STEVE SPOHN has got to big for his britches!!!!!

I was one of his first clients the late 90ties to help setup his prototype torque arms
tried to call him last month get some relocation brackets and catch up on old times .. Steve could not be bothered I called several times even heard him in the background !!! while I was on the phone !! kept trying to dump me into is voice mail That was Full and could take no more messages
what a jerk he has become ..

That UMI piece looks well built .. and and should take the abuse of street duty .../auto cross what ever ...

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

The 3rd gen for sphon is a lost cause..they don't care.....its what to them.. 1% of sales...I laugh every time their ad pops up on my PC..

customblackbird

iTrader: (15)

I ordered the spohn coil over kit (minus the strut caster/camber plates) as I already have the much better hot part ones. I got the kit and tried to test fit and the D@MN tower support braces (large laser cut steel that goes under the tower top) Doesn't fit, its too big and rubs against the back of the tower not letting me tighten it down flat. Then the Triangle brackets that hold the bolts for the caster/camber plates are off from the stock replacement hot part. Basically 1/2 of bolt DIA was off and wouldn't slide through the hot part caster/camber mounting base. I called spohn and there response was that the braces are a universal fit… still doesn't solve my problem. Mines an OEM 1987 formula 350 strut tower and it doesn't fit… not even close like 1/4" too long. Then they said they can't do anything about the bolt bracket bc i don't have the spohn caster/camber plates. Why in the world would they make there caster/camber plates 1/8" off from an OEM setup?

So to HEIL with spohn, Im gona cut up there kit and make my own.

I just received my moly race craft Kmember and it looks real nice. I would have went with UMI but I got the moly race craft basically the same price as the UMI version (thats 200$ less than original price) and it was never bolted on. Gona run it on the street too as everyone is worried about the moly Kmembers not being for the street… guys moly is a better material than mild steel. You shouldn't have any worries, they use it in aerospace frames for crying out loud, and nothing flexes more than a airplane frame.

dennisbernal91z

iTrader: (2)

I assume you tried rotating the lower caster bracket around right? I have the spohn brackets and they fit like a glove.

customblackbird

iTrader: (15)

Yes of course. Tried rotating and flipping it, only fits one way really.

customblackbird

iTrader: (15)

Yes of course. Tried rotating and flipping it, only fits one way really.

ls2 dude

iTrader: (2)

maybe spohn will chime in one of these days

rusty vango

why would he, if I were him ,I would be in full R & D . maybe he just don't give a flip about his customers? in my world , my customers are the life blood of my business. what ever it takes to have their cars and trucks repaired correctly the first time ,every time. word of mouth advertising wins the day. or it can have you wondering where it all went.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

That kind of depends. I also work in R&D, in fact, I've been director of R&D for a number of years.

You always have a small percentage of customers who are not happy. Either because your design doesn't work for them, they failed to follow directions, or something unique about the situation caused them to have an issue.

You can't cease production and focus all of your attention to those people, all you can really do is apologize and wish them the best of luck with a competitor.

In this case some of spohns parts don't fit some cars. Spohn runs a large operation, has a number of employees and ships a ton of fabricated parts. I don't know what the actual percentage is of problems, but I could take a general guess at what his profit margins are line vs what he needs to take home to cover his employees and his own salary. I'd say maybe 1-2% of his customers have issues.

The issues reported are not cracked tubes, failing welds, etc - but rather are all fitment problems. Fitment on cars with sloppy build quality to begin with, and many of which unknown owner history.



-- Joe

rusty vango

while it is true, his parts are made to fit. it is also true that some peoples cars may be tweaked, or downright bent. and to be fair, he isn't responsible for that . but telling people who are trying to be his customers to take a hike, just doesent add up. enough of that kind of customer relations WILL have a negative effect on his bottom line. we here on TGO look at what worked on other members cars before we drop major money on parts. its what TGO is for IMHO.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

A lot of variation exists from car to car. With parts that contact the chassis at numerous points, you must build huge tolerance into your parts to fit every single car.

Sometimes I'll take a stock part off one car and still need a BFH to fit it in another car.

I have a set of his A-arms. I thought they were off too, as some members had reported.

I swapped spindles and rotors, bolted everything back up and the wheels were in the right spot again. Go figure.

-- Joe

Speedfreak391

iTrader: (1)

I have a lot of parts from Spohn on my car. and the only thing that actually fit correctly were the LCA's. Everything else that I bought from them needed to be massaged. I ordered a torque arm and cross member for an ls swap with a t-56 got the correct part # from Steve and when it showed up I had to make the trans mount whole 1.5" longer so it could be mounted up. Not cool when you're talking about a $500 purchase that is made for this application. WTF??????
So, not learning my lesson with the cross member I bought the ls motor mounts with the clam shells. $300 more dollars spent with Mr. Spohn. Come to find out you cant use them with the stock K-member. You have to buy their K-member to use the $300 mounts that I just paid for. You wanna talk about pissed? So I call them back and they told me they do not take returns on these parts. Since they are a special order part. Are you fricken kidding me? Everything they sell is a special order part. So I have a set of really pretty motor mounts and clam shells sitting in my tool box that reminds me that SPOHN PERFORMANCE WILL NEVER GET A PENNY OF MY BUSINESS EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!
Thank's for all the help Steve! Never again!

rusty vango

I have been following all this "spohn" business closely. and im finding that ,as far as his customers go .he has a definite F U attitude going on. at this rate , before long , he wont be able to sell snow cones in hell.

FlyDoc

I used Spohn parts on my '92 Camaro I did not have the issue of the wheel set back, so I don't know what to say.
I used Founders camber plates, and I had the same issue, but with some twisting and turning and some persuasion they went on.
the only issues I had was with the tie-rods hitting, but I also was running racecraft spendals with the short rack&pinon arms.
so I used AFCO 5/8" Heim ends and aluminum tubes, which eliminated all the issues. and with the Z-sterring gear box it was a quick turning car and I had to relearn to drive it on the street so I was not driving Like I was drunk!
And scene my Camaro did not make the trip to Texas from Hawaii, all my parts are for sale.

Bitpilot77

Hey I'm having the same binding issue also not great support but I'm now looking at umi k member. I also have the spohn a arms del sphere and coil over kit , my question is you mentioned you ran his a arms with the umi k member? How does it fit , issues , wheel set back ?