HI! I'm planning my LS1 swap and figured who better to check with than the people that have already done it. I'm not sticking with a notched stock one. So feel free to post your thoughts, opinions, parts compatibility issues and so forth. In case anybody is wondering for some reason, this will use a T-56 trans. Looking forward to the responses, and thanks for taking the time to reply

 

Re: what tubular k-member to go with for lsx swap
BMR, $540 + $90 (spring perches), A-arms $ 530, great product, cannot use factory A-arms, offers coil over, and pinto rack options.

PA Racing, $400 (Road Race add $150) + $50 (LS1 motor mounts) + $50 (spring perches, upper), A-arms $290 + $50 (spring perches, lower), great product, will accept factory A-arms, offers coil over, pinto rack, and will custom build to your needs.

Spohn, $530, A- arms $490, horrible product with multiple design issues, will accept factory A-arms

UMI, $550 ($630 Road Race) + $120 (LS1 motor mounts), A-arms $500, great product, will not accept LS1 AC compressor in stock location, will accept factory A-arms, offers coil over.

As a tech tip, it may be wise to buy the trans. cross member from the same manufacturer as the K-member.

Quick list, PM with any corrections and I will update. updated 02/Aug/2014

 

Thanks so much Camarotucker! That's just what I was looking for. Gonna check out PA since it seems they might be the best fit for me at the moment. Again, can't thank you enough

 

Hello, Thanks for including us!

We have actually been offering the k-member for over 2 years now and a-arms for 8. So if you do a search there is quite a few good reviews on both

The downfall to LS is the AC needs relocated, corrected.

Thanks again,
Ryan

 

unless you going with a rack & pinon steering swap
stay away from the Sphon K Member..been there done that..

and i have talked to UMI over the last week a few times before ordering a 2nd K member for my car.(moneys not a prob just want to be 100% happy)
unless your going to road race auto cross your car. just stick with there reg K member $550(thats what UMI told me. they did not try to upsell me.. they gave me free shipping.i asked for it..as saves me ordering from summit.(love summit...BUT some times the person i get on the phone..just dont get it..
check out a few of my post. and you will see what im talking about..i have photos..shows a few things

having summit goof the order up (have had that more then 1 time with summit)..still love summit! but anytime i have to do a drop ship..i have to recheck to make sure the order is 100% right...lol cant sleep sorta thing..

and yes i went with UMI. i my self have seen a few aftermarket K members.. and this will be my 2nd for my Camaro..
will say that UMI Knows what they are making and selling..and you can get a Answer to any Question with out getting excuses.or Band Aid Fixes!
will also be doing a full post with phots side by side with my last K member..a good looking part..yes... but i want to drive my car.

 

Spohn, $540, A- arms $425, horrible product with multiple design issues, will accept factory A-arms
SAY IT AIN'T TRUE!

 

Your welcome. This is a copy and paste of a post that is a some years old and was made a month or two after UMI's product release. Until this post I had not heard any reviews one way or the other, will update accordingly.

 

The LS engine is fine. The downfall is your silly design. Does not meet the VOC.

 

The following is speculation, it appears that the UMI K-member is simply a carry-over (exact same part number) of the small block chevy, simply changing out the motor mounts. This would explain the need for the A/C relocation as it was not engineered for the LS.

Aside from drag racers, a vast majority of third-gen owners want a tubular K-member to avoid having to notch the member for A/C compressor. Some would argue that the weight savings are from the wrong location (low).

To meet the VOC would require a redesign.

 

Such a tough crowd at times...

Camarotucker is correct, our k-member was designed for the SBC and not originally attended for the LS. The design work on this item started many years ago, really before the LS engine boomed as a conversion. We built LS mounts that will bolt an LS engine directly to our k-member, the downfall is the AC needs relocated. To clear factory AC the k-member needs a redesign, again like Camarotucker mentioned. Our design is solid, it has no issues, it fits great, it is light and is unique to us. We are happy with it. Have we tried to work on LS clearance? Yes, and we will continue too but it will take a design change. AC can be relocated using a nice kit from Kwik Performance.

All designs seem to have their cons. I have two competitors in mind. One, modified their original k-member to accommodate LS and seems to have on going issues. The 2nd clears LS and SBC but the SBC design does not allow the triangular plates to fit. This is something a lot of our customers have been happy that we incorporated and do not charge extra for.

LS swaps are the new thing, the LS engine is awesome and we have many cars with it including a swap in a 72 LeMans we are doing now. But not everyone is doing this swap and those customers need correct products as well.

Thank you.

 

It doesnt make sense for them to redesign the K-member just for low mount AC. Most LSx swaps do not even use the low mount compressor, so its alot of R&D put into a very small market

+1 for the NEVER buy Spohn K-member

 

PA Racing. Lightest, cheapest (even with the recent price increase), and best fitment. The only caveat is although they advertise that the factory A-arms will fit, they don't tell you the absurd amount of grinding it requires.

 

Nailed it.

 

 

So what kit do you use to move the low-mount AC unit? I'm going to assume that it moves other components around as well?

 

Not to mention, the cutting,relocating the mounting tabs and rewelding.
I'd say scratch this one also unless you buy their whole kit and just go dragracing.

 

I suggest calling Kwik Performance and talking to them to get the best answer. I think there is a few options they have for this.

We are installing an LS in a 72 LeMans right now and the alternator is hitting the steering box. They offer a bracket to relocation the alternator up top. We haven't ordered it yet but seems they have everything covered.

Hope that helps,

 

Thanks for the answer to that. I've been looking at my options this morning. The kits look nice. I really like how they have a mockup of all their designs so you can see how it all would look.

 

Horrible product with multiple design issues is a very accurate description.

 

Anyone have ideas for us 1% that want low ac to accommodate our up and forward tt headers? This anti spohn talk makes me want to just notch my stocker and call it a day

 

BMR, PA Racing, and Spohn allow the A/C (fbody) to remain in factory location which is a low mount. I would assume it would also allow Corvette A/C to remain in factory location as well, but I don't know for sure. The aftermarket K-members would offer way better access for a hand or wrench to go through than a notch. This would be great if you have lots of tubes, clamps, or want to simply change your plugs.


I have Vintage Air which moved everything but the compressor to the interior. I attached a picture (most recent one I have) but currently there is nothing more in the engine bay but the engine, master cylinder, wiper motor, and steering. Just get creative moving stuff around and there is plenty of real estate there.

 

Ok this is the spohn K member that I was sold. Pic number one is pure genius. Lets take the only tube connecting both halves together and notch at least halfway through it. Now they hogged out a butload of material but not enough. Pic number two shows tie rod rub. I would swear this thing was engineered by Chrysler. Lets put the crossover tube in the worst possible location, then we will notch it out enough to destroy all structural integrity. Don't worry we almost made enough room for the tie rods. When I worked in the steel industry anything thicker than 1/4" or 7 guage was considered plate, anything thinner was considered sheet. I have witnessed with my own two eyes, millwrights shim turbines in power plants with shims. These shims are like thin to thick pieces of foil. Pic number three shows my passenger side engine mount with what is way beyond shimming. That is 1/4" of aluminum spacer plate. And finally pic number four. Compare the bottom of the oil pan with the crossover tube. You can clearly see even with the 1/4" spacer plate the engine is still low on the passenger side.

 

I purchased the Spohn ls swap k member/ t56 trans mount/torque arm combo. At the time it cost me $1150.00 . I have also puchased a Moser 9" with a Wavetrac differential. The Wavetrac is what is important here. The Wavetrac alone was about $1000.00 . I spent roughly the same amount of money on each product. That Wavetrac will forget about more abuse than the Spohn components will ever see. Pic number one is the DISCLAIMER from Spohn, NOT INTENDED FOR STREET USE. The sales man neglected to share this information with me (Hawks Thirdgen). I don't want to bash Hawks to much because I have made other purchases from them and they were great, but in this particular instance they suck. On to pic number two. This is a SOLID GOLD WARRANTY and transferable no less. I would not recommend Spohn product's to my worst enemy. Spend your money elsewhere. One of the worst ways to learn is the hard way/expensive way. Don't waste your time or money on Spohn product's.

 

I know spohn doesn't, but do any of the other k-members offer available testing data, or are all listed as off road use only ??

Just had a closer inspection of the spohn's, wow, simply wow, how does that not fall to pieces. There is absolutely 0 strength compared to the factory k-member.

 

Thanks for sharing those pictures, I never could find a good picture of the notched main-hoop. That thing is absolute garbage. I cant believe they charged you over a GRAND for that, and the tie rods still rub even after notching the hoop?! That's ridiculous.

I don't think I'll ever recommend them again after looking at your pictures. And of course they hide behind the "off road use only" crap.

 

It seems any more that the only thing they make good are the rear suspension parts and subframe connectors.

I absolutely love my subframe connectors from Spohn. I may also get their transmission cross member and torque arm. Maybe.

PA/UMI/BMR are really getting major props in that department though.

 

True, I use their sfc's & their pan hard bar. But that k member is just straight crap.

 

It was over a grand because I also got torque arm and crossmember. As the old adage goes if you want it done right...

 

i wish someone would build a transmission crossmember like the one you did. I have the spohn, but it interferes with my subframe connectors, so i cant use it. if you ever feel up to building another, i would buy it.

 

What type frame connectors do you have?

 

Well this has gotten me interested to see what kind of K member I had bought years ago. Looks like I got the Spohn one. Dang it. I also have there torque arm and trans cross member, or they bad also?

 

I have Spohn subframe connectors, no problems with them (although I wish they tied to both sides of the LCA bolt, not just one).

First experience I had with their crossmember and torque arm was helping a fellow 3rd gen'r install it on his car. The crossmember bolt holes didn't line up, and we ended up elongating them to get the bolts installed. It appeared to me they had put the drill jig on upside down when they drilled it - disappointing, because it was powder coated.

I'd have to say with all of the comments I've seen on TGO about issues with various Spohn products, their QC leaves a lot to be desired. Some of the issues appear to be design related as well.

But, if they're already installed, they're probably okay. Most of the issues involve just getting them installed.