HataErasa

iTrader: (1)

Ok guys, I finally got the motor and tranny in to do my mockup and of course have encountered the clearance issue with the stock k member and the f-body pan .

I need more room on the passenger side just behind the steering rack mount.

I have a truck pan and swapped that on , somehow managed to get it to clear the stock kmember going in (though taking it out is going to be a b%^&*) and now have enough room it seems.


I do have a couple of questions:

I am concerned about not being able to get the engine to sit low enough with the truck pan, more precisely as low as the motor will allow ( for hood clearance) as the truck pan is thicker on the front and will contact the steering rack sooner.

So I can go with a moroso pan whose sump is a little over an inch shorter, may or may not work.

It would appear that I really should purchase a tubular k member .
I really like the maximum motorsports k member but I have not seen anyone use it in a swap yet. Has anyone tried that?

How much clearance have you guys left between the fire wall and the back of the block in your setups?

I am running a ls1 with a mcleod bellhousing and a tko 600, vic junior and holly 750 uptop.

Also it appears that the 351 swap longtubes will not clear on the pass side, anyone have any pics of their setup in a fox?

thanks for the help in advance

ls1stang

iTrader: (38)

I would recomend the Qa1 4.6 k-member, and modify a set of 4.6 mounts. The motor sets in nice, and I have had no clearance issues. This setup only costs about $300, and you can use your factory a-arms, and coil springs.

Jamie

HataErasa

iTrader: (1)

I actually made my mounts in autocad and had a local place cut them out on a cnc plasma machine,

so you recommend the qa1?

I like the idea of retaining factory a-arms and coil springs, I was not aware that theirs would do that.

does it have as much clearance as the AJE and UPR?

Brains

iTrader: (7)

With 4.6L K-member and modified mounts, the motor sits nice and low in the chassis, and sits about 3/4" off the firewall. Perfect, in my opinion

HataErasa

iTrader: (1)

what is the difference in the 4.6 k member other than the motor mounts?

I have the upper and lower and will weld them together once I have it sitting where I want it.

I just want to make sure I can get to the back of the motor if I need to, and I am trying to retain near factory length on the drive shaft as well.

are you able to get to everything you need in your setup?

also the qa1 k member supposedly moves the wheels forward and inch and some and out an inch and some.

How did that affect your steering rack?

ls1stang

iTrader: (38)

With the Qa1, I can get to all of the bellhousing bolts, by just removing the intake. As for the drive shaft, I have used the factory length drive shaft in all of mine. The front wheels are set out a little, but I used the original rack in mine, and have had no problems.

Jamie

HataErasa

iTrader: (1)

I won't mind the extra track width but I had to modify the tie rod ends as I am running sn95 spindles.

this does seem to be a pretty good solution to my problem, I really would like to retain the f body oil pan


do you feel that the qa1 has held up pretty well and are you using it on the street?

ls1stang

iTrader: (38)

I have used the QA1 on three different swaps, all street cars, and haven't had any problems.

Jamie

HataErasa

iTrader: (1)

that is definitely makes me feel more confident,


what was the reason for the 4.6 k member as opposed to the 5.0 other than using factory 4.6 mounts?

Brains

iTrader: (7)

I personally like the 4.6 stuff for a few reasons.
1. Simplicity -- you can modify a stock motor mount and the motor just drops in.
2. Revised geometry -- I like the 4.6 angles better, even if that means adjusting a few things.

I had to extend my steering shaft to reach the rack, using a 5.0 rack. My 5.0 tie rods reached, but barely. I'm going to swap them so I feel more comfortable -- I want plenty of threads in there. Tires fit just fine on my car and didn't rub, but some people say they had clearance issues at the front.

HataErasa

iTrader: (1)

I went ahead and ordered the QA1 , the tech there said that the 5.0, and the 4.6 were identical except for the motor mounting pad/ plate, seeing as I am going solid mount I guess it should not really matter,


brains, you said there are better angles on the 4.6, are you referring to the steering geometry and wider track of the 4.6 stuff?

Brains

iTrader: (7)

Yes, the 4.6L setup is reported to have better ackerman angle, which keeps the wheels in line better as the wheels travel up and down through their range. I'm no suspension guru, but I've read it from many sources so it just might be true

HataErasa

iTrader: (1)

so if qa1 states that their 5.0 and 4.6 are identical then would that mean that they made the 4.6 first and then adapted it to the 5.0 by having different a-arms?

Brains

iTrader: (7)

Probably, I know AJE says on their website that's what they did so it would make sense others do as well.

jfman

iTrader: (6)

The QA1 4.6 tubular k member is designed to be a direct replacement for 96-98 mustangs correct?

I wonder if anyone(penny pincher) has considered using a stock K member from a 4.6 mustang?

Brains

iTrader: (7)

Yes, it has been done, and it works. I actually have an extra sitting in my garage if anyone wants it

jfman

iTrader: (6)

Can you use one from a 99 to 04 mustang GT ?

Mystic96

You should use the 4.6 K-member and the F-body oilpan. Should give you plenty of room.

Yes the '99 up one will work.

jfman

iTrader: (6)

But has anybody actualy used a stock one rather than a tubular? Every single fox projects I have seen on this forum use a tubular K-member. I'd like to try using a stock one but I dont want to have to buy one and find out later on that it doesnt really work. I know it seems like I'm asking twice but I prefer asking twice and buying once if you know what I mean.

Mystic96

I used my stock K-member in my '96 and the motor fit in nicely. Had about a 1/2 inch of clearance between the oilpan and K-member. The motor fit pretty snug against the firewall so a little hammering is neccesary, and the shorty headers I used could use some clearancing around the inner fender rails, but it dropped in motor/tranny and all, and bolted in in about a hour. It actually takes longer to re-install the stock Cobra motor than it took to install the LS1