Want to buy a K-member, but have questions.
11-11-2006, 04:07 PM
#1
Want to buy a K-member, but have questions. I will be building my new car up over the winter, and have already started buying my suspension components. For the K-member, I want chrome moly, will be keeping the stock upper & lower a-arms, and the stock power steering. Motor mounts will be Prothane polyurethane. The car will be bracket raced every week, and will occasionally see the street for a cruise here and there or a car show. I am leaning towards the PA Racing K-member, as it is chrome moly & decently priced. I also see Spohn has a chrome moly version, with the lightweight motor mount stands, but it is rather pricey. My question is, they have the option for the spring perches & LS1 mounts on the PA Racing K-member. I do not see that option for the spring perches on any other k-member. Do I need that if I am keeping the stock a-arms? And if I get their LS1 mount option, does that mean I can just bolt in the Prothane mounts and be ready to rock? Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!
Matt
Matt
Last edited by Matt D; 11-11-2006 at 04:15 PM.
11-11-2006, 08:57 PM
#5
Thanks Doc 
You can see our K-Member in the link below. Currently it is not available in Chrome Moly though.. however there have been a good amount of failures with the PA Racing k-member and I am not just saying that because we are a manufacture as well. If you do search you find the threads and picturee. So there good price and the material they are using may not be the best choice.
Our K-member features built in LS1 motor mounts and eliminates the stock cast iron stands for maximum weight savings. It will also work with the stock A-Arms with no issues.
www.umiperformance.com/2320.aspx
If you have any questions please ask and I will be glad to help. Thank you!
Ryan
You can see our K-Member in the link below. Currently it is not available in Chrome Moly though.. however there have been a good amount of failures with the PA Racing k-member and I am not just saying that because we are a manufacture as well. If you do search you find the threads and picturee. So there good price and the material they are using may not be the best choice.
Our K-member features built in LS1 motor mounts and eliminates the stock cast iron stands for maximum weight savings. It will also work with the stock A-Arms with no issues.
www.umiperformance.com/2320.aspx
If you have any questions please ask and I will be glad to help. Thank you!
Ryan
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11-11-2006, 10:40 PM
#8
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Originally Posted by Gary Z
Is it ok to raise the front of the car with a jack at the center of a lightweight k-member? It looks like "no", to me.
11-12-2006, 01:36 AM
#9
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Originally Posted by UMI Performance
however there have been a good amount of failures with the PA Racing k-member and I am not just saying that because we are a manufacture as well. If you do search you find the threads and picturee. So there good price and the material they are using may not be the best choice.
11-12-2006, 07:28 AM
#10
Originally Posted by Top Fuel
FWIW, I have one of the first PA k-members made and it was installed in spring 01'. It has countless 1/4 miles and about 17k street miles on it, and its still going strong.
Thats good then. I didn't say they all have broke, I just mentioned there have been failures. Maybe the fabricator was careless during welding. The point I was trying to make is there is a reason for the price being less.
Also yes you can jack the car buy a aftermarket K-Member with issues.
11-12-2006, 02:03 PM
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I have a PA chrome moly K-member in my 86 Z28 and have several friends that have PA's and have seen several more. IMO PA is poor quality and getting progressively worse. Poor fitment on the tubing and poor welds.
I love the quality from all the stuff I've seen from Spohn, the next k-member I buy will be from them.
The UMI k-member looks very nice, I've never used one so I have no opinion on them.
I love the quality from all the stuff I've seen from Spohn, the next k-member I buy will be from them.
The UMI k-member looks very nice, I've never used one so I have no opinion on them.
11-12-2006, 05:53 PM
#12
To the guys that were saying the PA Racing K-members were breaking...
Are you sure you are not referring to the Pro-Fab ones, not PA Racing. I know a few guys running the PA Racing ones with no problems. Pro-Fab I hear nothing but bad news about them.
Are you sure you are not referring to the Pro-Fab ones, not PA Racing. I know a few guys running the PA Racing ones with no problems. Pro-Fab I hear nothing but bad news about them.
11-12-2006, 08:26 PM
#14
Originally Posted by Matt D
To the guys that were saying the PA Racing K-members were breaking...
Are you sure you are not referring to the Pro-Fab ones, not PA Racing. I know a few guys running the PA Racing ones with no problems. Pro-Fab I hear nothing but bad news about them.
Are you sure you are not referring to the Pro-Fab ones, not PA Racing. I know a few guys running the PA Racing ones with no problems. Pro-Fab I hear nothing but bad news about them.
I got your PM and I will try to get a reply tonight or first thing tomorrow. As for your question, I did a quick search on two other message boards (Ls1tech search not currently working) and found two links with faulty PA Racing K-members... I am sure there are more but this is what I found in less then 10 mintutes. Actually someone on Camaroz28 already had these sourced so I used there info.
Check out post #11 where his K-member broke and then post #13 where he says the brand- http://www.ls2.com/forums/showthread...&highlight=umi
See post # 2 in this thread, he had to reweld his and also drill a forgotten hole for the motor mount- http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...&highlight=umi
That help any or should I find more
Ryan
11-12-2006, 08:56 PM
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Ok without sounding like a total troll for Ryan and UMI, which I am not and the last time I spoke with him was months ago with my purchase...I find it odd that the other Manufacturer has not showned up to explain his product. I opened this part of the thread to UMI products. I strongly believe in passing on my positive experiences with the many modifications I have made to my car. UMI has my strongest support weather I am on the track, dyno, or on this board.
11-12-2006, 09:23 PM
#16
I appreciate the replies from both Ryan & Doc.
Ryan,
PM me back when you can. I know you are a great guy and always stand by your great products.
Doc,
I understand where you are coming from. My old 10 second Camaro had all UMI suspension components on it that obviously worked well. For my new car, I just spent over $1,000 with Byunspeed yesterday with a lot of the components being UMI. They make great stuff like you said, and I agree. I just wanted my questions answered in regards to what I needed. I didn't want this to turn into a "Who's k-member is better" thread.
Ryan,
PM me back when you can. I know you are a great guy and always stand by your great products.
Doc,
I understand where you are coming from. My old 10 second Camaro had all UMI suspension components on it that obviously worked well. For my new car, I just spent over $1,000 with Byunspeed yesterday with a lot of the components being UMI. They make great stuff like you said, and I agree. I just wanted my questions answered in regards to what I needed. I didn't want this to turn into a "Who's k-member is better" thread.
11-16-2006, 11:43 AM
#19
Pa Racing K-members I have some news! Pa Racing has never had a faulty k-member let alone a chromoly k-member if you would like to spread news call me and i'll be happy to talk. Now there was alot of unhappy customers that bought from Pro-fab that thought they was getting Pa Racing parts which in return wasn't what was going on. All I can say is don't blame someone for there parts unless you would like this to happen to yourself. I don't care who the company is there is always a problem with a part @ one time or another. To me it's all about customer service anyhow and I'm more than sure i've did my job there or I too would be without work. Ryan I'm not going to get into a bit**ing contest with you but if you'd like I can go around and post stuff like this about UMI as well (which I don't do or to anyone else). Anybody with any other concerns can call me @ 812-524-7177.
11-16-2006, 12:01 PM
#20
I went with the BMR K-member for my BBC set up. I looked at the PA racing K-member but had seen some complaints as well. In the end I couldn't see how basicly the same piece could be so much less money. Almost all mild steel k-members are in the $450 to $500 range (UMI, BMR & Spohn). I know the UMI doesn't make a BBC k-member yet but I couldn't justify taking a chance when everyone else is in the same price range.
Also, Lee at BMR took care of me because I bought my K-memer and supension stuff all at one time and I couldn't get the same kinda pricing deals at PA Racing unless I got a dealers account and spent $3500. Also its nice to deal with sponsors on this site as well.
Also, Lee at BMR took care of me because I bought my K-memer and supension stuff all at one time and I couldn't get the same kinda pricing deals at PA Racing unless I got a dealers account and spent $3500. Also its nice to deal with sponsors on this site as well.