K-Member Installation Bummer
Thread Starter
10 Second Club
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,471
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From: Berkeley, California
You posted in your thread that it took much then tapping with a hammer to get the bolt through the motor mount. After the bolt just started to bend the bracket why would you not stop? Why would you continue to beat on the bolt until it was fully through and then notice the bracket broke?? This is why I say "careless" on your part, after a few hits with a hammer looking to see what was stopping the bolt should have came to mind. But instead you can tell from pictures the bolt was continuously hit until it could go no further.
Thanks, but your offer is ridiculous. Once it’s out, even a brutal hack like me can TIG weld quarter-inch mild steel. And it will be able to withstand my mighty hammerblows. Besides, I didn’t keep the box.
im taking ryans side on this one. i installed my umi k member with no issues
his quality control is very superior on all of his products because it is peoples lives at steak. if there was anything wrong with it it would have never went to powdercoat much less left his shop. from what i see it was installed wrong.
his quality control is very superior on all of his products because it is peoples lives at steak. if there was anything wrong with it it would have never went to powdercoat much less left his shop. from what i see it was installed wrong.
im taking ryans side on this one. i installed my umi k member with no issues
his quality control is very superior on all of his products because it is peoples lives at steak. if there was anything wrong with it it would have never went to powdercoat much less left his shop. from what i see it was installed wrong.
his quality control is very superior on all of his products because it is peoples lives at steak. if there was anything wrong with it it would have never went to powdercoat much less left his shop. from what i see it was installed wrong.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Ventura County, California
Remember the commercial when the two kids are trying to smash the square block through the circle hole and then they grow up and they are trying to put a battery in the car and it is too big and they say we can make it fit 
just reminded me of that.
So back on the subject, if anything I installed had to be hit with a hammer, either the part is f'd up or I am not installing it correctly, but the thing is you have to stop at some point and say hey this isn't working and give someone a call.
Hope it gets worked out for you.
just reminded me of that.So back on the subject, if anything I installed had to be hit with a hammer, either the part is f'd up or I am not installing it correctly, but the thing is you have to stop at some point and say hey this isn't working and give someone a call.
Hope it gets worked out for you.
Thread Starter
10 Second Club
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Berkeley, California
Progress Report The first picture shows a reasonably clear view of the fracture. A metallurgist might be able to interpret this. There are also some marks on the powdercoat that I believe were made while I was maneuvering the engine attempting to align the bolt.
The second picture shows where the threads of the bolt bit into the bracket when I attempted to advance the bolt by turning it. I believe that the bolt was thus engaged with the hole when I hit it with my 24 ounce brass hammer.
The second picture shows where the threads of the bolt bit into the bracket when I attempted to advance the bolt by turning it. I believe that the bolt was thus engaged with the hole when I hit it with my 24 ounce brass hammer.
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On my BMR k member I had to enlarge the holes slightly with a die grinder. I have since learned the if you leave the motor mounts loose when getting those bolts in you have ALOT more room to get them in.
I RARELY side with a manufacturer, but at some point when you have taken a hammer to a $450 part that does not NEED a hammer taken to it, there has to be a point where you stop. A motor mount bolt should NEVER need more than a small tap, otherwise you are not lined up.Even a motor mount bolt, just because the rounded head is sticking through means nothing on a motor mount bolt. I have hit mine harder than I should have with the "head" sticking through...just plain will not go through...I got the die grinder out. Mine is a BMR and is made different than the UMI.
If you could not THREAD the bolt through, I dont think a hammer would put it through. The way the mount is made, at a minimum it would bend the ear to where the bolt for SURE would not go through. And if bent back most likely would break.
THis may very well be a manufacturer problem, I dont know, doesnt APPEAR to be...but if so you should have contacted them directly.
Even so, would not cost much to have it welded, bolt the mount in the K member and have it welded. $30 prolly.
David
I RARELY side with a manufacturer, but at some point when you have taken a hammer to a $450 part that does not NEED a hammer taken to it, there has to be a point where you stop. A motor mount bolt should NEVER need more than a small tap, otherwise you are not lined up.Even a motor mount bolt, just because the rounded head is sticking through means nothing on a motor mount bolt. I have hit mine harder than I should have with the "head" sticking through...just plain will not go through...I got the die grinder out. Mine is a BMR and is made different than the UMI.
If you could not THREAD the bolt through, I dont think a hammer would put it through. The way the mount is made, at a minimum it would bend the ear to where the bolt for SURE would not go through. And if bent back most likely would break.
THis may very well be a manufacturer problem, I dont know, doesnt APPEAR to be...but if so you should have contacted them directly.
Even so, would not cost much to have it welded, bolt the mount in the K member and have it welded. $30 prolly.
David
Last edited by FASTFATBOY; Nov 26, 2007 at 07:17 PM.
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From: Albuquerque NM - The Land of 8000ft DA
The first picture shows a reasonably clear view of the fracture. A metallurgist might be able to interpret this. There are also some marks on the powdercoat that I believe were made while I was maneuvering the engine attempting to align the bolt.
The second picture shows where the threads of the bolt bit into the bracket when I attempted to advance the bolt by turning it. I believe that the bolt was thus engaged with the hole when I hit it with my 24 ounce brass hammer.
The second picture shows where the threads of the bolt bit into the bracket when I attempted to advance the bolt by turning it. I believe that the bolt was thus engaged with the hole when I hit it with my 24 ounce brass hammer.
No suprise considering the level (beyond elastic region) of deformation.
from that picture it sure looks like an installation error. the bolt is still pushing against the tab and prying it out of place.
when one side of something is being held and the other is being forced it doesn't take much force to cause a failure.
i think it is funny that you call ryan's offer ridiculous as well. if you are going to be a smart *** and talk about how well you can weld you should at least be smart enough to know not to force parts together with a hammer. there is a big damn difference between "tapping" a bolt through with a hammer and hitting something hard enough to bend 1/4" plate.
when one side of something is being held and the other is being forced it doesn't take much force to cause a failure.
i think it is funny that you call ryan's offer ridiculous as well. if you are going to be a smart *** and talk about how well you can weld you should at least be smart enough to know not to force parts together with a hammer. there is a big damn difference between "tapping" a bolt through with a hammer and hitting something hard enough to bend 1/4" plate.
How hard to you think you could really hit a motor mount bolt with it in the car? We're not talking about a 64 impala here, there is very little room. I think every motor mount bolt I've ever put in needed a little tap, including my recent BMR K member install.
It also appears that the headers are installed, I don't care what side your on its tough to swing any type of hammer except a playschool one in that area in my opinion.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Ventura County, California
I don't know how to call this one.
If it didn't fit good I would have sent it back, I wouldn't pay for anything I have to hammer to fit.
Then again I wouldn't hammer it period, it is hard to say but I can't see that piece of metal just breaking from a few hammer whacks, either it was pounded pretty hard or it was messed up from the start.
Not picking any sides but if it was me I would have cut it into pieces and threw it through the manufacturers window then shot gunned every one to death J/K
Really hope you get it worked out, I got stuff from UMI before and I was really happy with the quality and fit, I had "zero" issues fitting my UMI stuff.
Although maybe in the future you could call up the dude you bought it from and let him know the issue before basically saying hey everyone look at this pile of crap I had to hammer and it just broke
If it didn't fit good I would have sent it back, I wouldn't pay for anything I have to hammer to fit.
Then again I wouldn't hammer it period, it is hard to say but I can't see that piece of metal just breaking from a few hammer whacks, either it was pounded pretty hard or it was messed up from the start.
Not picking any sides but if it was me I would have cut it into pieces and threw it through the manufacturers window then shot gunned every one to death
J/KReally hope you get it worked out, I got stuff from UMI before and I was really happy with the quality and fit, I had "zero" issues fitting my UMI stuff.
Although maybe in the future you could call up the dude you bought it from and let him know the issue before basically saying hey everyone look at this pile of crap I had to hammer and it just broke
What motor mounts were you using? I had a major problem with Prothane motor mounts being made incorrectly. At first I thought it was the UMI K member, but after spending about an hour measuring both the OEM K member and the new one, I found the the UMI K member was a perfect match to the factory one.
The Prothane mounts had the metal molded into the urethane wrong. The metal sticking out of one side should have been short but was long, and the side that was short should have been long. This forced the rear of the engine 3/4" out of alignment toward the passanger side. Lining up the bolts was a bitch and then we had to pull the engine back out. After we looked closely at the motor mounts it was obvious they were faulty.
Prothane found it hard to believe their motor mounts were fucked up but they were. I sent them back and they replaced them.
The point is that I have thought that whatever moron screwed mine up must have also messed up others. So if you have Prothanes take a close look at them.
FWIW I think UMI and Ryan put out some great products at moderate prices. I am using a number of his products and will be buying more.
The Prothane mounts had the metal molded into the urethane wrong. The metal sticking out of one side should have been short but was long, and the side that was short should have been long. This forced the rear of the engine 3/4" out of alignment toward the passanger side. Lining up the bolts was a bitch and then we had to pull the engine back out. After we looked closely at the motor mounts it was obvious they were faulty.
Prothane found it hard to believe their motor mounts were fucked up but they were. I sent them back and they replaced them.
The point is that I have thought that whatever moron screwed mine up must have also messed up others. So if you have Prothanes take a close look at them.
FWIW I think UMI and Ryan put out some great products at moderate prices. I am using a number of his products and will be buying more.
Thread Starter
10 Second Club
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,471
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From: Berkeley, California
I did hit it hard. I never claimed I didn’t. I let my frustration get the best of me. I used a hammer reluctantly. I made a mistake. I was surprised and dismayed that it broke rather than bent. All I wanted was informed opinion about whether it needed to be as hard and brittle as it is. I wasn’t angry until Ryan accused me of some hammering frenzy that he imagined. His rant about me hitting it repeatedly was pure fantasy – it didn’t happen.
The k-member is out and I checked the spacing between the mounts. The spacing is almost exactly equal to that on my GM crossmember, as Ryan predicted. Welding the bracket will be easy. Installation will be easy if I abandon the poly mounts. I haven't had any problems with rubber mounts.
I know I'll love my new crossmember when it comes time to make smog peace with the California DMV. Switching between headers and manifolds will be easy.
-Gary
The k-member is out and I checked the spacing between the mounts. The spacing is almost exactly equal to that on my GM crossmember, as Ryan predicted. Welding the bracket will be easy. Installation will be easy if I abandon the poly mounts. I haven't had any problems with rubber mounts.
I know I'll love my new crossmember when it comes time to make smog peace with the California DMV. Switching between headers and manifolds will be easy.
-Gary
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Ventura County, California
Just a question, they make poly mounts but do they make solid mounts that can just replace the factory rubber clam shell deal?
I am not talking about replacing the entire mount, just the small rubber piece that bolts to the block.
I am not talking about replacing the entire mount, just the small rubber piece that bolts to the block.