oldmano2z

I looked at Midwest ,spohn,bmr,and umi. they all give room and weight savings. but what I'm looking for is strength!!! I daily drive and out in no mans land I like to get nasty with the wheel and would like to autocross. they a just look like the lateral g's would bend something,break something etc. the umi one with the double crossover tube looks good and the spohn with the flat plates that bolt to the frame rails look good compared to the round sleeves as the others. weight savings is not an issue with me. my original k member I had to cut some of it out and reweld the back of the passenger side for header clearance. stock just seems so much stronger. I would like to know if there is a k-member out there that combines the flat plate frame mounts with the double tube crossover with gussets and cross bracing that would hold up to daily use and track. the daily use thing is paramount to me and the welds and stress points need to hold. thanks in advance for help and guidance,vendors,members??? the oldman...

UMI Performance

iTrader: (77)

Hello, Thank you for considering the UMI product! We appreciate being a part of your search.

Honestly, the factory k-member is pretty strong and it is hard to beat the strength of that unit. Especially if someone took the time to remove it, grind out the factory welds and re-weld it. You can also source out a convertible k-member for even more strength. The trick to building a street or road race k-member is to build one with the strength needed but to also have a weight savings, that was our goal and we feel we accomplished it. Is the UMI road race k-member the lightest on the market? No. But we personally feel it is one of the strongest units out there.

Our competitors make great products and we each build items to our own designs. I do however feel our tubed design using DOM tubing and TIG welding to hand built stand offs would with-stand a much greater force than a piece of bent 3/16" flat HRS steel. The benefit to the flat steel design, weight. I posted a few pictures of the Road Race k-member. I literally snapped these 2 minutes ago as these k-members were being hung for powder coat.

We can proudly say we have never had a k-member fail. We have customers using the RR style k-member in autox, road race, American Iron ect.

If I can help with any questions please feel free to ask. I am happy to help.

ss performance

iTrader: (17)

Check out AJE Racing. They make one that has additional bracing for road race applications.

Good luck.

FASTFATBOY

iTrader: (23)

If I can crack the stock K member, on NT-05 street tires, you might want to think hard about putting a tube K member in a car that will be put on track.

oldmano2z

fastfatboy, so you think a tube k-member is stronger than stock? you cracked a stock one in the twisties? ryan/umi , you say a convertible k-member is stronger than a t-top car? you sure do make great stuff I have your trans tail shaft mount the on that isolates the torque arm good stuff. I'm just a little paranoid cause I wrecked the **** out of it a couple years back, frame table , core support,whole right side 3 months in body shop . I learned a lot though. it helps to have a buddy that owns a body shop.

HioSSilver

iTrader: (8)

I cut and welded on my stock K-member and came up with a pretty decent piece.

FASTFATBOY

iTrader: (23)

I trackday my car, I put it on road courses and Auto X it.....6-7 times a year.


In MY opinion if you are going to track or auto X it leave the stock K member in it.

camarokid91

Aftermarket K's are notorious for breaking regardless of brand.

ss performance

iTrader: (17)

Chromoly is much more prone to cracking than mild steel. Chromoly is stiffer than mild steel but it is more brittle. Due to this it fatigues much faster resulting in cracking. I would never recommend using chromoly in a street driven car.

Good Luck.

oldmano2z

hioSSilver,nice job!! i'll print those pics for future. thanks. fastfatboy and camarokid91, thank you for your input,insight and experience . no offense to the vendors but I'm going to stay with stock. I've got a v6 parts car is the k-member the same? I mean if I modify it like hioSSilver did whats the difference? by the way silver is that k-member in service at this time? when I do my lq4 build I'm thinking of that modification.

Latch

iTrader: (8)

My stock K-member has a small crack developing, and I don't even road race... I autox on NT555s. Yeah, I'd say keep the stock K.

HioSSilver

iTrader: (8)

Thanks man! It was a fun project and saved some money. With the aftermarket ones known for cracking I thought thise would be the best route. I can even still use it to jack the car on. I would be hesitant to do that with a tubular one.
The stock one is not welded all around. There are a couple places I changed due to what looked like stress risers in the oe piece.

oldmano2z

hioSSilver, would you happen to have more pics of your modification? pics from the back side at the crossmember. where you cut it back what thickness of filler material did you use. gonna hit the bone yard next week for k-member and thinking a v6 could work because of the slicing and dicing. what do you think?? the oldman...

HioSSilver

iTrader: (8)

Sure oldman. Here's the only other 2 pics I have. I replaced everything I cut out with 1/8" flat steel that I of course bent/shaped to my needs. It ended up weighing just over 30lb with engine pedestal's and all. It's still plenty stout to use as a jack point also, I jack it right in the middle. I would be scared to use the tubular ones as jack points.

IDK if v6 k-members are the same or not. I'll have another ls v8 one shortly. If you need it let me know.






edit.....looks like the one pic is the same.....shoot

oldmano2z

thank you sir. I'm hitting the bone yard next week . and looking around some stuff hard to find here in the lou. the old man....

oldmano2z

got your pictures printed thanks hioSSilver.

FASTFATBOY

iTrader: (23)

If you are going to track or AutoX your car I would not do anything to weaken the K member.

If anything I would seam weld it and leave it stock.

oldmano2z

thanks, I thought the same thing.

Pony Exp.305

iTrader: (6)

Hiosilver, good idea!! The v6and v8 not same motor mount position.

Shadow's SS

iTrader: (1)

I have the UMI one and I auto x with NT01's have not had an issue.