25thhawk

iTrader: (3)

No I didn't modify it. It came with gussets welded in the top corners of the motor mounts. The gussets are hitting the clamshells. They told me I can just grind them as much as needed, lol. I love cutting up $600 brand new parts.

Raptor_WS6

iTrader: (23)

Not sure how old it is. I bought it "new" late last year from a member here on tech. He said he bought it mid last year. Installed it. Then removed it cuz he sold the car. Said he never ran it

The umi website pics don't have those gussets either

Raptor_WS6

iTrader: (23)

25thhawk

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, I noticed that too. Sux! If the gussets were on the bottom, they wouldn't be hitting either. But that is just kinda my luck. Ultimately, i hope they handle it correctly. So far they have been great, but we will see. I have alot more stuff I was planning on getting from them, so I hope it works out.

UMI Performance

iTrader: (77)

We have been installing the gussets on the k-members for over 3 years now... it isn't a new addition or a design change. The gussets are there to prevent customers from bending the motor mounts. We had two customers use a hammer and try to force their motor mount bolts through with out having them them lined up, when they did this it bent the mount mount bracket since the bolt was missing the hole and hitting the bracket. The gusset now prevents this.

We have never had a gusset hit the clamshell. Are your motor mounts upside down?

dockSS

a little bit of grinding to prevent small rubbing is called hot rodding. who says that your motor mount clam shells are at perfect tolerance from gm? come on man, learn how to use aftermarket parts. this is ridiculous, all because of a little rubbing and telling them it is bs for trying to improve there parts.

UMI Performance

iTrader: (77)

Hello,

The attached picture shows why we starting installing the gussets, again we did this years ago so this isn't a new thing. The pictures on our site are 5+ years old, we have been building these k-members for over 8 years now with a few thousand out there on vehicles.

In this picture the customer used a hammer a force the bolt through the motor mount. The back hole was not lined up with the bolt and the bolt pushed against the bracket itself causing it to bend as it was continually forced. When you try to bend back a bent bracket it will crack. The gussets are used as a caution item now and a way we improved our design. I hope this helps and makes sense. We have been using the same gussets and size since day one. Honestly I am not sure why your motor mount is hitting?

25thhawk

iTrader: (3)

I have been dealing with Ramey on this issue trying to get it sorted out. The motor mounts are original and haven't ever been removed. It is hitting bad enough that I can't even start the bolt in the hole. Grinding the gussets was suggested by Ramey. However, you are saying that this has never happened before, so I would rather find out what the problem is than start grinding. If something is not welded in it correctly I would rather find that out first before I grind it.

Dockss- Thanks for the advice. But hot rodding is making parts work that arent meant to. Not buying parts that are supposed to work and having to modify them because they don't.

25thhawk

iTrader: (3)

Ryan- thanks for the info and picture. I completely agree with you guys continually making your products better and I see you guys every year at carlisle. I have all umi stuff on my other camaro and never an issue. The reason I always choose your parts is the quality of them and the fact that I felt they were built stronger than they needed to be.

Homeless2bNY

iTrader: (2)

I never checked or saw on my K-member for stamped part number,
but you are 100% its not for a LT1 car?

if you bought it directly from UMI it would be one thing.
But you got in second hand.

Ramey helped my set up all my suspension and i replace everything but the knuckles.
All there stuff is best out there right now.

Just take a breathe and look at yours and pics of LS1 members and LT1 members.
just to be sure, it cant hurt...

Bomber Z

The angle of the mount don't seem to have the same angle. I would check it out to be square. I could be bent in away you may not notice by eye.

25thhawk

iTrader: (3)

The reciept from umi says it is for an ls1, but i can't be sure other than that. UMI drop shipped it to me for speed inc. so not like it was on their shelf and they grabbed the wrong one either. The mounts on the k-member are definitely different angles on each side. Already measured that. Not sure if they should be the same or not though. Still waiting on that answer.

Bomber Z

I think they should be the same measurements. If I remember correctly. That sounds like the problem. UMI should be able to give you the measurements. I checked mine from install and made sure it was square with the frame. When you bolted it to the frame was one side higher or the bolts hard to get started?

25thhawk

iTrader: (3)

Just checked it is definitely for an ls1. The lt1 looks completely different.

It would line up perfect without the gussets. Everything bolted to the frame correctly. I had to bend the steering rack mount and weld a brace on for the manual steering rack, but not an issue. But the angle of mount is definitely not the same, but the bolt hole looks like it is in the right spot. Ramey said he would get back to me with the angle that the mounts should be.

If anybody has an angle finder and wants to help me out and measure theirs. That would be great. Just zero it out and check the flat part of the two motor mounts.

25thhawk

iTrader: (3)

Here are the two pictures of the mounts with the angle finder on them. Doesn't seem right to me that one side is 56 degrees and the other is 64 degrees. But maybe they designed it that way, idk.

http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/25...tml?sort=3&o=0

http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/25...tml?sort=3&o=1

Bomber Z

I'm going to check to see what mine is. I'll post it up in a little while.

25thhawk

iTrader: (3)

Cool. Thanks.

UMI Performance

iTrader: (77)

Hello,

Thanks for understanding why we continuously check and enhance our designs.

I will give you guys some information.

First, the welder who welds the k-member has the ability to tilt the brackets slightly to lessen gaps for welding. The hole for the motor mount in the bracket rides on a shaft, There is then a top and bottom stop which allows the welder to move the bracket slightly to better fit the stand tubes. So a few degrees in angle change is normal. The main focus is the center to center.

Second, every k-member is inspected fully before leaving the facility. If you look inside your rear a-arm mount (I think drivers side) there is a 3 digit #. This is the k-members serial # and means it was inspected and verified to be in tolerance. When welding items this large heat can change things and this is why every k-member is inspected. This has prevented errors and issues and has been a great thing for us.

Third, Please remember these are hand fabricated items. These aren't mass produced production stampings for an automotive line. This type of work takes hand fabrication, cutting and modifying. Again this is why an angle from to side may not be perfect. It is the distance from center to center that we hold. We have to allow our fabricators some room to fabricate.

We have checked the last two k-members welded and they fall right on our test block and clearance around the gussets. I am not sure why yours are so close, we have never had this issue or seen it. Do you have different motor mounts, maybe a truck mount? I am not sure what a truck mount looks like but it is a thought.

With aftermarket items a little fudging may be necessary. Honestly, just take a little Dremel tool and hit the gusset lightly until it clears the mount. It won't hurt the k-member in anyway. A little touch up paint will fix the small grinding marks. I know it is a bummer but in the hot rod industry sometimes we need to be fabricators too!

Ramey mentioned you were able to weld your rack together so this should be a pretty easy fix for you?

I think it is a pretty easy fix, finish the install and drive it!

Thank you,
Ryan

UMI Sales

iTrader: (1)

I checked the jig. The brackets are held around the axis of the bolt and are not intended to be symmetrical. Minor variations are normal and expected. As long as the holes on the c-shaped bracket are in the correct location in space vs the mounting points, we're good to go.

At the moment, I don't have one in-process to measure. The one we did the photos with yesterday is out the door...

25thhawk

iTrader: (3)

Ramey sent me pictures of the car mounts. They are definitely not truck mounts. I agree with everythin you are saying in terms of fabrication and that really the only important part is the motor mount holes. Although that didn't work out very well for me. You are correct that it is an easy modification. But I don't feel it is right to ask your end customer to modify your "bolt in" parts. It would probably take 3 hours to get it back out of the car, modify it and put it back in. If this part was at a shop, I would be paying the price for it. As it stands, I won't be modifying it. I will just get solid mounts and live with it. Just another added cost that I shouldn't have.

FWIW, looking at the angles of the motor mount stands, if you put the gussets on the bottom instead of the top it should give alot more room to play with around the motor mounts.

Thanks