Tackled this over the weekend and have a couple of things I ran into. Everything lined up almost perfect. Took a little massaging to get the rear four k-member bolts to line up with the chasiss, but we got it there. The motor lined up 100% which was a good thing since it was on a floor jack and would have been a bitch to move around.
Taking off the A-Arms and tie rods from the spindles was a royal PITA. Those things were stuck in there, but nothing 2 BFHs didn't accomplish. Unfortunately, although I did mark the steering shaft, my steering wheel is now turned about 15*. Any hints on how to get it straight again or should I let the allignment shop deal with it?
The below pics are not my car, they're from BMRs site.
In this pic, note under the steering shaft the pointy bolt where the k-member bolts to the frame. You have to use the stock nuts which flare out like a washer. The welds from the k-member did not allow the nuts screw in all the way. Same on the other side. Had to grind the sides of the nuts about 3mm for them to fit. Easy fix.
In the following pic you notice with the k-member brace bolts in. The brace was too wide to fit in there and I had to grind down the sides for it to fit. Although it's a BMR piece as well, it's three years old which may account to the lack of fitment. Maybe the braces they make today have been narrowed a bit to fit. This is the only other issue I had with the part itself.
In the below pic you notice the steering rack bolted on top of the k-member. Well, this is a perfect example of aftermarket parts not working well with eachother. Before installing the k-member, I took off the oil pan and installed the Livernois windage tray which requires a second oil pan gasket. This lowered the oil pan aobut 5mm, enough to where there is only about 1mm clearance between the steering rack and the oil pan. Although the motor is not going to move much with these poly bushings, the lack of clearance worries me, especially during very hard driving, which I do daily.
An easy fix is to use washers at the motor mount points and raise the engine 5mm. Unfortunately the hood already rubs on the hump hose between the T/B and CAI. The only other thing I can think of is to take off 5mm from each of the steering rack mounting points on the k-member which will lower the steering rack away from the oil pan.
All in all it was a simple install. I'm not getting any additional noise in the cabin, but do have increased vibrations. This could be getting transfered from the oil pan through the steering rack. I'll have a true feel for it once I lower that rack.
Taking off the A-Arms and tie rods from the spindles was a royal PITA. Those things were stuck in there, but nothing 2 BFHs didn't accomplish. Unfortunately, although I did mark the steering shaft, my steering wheel is now turned about 15*. Any hints on how to get it straight again or should I let the allignment shop deal with it?
The below pics are not my car, they're from BMRs site.
In this pic, note under the steering shaft the pointy bolt where the k-member bolts to the frame. You have to use the stock nuts which flare out like a washer. The welds from the k-member did not allow the nuts screw in all the way. Same on the other side. Had to grind the sides of the nuts about 3mm for them to fit. Easy fix.
In the following pic you notice with the k-member brace bolts in. The brace was too wide to fit in there and I had to grind down the sides for it to fit. Although it's a BMR piece as well, it's three years old which may account to the lack of fitment. Maybe the braces they make today have been narrowed a bit to fit. This is the only other issue I had with the part itself.
In the below pic you notice the steering rack bolted on top of the k-member. Well, this is a perfect example of aftermarket parts not working well with eachother. Before installing the k-member, I took off the oil pan and installed the Livernois windage tray which requires a second oil pan gasket. This lowered the oil pan aobut 5mm, enough to where there is only about 1mm clearance between the steering rack and the oil pan. Although the motor is not going to move much with these poly bushings, the lack of clearance worries me, especially during very hard driving, which I do daily.
An easy fix is to use washers at the motor mount points and raise the engine 5mm. Unfortunately the hood already rubs on the hump hose between the T/B and CAI. The only other thing I can think of is to take off 5mm from each of the steering rack mounting points on the k-member which will lower the steering rack away from the oil pan.
All in all it was a simple install. I'm not getting any additional noise in the cabin, but do have increased vibrations. This could be getting transfered from the oil pan through the steering rack. I'll have a true feel for it once I lower that rack.