Aftermarket K-member, upper and lower control arms???

**rll2** · 01-08-2008, 12:46 PM

Is it worth it to replace these parts on a street car. Do they standup to the abuse of daily driving? I have heard of aftermarket control arms breaking just driveing down the highway. Just checking to see what you guys think. I've thought about replaceing my stock K-member and both upper and lower front control arms. But, don't know what I'll gain on a car that is just street driven.

**mrr23** · 01-08-2008, 06:14 PM

i've been driving on my BMR k-member, upper and lower control arms since march. after installing them, it felt more solid.

**SexOnWheels** · 01-09-2008, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by rll2

Is it worth it to replace these parts on a street car. Do they standup to the abuse of daily driving? I have heard of aftermarket control arms breaking just driveing down the highway. Just checking to see what you guys think. I've thought about replaceing my stock K-member and both upper and lower front control arms. But, don't know what I'll gain on a car that is just street driven.

I have heard/seen those stories aswell.

It all depends on who and what parts you are installing.

For instance the lower arms I installed have never been documented breaking unless a car was totalled by hitting the wall of a race track:

**Lucky 13** · 02-06-2008, 08:53 PM

I am not sure which k-member I had on my car, it had upper and lower control arms as well. I bought it with it on and didnt think to ask the guy what brand.

But any way... I had the hardest time keeping the car in align, no joke every 100-200 miles the steering wheel would move 1/4 turn to the left. Then one day i was pulling out of a parking spot and cut the wheel and heard a snap... didnt think a whole lot of it untill i started to get on it just a little and it sounded like I had a HUGE supercharger. Turns out the K member snapped where the weld for the control arm mount bracket welds to the bar that holds the rack and pinion, and the entire engine had fallen down about 2" which was allowing the a/c belt to spin against the sway bar (causing the supercharger noise). I ended up trading it for the stock front end minus upper control arms. I ended up keeping those.

So, in my opinion i would NEVER buy one for a daily driver... mine is a garage queen and i couldnt stand it. But its up to you....

**Eugenio_SS** · 02-07-2008, 11:07 PM

sounds just like a BMR k-member.
sorry to hear about that... glad it didn't put you in more trouble.
BMR products are good, but only for drag racing... once you start turning, they tend to start failing, going from the PHR to K-member.
UMI offers a great k-member that is designed for road-racing and street driving...

**mrr23** · 02-10-2008, 05:51 AM

my bmr is still doing fine. drive it everyday.

**Soltakr** · 02-11-2008, 04:03 PM

I have the full front kit with UMI k-member with extra bracing in chomoly

The car is light and stiffer... it is a bit noiser because you loose the bushing and go to hem joints. Alignments are a bitch and haven’t got it right yet. The car is lowered two inches and the wheels actually tuck under more then stock... (Odd because it should push the wheels out when lowering) anyway I wish I would get it straightened out. I've had 4 shops try it and nobody can get it right.

**SexOnWheels** · 02-12-2008, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by Soltakr

I have the full front kit with UMI k-member with extra bracing in chomoly...

...The car is light and stiffer... it is a bit noiser because you loose the bushing and go to hem joints. Alignments are a bitch and haven’t got it right yet. The car is lowered two inches and the wheels actually tuck under more then stock... (Odd because it should push the wheels out when lowering) anyway I wish I would get it straightened out. I've had 4 shops try it and nobody can get it right.

What is the problem with setting up an alignment? I have never heard of that before as the adjustments are the same but the slots on the UMI K-member are larger and therefore more caster and camber can be achieved.

Any shop should be easily able to get the spec’s you want? What are you asking for the spec's for your alignment?

What caster, camber, and toe are you looking to for the shops to match?

**Soltakr** · 02-12-2008, 03:04 PM

Thats my point, it "should" be easier but out of the 3 or 4 shop nobody can get it right. I know these guys weren't idots but come on. If your shop can to pre-runners and trophy truck you can do a simple camaro.

**Lucky 13** · 02-13-2008, 08:10 PM

The problem with mine was that when the nuts were tightend down it left an indention in the metal and when we went to adjust them it was hard to get them out of the indention, and when we did it would slide back into it after a couple hundred miles. Just bad design or weak parts. I prefer stock just for the lack of headache