V8 Spool K-Member I got SCREWED (Not by a FABO Member)

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ADHD426

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So I finally got my old k-member off of my 71 Duster, thanks to all the help on this forum, there is no way I could have done it on my own. So today I go to bolt up my K-member. Looks normal in the first picture right. Wrong. On the passenger side the bolt holes don't match up with the holes in the frame. I take it off and measure, sure enough one side of the K-member has slightly less than 13 inches between the holes outer edge to outer edge (picture 2), the other side roughly 12 inches outer edge to outer edge (picture 3). I measured the old K-member holes and they are slightly less than 13 inches between the holes. How does this happen!?!? So now I either buy a new spool k-member or by the conversion mounts. Thoughts ideas or suggestions?

Overview of the K-member looks fine:
IMG_5062.jpg


Driver side hole measurement a little less than 13":
IMG_5064.jpg


Passenger side measurement slightly over 12":
IMG_5065.jpg
 
What is the center to center of the holes? I took a K from a 70 Cuda and stuck it on a 70 Challenger and had a 1/4" mismatch....
 
ADHD426 said:
So I finally got my old k-member off of my 71 Duster, thanks to all the help on this forum, there is no way I could have done it on my own. So today I go to bolt up my K-member. Looks normal in the first picture right. Wrong. On the passenger side the bolt holes don't match up with the holes in the frame. I take it off and measure, sure enough one side of the K-member has slightly less than 13 inches between the holes outer edge to outer edge (picture 2), the other side roughly 12 inches outer edge to outer edge (picture 3). I measured the old K-member holes and they are slightly less than 13 inches between the holes. How does this happen!?!? So now I either buy a new spool k-member or by the conversion mounts. Thoughts ideas or suggestions?

Overview of the K-member looks fine:
IMG_5062.jpg


Driver side hole measurement a little less than 13":
IMG_5064.jpg


Passenger side measurement slightly over 12":
IMG_5065.jpg
Click to expand...


Where did the new K member come from?
 
Cranky said:
What is the center to center of the holes? I took a K from a 70 Cuda and stuck it on a 70 Challenger and had a 1/4" mismatch....
Click to expand...

Center to center is roughly 11 1/2 on passenger side and 12 1/8 or so on the driver side.
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
Where did the new K member come from?
Click to expand...


It came with the 71 Duster I bought, the owner didn't say and I didn't ask, it looked right, probably my fault for not measuring. It was not from anyone on this board.
 
Looks to me like it's been tweaked, I'm afraid. That can happen when you pull them off wrecks. :-(
 
ADHD426 said:
It came with the 71 Duster I bought not from anyone on this board.
Click to expand...

I thought you bought it from an aftermarket company since you said New. When things are put out by the aftermarket companies and it is crap people need to know who and what to watch out for.


I remember a bunch of members having big problems with fan shrouds and window seals in the past.
 
take it to a body shop and have them take a porta-power to it and bend it back into shape
 
The one that is is my car was tweaked a bit.......aint nuffin some creative work with a press/jack and some chains did not fix....
 
maybe put a small bottle jack in between? however, a bent k-frame may cause more problems for you...ie, alignments...
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
I thought you bought it from an aftermarket company since you said New. When things are put out by the aftermarket companies and it is crap people need to know who and what to watch out for.


I remember a bunch of members having big problems with fan shrouds and window seals in the past.
Click to expand...


Sorry, I changed the title and took out new.
 
The passenger side of your K member is bent. I can see the creases in the metal. There is a crease in the front mounting ear toward the rear of the car and another one in the front edge of the rear mounting ear. Nothing a BFH and a torch can't cure. If you aren't comfortable with that method, take it to a collision shop and have them straighten it out. Shouldn't take them more than an hour or so. The measurement between the ears doesn't have to be as accurate as bearing clearance, it can be off 1/4" or so.
 
grumpuscreature said:
The passenger side of your K member is bent. I can see the creases in the metal. There is a crease in the front mounting ear toward the rear of the car and another one in the front edge of the rear mounting ear. Nothing a BFH and a torch can't cure. If you aren't comfortable with that method, take it to a collision shop and have them straighten it out. Shouldn't take them more than an hour or so. The measurement between the ears doesn't have to be as accurate as bearing clearance, it can be off 1/4" or so.
Click to expand...

I would have that K frame straped ( tie downs from a wrecker ) to a big A$$ tree and heat it wher it needs to move and swing a sledge on it.... but the doctor bills would not be worth it :D.
Save/Fix it and use it :cheers:
 
I hate to say it, but Chrysler production tolerances aren't that great, and multiple-bend piece like that is difficult to assume that it is symmetrical.

I'd bolt up the three that line up, and bottle-jack the offending member until it lines up (this concentrates the force on the mobile member and minimizes stress on the remaining members). If you can jack from the rear arm once it's bolted down, it should be straight forward.
It appears that the leading arm of the passenger side is the arm that is bent (and that is most likely, given how most accidents occur).

If that arm isn't perfect, it shouldn't be too critical if it's about where it needs to be. The suspension bushings allow for imprecision.
 
The welding and grinding on the pinch where the top and bottom meet should have been an indication that something happened to this K, and instead of fixing it the correct way, was patched together. In order to sucessfully rebend this to work, you may have to grind off the weld there and release the top to allow it to move back into position!! Geof
 
Thank you everyone for your help. I think I am going to try to bolt up three of the four bolts and then use a bottle jack to press out the fourth side to get the holes to lineup.

Jim Lusk if I do decide to get a new K-member it is all yours. My parents actually live Fresno so I make frequent trips up there and I could drop it off. I'll let you know.
 
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