ViperNC Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 It's cool. It's sexy. It's on the Shelby 1000. But is it functionally advantageous to spend the bucks and replace the stock K member? I like the idea of shaving more weight off the front end and I plan to add the lower A arms, but I wonder what difference I'm going to notice if I do the K member. Looking like it will increase interior cockpit noise which I don't mind to much, but I really hate rattles. Good noises like the engine and exhaust, I'm fine with. For those who have the K member, please comment as to what I can expect. Thanks fellas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08 Ont GT500 Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 I've had mine in for over 3 years on my '08 and all is fine. Don't really notice any increase in NVH. No rattles at all. Installed it along with the support kit and the tubular "A" arms. Wanted to reduce weight as much as I can, since I'm only going so far with hp improvements with the stock motor internals. Lowers the engine as well for more blower/hood clearance if your thinking about that in the future. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2010KonaBlueGT Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 It's cool. It's sexy. It's on the Shelby 1000. But is it functionally advantageous to spend the bucks and replace the stock K member? I like the idea of shaving more weight off the front end and I plan to add the lower A arms, but I wonder what difference I'm going to notice if I do the K member. Looking like it will increase interior cockpit noise which I don't mind to much, but I really hate rattles. Good noises like the engine and exhaust, I'm fine with. For those who have the K member, please comment as to what I can expect. Thanks fellas! I installed a Shelby/BMR K-memeber and A-arms (along with a bunch more) and if I had it to do all over again, I'd pass. The only real benefit is the 'cool factor'. It doesn't noticably improve the handling any and the weight savings is miniscule in the grand scheme of things. I don't get any noticable NVH from the poly mounts but I do have a nasty clunk when I back up and turn the tires. I can't locate it but it sounds like the K-member is shifting on the body. Might be the A-arms, just not sure. My bet is that the OEM stamped sub-frame adds a LOT of rigidity to the chassis too. For the cost, I'd pass. If it was free, I'd do it. Just not enough "bang for the buck" IMO. Unless you lay under your car all the time! Phill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 How much weight savings? I have read of the back-up clunking being associated with good years and steering linkage over on SVTforums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08 Ont GT500 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Share Posted January 27, 2014 If I remember correctly, total weight reduction with the control arms was 20-25lbs. By itself not all that much but with everything else that has been changed it adds up in the long run. A little here a little there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2010KonaBlueGT Posted January 27, 2014 Report Share Posted January 27, 2014 If I remember correctly, total weight reduction with the control arms was 20-25lbs. By itself not all that much but with everything else that has been changed it adds up in the long run. A little here a little there. 20 pounds weight savings. I have the k-member, a-arms and radiator support up front. Tube arms (LCA, UCA, Panhard bar & brace, etc.) in back, carbon fiber 1-pc driveshaft, etc. etc. etc. and my car weighs 3980 pounds. Like i said, in the grand scheme of thing the weight savings is negligible. You'd need to drop HUNDREDS of pounds to make a difference, not tens of pounds. Phill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCD Posted January 27, 2014 Report Share Posted January 27, 2014 For the cost, I'd pass. If it was free, I'd do it. Just not enough "bang for the buck" IMO. Unless you lay under your car all the time! Phill I spend a fair amount of time under there trying to keep it clean!! I have had the BMR K Member and A Arms on for three years with no issues... Oil changes are easier and there is also more room to get at bolts and so on!! Last fall I added the rad support and adj sway bar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08 Ont GT500 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Share Posted January 27, 2014 20 pounds weight savings. I have the k-member, a-arms and radiator support up front. Tube arms (LCA, UCA, Panhard bar & brace, etc.) in back, carbon fiber 1-pc driveshaft, etc. etc. etc. and my car weighs 3980 pounds. Like i said, in the grand scheme of thing the weight savings is negligible. You'd need to drop HUNDREDS of pounds to make a difference, not tens of pounds. Phill Like I said, a little here a little there. Axe the sub-woofer, rear seat delete, you start knocking on that 100pds pretty quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2010KonaBlueGT Posted January 27, 2014 Report Share Posted January 27, 2014 Like I said, a little here a little there. Axe the sub-woofer, rear seat delete, you start knocking on that 100pds pretty quick. I've done all that and like I said, my car weighs 3980. Mine didn't have a sub-woofer to start with and the rear seats are sitting on my bench. Have you ever pulled your rear seats? Base AND backs? They're feather light. MAYBE all of 10 pounds combined. I never weighed my car before installing all the "light parts" so I can't say how much less it weighs. I did note the difference between each part as I was installing them but I think my Whipple 2.9L SC ate up all of the weight savings. Either that or Ford lied about the curb weight of a OEM car. Phill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08 Ont GT500 Posted January 28, 2014 Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 It is tough to lose the weight no doubt, but I don't want to go with any more power adders than I already have with the stock bottom end of the motor. So... it's about all that's left for me to get any more performance out of the car. It's an on going process. Yes the seats weren't a lot of weight but that sub-woofer was. You are still further ahead with your whipple install because of the weight you lost (by removing the parts you did) than just adding the blower itself. So I would see it as a worth while effort to save weight where you can. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted January 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 Good info thus far. I do like my "bling" under the car..... Also wonder what would be involved in moving the battery to the truck and how much $$$? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2010KonaBlueGT Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Mine didn't have a sub-woofer to start with and the rear seats are sitting on my bench. Have you ever pulled your rear seats? Base AND backs? They're feather light. MAYBE all of 10 pounds combined. For shits and giggles I weighed my seats. Seat bottom, both seat backs, all brackets and all bolts weigh 25 lbs. on the nose. I guess I'm stronger than I thought because even holding all of them in my arms to weigh them, they feel feather light. Now I'll have to weight the two panels that make up the seat delete to see what my total weight savings (for my rear seats) is. Just FYI... Phill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMR Fabrication Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 The K-Member saves 22lbs. The A-Arms are right at 10~lbs. they used to be more, but we have added some weight in some crucial areas over the years, based on feedback from road course users. The radiator support with sway bar mount is right at 7.5lbs reduction. Thats right about 40lbs off the nose of the car. Huge for a GT500, that is already nose heavy. As for the pros and cons, the only con is the price tag and the increase in NVH. To some, those are no cons at all. The poly mounts on the K-Member are the primary cause of the NVH increase. As for a trade-off....it just makes it that much easier to find your gear during high RPM shifting due to less drivetrain movement/flex. A-Arms: Having a "floating" bushing design removes the binding and deflection from the OEM designed arms. Also helps with caster, camber, and wheelbase change from the flex of the horrid OEM Arm bushings. This helps with suspension travel and articulation, and rigidity....making a car feel better in and out of a turn, and helping the car react better at a drag-strip. Braking also improves a touch. You also get the ability to adjust your rack height with the K-Member via shims. Many people do not realize this. Save that $150+ on that bumpsteer kit. Save the $150+ on the poly mounts.....and for a little more, you have a K-Member that performs those functions, then some. As for handling - the increase of handling on the back roads should feel better.....but change/improvement on an actual track is amazing. The K/Arm combo completely changes the dynamics and manners of how the car behaves on the track. To top it off - it just looks so incredible underneath the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted February 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 The K-Member saves 22lbs. The A-Arms are right at 10~lbs. they used to be more, but we have added some weight in some crucial areas over the years, based on feedback from road course users. The radiator support with sway bar mount is right at 7.5lbs reduction. Thats right about 40lbs off the nose of the car. Huge for a GT500, that is already nose heavy. As for the pros and cons, the only con is the price tag and the increase in NVH. To some, those are no cons at all. The poly mounts on the K-Member are the primary cause of the NVH increase. As for a trade-off....it just makes it that much easier to find your gear during high RPM shifting due to less drivetrain movement/flex. A-Arms: Having a "floating" bushing design removes the binding and deflection from the OEM designed arms. Also helps with caster, camber, and wheelbase change from the flex of the horrid OEM Arm bushings. This helps with suspension travel and articulation, and rigidity....making a car feel better in and out of a turn, and helping the car react better at a drag-strip. Braking also improves a touch. You also get the ability to adjust your rack height with the K-Member via shims. Many people do not realize this. Save that $150+ on that bumpsteer kit. Save the $150+ on the poly mounts.....and for a little more, you have a K-Member that performs those functions, then some. As for handling - the increase of handling on the back roads should feel better.....but change/improvement on an actual track is amazing. The K/Arm combo completely changes the dynamics and manners of how the car behaves on the track. To top it off - it just looks so incredible underneath the car. All good points and why I purchased from you. Thanks Kelly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted March 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 Installed tubular k member with the chassis support, a arm support and radiator support. Got the shorty headers on and a lot easier without the massive stock k member on the car. That stock piece looked like it came off a tank. Some of the bolts were difficult to get to, but overall not too bad. A arms going on in the morning. Front of the car definitely a little less "piggy" now. Can't wait to take her out for a spin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super hiss Posted March 22, 2014 Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 might be me but it feels more like a muscle car when i did it. almost like sayin thats what the power feels like under there? f'in awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb64 Posted March 22, 2014 Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 Did you install it yourself, and if so on jackstands or a hoist? Curious to know how difficult it would be at home with limited lift capabilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twicebitten Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 I am going to start my k member removal for headers this week and if anyone know exactly what to remove to get the k member off. I did heaeder on my 07 gt500 but I did it with floor jack. I want to try it doing the k member removal. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 I have a close friend who is a mechanic and we use his shop to do the work. The car was on a lift. I guess you could do this on jack stands, but it would not be easy. Having access to the life made life a lot easier. Once you get the engine supported it is pretty much unbolt the stock piece and bolt on the new k member (obviously I'm simplifying). The steering rack has to be unbolted along with a few other odds and ends. I replaced the a arms at the same time so we just left those attached to the stock piece when it came off the car. In addition, BMR does not provide any clips for brake lines and such that attach to the stock k member so we had to come up with a solution for that as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted March 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Shelby Extreme Duty Heat Exchanger is in and now she will be running cool as a cucumber. Makes you wonder why they use that stock dinky heat exchanger in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMR Fabrication Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Nice "one-off" Chassis Brace (CB004) you have there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted March 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 Hey Phill, How much increased engine noise did you experience when you installed your k member? I knew I would have increased vibration which believe it or not I am enjoying, but wondering if my increase in noise is excessive. Mainly down in the lower RPMs. It's almost as if you can hear each cylinder firing.... I wonder if there is a way to reduce the noise somewhat. If not, I'm sure I'll get used to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted March 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 Nice "one-off" Chassis Brace (CB004) you have there. Thank you sir! Have had many compliments thus far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2010KonaBlueGT Posted March 31, 2014 Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 Hey Phill, How much increased engine noise did you experience when you installed your k member? I knew I would have increased vibration which believe it or not I am enjoying, but wondering if my increase in noise is excessive. Mainly down in the lower RPMs. It's almost as if you can hear each cylinder firing.... I wonder if there is a way to reduce the noise somewhat. If not, I'm sure I'll get used to it. I didn't get any noticeable noise increase with mine. I expected a lot of vibration but didn't get much of that either. However in all fairness i will tell you that I did a LOT of mods all at one time and there were months between tearing it down and getting it back up and running so any increase wojuld be less noticable to me than had I been able to compare it a day or two later (much time in between makes for a bad memory comparison). The biggest thing I notice is the clunk from the rear due to the spherical joints on the Roush Third Link/UCA. Phill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted March 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 I think we need to tweak mine..... A little too much noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2010KonaBlueGT Posted March 31, 2014 Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 I think we need to tweak mine..... A little too much noise. Hmm. Do you have the poly mounts in the right way? There is a shoulder that fits into the hole on the frame. I had to modify mine a little with a die grinder. I also got a better bolt and still think I need to play with it some more. My engine 'floats' in the mounting holes. That is, I can reach up from underneath and turn the bottom half of the poly bushing/mount with the bolt as tight as it will go. Which may be why it's quiet??? Phill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted March 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 We're going to find out. Thanks for the tip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted April 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 The project is complete and I took the '09 out to cars and coffee yesterday. Saw a 2001 GTS Viper like my old car and parked next to him. Nice guy who was actually involved with SRT and consumer programs so we got talking about his Viper (and that I missed my old 1998 GTS). Then he turned the conversation to my car as I popped the hood and we compared notes. I told him about the recent chassis project and he immediately looked under the car and then stood up looking amazed. He could not believe how much work had been done to make the car handle and said he doubted the Viper could handle with the Shelby. Having owned a GTS, I told him my goal was to make the front heavy Shelby handle like a proper sports car and I think I have hit the mark. There were quite a few Mustangs (and some Shelby's) parked up the row from us. The owners were grouped together and all were having the "my dick is bigger than yours" conversation about how much HP they had with dyno graphs to prove it. Everyone of them had focused their efforts on increasing HP only: stock brakes, stock suspension, stock cooling, etc. I was casually walking around and trying to be a fly on the wall as I saw those guys inspecting my car. Everyone of them had a dumbfounded look when they saw the chassis... one guy saw the watts link and was even more dumbfounded. I think I'm happy. Afterwards, we headed out and promptly found some clover-leafs on the interstate. The car always wanted to push in the corner.... that has been cured. The noise from the motor is a little less after some tweaking so I think the cure for that is to just turn on some music. It feels nimble yet with manageable HP is putting all the ponies to the ground. I'd love to get this car on a machine to determine the weight distribution now. I can definitely say it is a different car than the one that rolled off the showroom... And I absolutely adore it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2010KonaBlueGT Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 I'd love to get this car on a machine to determine the weight distribution now. Do you have public scales around? When weighing my car hauler for weight bias I pull the front wheels up onto the scale and note the weight, then pull all four wheels up and note the weight, then pull the front wheels off and note the weight. I have a set of racing scales but that'd be a big pain in the ass to weigh a big ass car hauler with so public scales it is. Moving companies typically have them, dump sites, Ag companies, etc. I always used the T&A Ag scales back home in Salinas CA. They had two scale pads (one for each direction of travel) with the LED readings on the side so anyone that knew they were there could use them. Phill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboGT Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 Congrats Viper! Like you - I always felt that you could have more fun with an 07-09 GT500 if you could make the car handle. It seems like younger enthusiasts I meet at shows are more interested in "bench racing" & comparing their dyno graphs. The down side to that is the car is sitting still when you "race" it & the "race" (dyno run) is over in 30 seconds. In defense of some of the younger enthusiasts, they simply haven't had the opportunity or access to experience road course racing and the thrill of putting a car through it's paces on a track & therefore can only relate to what they know. As I've gotten older and more experienced with driving & modifying my cars, I'm more concerned with how the car feels while it's actually moving, turning & braking - and understand first-hand all the research, time, money & patience involved in extracting the untapped potential of these cars. Your car is a beautifully executed example of the finest of this breed. After pouring a ton of money, blood, sweat and tears into mine over the past 6 years, I'm about to move on to a 2013-2014 GT500 and can only hope I enjoy the experience of driving it as much as I did my 2008. Enjoy the upcoming beautiful spring weather behind the wheel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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