UMI Performance 98-02 GM F-Body Tubular K-Member, LS1, Red

Bolt-In Tubular Front K-Member With LS Motor Mount Stands for the 1998-2002 Camaro and Firebird, Gloss Red

A fabricated replacement for the heavy stamped factory K-member on a fourth generation LS1 car. UMI builds it from 1-1/2 inch outside diameter DOM steel tubing with laser cut boxed A-arm mounts and integrated engine mount stands, and states it removes 25 pounds from the front of the car, or 33 pounds when it is fitted with tubular lower A-arms. The rack mounts stay in the factory location and the rear main cross tube is lowered to protect the oil pan.

Key Features

• Direct bolt-in replacement that uses the factory K-member mounting points, with two supplied washers at the rear-most mounts.
• Main cross tubes are 1-1/2 inch outside diameter DOM steel tubing with a dual-tube centre section.
• A-arm mounts are boxed and CNC laser cut from 3/16 inch steel plate.
• Motor mount stands are laser cut from 1/4 inch material and integrated into the K-member for the LS engine.
• A-arm slots are lengthened to give extra alignment adjustment beyond the factory range.
• Removes 25 lb of front end weight on its own, or 33 lb combined with tubular lower A-arms, per UMI.
• Steering rack mounts remain in the factory location, and the rear main cross tube is lowered for oil pan protection.
• Gloss red powder coat, fabricated in-house from 100 percent US steel.

Fitment

The installation sheet UMI prints for this part is headed 1993-2002 GM F-Body, while UMI's product page, every dealer record and this listing publish 1998-2002. UMI's own technical note explains the difference: fitting an LS engine to a 1993-1997 LT car is a swap, and in UMI's words, when swapping an LS engine in to a 1993-1997 LT car the steering rack must be swapped to a 1998-2002 version. The 1993-1997 case is therefore a conditional swap scenario, not a stock application, and it is not listed in the fitment data above.

UMI states this K-member does not work with the UMI 2335 control arm mount.

Specifications

What's Included

• One road race K-member
• Two large washers
• Four M12-1.75 x 40 mm bolts
• One UMI installation sheet

About UMI Performance

UMI Performance designs and manufactures chassis and suspension parts at 509 Hemlock Street in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, using North American raw material, in-house laser cutting, CNC bending and fixture welding. The 2320 K-member is fabricated in-house from 100 percent US steel and is the front end foundation of UMI's LS1 F-body programme, appearing as a line item inside UMI's FBS005 front end package.

FAQ

The install sheet header covers UMI's LS K-member family in general, including LS swap use. UMI's product page, its dealers and this listing publish 1998-2002 because that is the range where the part is a stock replacement. UMI adds that when swapping an LS engine in to a 1993-1997 LT car the steering rack must be swapped to a 1998-2002 version, which is why the earlier cars are treated as a swap case rather than a listed application.

Not as a bolt-in. It is an LS mount K-member, and UMI's guidance is that a 1993-1997 car being converted to LS also needs the 1998-2002 steering rack. Treat it as part of a swap project, not a direct replacement, and confirm your rack and accessory clearances before ordering.

UMI's sheet specifies 110 ft-lb on all six K-member to frame bolts. That is the only torque figure UMI publishes for this part, and no other figure from any other UMI sheet should be substituted.

Both. The sheet uses the two factory bolts plus the four supplied M12-1.75 x 40 mm bolts, which thread into four cylinders welded into the K-member. The two supplied washers go between the K-member and the chassis at the rear-most mounts.

No. The box holds the K-member, two washers and four bolts. The engine mount stands are welded into the K-member, but the mounts themselves, the A-arms, shocks and rack all transfer over from your car.

UMI publishes 25 lb off the front of the car for the K-member alone and 33 lb when it is combined with UMI tubular lower A-arms. No overall part weight is published.

UMI lowers the rear main cross tube specifically for oil pan protection and describes the design as offering clearance, but publishes no header, turbo or pan part compatibility list. Check your specific pan and header combination before ordering.

Yes. UMI states this K-member does not work with the UMI 2335 control arm mount. That is the only published incompatibility.

The A-arm slots are lengthened to give more adjustment than the factory K-member allows, so an alignment is required after installation. UMI publishes no target alignment specification for the part, so use your chosen alignment settings for the car.

They are two different documents. UMI's policies page publishes a two year limited warranty to the original purchaser against defects in materials and workmanship, with exclusions for normal wear on bushings and bearings, improper installation, alteration and exceeding the design limits of the part. The disclaimer printed on UMI's installation sheets is narrower and says parts are warranted to be free of defect at the time of purchase, with remedy limited to replacement. Read the policies page as the customer facing warranty and the sheet as the in-box legal notice. Neither one is a Black Ops Auto Works warranty.

Installation Instructions

1. Support the vehicle on a lift and remove the front tires, or use jack stands under the front subframe with the suspension hanging freely.
2. Loosen and remove both upper ball joints from the spindles.
3. Apply slight pressure to the bottom of the oil pan with a wooden block and a hoist jack, then loosen but do not remove the two motor mount bolts.
4. With the hoist supporting the engine, remove all six K-member to frame bolts, then remove both front brake lines from the ABS unit.
5. Lower the motor slightly, remove the two motor mount bolts, and remove the factory K-member with the A-arms, shocks and rack still attached.
6. Install the two motor mounts on the new K-member first, and place the two supplied washers between the K-member and the chassis at the rear-most mounts.
7. Raise the K-member into place and start the two factory bolts plus the four supplied bolts, which thread into the four cylinders welded to the K-member.
8. Torque all six K-member bolts to 110 ft-lb.
9. Tighten both motor mount bolts, transfer the brake lines, and zip-tie the front brake lines to the power steering rack.
10. Transfer the front suspension from the factory K-member to the UMI K-member and align the car before driving it.

The steps above condense UMI's own installation sheet for part 2320. The same sheet carries UMI's in-box disclaimer, which states that all parts are warranted to be free of defect at the time of purchase, disclaims other express and implied warranties, and limits remedy to replacement of parts.