Identify a K-Member

Hey guys!

Ok, I bought a K-Member from my local salvage yard and although it looks the same, it has a (somewhat) major difference in the steering gear mounting.

On my existing K-Member on my 1966 Dodge Coronet 440, there are nuts welded in such a way, that the 3 bolts can easily mount the steering gear to the K-Member.

On the one I just picked up, there are no nuts. In fact, one of the three bolts (the one closest to the driver's side door) is just sticking out of the mounting hole with no way to get a wrench behind it to keep it from turning.

Is this typical or just an odd-ball K-Member?

Any suggestions?

I was told it was from a 1969 Coronet (but I have my doubts).

See first pix for a TYPICAL K-Member with welded nuts for mounting the steering gear.

The second pix shows the one I bought.

The third pix shows the problem area.

Thanks!

Tim...

Yeah that is a problem. Someone must have punch the weld nuts out of the K frame for some reason. I think that ruins the K frame but you might be able to salvage it if you have a lot of skill and patience. The idler mount looks like the early stud mount so I don't think that is a '69 model. Might be a '66 or '67. Do you want an early K with the single stud? I might have a good one sitting in the attic.

What about drilling a hole in the back so you can slide a socket on the bolt.
Once you get the box mounted you'll most likely never touch it again .

Thanks, AndyF.

I'll keep that in mind (that you have one sitting in the attic) as a last resort.

I was thinking I could make a thick rectangular plate that will fit behind the two vertical bolts on the right side. There appears to be enuf room for that. Then tack weld nuts to the plate.

The single bolt on the left side might need some additional thought. Perhaps tack welding the bolt near the bottom?

Now there is a thought!

Thanks, BDW!

You might be right!

I should be able to drill a hole behind the bolt.

Can't imagine how someone got a bolt there, in the first place!

The problem with using a through bolt and nut to replace the missing weld nuts is that the factory nuts are very heavy duty thick nuts and are used to locate the steering box and take shear loads from the steering forces.
The nuts are typically big square nuts with lots of material on them, but the top of the nut is a cylinder that is a close tolerance fit into the holes in the K member. This restrains the nut from moving sideways. If you put a bolt through the now empty K frame hole, no matter how much you tightened a bolt and nut to clamp the steering box, the K frame hole is much larger than the bolt you would use. Aside from the fact that you now have extra work trying to align the box properly, the operating loads would overcome the clamping friction between the steering gearbox and the K frame. The box would move around and make driving exciting.
Andy is right, it might possibly be fixed, depending upon what other issues there are that can't be seen here. But, unless it is some rare valuable K member (which is unlikely if you got it from a wrecking yard) I would trash it and buy another K member.
Robert

Thanks, rftroy!

What you say makes a lot of sense.

And even my Wife thought it was a bad decision to use the salvage yard K-Member.

She threatened that if I use it, she probably won't ride with me...

For the sake of my 30 year marriage, looks like it may be better to junk it.

Anybody need a good boat anchor?

What is wrong with your original k-member?

If that were mine I would make up a jig to locate the gear mount (not that exact location is extremely critical) and cut the one off your old k-member to replace on the new one. Or, I would fix whatever is wrong with your old one.

Hey Jim...

The problem with my existing K-Member is that it has a bend in the middle.

Not too bad, but according to my mechanic, bad enough to affect my tire wear over time.

I tried to get the front end aligned, and the mechanic said that he couldn't do much with it.

It appears that the previous owner ran over a water inspection lead pipe and then to make matters worse, slammed it in reverse and backed over the same pipe.

The mechanic said that I could do some tweaking to the other parts of the suspension and that might help.

I have everything else in the front-end removed and being updated at the moment.

So I figured this might be a good time to swap out the K-member, since it is only holding up the engine.

Good suggestions, but I'd like to see if I can do a replacement first.

Thanks!

Tim...

It would take a very noticeable tweak to the k-member to affect alignment as the LCA pins are very close to the frame. I've straightened an A-body k-member that was badly bent in an accident, but running over a pipe...I kind of doubt it, at least I'd have to see it. Before you spend any more money pull your k-member and compare it to the one you bought (check for square, flatness of the mounting ears, etc.). Post up some pics.

beware the the body may be bent so when you pull the k member it may be tuff to replace

Agreed.

Will do, when the weather gets better here in the middle of PA...

Pay a frame shop to mount you car by the pinch welds and measure the points. One other thing you can do it jack the car up and use a plumb bob to plot the rear axle points, and then the front ball joint center and see what the wheelbase is side to side. A little tweek at the strut rod hole would be the worse, I have seen k-members off 1" at the wheel from that part getting tweeked.

Cant you knock the nuts out of your old k frame & resecur /reuse them in the replacement frame.