Hello, I was wondering if anyone can give me a few pointers on removing the K-member on a 96 Cobra. I was wondering if you have to compress the springs and take them out first?? Or can you leave them in the A- arms and if you do leave them in the A-arms do you just take off the struts??(the springs won't fly out if I take the struts off will they? What about the steering rack? Do I leave it bolted up to the k-member and just disconnect the lines? If so, how many lines are there and where do I remove them? Also what I really need to know if anyone has and good ideas on how to support the engine in the car while I drop the k-member? Is there anything else that needs to come off, rotors, ect???? Basically I'm trying to remove the oil pan, so I guess the K-mmember has to come out correct? Please any help, any help that anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated!!!
Please help removing K-Member.
- Thread starter 93CobraR
- Start date
blackink00
I missed a shift & stole Curt's money.
www.fnsweet.com they have a write up on how to do a header install. just do all the steps except the header part
mity2
I like Pro3 and all I got was this crappy CT.
our car does not have true strut on front. U disconnect shocks(and few other small things like end link and such), ur A arm can be lowered enough to remove spring without conpressor. Shock can be left on car side.
Steering rack is attatched to K-mamber. U can remove K with it on, if you disconnect rack from hydrolics, or remove 2 bolts, disconnect steering linkage, and hang rack on sway bar with wire or something.
Now, engine can be left in place with no support - did that by an accident when i did the trans, and i had a leak on my floor jack. as long as your trans mount is good, then engine would be hold up by trans. DON'T DO THIS. Its huge stress on aluminum belhousing as you can imagine.
I used jack and 2x4 under oil pan to support engine. But since your trying to remove oil pan, thats not gonna work. U'll need thing shop use - it support engine in place from top - it rest on shock tower while engine is hanging from it. donno whats it called tho.
Steering rack is attatched to K-mamber. U can remove K with it on, if you disconnect rack from hydrolics, or remove 2 bolts, disconnect steering linkage, and hang rack on sway bar with wire or something.
Now, engine can be left in place with no support - did that by an accident when i did the trans, and i had a leak on my floor jack. as long as your trans mount is good, then engine would be hold up by trans. DON'T DO THIS. Its huge stress on aluminum belhousing as you can imagine.
I used jack and 2x4 under oil pan to support engine. But since your trying to remove oil pan, thats not gonna work. U'll need thing shop use - it support engine in place from top - it rest on shock tower while engine is hanging from it. donno whats it called tho.
forum155pl
New Member
just drill a hole in the a arm twards the end of it and drill another hole in the k member on the flat part by where it bolts to the car and bolt 2 pieces of chain to it... i have done it twice and it works like a charm... but i was installing k members so i dont know if you would mind drilling holes in your k-member that your re using... works good tho...
unbolt the steering rack and then zip tie it to the sway bar that way you dont have to take any lines off....
also (damn i'm writing alot) i changed my pan by unbolting the motor mounts and then jacking the engine up and putting 2 2X4's between the STOCK (dont do it on tubular) headers then i was able to fight the pan off without too much cussing.... i'm not sure if the cobra would be the same story tho... worth a shot..
unbolt the steering rack and then zip tie it to the sway bar that way you dont have to take any lines off....
also (damn i'm writing alot) i changed my pan by unbolting the motor mounts and then jacking the engine up and putting 2 2X4's between the STOCK (dont do it on tubular) headers then i was able to fight the pan off without too much cussing.... i'm not sure if the cobra would be the same story tho... worth a shot..
forum155pl
New Member
missed a part... i put 4X4's in between the headers and the k member, there is a nice little spot for them to fit there....
DTMach1
New Member
K-member removal...
I rented an engine support beam that goes across the top of the engine compartment. After the cross beam was in place and secure I took the nuts off the engine mounts and raised the motor a couple inches via the support beam.
since you're just removing the K-member to do the oil pan, you can leave the top strut nut on and only have to remove the two bolts on the steering knuckle.
All you should have to do is put a jack under your a-arm, raise it a tad, then remove your tie-rod end from the ball joint, remove your brake caliper and rotor(secure caliper out of the way), disconnect your sway bar end-links(do both sides at the same time), then remove the two strut bolts that go through the steering knuckle. Don't forget to remove your ABS sensor as well. Now SLOWLY lower your jack, as its slowly lowering you should be able to push the strut out of the way. As the A-arm comes down the spring will decompress. Once its all the way down you'll need a pry-bar or something similar to pull the spring out of the way.
Do the same for both sides.
For the steering rack, simply remove the pinch bolt in your steering shaft and disconnect it. Then remove the two bolts for your steering rack. There will be enough play to pull your steering rack forward and zip strip it to your sway bar. Just make sure its a good ways forward of the k-member.
Now, take a good look around, make sure you disconnected everything, you should see your calipers hanging secured, your struts should just be hanging from the strut tower, your ABS sensor should be hanging, and your steering rack should be all the way forward.
Once you're satisified that nothing will catch, place a jack under the K-member and remove the bolts...IIRC there are 8.
EDIT: the engine support beam is usually used in FWD vehicles to remove the trans, so the place you're renting it from may need that info if they're confused!
I rented an engine support beam that goes across the top of the engine compartment. After the cross beam was in place and secure I took the nuts off the engine mounts and raised the motor a couple inches via the support beam.
since you're just removing the K-member to do the oil pan, you can leave the top strut nut on and only have to remove the two bolts on the steering knuckle.
All you should have to do is put a jack under your a-arm, raise it a tad, then remove your tie-rod end from the ball joint, remove your brake caliper and rotor(secure caliper out of the way), disconnect your sway bar end-links(do both sides at the same time), then remove the two strut bolts that go through the steering knuckle. Don't forget to remove your ABS sensor as well. Now SLOWLY lower your jack, as its slowly lowering you should be able to push the strut out of the way. As the A-arm comes down the spring will decompress. Once its all the way down you'll need a pry-bar or something similar to pull the spring out of the way.
Do the same for both sides.
For the steering rack, simply remove the pinch bolt in your steering shaft and disconnect it. Then remove the two bolts for your steering rack. There will be enough play to pull your steering rack forward and zip strip it to your sway bar. Just make sure its a good ways forward of the k-member.
Now, take a good look around, make sure you disconnected everything, you should see your calipers hanging secured, your struts should just be hanging from the strut tower, your ABS sensor should be hanging, and your steering rack should be all the way forward.
Once you're satisified that nothing will catch, place a jack under the K-member and remove the bolts...IIRC there are 8.
EDIT: the engine support beam is usually used in FWD vehicles to remove the trans, so the place you're renting it from may need that info if they're confused!
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