BMR K member & A arm install

[Hollowdweller]

About to go get a 30pk and throw firecrackers at this POS for the rest of the day! Went to mock up some turbo piping and instructions mentions piping around a-arms so I decide to mock those up 1st…sounds easy!! The bushing won’t slide into the k member bracket. I’ve tried hitting it in and driving a bolt I ground into a point in there. I can probably get the bolt drivin in there but getting it back out for good bolt might not happen. Hoping to find an install trick or 2!! BMR’s instructions actually skips the install part#7 lol…just isn’t my weekend!!

 

[skwerl]

Do you own a large adjustable wrench? Close it down to the thickness of the flange, slide it over the flange and bend it outward slightly. If you go slightly too far it's ok since you will draw it back together when you bolt up the A arm.

 

[ESP41]

looks like you are having trouble lining up the hole. One of these spud wrenches could work if you have room.
https://www.amazon.com/LICHAMP-12-I...efix=welding+adjustable+wrench,aps,115&sr=8-2

https://a.co/d/fyUxZO9

 

[msvela448]

Get a long bolt that will go through the holes and a couple washers and a couple nuts. Insert the bolt part way through one hole and start a washer and nut on the inside of the bracket. Keep threading until you're close to the other inside and put the other nut and washer on the bolt and keep threading. The goal is to have the washers and nuts against the INSIDE of the bracket so you can tighten one nut and loosen the other to force the bracket apart slightly. Repeat as necessary to get the A-arm to fit.

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[RocketcarX]

BMR is garbage. The last several k members I have installed from them were like this. Their jig is wrong. From here you can choose to spread the tabs then use the thru bolt the draw them back in once the arm is in.
I would return that garbage of go Maximum Motorsports. Feel free to reach out if I can help you line out your car or with parts. There are much better options than BMR

 

[skwerl]

It's been 10 years but I really liked my BMR parts, including a K member and A arms. They were considered among the top of the line back then.

 

[Hollowdweller]

Get a long bolt that will go through the holes and a couple washers and a couple nuts. Insert the bolt part way through one hole and start a washer and nut on the inside of the bracket. Keep threading until you're close to the other inside and put the other nut and washer on the bolt and keep threading. The goal is to have the washers and nuts against the INSIDE of the bracket so you can tighten one nut and loosen the other to force the bracket apart slightly. Repeat as necessary to get the A-arm to fit.

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This may not have been what you were talking about but it worked and THANKS!!

 

[msvela448]

That's exactly what I was trying to describe. Glad it worked.

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[RocketcarX]

Why would you be okay with having to seriously bend a structural element to install an aftermarket set up?
Do you know why BMR keeps redesigning their front control arms? Because they keep failing. Also the reason why no one else makes front lower control arms. The stock arms with a bushing upgrade are what you will find an all forms of legitimate road course motorsports.
If it was my money, I would want an explanation for what you just had to do to fit "bolt on" parts.

 

[Hollowdweller]

Why would you be okay with having to seriously bend a structural element to install an aftermarket set up?
Do you know why BMR keeps redesigning their front control arms? Because they keep failing. Also the reason why no one else makes front lower control arms. The stock arms with a bushing upgrade are what you will find an all forms of legitimate road course motorsports.
If it was my money, I would want an explanation for what you just had to do to fit "bolt on" parts.

I’m okay with it I guess bcz the effort to fix the issue seemed easier than contacting BMR, trying to get a refund on product I bought over a year ago, pulling the motor & tranny back out, shipping it back to BMR, buying a new k member, reinstalling it, motor, tranny & everything else back to where I have it now seemed alot harder! I guess I wouldnt blame someone if they called and complained, just have other things to do. I only had to seriously bend the structural element about 1mm, took 5mins!

If I had it to do over again I’d prob go with stock parts though. No more than I plan to do with it, stock parts would’ve been fine I think

 

[JC SSP]

This is all part of hot roding… modifying your car and parts. Good job getting it done.

 

[RocketcarX]

This is all part of hot roding… modifying your car and parts. Good job getting it done.

It certainly is not, that isn't a DOB blower kit you cobbled together. The K member is a structural part of the car that can cost your car in a failure. Look into their A arms failing in track use.

 

[skwerl]

When I got mine (back in 2012) BMR had just recently improved the design on the A arms with bigger gussets between the two tubes. This was due to some failures with the original design. I don't follow road racing but I haven't seen any reports of BMR A arm failures on this forum in the last 10 years. I'm not saying they can't fail, but I don't think it's a major issue for 99% of Mustang owners. I had my car set up for drag racing and the BMR K member and A arms knocked a ton of weight off my front end.

 

[RocketcarX]

When I got mine (back in 2012) BMR had just recently improved the design on the A arms with bigger gussets between the two tubes. This was due to some failures with the original design. I don't follow road racing but I haven't seen any reports of BMR A arm failures on this forum in the last 10 years. I'm not saying they can't fail, but I don't think it's a major issue for 99% of Mustang owners. I had my car set up for drag racing and the BMR K member and A arms knocked a ton of weight off my front end.

As someone who actively builds competing road course cars it is 100% a known issue. Jump on one of the forums related to that motorsport and it is well known. Hence why BMR only recently has come back to market with yet another redesign.
https://trackmustangsonline.com/threads/bmr-a-arm-failure-vir.18174/

 

[Pentalab]

I think it was Gerald, autoXracer, who also had the BMR -K-member shear off. In his pix he posted, it's like you put the tube in a bandsaw, it was that clean a shear off job. I was convinced the weld had sheared off, but he said it was a fraction of an inch in front of the weld. But this was 10 years ago.

 

[PK Khobdeh]

I used a belt sander to sand mine to fit. Here is a photo

 

[Aussie-Parnelli]

Yes BMR lower arms do fail, this was mine last year, when I contacted BMR they said they had never seen this before. Would not offer any form of warranty. I ordered 2 new ones which in fact when they arrived each weighed over 2lb heavier than older styles which tells me BMR did have a problem

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

Unless your original front control arms are badly rusted, I'd recommend refurbishing them with new urethane bushings, new ball joints, and a lick of paint after cleaning off the surface rust. The results will be rewarding at a fraction of the cost of new GT500 control arms plus shipping.