I was recently given the opportunity to jump on the train a little early and grab a good seat before it pulled into the station. Maximum Motorsports is finalizing the design of their latest masterpiece, a K-member designed to fit the 2005-2014 S197 chassis. I just installed one in my 2009 GT500 and have already accepted the fact that the grin on my face may indeed be permanent. I invite you to spend a few minutes staring and studying.
My name is Tob and I have a hardware addiction.
Yeah, and I'm not looking for a cure either. Pulling all of this from the neatly packed box it came in, one thing was clear to me in short order - a lot of thought went into this and it was going to take a bit of time to understand the reasoning behind the design. The beautifully designed/fabricated/finished tubular K-member holds nothing back. I
expected that. What I wasn't prepared for were the CNC machined billet aluminum blocks. I had never seen a photo of them nor were they specifically talked about. It took me a few minutes to realize what they were for.
It was the large radius that gave it away. And while I figured out how they were integral to the design I had yet to grasp the utility they offered.
I had planned for this install for some time now and one of the things I wanted to take advantage of during the swap was to install a set of the now deceased, FRPP GT500 shorty headers. So I had to figure out an order of operation as well as a means to get it done. Maximum helped out in this department in a
big way. They supplied a flanged tube assembly (as well as superb tech on the matter) that worked flawlessly with some beefy ratchet straps that I keep on hand.
Once the modular monster was safely restrained I was able to pull the factory K-member and suspension pieces with relative ease. I was able to do everything by myself (My Great Dane "Big V" was there just in case) either on my knees or on my back. The motorcycle jack I used made lowering the K-member a breeze.
I don't have any official specifications to report other than to say that design allows for a much stronger piece than the factory with increased room or clearance as well as much improved geometry.
The billet blocks. I hadn't identified the additional role(s) they were designed to fill until Chuck Schwynoch, the CEO at MM, pointed it out to me. The blocks (and the welded angle assemblies attached to them) were designed to allow the engine to be supported
independent of the K-member. Absolute genius. Talk about room for a header install or pan change/maintenance, etc. Like a pair of comfortable shoes or your best fitting jeans, the included hardware fit like a glove. The three loosely threaded bolts you see are for attaching the K-member.
With the engine fully supported I was able to install and square up the K-member like a gentleman.
Installed along with the K-member were MM's caster/camber plates as well as their bumpsteer kit. I used a Longacre c/c gauge and string lines for alignment and was on the road. I'm happy to report that there is zero increase in NVH and
I mean zero. I commented to Chuck that the car felt different in that it seemed to have lost the desire to plow off the road. It is clearly better than it was from a confidence perspective. I'm not finished with it yet and am trying to fine tune so that I can offer accurate and repeatable feedback to Maximum.
Some truly creative minds have created something truly revolutionary. Chuck, Luka, Jack, and everyone else at Maximum - please, keep up the good work!
Tob
