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Help Lowering K Frame 10mm

Ginger Beer

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Has anyone lowered the K Frame on a VX SS Commodore

I would like to drop it 5mm (ish) for bonnet clearance (HTV2300 with thermal spacers)

It "looks like" that all that would be required is 4 x 50mm x 5mm steel spacers i.e. washers

Lowered engine mounts are not an option as lowered Tuff Mounts are 13mm drop, but my headers and K Frame clearance is only 10mm

I rang Tuff Mounts and they suggested that lowering the K Frame would be my best option, as apposed to using a 5mm spacer under the mounts (Lowered tuff Mounts are $310 for the "not shiny" ones, custom mounts are over $1k)

I believe the K Frame procedure would be fairly simple if it's viable

1. Support engine

2. Lossen all 4 K frame bolts to required spacer thickness

3. Pull 1 bolt, place in spacer and fit "new" bolt, one corner at a time

4. Torque up

5. Wheel alignment

If you done this before, or had the K Frame out does this sound feasible?

The only issue I can see is the locators on the 2 "rear???" bolts not being long enough, although I'm sure I could find something with a bit longer of a "neck" in the correct grade at a "bolt shop"

Or, has anyone actually used spacers under a lowered engine mount before, I was going to tack weld a 5-6mm bit of flat bar the same size as the mount base on to give me the clearance I need for the headers and K Frame

Cheers for any help on getting this done
 

vc commodore

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Dropping one corner at a time on the k-frame seems feasible...If not, drop the front, slip the spacer under and bolt it up... Then the rear, put the spacer under and then bolt it up...Make sure you can support the engine if doing this

I have also put spacers under an engine mount before today as well...Unbolted the mount from the k-frame, jacked it up and slid the spacer under the mount and lowered it back down....IMA, it wasn't a commodore, but the principal would be the same

So to me, either option is viable
 

vc commodore

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EDIT, had a little think...Dropping the k-frame might create issues with the intermediate shaft and possibly the power steering lines....

The intermediate shaft doesn't have a lot of movement where it is connected to the rack, so dropping the k-frame may mean the intermediate shaft doesn't fit properly onto the rack...So if I were you, I'd check out how much area you have to play with where the intermediate shaft connects to the rack....

With that in mind, I'd probably be more inclined to go the engine mount spacer route....
 

Fu Manchu

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I think it will be fine. I was wondering this myself a while back to remove the swaybar on the Cross8.

Anyway, going back years ago, I had a Subi with a Lift kit. I added spacers in addition to the lift blocks on the K-frame with no issues. I know it’s not a Commodore but a huge change in K-frame height compared to your 5mm isn’t going to make any problems. I get the theories but the reality should be different.
 

Ginger Beer

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The K-frame was lowered using 5mm spacers

No issues at all

I also used lowered Tuff Mounts (13mm drop with a 5mm spacer = 8mm drop) to give me a total engine drop of 13mm, now everything fits under the bonnet with about 5mm clearance

Both the K-frame and lowered mounts were needed as a full 13mm drop from the mounts alone had clearance issues with my headers and K-frame
 
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