K-member Swap ???

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MR.7DUSTER3

MR.7DUSTER3

His money, My time
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Hey Guys,we Are Planning An Engine Swap From A Slant To A 360
We Have A 360 Engine And Trans--727 From A Challenger.this Is Going Into My Sons 73 Duster.how Difficult Is It To Change Out The K-member ? The Duster Is Already Set Up With The Bigger Rear End And I Beleive It Has The Thicker Torsion Bars Also.engine Is Complete Although We Will Be Going Through It Completely Be Fore The Swap.what Else Do We Need To Plan On.we Are Not In A Big Hurry And Want To Do It Right The First Time. I Know It Would Be Easier To Just Find A Car With Every Thing In It Already But A-bodies Are Hard To Come By In Southern California.any Help Would Greatly Be Appreciated!!!

Thanks, Bob,bryce
 
you will need headers too and you will be good to go prob shorten drive line.
good project.
 
Swaping a K-member is quite easy. Two nuts holding the lower control arms, three bolts holding the steering box, one bolt on the idler arm and four bolts holding the k-meber to the subframe and it drops out.

If you have one then go that way otherwise the conversion mounts mentioned are the way to go.
 
Just incase you didn't know;

The Challenger is an E body and the Duster is an A body.
The K-frames will not swap.
From the suggestion above, click here; http://www.engine-swaps.com/
I have done a /6 to 318 swap and a 318 - 400 swap. The kit works well and the instructions are clear and easy. You'll need a drill, measuring tape and maybe something better than a hack saw, like a saz-all. A grinder to clean up the ruff cut would be a good addition.
 
if you have a k-memberform a v-8 duster to swap in, it is a peice of cake.

-RPM
 
Just remember that the whole front suspension comes with the k-frame, so consider that if it needs a rebuild. Also, the best time to clean and detail everything would be when the k-frame and the suspension comes out.

To swap, you will need to
1. disconnect all brake, trans, fuels lines.
2. All wiring going to the engine.
3. remove the torsion bars.
4. remove the bumper.
5. undo the large bolts that hold the K to the chassis (body)
6. undo the front bumper
7. use an engine hoist to lift the front end by ataching a chain to the front bumper bolts.
8. roll out the engine and suspension. (some people use a mover's dolly onder the k-frame.
 
340mopar said:
I used the Trans-Dapt mounts they are half the money of the Schumaker mounts and bolt right in without having to mess with suspension, torsion bars etc. of changing the K-member.

here is a link to summit.
http://store.summitracing.com/partd...4294925130+400158+4294908078+115&autoview=sku

Chuck
Click to expand...
If you go that route, make sure you know what headers fit the mounts you get. I believe the schumaker mounts fit the TTI headers, I don't know whose headers fit the transdapt.
 
We were planning to get a K-member from a A-body,but alot of you guys mentioned that we could go Trans-Dapt or Schumaker adapters,I thought that adapters would only work with the 318 and that the 360 would be too much torque for adapters.
What do you think?? ?------Bob
 
Are the trans-dapt adapters able to use the spool mounts? I thought not.
 
flyboy01 said:
Just remember that the whole front suspension comes with the k-frame, so consider that if it needs a rebuild. Also, the best time to clean and detail everything would be when the k-frame and the suspension comes out.

To swap, you will need to
1. disconnect all brake, trans, fuels lines.
2. All wiring going to the engine.
3. remove the torsion bars.
4. remove the bumper.
5. undo the large bolts that hold the K to the chassis (body)
6. undo the front bumper
7. use an engine hoist to lift the front end by ataching a chain to the front bumper bolts.
8. roll out the engine and suspension. (some people use a mover's dolly onder the k-frame.
Click to expand...

When I did the slant 6 to 360 swap I swapped the k-member.
I did not have to touch the brakes.
I did not have to remove the torsion bars though I did remove the clip so they could slide back but they didn't come out of the sockets on the cross meber and stayed in the sockets on the lower control arm.
I did not touch the bumper.

As I stated above you only need to remove the nuts that holds the lower control arm to the k-member. I forgot to mention unbolting the strut rods. Un bolt the steering box and idler arm from the k-member. Un-bolt the k-member form the sub-frame. The suspension, and brakes are left hanging from the upper control arms which are bolted to the sub-frame.

I took about an hour to have the \6 k-member out and the v8 one in.
 
PICTURES OF K-FRAME SWAP.



db_20010903__3_1.jpg
 
Your picture is certainly a way to get the engine and tranny out of the car but is way over board if your only goal is to swap the k-member.
 
One of yous said that i would have to shorten my drive shaft,does that mean I can use the one off the 904 trns? Also we are putting a 727 trans in with the 360, what will we have to do for trans mount and linkage.Will our old stuff work?
 
The 727 tranny is longer than the 904 tranny so you will have to have the drive shaft that was used with the 904 shortened to fit. The same holds true with the rear end if you go from a 7.25 to a 8.25 or a 8.75 rear end each will require a different length drive shaft. I have had my drive shaft shortened twice, once for a tranny change an once for a rear end change. It cost about $60 to have it cut and balanced.

Not sure if there are any linkage issues with a 904 to 727 swap.
 
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