Do Not Buy Pro-fab Products
05-19-2005, 06:59 PM
#1
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 209
Bad Pro-fab Products
Hey there
Just wanted to issue a warning to all about my negative expereince with Pro-Fab. I bought one of their K members for my LT1 Z28, and the first one arrived with a 5 inch long crack in the motor mount pad and terrible welds. They stood behind the product, and rushed another to my door. This one had barely acceptable welds, so I installed it. Went to the alignment shop today, and the car can't be aligned because the K member isn't made to factory geometry. I'm 2 degrees of camber off on the left side because the K member is made wrong. I've owned this car since new, and it has never been wrecked. I am certain it is the K member, not the chassis. I had to cut off a locating pin that protruded at a 45 deg angle, and I now realize that's because the K member is a POS, and they angled the pin in an attempt to make it fit their own jig. I should have known then that it was a POS. Actually, I should have known on the first badly welded, cracked piece.
So basically, Pro-fab has fabulous prices because, IMO, they make crappy product. Use at your own risk. Bad geometry and bad welding, can't imagine a worse combination for chassis parts. I sincerely hope they go bankrupt soon. This sh*t is dangerous.
Oh well, it's not like I needed that $300. And I don't have anything else to do other than spend a weekend swapping K members. It's fun.
Anybody got a good deal on a BMR K member?
later
Just wanted to issue a warning to all about my negative expereince with Pro-Fab. I bought one of their K members for my LT1 Z28, and the first one arrived with a 5 inch long crack in the motor mount pad and terrible welds. They stood behind the product, and rushed another to my door. This one had barely acceptable welds, so I installed it. Went to the alignment shop today, and the car can't be aligned because the K member isn't made to factory geometry. I'm 2 degrees of camber off on the left side because the K member is made wrong. I've owned this car since new, and it has never been wrecked. I am certain it is the K member, not the chassis. I had to cut off a locating pin that protruded at a 45 deg angle, and I now realize that's because the K member is a POS, and they angled the pin in an attempt to make it fit their own jig. I should have known then that it was a POS. Actually, I should have known on the first badly welded, cracked piece.
So basically, Pro-fab has fabulous prices because, IMO, they make crappy product. Use at your own risk. Bad geometry and bad welding, can't imagine a worse combination for chassis parts. I sincerely hope they go bankrupt soon. This sh*t is dangerous.
Oh well, it's not like I needed that $300. And I don't have anything else to do other than spend a weekend swapping K members. It's fun.
Anybody got a good deal on a BMR K member?
later
Last edited by Deckstripes; 05-19-2005 at 09:54 PM.
05-20-2005, 05:06 PM
#4
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 209
Re: Do Not Buy Pro-fab Products
Ordered a PA racing K-member today, BMR won't fit with my SLP headers. Suprisingly, when I was calling around, I got on the phone with a supposed former Pro-fab associate, and said it was a daily parade of angry customers when he was there. I'm inclined to believe him.
The scary part is that Pro-fab makes A arms, and the G body crowd is snapping them up. Man, talk about dangerous. My first K member looked like somebody's first 5 minutes with a welder. A poorly welded static part is one thing, but a badly welded A arm? That's a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Like I said in the original post, just my own opinon. But I'm also a guy who's been hot rodding cars since 1985. Make my living as a aerospace foundry engineer, but I've engineered in weldment shops too. I share the blame 50-50. I knew better, but installed their junk anyway.
The scary part is that Pro-fab makes A arms, and the G body crowd is snapping them up. Man, talk about dangerous. My first K member looked like somebody's first 5 minutes with a welder. A poorly welded static part is one thing, but a badly welded A arm? That's a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Like I said in the original post, just my own opinon. But I'm also a guy who's been hot rodding cars since 1985. Make my living as a aerospace foundry engineer, but I've engineered in weldment shops too. I share the blame 50-50. I knew better, but installed their junk anyway.
05-20-2005, 06:16 PM
#5
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 669
Re: Do Not Buy Pro-fab Products
Deckstripes..please elaborate a little. The BMR K-member won't fit SLP headers...what hits? I was planning a new K-member down the road...way down the road, but would like to know if this is true or not, so I'll make a note to get the PA racing one.
05-21-2005, 07:39 AM
#6
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 209
Re: Do Not Buy Pro-fab Products
Originally Posted by WestCoast96Z28
Deckstripes..please elaborate a little. The BMR K-member won't fit SLP headers...what hits?.
They only make em without motor mounts (for motor plate) or with their improved driver's side engine mount. The improved mount intereferes with any exhaust that uses an OEM style flange on that side.
What I'm getting is designed to use the stock motor mount, which is bulky and heavy, but it fits. Wish I'd understood that up front, as my headers were installed with the K member. Might have made a different choice.
Good luck!
05-21-2005, 11:38 AM
#8
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Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: North Vancouver, BC
Posts: 4,305
Re: Do Not Buy Pro-fab Products
The PA K-member looks OK, not the best welds either I must say, I know I have one. But it seems that this is the only one that does not break around the crowd.
05-21-2005, 06:43 PM
#9
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Cortland NY
Posts: 964
Re: Do Not Buy Pro-fab Products
Seems strange, people seem to get stuff from pro-fab and are thrilled or totally pissed.
I bought a Kmember and A arms and they look great. Welds are very nice and everything looks beautiful.
Some guys on LS1 tech are running 8s with pro fab K-members and products, and supposedly the shop has gotten rid of the people who were doing the crappy work and turned things around.
Kinda disheartening to hear stuff like this thread tho.
I bought a Kmember and A arms and they look great. Welds are very nice and everything looks beautiful.
Some guys on LS1 tech are running 8s with pro fab K-members and products, and supposedly the shop has gotten rid of the people who were doing the crappy work and turned things around.
Kinda disheartening to hear stuff like this thread tho.
05-25-2005, 08:09 PM
#11
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: metro detroit
Posts: 544
Re: Do Not Buy Pro-fab Products
Mine bolted right up(after buying some shorter bolts), and I've been running it for 2 summers. Everytime I change my oil or get under my car for anything, I do a thorough inspection of the welds just to be sure.
05-25-2005, 08:39 PM
#12
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: New Orleans, LA
Posts: 1,418
Re: Do Not Buy Pro-fab Products
yea, im installing mine with my motor swap.. the company that is doing the swap said they use the k members all the time, and never had a problem with them....
but ill still post my results once its done....
-cory-
but ill still post my results once its done....
-cory-
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