Close



Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 26 to 35 of 35
  1. #26
    FEP Senior Member Sask84gt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Saskatchewan, Canada
    Posts
    814

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 99GTMichael View Post
    Is it binding on the tabs? As in, they're pinched in and maybe just need to be fitted?
    You mean the center tabs? No should not be. I've already spread them far enough and measured the width compared to the width of frame. Even if they were binding there you would figure jacking the car up right underneath to the point of lifting tires would force it to sit flush. Also just to be clear this is the same issue in both sides of car.
    Last edited by Sask84gt; 02-17-2020 at 01:25 PM.
    Mustangs
    84.5 Gt T-top
    85 Gt

  2. #27

    Default

    Put a light behind the subframe connector. This will enable you to see where there is clearance between it and the body and therefore where it is hitting.
    Jack Hidley
    Maximum Motorsports Tech Support

  3. #28
    FEP Senior Member Sask84gt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Saskatchewan, Canada
    Posts
    814

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Hidley View Post
    Put a light behind the subframe connector. This will enable you to see where there is clearance between it and the body and therefore where it is hitting.
    Ok so doing that the only place where its touching is right at front tabs. Looks like its factory though. You can see where subframe seems to dip down.
    Passenger side
    Attachment 131315
    Drivers
    Attachment 131316
    Mustangs
    84.5 Gt T-top
    85 Gt

  4. #29

    Default

    The dropped section in the front frame rail is not factory.

    I would install the subframe connectors as is, given that the bottom of your frame rails are not flat. You will need to cut out some 0.10" thick strips to cover the sides of the gap. Weld these strips to the sides of the frame rail and to the sides of the subframe connector. Don't take the welder and try to fill a 1/4" gap. This will put massive amounts of heat into the joint which will create other problems.
    Jack Hidley
    Maximum Motorsports Tech Support

  5. #30
    FEP Senior Member Sask84gt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Saskatchewan, Canada
    Posts
    814

    Default

    So what would have caused that? And can I just grind it down a bit so it sits closer?
    Mustangs
    84.5 Gt T-top
    85 Gt

  6. #31

    Default

    This is a good example of a Ford "non toleranced area". By this I mean that since nothing attaches to the bottom of the front frame rail and there is nothing for it to hit, the tolerances on the shape of it on the bottom are going to be huge. Given how many Fox cars were produced, I'm sure that the stamping dies for the front frame rails have been retooled several times. Each of these tools could have a different shape as the vendor wanted to change the shape slightly or Ford requested changes. I've never seen the particular shape on your car, it doesn't mean that it isn't factory.

    Do not grind on the bottom. The metal is thin. You can use a large hammer to hit straight up. As you do this, the walls of the frame rail will bulge outwards. Make sure to hit mostly directly under each wall. Only hit in the middle after the sides are at the height that you need.
    Jack Hidley
    Maximum Motorsports Tech Support

  7. #32
    FEP Senior Member Sask84gt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Saskatchewan, Canada
    Posts
    814

    Default

    Ok, thanks is for all your help Jack its appreciated. I will try hammering the bottom a bit and see what happens.
    Mustangs
    84.5 Gt T-top
    85 Gt

  8. #33
    FEP Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    South Central Ohio
    Posts
    111

    Default

    I was working on my front end this evening, here's a couple pictures of mine. You can see daylight between the subframe connector and the frame in some spots, but where the plates are at, it's sitting flat. Also, you can see the Competition Engineering plate in the rear. This allowed me to keep the front two points tight, and fill in the gap at the rear.

    Name:  IMG_1355.jpg
Views: 107
Size:  178.0 KBName:  IMG_1356.jpg
Views: 105
Size:  197.0 KB

  9. #34
    FEP Senior Member Sask84gt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Saskatchewan, Canada
    Posts
    814

    Default

    So after hammering the front dip out they sit much closer in the front. Sitting perfect on the back but still seems to be 1/16th to a 1/8th off the subframe at the middle. A lot better than they were but still not perfect which I guess is par for the course with these cars. Will how they sit now be fine?
    Drivers front
    Attachment 131351
    Drivers middle
    Attachment 131352
    Passenger front
    Attachment 131353
    Passenger middle
    Attachment 131354
    Also have a question. If I use Jack's to press the subframe up thus raising the suspension a bit will the car settle back once the Jack's are taken out? Just want to avoid car sitting higher on one side than the other.
    Mustangs
    84.5 Gt T-top
    85 Gt

  10. #35

    Default

    If you force the subframe connectors into place with a floor jack from below, there is no way that it will affect the overall ride height of the car. It may make two opposing corners slightly high and the opposite corners slightly lower. If the gap to the subframe connectors is 1/8", then the change in ride height would be about 1/10 of this.

    The bigger issue is that it will leave residual stress in the floorpan. You want to minimize this.
    Jack Hidley
    Maximum Motorsports Tech Support

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •