Who installs their own subframe connectors?

[84ttopnotch]

geez, my garage floor isn't surgical level but its not off much either, i just drove up on ramps in the front, jacked up the rear an put a jack stand under each side of the rear axle an welded them in. no problems at all. my tires an 20 year old springs sagging an worn isolators were probably off more than the garage floor. i think your making more of this than you need to (unless your building a nascar quality chassis.

[Zap's 85 GT]

If anyone can show me the difference in a level floor install vs a regular driveway install. Ill be a believer. It makes no difference. I've installed seven sets over the years in friends and my own cars. Its not rocket science.

[Supersonic G.T.350]

O.k. I know that this thread has kinda died off but if some of you guys can post pics of some full length sfc's for the tucking up next to the floor I'd be very appreciative.

James

[83t-topp]

O.k. I know that this thread has kinda died off but if some of you guys can post pics of some full length sfc's for the tucking up next to the floor I'd be very appreciative.

James

+1 on the pics and what are people using when they make they're own? from pics Ive seen mostly it's square tubing, just wondering.

[aidanfancystang]

+1 on the pics and what are people using when they make they're own? from pics Ive seen mostly it's square tubing, just wondering.

2x1 tubing .125" wall thickness 48" long and use a torch to heat the areas were you need
bend to clear the floor pans.

[Moving_Target]

http://www.oldwestracing.com/articles/subconn/subs.htm

[gdniel]

my connectors are approx 60" long. I'll get some pics tomorrow.

[smokin' 89]

QUOTE=aidanfancystang;597216]2x1 tubing .125" wall thickness 48" long and use a torch to heat the areas were you need
bend to clear the floor pans.[/QUOTE]

All of this discussion on leveling, and where to support the car has benn great....But no one has even mentioned what type of wire one should use to weld the SFC's onto the car with...

When you are welding on a Foxbody chassis you should use ER70S wire of the appropriate size that fits your mig welder.

I did my subframes in the garage, with my car supported with jackstands under the rear, and car ramps under the front wheels. I checked the level at the pinch weld under the door. I used a level across the front fenders with the hood up. It was pretty much on the money without any shimming.

I made my own SFC's out of TR2" x 1-1/2" x .125 Thk. The entire job start to finish took me about four hours to get the car preped/welded/and painted with POR-15. Now, I took my time and did staggered stich welds. For those that dont know welding "Lingo"...That means all of my welds are no longer than three inches long. I strated at the front DS SFC and welded 3"....then I rolled over and welded 3" on the front PS SFC...then repositioned to the rear DS end of the SFC and welded 3"...then repositioned to the PS SFC rear end and welded 3"....etc, etc.... Think of the pattern you use to torque down a cylinder head. You just dont start at the front of the head and tighten the bolts straight across. By staggering the welds you prevent excessive heat from being localized in one section of the frame. Which can do damage. It was a big pain in butt to do it this way...but it will give you better results.

Oh, and as far as using a torch to bend your homemade SFC's to match the contour of your floor...when you heat the steel red hot to make the bends...you have greatly reduced the strength out of the steel at that point. The SFC's should be cold formed not hot formed. I made a bending die for square tubing myself that will work in one of those cheap hyrdaulic benders that you can pick up at any swapmeet for around $100.

[wgt500]

I can tell you that you don't effect the strength, (allowable bending or tensile) of hot rolled 1020 mild stl by heating it up to cherry red and bending it unless you quench it in water quickly after you make the bend. At that point you might change the micro stricture from pearlite to martensite, depending on how fast you quench it, which is very hard and brittle requiring a prosess called tempering to restore the toughness. Raising the temp above the critical temp, cherry red and cooling the steel in air actually reduces the grain size and tends to make it stronger. Hot rolled 1020 mild stl. is not really considered a heat treatable steel with only .2% carbon as the alloying element. This is why it is used so widely for fabricating and welding. Not requiring any preheat or post heat to keep from altering the microstructure.Remember when you bend steel you tear the grains and actually make for a finer grain size, thus increasing the strength of the steel. Try bending a paper clip in the same spot several times and you will notice that it actually gets harder to bend way before it breaks. this is because you have created a smaller grain structure which is stronger.

[ricko302]

Why use hot rolled steel when you can use cold rolled?
Cold rolled 1018-1020 steel has a much higher tensile strength and hardness.

[wgt500]

ricko, If you buy rectangular tubing, it will probably be cold rolled. It won't be much harder, but it will have a higher yield strength. Ultimate tensile strength will be about 10-15% greater than hot rolled. I just used hot rolled in my above post as an example since about 80% of what we fabricate is hot rolled. You make a good point.