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Topic: Subframe connectors...... (Read 6800 times) previous topic - next topic

Subframe connectors......

Reply #15 –
Vinnie, what happened to the pics you promised, im looking to setup some sort of SFC, do you like what you gained with your under car? im using my cat for drag, not autox.....

Subframe connectors......

Reply #16 –
I have the Global West units under my 83 and it was a night and day difference. I drove it like that for years and then installed the Griggs uppers (through floor) and welded up the lower and upper control arm mounts. The car chassis is so stiff I can jack up one corner and the tires on the same side of the cars as the jack and the one across from it will all come off the floor with only the one diagonally across from it on the ground. If you jack up one corner where that tire comes off the ground the doors will open and close with zero issues.

The other nice thing is the ride quality improved. So no matter what method or brand of SFC you use (bought or garage fabricated) it is one of the best mods you can make on these cars.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Subframe connectors......

Reply #17 –
Personally through the floor is the only way to do it. Other than that my thoughts are battle boxes are a much better option. have a great day guys.
I spend money I don't have, To build  cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY!!

Subframe connectors......

Reply #18 –
Quote
TOM Renzo


What we do is cut the floor and tie the frame in to the upper trailing arms as they are the weak spot . Just me i am nuts. But we found that under car connectors do not do very much unless they are beefy and then they hang down to much. So installing them through the floor makes the best setup in my opinion. Through the floor is best but you need to do it on a frame machine. So this is not an option for most. JR does this on the frame machine to make sure things are lined up correctly. And make sure the spark machine has a full spool of wire. Just saying.

 The outside frame bars are cool as long as they do not have sharp bends. The ones in the post are cool. But the weak spot is the upper control arms. Battle boxes work very good also.

 Body Man do you install those bars on a lift or on the frame machine. Just curious. Jr claims doing it on the lift is not as good as on the machine. Can you confirm Thanks.


Tom, not sure how I didn't see this before. My thoughts on doing the install on the frame machine is that it makes it convenient but is not mandatory. Some set up is needed though, as long as the car is supported from the pinch weld on the rocker panels and is level front to back and side to side there should be no problems, nothing 4 jack stands and some shims can't do for you. Is a frame machine needed to keep everything lined up? I don't think so, just not enough metal being removed to structurally weaken the chassis. I have seen more metal, and more structural at that, removed and replaced for rust repairs without a thought of a frame machine.

I leveled mine up on the lift and welded them in.

Subframe connectors......

Reply #19 –
Jr is hell bent on the frame machine to do things like this. He tells me that a lot of shops for example will cut off both quarters at the same time and that a NO NO. I am not a body guy but listen to JR. years back i would level the car on stands and spark away. Jr claims that is not the preferred way as gaps can increase and so on and so forth. I always used to do them level absent of a frame machine in the old days. thanks and have a great day
I spend money I don't have, To build  cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY!!

Subframe connectors......

Reply #20 –
I took my Bird to a body shop and had them put it on a frame machine before the subframe connectors were installed.  It was out by a little bit but not much and they got it squared up.  My buddy welded in the Global West units at his exhaust shop on the drive on lift so the chassis was loaded when they were welded in.  The Griggs uppers were welded in a few years later but with the lowers in place cutting the floor pan to get them installed was not something I was worried about.  You are not actually cutting into the front or rear subframes but you are removing metal that has load on it.  Its not a huge deal as the amount of metal you remove to do the uppers is minimal but when it comes to a unibody car everyone freaks out and for the most part rightfully so.

I would strongly recommend that a car be put on a frame machine and at least checked as these cars are older and frankly were not built to the tightest standards.  Anyone who has turned wrenches on a few of the Fox cars (Birds, Cougars, Mustangs, Marks) will tell you that the tolerances were all over the place.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Subframe connectors......

Reply #21 –
Aerocoupe, you said youve got the Global west sfc's? These?

http://www.globalwest.net/1980-88thunderbird.html
1986 Ford Thunderchicken, 5.0 AOD w/ Shift kit,  354,XXX miles. 1-Family owned. Original engine+trans.
8.8 Disc Rear w/ 3.73 Posi. CHE Control Arms. '04 Cobra brakes all around. 2000 Cobra R wheels. Tubular front LCA's. MM Steering Shaft. Unlocked Speedo, Lowering springs, Eibach sway bars front and rear. Ram air intake.

Subframe connectors......

Reply #22 –
Yup.  You can see them here in this thread starting on Post #9:

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?31210

Look a the top of the second picture in that post and you will see some rectangles that are painted black, these are the through floor Griggs upper subframes.  Follow the front subframe on the car and you will see black spray paint where the uppers are welded into the channel of the front subframes.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Subframe connectors......

Reply #23 –
NICE! cuz I have noticed that sometimes when I put my car on jack stands, the doors kinda "pop" open
1986 Ford Thunderchicken, 5.0 AOD w/ Shift kit,  354,XXX miles. 1-Family owned. Original engine+trans.
8.8 Disc Rear w/ 3.73 Posi. CHE Control Arms. '04 Cobra brakes all around. 2000 Cobra R wheels. Tubular front LCA's. MM Steering Shaft. Unlocked Speedo, Lowering springs, Eibach sway bars front and rear. Ram air intake.

Subframe connectors......

Reply #24 –
One last question here, Can i weld in the SFC's with the car on jackstands? Cuz i dont wanna weld in the connectors with the two subframes "distorted" ya know? Maybe have it done on a drive-up rack so that the weight of car is still on the wheels
1986 Ford Thunderchicken, 5.0 AOD w/ Shift kit,  354,XXX miles. 1-Family owned. Original engine+trans.
8.8 Disc Rear w/ 3.73 Posi. CHE Control Arms. '04 Cobra brakes all around. 2000 Cobra R wheels. Tubular front LCA's. MM Steering Shaft. Unlocked Speedo, Lowering springs, Eibach sway bars front and rear. Ram air intake.

Subframe connectors......

Reply #25 –
Sorry for the long time to respond.  We put my car up on jack stands to weld them in as follows:  two under the rear end as far outboard as possible and two under the rotor hats on the front of the car.  This was in an attempt to load the suspension as closely to the car sitting on the ground as we could.  I put two more jack stands under the K-Member but not supporting any load (used shims) just in case we had an issue with the ones under the rotor hats.  We have done several cars this way and no issues at all.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Subframe connectors......

Reply #26 –
ohhhh, okay. That makes a lot of sense! Thanks
1986 Ford Thunderchicken, 5.0 AOD w/ Shift kit,  354,XXX miles. 1-Family owned. Original engine+trans.
8.8 Disc Rear w/ 3.73 Posi. CHE Control Arms. '04 Cobra brakes all around. 2000 Cobra R wheels. Tubular front LCA's. MM Steering Shaft. Unlocked Speedo, Lowering springs, Eibach sway bars front and rear. Ram air intake.