Sub-Frame Connectors.... Your Opinion

[firefighter3931]

if you put in the us cartool subframe connectors, would you have to pull the seats and carpet for fear of lighting them on fire when welding from the botton?

Ummmmmmmmm....YES !  

Ron

Ps. I was at a bodyshop fire recently....you guessed it, the owner was welding on the underside of a van and lit it up pretty good. The fire extended to 3 other vehicles and roasted them too as well as taking out all his paint supplies and spray booth. The inside of the shop was gutted and it was pretty wild when we pulled up. Paint, thinners, clearcoat all likes to burn.....major fuel for a fire ! If you're doing any welding on the underside remove the carpeting and drop the gas tank/drain the lines....don't take any chances.

[skip68]

  I'm doing my 68. My buddy just bought a wirefeed welder about a month ago to learn how to do his own welds. He started to patch his floorpans and cought fire. Guess what's under the car on the bottom side??? YEP! he didn't clean the oils, tranny, and whatever fluids off the bottom of the car. No big deal, he was able to put it out quickly but could have been bad and scared the hell out of him Chuck........................

[CFMopar]

That happend to me to.. I just kept welding

[haueter66]

So, anyone have them just bolted in?  I would prefer this approach if it will work, let me know what you guys think.

[CFMopar]

Dont. It dosnt make much of a difference bolting them in. To get the real benifits they need to be welded. Its no big deal you cant see it till you go under.

[haueter66]

im not worried about looks... it would just be more convenient for me to bolt in thats all

[ChargerZach]

I had Magnum Force www.magnumracing.com fabricate a set for my '73. Actually, my '73 was the basis for the jig they made for all their future '73 sub-frame connectors. The connections used are bolted (rear) and welded (spot through a few of the front mounting holes). I've attached a few photos of the beasties. Good guys.

Dan

Hey Dan. I'm thinking of getting a set of these for my '73 and have a few questions. Did you have to cut into the floorpan at all? How do they fit around the t-bar crossmember(my biggest concern)? Did you lose any/much ground clearance by putting them in? How much difference do they really make? What kind of difference would I feel by installing them(less body roll / more responsive road feel / etc.)? Do you think I could replicate them from steel tubing very easy? $250 sounds kind of steep.

Thanks,
Zach

[Rolling_Thunder]

DO it man...   My cost was actually free...  i had some thick walled 2x3" tubing laying around so i cut and welded them in....       

[68mmcharger]

How does the emergency brake cable route with sub-frame connectors? Over the top with rubber hose sleeve or what?

[tan top]

off set slots cut into the driver side box section  

  picture from   Automotive rust technology     www.autorust.com  .  i have fitted  these connectors & torque boxes  from these guys to mine .... awesome stuff only minor trimming to fit

[68mmcharger]

Tan - Thanks for the picture.

I was looking at the laser cut connectors that match the floor contours like US Tool sells. Any one have a picture of the cable routing on these?

[tan top]

yeah i know the ones you mean  now    , probably the same sort of set up for the cable     
   a  guy on here fitted that type to his 69 .. i believe he had pictures up on his web site . i think he goes by then name of -- 69green R/T SE..  or something he lives in Finland.

[bill440rt]

I picked up the bolt-on MP ones from Mancini Racing for my '69. They did not recommend notching them out for the parking brake cable, they just told me to route the cable over it. They said the notching may weaken the bar.

The underside of my '69 project is painted, & I wanted to paint the connectors nice to match. So, to install them I ended up grinding the inside mating flanges of the subframe connectors. I also marked on the car where the subframe connectors would meet, & ground those areas to bare metal, too.

I ended up installing them with a combination of bolting them on, and using panel-bond adhesive. The adhesive is supposed to be as strong, or stronger, than weld. If anything, they will at least be stronger than if I had just bolted them in alone. And, I didn't disrupt the freshly painted undercarriage.

[rare69]

the guys doing the body work on my car used competition enginering bolt on connectors and just welded them in, no cutting or fabrication at all, they look really good, almost stock if you didn't know better.