Pics of Safety Cap / Auto Rust Technicians Front Frame Rails Installed

[joflaig]

When taking out the old motor and studying things we discovered just how bad the front frame rails were. So if you are curious, I've incuded some pics of what the Auto Rust Tech/Safety Cap sleeves look like installed. I was a bit torn about sleeving the rails, but it was that or find replacements, which would have been expensive and costly to intall (not that this was cheap!).

Obviously, the front frame will be a lot stronger now, but even with the stroker motor going in there shortly, am I really gaining anything in this respect?

[joflaig]

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[Mike DC]

 

A chain's only as strong as the weakest link. 


The frame flexes wherever it is weakest.  Once you stiffen something up enough to move the flex-point somewhere else, then it's a waste of effort to keep throwing more steel at that same point. 

[JimShine]

How well did they fit?

I installed a T-cap of theirs on my car. The cap is well built, but they made the weld beads on the inside of the cap so there is no way you can get the thing to fit flush on the original rail. Did they do this on these rails?

[joflaig]

How well did they fit?

I installed a T-cap of theirs on my car. The cap is well built, but they made the weld beads on the inside of the cap so there is no way you can get the thing to fit flush on the original rail. Did they do this on these rails?

Pretty darn good. You can hardly tell they are there, but then I know the guys at the shop took a lot of extra time to make it as perfect as possible. I don't know specifically if they ran into the bead issue, makes sense. If they did, they probably ground it down.

[JimShine]

Yeah, on the T-cap grinding wasn't an option as the bead was inside a corner with only a few inches of room beside it and tall walls surrounding it. It looks like it was done for cosmetic reasons, to keep the cap clean looking. Other than that it was a great part and I have confidence in its strength.