Guidelines for need of subframe connectors

[Belgium R/T -68]

Is there a general "role" for when you need to mount subframeconnectors, like torque value of your engine, racing or not etc?
If I should include it in my chargerproject now would be the time to do it.

[Finn]

Frame connectors and torque boxes are always a good idea but Ive read that if your making 400+lbs of tq they're strongly recommend...have to wait to have someone else confirm that though.
If your at the stage to put them in easily, there really isn't a down side to having them. Plus they aren't a big cost at all.

[terrible one]

Stump pulling torque aside, I think that subframe connectors are a great addition to these cars period. They eliminate a lot of body flex that happens not only from gunning it, but from going around turns, pulling into a steep driveway, etc. They will get rid of a lot of the creaking a popping you hear every once in a while and will make the car feel "tighter" because it will be! I agree with Finn, if you are where you can put them in, don't hesitate!

[Belgium R/T -68]

Any difference between welded and bolted?

[Ghoste]

Bolted move and flex even if slightly.  They do tighten the car overall but not as effectively as welded ones.  I've also been told that over time, the bolt in ones will begin to elongate the mounting holes and thus gradually allow more flex in them and make them less effective.

[The70RT]

Just search frame connectors and you will see all kinds of pics and references.

[towscum]

do those hemi brackets for the rear help at all.

[bordin34]

torque boxes?

[Mike DC]

 

It's hard to go wrong with weld-in frame connectors, as long as you don't hack up any factory metal on the car's underside to install them.  (Get a good set of connectors and you won't need to.)  Even a smaller-tubing set of connectors are much better than nothing, you don't need to put giant I-beams in there. 

With modern tire improvements, a lot of stick-shifted cars with stock tire sizes are capable of flexing the unibody on hard launches. These things are needed. 


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The "torque boxes" were basically the factory's convertible-model stiffening plates to make up for the lost roof support.  They put them onto hardtops with the Hemi (and some 440) stick shifted cars.

These things are a good idea for modern restorations too.  They really are useful in addition to a set of subframe connectors; it's not quite the same job being done by these two additions to the chassis. 

[daytonalo]

Use the US car tool sub-conn only , they weld in to floor as well as front and rear sub frame . From an engineering standpoint no other form of conn even comes close and when installed they look like the factory installed part of Sub-frame . As you can see in Photo, they look fastory

Larry

[towscum]

do they install over the original frame, or do you have to remove it before you install the new frame?

[daytonalo]

My point exactly , they look that good you cant see where the orig frame starts and stops . There are flanges front and rear that go over orig frame rails . It takes some time to fit these , you have to final fit/ grind to follow floor countour exactly then weld the full length


Larry

[Mike DC]

Yeah, those are great connectors.  Doesn't get any better in terms of fit & attachment.

Honestly I think it's a bit overkill with the whole length of the part zigzagging all over the place to stay in contact with the stock floor.  I think a regular piece of 1/8th-inch-thick box tubing would probably be just as good if you gave it the same large front & rear attaching areas like the US car tools connectors. 


Anyway, just get some good connectors, weld them on correctly, and that's enough meat for the area of the chassis between the F & R subframes.  If something like the USCT-style connectors aren't enough stiffness for your project then you need to start reinforcing other areas of the unibody.  (Go to torque boxes next.  And then to front framerail stuff from XV motorsports if you wanna go beyond that.  And then to a real rollcage . . . )

[4aThrill]

 daytonalo How did you route the parking cable, brake cables? did you make any holes in the subframe connectors or are you going over them like Ron has stated in other threads  got any pics with the cables on? 

[daytonalo]

No cables installed yet . I think they have a slot cut in them

[4aThrill]

 

[metallicareload99]

I have the U.S. Cartool subframe connectors on my car.  I believe that if you plan to make a good amount more power and torque than stock, and you are upgrading the suspension over stock, then frame connectors are a good idea.  I also went with the Auto Rust Technician's torque boxes.

Immediately I noticed the car was stiffer when I first sat in it.  When driving the first thing I noticed is that the car is less affected by ruts in the road.  Another thing is that sometimes, before the connectors were in, it felt less like I was driving a car, and more like herding a cloud of metal down the road.  Now the car feels much tighter.  Like one solid structure.  Going over train tracks really demonstrated the impovement in this area.  Before it felt like the rear half of the car was lagging behind the front half when going over the tracks.  Because my suspension is pretty worn, I don't think I'm taking full advantage of the frame reinforcement, but I will eventually.

The US Cartool connectors do not have a slot or any other provision for the parking brake cable as shipped.  The parking brake cable is just ran over the frame connector on my car.  Apperantly the shop that installed mine just disconnected the parking brake, put in the connector and then hooked the cable back up.  It's kinda hard to see in this photo, but it is the best I have right now.  The parking brake still works fine, but I'm sure I'm chaffing off the undercoating that was applied to the frameconnectors  The cable can be seen starting from the far left edge:


These are photos I got from our site, unfortunatly I don't remember what thread our who's car it is.  I hope they don't mind me posting them.  I think this is the best way to go, and I hope to modify mine similarly, first picture is of the front of the connector by where the brake line heads towards the rear of the car, rest are of the custom provision for the parking brake cable: