Subframe connectors...advice needed

[woody80z28]

I bought Alston's and had them welded at a shop before I bought my welder. If I had it to do over again I would have cut the floor up and gone with the DIY Rasmussen boxed tubing connectors. Cheaper and stronger.

 

[spoonLT1355]

Here are the PT Fbody subframe connectors, you MUST install the solid subframe bushings ( the PT Fbody units are GREAT)
I also have the G braces;

 

[Camaro1194]

Make sure that you get connectors that attach to the rear frame rails and NOT to the leaf spring perches.... such as Alston Racing SFC's.

I would think it would depend on the intended use of the car, for my street/strip car I am going to cut off the pieces that bolted to the spring perches and weld them to the raiils that connect the front and rear frames to help keep the sring mounts stabilized. I have seen more than one stock suspension bracket car with the torque boxes ripped out.

Mike

 

[Marks71BB]

I'll throw in my 2 cents on the subject.
1. I opted to not weld them to the subframe up front. I went with the GW pieces and they sandwich between the subframe and body bushing for a fairly rigid connection, and 2. I like the fact that the GW pieces go further back on the rear framerail.

 

[Rich 81 z28]

not to highjack but I was wondering if I could ask a question about installing these [i have the pt fbody ones] How do you all put them in and make sure the car is not twisted? I have a two post lift but wasn't sure if I should use it to put these in? should the car be flat on the ground, up on stands on the floor? should the suspension be loaded or unloaded? I just don't want to do it twice. or does it not really matter and I can run it up the lift and put them on.. Thanks for any advice

 

[woody80z28]

The suspension should be loaded when you install them.

 

[Cardinal]

Rich: the only good way to know if a vehicle is within factory specs it to put it on a frame machine. A Helm manual has the frame traming measurements in it and I suppose if you had a flat floor that you could tram it to find out if it were tweeked out of square. I suspect that traming it for a twist would be a futile effort though.

 

[Rich 81 z28]

thanks for the input.. I'm just little concerned about where the frame etc is at this point.. the floors were shot when i got the car, so the new floors have been welded in, I never removed the cross members when I did it, just the sheet metal one side at a time. the body bushings are shot. I have the new ones to put in but havent yet. right now the front clip, engine and trans are out and I've been working on sandblasting and painting under the car and getting ready to move to the firewall. I guess I should just wait for the connectors until it is all back together and do it right before I put the interior back in the car... I would hate to see what it would cost to put it on a frame machine...

thanks again

rich