Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: frank]
#2280051
04/01/17 01:00 AM
04/01/17 01:00 AM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,095 Valencia, España
NachoRT74
master
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master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,095
Valencia, España
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Car sitting on suspension? Then those who make the job on rotisserie?
Last edited by NachoRT74; 04/01/17 01:01 AM.
With a Charger born in Chrysler assembly plant in Valencia, Venezuela
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: Stanton]
#2280112
04/01/17 02:45 AM
04/01/17 02:45 AM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,233 fredericksburg,va
cudaman1969
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,233
fredericksburg,va
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The fit of the US CarTool connectors is PATHETIC. Slight grinding to fit ... forget it. Get out the plasma cutter !!!
I have no idea what they took the pattern off of but it must have been buckled in half when they did it. There are places with 3/4" gaps - and I'm not talking about small spots - on each side of each rail there's a spot about a foot long that needs trimming up to 3/4".
If I haven't done something with them by July they are going to be presented back to US Cartool at Carlisle !! That's where the 3/4 inch caulk comes into play. Never have liked the idea of the thin spot on the rear floor area, kinda defeats the purpose IMO, a full 3 inch all the way for me.
Last edited by cudaman1969; 04/01/17 02:48 AM.
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: lockjaw-express]
#2280178
04/01/17 09:59 AM
04/01/17 09:59 AM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,095 Valencia, España
NachoRT74
master
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master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,095
Valencia, España
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Natcho, if your car is already on a rotisserie, then sure you can always do it that way...most people like me add the connectors and boxes during restoration/mods, and can't afford a rotisserie restoration.
Mark
Me neither! But will be installed before assembly K member, axle, engine etc... still on jack stands . They will be regular tubes like the MP ones but will be tricky since is a 74 Charger ( isolated t bar cross member is in the middle ) so will be installed diagonally to sway this piece, just right at the front frame rail junction.
Last edited by NachoRT74; 04/01/17 10:03 AM.
With a Charger born in Chrysler assembly plant in Valencia, Venezuela
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: frank]
#2280257
04/01/17 12:08 PM
04/01/17 12:08 PM
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,859 Ontario, Canada
Stanton
Don't question me!
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Don't question me!
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,859
Ontario, Canada
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Mine were right on the money...only had a couple of 1/8" gaps. My front floor was replaced by AMD, so maybe US car tool used that as a pattern? I have an AMD floor section for one side, stock on the other. Even just lying on the shop floor the connector doesn't fit the pan worth a damn !
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: frank]
#2280307
04/01/17 01:01 PM
04/01/17 01:01 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,277 West Coast, USA
jbc426
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master
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I've installed two sets so far. I use a small bottle jack to hold the bars up against the floor with jack stands under the rear end and under the frame rails in front of the K-member.
Once I get them to with in 1/4" to 1/3 of an inch, I tack weld them in and massage the floor pan with a big rubber mallet to close up the gaps before welding. I also reversed the polarity on my Mig welder and started the stich welds on the connector and then the floor pan.
Once welded, I sealed the weld with 50 year, paintable roof flashing caulk.
1970 Plymouth 'Cuda #'s 440-6(block in storage)currently 493" 6 pack, Shaker, 5 speed Passon, 4.10's 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible 408 Magnum EFI with 4 speed automatic overdrive, 3800 stall lock-up converter and 4.30's (closest thing to an automatic 5 speed going)
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: lockjaw-express]
#2280385
04/01/17 03:13 PM
04/01/17 03:13 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,138 tucson az
frank
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,138
tucson az
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yes, sub-frame connectors first, then the boxes. Also, make sure the car is sitting on the suspension/tires at ride height.
Mark That's the way I wanted to do it. Thanks.
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: frank]
#2280479
04/01/17 06:35 PM
04/01/17 06:35 PM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA
Kern Dog
Striving for excellence
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Striving for excellence
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 18,493
Granite Bay CA
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The way I understand it, if the car is all together and someone wants to add these types of reinforcements, they need to be added with the car resting on its tires with the suspension under a load. If the car is suspended with tires hanging, everything sags a little bit. If you weld in connectors and torque boxes then, you may have affected the body gaps, front wheel alignment and drive shaft pinion angle. The cars on rotisseries have no engine/trans/suspension, axle, steering, so they will not be affected. The last car that I installed frame connectors was a 71 Road Runner. I used a 2 post lift to raise the car, then I placed tall jackstands under the rear axle and lower control arms to simulate a condition of the car being on its tires. The car had the same body gaps before and after.
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: Stanton]
#2280543
04/01/17 09:25 PM
04/01/17 09:25 PM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 4,664 Wichita
GY3
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master
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Wichita
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Personally I think that whole "sagging" thing is a myth. If its a rotten POS, yeah, it'll probably sag. Otherwise, I seriously have my doubts. But, hey, do it whichever way you feel confident. Have fun welding those in in the 10" space between the shop floor and the floor pan !! Maybe not sagging, but try to jack a car up by one corner! The car will flex to where you can't get the doors open! The ride of my '63 Dodge was substantially different after just having subframe connectors installed! I also noticed a difference with the recent 6 point rollbar addition.
'63 Dodge 330 11.19 @ 121 mph Pump gas, n/a, through the mufflers on street tires with 3.54's. 3,600 lbs. 10.01 @ 133mph with a 250 shot of nitrous an a splash of race gas. 1.36 60 ft. 3,700 lbs.
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: frank]
#2280568
04/01/17 10:14 PM
04/01/17 10:14 PM
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 562 Ohio
lockjaw-express
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 562
Ohio
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I welded the inside and bottom on my 4 post lift, then made some 2x12 plates to raise the tires off the floors by 8". That gave me plenty of space to finish the outside with my tig torch with finger tip control.
Granted, it is a a little tight, but not too bad.
If my frame rail connectors fit as bad as some have stated, I would have fit rectangular tubing, and cut a slot for welding to the floor.
I also bought the torque boxes from Resto Ricks on ebay, as per advice on Moparts...Yes, they are very nice, and are nicer than the the others that I have seen.
Mark
Last edited by lockjaw-express; 04/02/17 12:19 AM.
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: lockjaw-express]
#2281105
04/02/17 08:28 PM
04/02/17 08:28 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157 Mass
DAYCLONA
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157
Mass
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If my frame rail connectors fit as bad as some have stated, I would have fit rectangular tubing, and cut a slot for welding to the floor.
Mark
Thru the floor is the only true way to do them for maximum chassis rigidity, but most Mopar guys are "afraid" to cut the floor
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: frank]
#2281328
04/03/17 02:11 AM
04/03/17 02:11 AM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,233 fredericksburg,va
cudaman1969
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master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,233
fredericksburg,va
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When cutting the floor do what I did on the Duster, cut 1/2-3/4 inch less than the connector. Use the HF air duck pliers for doing seams, or just vise grips, bend up a lip to allow for connector to be fitted, don't have to be pretty. After connector is installed use a piece of angle iron, clamped to the connector underneath, peen the floor back to the connector, it'll be straight with the angle iron, then tack weld and hammer it down as you move along the cut. No gaps and easy to weld. I'll flip the car over tomorrow and tak some pics, just finished tiging the semi-cage today too.
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: MidPenMopar]
#2281367
04/03/17 08:05 AM
04/03/17 08:05 AM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 732 eastern,Ky
70RT Charger
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 732
eastern,Ky
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Here are my homemade subframe connectors on the 69 road runner. I like em. I also made my own several years ago before the US car tool ones came out. I didn't like what was offered on the market at the time so I used 2x3 tubular .120 thick steel.
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: frank]
#2281507
04/03/17 01:16 PM
04/03/17 01:16 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,823 Central Florida
larrymopar360
Stud Muffin
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Stud Muffin
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,823
Central Florida
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MidPenMopar and 70RT Charger: I wish I had your talent. That's the way to go; make your own. Yours look good. I need a set for my '89 Diplomat Police car with a 410 small block. Although it doesn't seem to flex I'd like to have them. Obviously nobody makes them for this car.
Facts are stubborn things.
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: frank]
#2281733
04/03/17 05:23 PM
04/03/17 05:23 PM
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,859 Ontario, Canada
Stanton
Don't question me!
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Don't question me!
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,859
Ontario, Canada
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But, they need paint. Otherwise the job looks half-done. That looks like undercoating or bed liner to me.
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Re: Sub Frame Connectors
[Re: dogdays]
#2282920
04/05/17 04:39 PM
04/05/17 04:39 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 732 eastern,Ky
70RT Charger
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 732
eastern,Ky
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I was talking about the pix from MidPenMopar. The installation looks very good, to me it just needs paint. And bedliner will do the trick too, nice reminder.
R. Yeah I kind of wished I would have painted mine.Nothing to hide I was just thinking about extra protection at the time.
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