Subframe conectors
- Thread starter 72demon96
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383Scampman
Well-Known Member
Make your own . 2" x 3" rectangle tubing With .060" wall . Get it from a steel supplier about $30 for a 20ft length
The "best" brand to buy depends entirely on how you plan on installing them and your (or your shop's) welding and fabrication capabilities.
The US Cartool weld to floor connectors look almost factory when installed. But, they require a TON of welding, some fitting, and are best installed on a car that's been stripped and put on a rotisserie IMHO. Otherwise you're doing a lot of welding, upside down, of dissimilar thickness metals on the bottom of a car. They also require re-routing of brake cables, fuel lines and brake lines depending on how you decide to run them around or through the connectors.
The Mopar Performance connectors are small, I think they're only 1.5"x2". But they're fairly inexpensive, and can be bolted in at home and then welded in at an exhaust shop. They're not the strongest option at all, but if you don't have a welder or fabrication skills they're a good way to stiffen the car up some without breaking the bank. And you can leave the fuel lines, brake lines, and brake cables pretty much in their original spots.
The Hotchkis connectors are beautiful, fit great, and are pretty easy to install. They're also expensive, and still require welding. But probably not any line or cable re-routing.
Or, you can just build your own. If you have some basic fabrication skills and can weld this is a great way to go. 2"x3" tube will not sit flush to the bottom of the frame though, so it will either hang down, or you have to notch the floor in the rear footwell area. 1.5"x3" tube slide over the rear frame rails, sits flush to the bottom of the rails and the floor, and works great. That's what I used on my Duster.
The US Cartool weld to floor connectors look almost factory when installed. But, they require a TON of welding, some fitting, and are best installed on a car that's been stripped and put on a rotisserie IMHO. Otherwise you're doing a lot of welding, upside down, of dissimilar thickness metals on the bottom of a car. They also require re-routing of brake cables, fuel lines and brake lines depending on how you decide to run them around or through the connectors.
The Mopar Performance connectors are small, I think they're only 1.5"x2". But they're fairly inexpensive, and can be bolted in at home and then welded in at an exhaust shop. They're not the strongest option at all, but if you don't have a welder or fabrication skills they're a good way to stiffen the car up some without breaking the bank. And you can leave the fuel lines, brake lines, and brake cables pretty much in their original spots.
The Hotchkis connectors are beautiful, fit great, and are pretty easy to install. They're also expensive, and still require welding. But probably not any line or cable re-routing.
Or, you can just build your own. If you have some basic fabrication skills and can weld this is a great way to go. 2"x3" tube will not sit flush to the bottom of the frame though, so it will either hang down, or you have to notch the floor in the rear footwell area. 1.5"x3" tube slide over the rear frame rails, sits flush to the bottom of the rails and the floor, and works great. That's what I used on my Duster.
Dusterdenovo
Contentedly Old School
My welding and fabrication skills suck but I still managed to make a set out of 1.5 x 3. Actually turned out great, and were dirt cheap as per above posts. I just got someone else to weld them into the car.
The 1.5 x 3 tubing allowed me to leave all the stock fuel, brake and E Brake lines unmolested.
The 1.5 x 3 tubing allowed me to leave all the stock fuel, brake and E Brake lines unmolested.
This....
Another one for making your own, I also used 1.5 x 3 x120 wall. They look very similar to Dusterdenovo sub frame connectors. I installed them last Monday on my 1969 Valiant. I was originally going to use 2x3 and read a previous post by 72bluNblu on using 1.5 x 3 tube and it worked out great.
doogievlg
Well-Known Member
How do you transport 20 foot long metal? Car trailer?
Dusterdenovo
Contentedly Old School
I had to buy a 24' piece; I just asked the guy to cut it into 3 - 8's.
Have to agree with alot of the posts,made my own a few weeks back and it was pretty simple. Used 50x80x2mm tubing. Metric sucks in this case 2x3 would have been a much better fit over the rear framerail but still simple and straight forward,the part that took the most time was gridning of old paint before welding.
Got a few pics taken during the creation so to speak.
Edit: Sweet did not know that this fine forum would make the pics pop up right in the post,notice that you can press the litle arrows near the edge of the pic to watch the next pic if there are several in one link.
Got a few pics taken during the creation so to speak.
Edit: Sweet did not know that this fine forum would make the pics pop up right in the post,notice that you can press the litle arrows near the edge of the pic to watch the next pic if there are several in one link.
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