Subframe Connectors....buy or make?

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Sdriche

Sdriche

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I know this topic has many posts but looking for opinions on buy or build. The cost of steel has risen and a 1 1/2 x 3 length of tube to do the job is $70. Wondering if buying is the better option given the fabricating time involved. Thoughts?
 
I guess it depends on which connectors you're looking to buy. Something like the Summit copy of the Mopar Performance ones, you might be ahead to buy them. Something like US Cartool, then maybe not. But of course, you kinda get what you pay for with those, too.
 
Sdriche said:
I know this topic has many posts but looking for opinions on buy or build. The cost of steel has risen and a 1 1/2 x 3 length of tube to do the job is $70. Wondering if buying is the better option given the fabricating time involved. Thoughts?
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Hey Sdriche,

I installed the US Cartool subframe connectors and torque boxes. After considering doing my own, I went that way because the US Cartool product is designed to follow the underfloor contours and makes for a very clean , unobtrusive install that looks closer to a factory framerail.Its a very well thought out product and gives great structural ridgidity to the car.

dscn4946-jpg.jpg
 
AAndrews said:
Hey Sdriche,

I installed the US Cartool subframe connectors and torque boxes. After considering doing my own, I went that way because the US Cartool product is designed to follow the underfloor contours and makes for a very clean , unobtrusive install that looks closer to a factory framerail.Its a very well thought out product and gives great structural ridgidity to the car.

View attachment 1715860261
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How much "give" room do those have fore and aft to make up for inconsistencies in how the floor pans are made? I'm assuming they can be pretty much trimmed to fit however, since none of these cars is really the same.
 
AAndrews said:
Hey Sdriche,

I installed the US Cartool subframe connectors and torque boxes. After considering doing my own, I went that way because the US Cartool product is designed to follow the underfloor contours and makes for a very clean , unobtrusive install that looks closer to a factory framerail.Its a very well thought out product and gives great structural ridgidity to the car.

View attachment 1715860261
Click to expand...
Fantastic color, btw! What is it?
 
I used US Cartool subframe connector after considering making my own. They are a very nice product, but it took a whole lot of cutting and grinding to get them to fit the contours or *my* floorboards. I had replaced the front floor boards, not the rear. So the floor contours were not "factory-aligned" between the front and the back. (The original floors would have been stamped out of one piece.) I think, after going through that pain, next time I'd just make my own, unless I had replaced the front and back floorboards with single-piece units.
 
RustyRatRod said:
How much "give" room do those have fore and aft to make up for inconsistencies in how the floor pans are made? I'm assuming they can be pretty much trimmed to fit however, since none of these cars is really the same.
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You're correct in your assumption Rusty. You need to put pressure /heat to the floor pan and tack it to hold it against the subframe connector. Its a bit of a pain but the end result is great as you can see in the pics.
RustyRatRod said:
Fantastic color, btw! What is it?
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The color is a Jeep color called Ember-Glo Pearl. Code PYC
 
There's going to be fabrication time involved with installing store-bought subframe connectors too, so any fabrication time building a set is kind of a wash, in my opinion. Plus, if you make them, you know they'll fit your particular car perfectly.
 
J Glenn said:
I used US Cartool subframe connector after considering making my own. They are a very nice product, but it took a whole lot of cutting and grinding to get them to fit the contours or *my* floorboards. I had replaced the front floor boards, not the rear. So the floor contours were not "factory-aligned" between the front and the back. (The original floors would have been stamped out of one piece.) I think, after going through that pain, next time I'd just make my own, unless I had replaced the front and back floorboards with single-piece units.
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Thats probably why you needed to do so much alteration. I used a one piece AMD floor pan and mocked everything up before I started the install. Still had to do minor alterations to the connectors but I love the factory look!
 
dodgedifferent2 said:
I did the contoured subframe connectors. Yes it looks pretty, but who is crawling under the car?
BIG pain in the tush I would never go that route again!

Instead i would do the 2x3x .125 wall tubing. Similar to this

Making your own sub frame connector?
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My car was on a rotisserie so it was not that difficult to do. I did it to keep as much as a factory look as possible.

BTW. you wouldn't beleive how many people actually look under the car when it is at a show!!
 
dodgedifferent2 said:
I did the contoured subframe connectors. Yes it looks pretty, but who is crawling under the car?
BIG pain in the tush I would never go that route again!

Instead i would do the 2x3x .125 wall tubing. Similar to this

Making your own sub frame connector?
Click to expand...

Great work done making those connectors but I would not cut up my new AMD floor to make them fit. Also, in one pic the connector is above the floor in the rear so the carpet will not sit flat. Not the look I wanted . Nothing wrong with them though.
 
Make your own. It just too easy to do if you have the tools. Buying your own steel guarantees the quality and wall thickness.

Don't put mirrors under the car and no one will see them. Like my dad says "This ain't goin' to the Oakland Roadster show!"
 
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AAndrews said:
Hey Sdriche,

I installed the US Cartool subframe connectors and torque boxes. After considering doing my own, I went that way because the US Cartool product is designed to follow the underfloor contours and makes for a very clean , unobtrusive install that looks closer to a factory framerail.Its a very well thought out product and gives great structural ridgidity to the car.

View attachment 1715860261
Click to expand...
Damn that's nice! Looks like it left Hamtramck that way! (or should have) LOL
 
I used the US Car tool for my 65 Dart, I would make my own next time. 1/2” plus gap had to grind and cut all over make them fit decent. To me they are overpriced garbage.
 
I don't know what car your doing but my 68 Dart I made them and added plug welds to the rear floor pan as well.

10.jpg


11.jpg


153.jpg
 
AAndrews said:
BTW. you wouldn't beleive how many people actually look under the car when it is at a show!!
Click to expand...
If anything looks restored or modified, I like to see it all. Drag cars that I like.. .I absolutely want to see the suspension and structure. I have always cleaned the under side of my cars and trucks. Even though no one sees it, I know it's clean. When I wash my Ram, I probably spend 60 minutes plus on wheels including behind the spokes, brake calipers, fenderwells, frame, door bottoms and jams, and exhaust before I start on the body.
 
tinman2 said:
If anything looks restored or modified, I like to see it all. Drag cars that I like.. .I absolutely want to see the suspension and structure. I have always cleaned the under side of my cars and trucks. Even though no one sees it, I know it's clean. When I wash my Ram, I probably spend 60 minutes plus on wheels including behind the spokes, brake calipers, fenderwells, frame, door bottoms and jams, and exhaust before I start on the body.
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We definitly think alike TinMan! After all the money I spent on this car, I want it to look as good as it can be.
 
$260 and "most" of the work is done for you. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Wouldn't it be nice if they had a flanges running along the top where it meets the floor pans, would look super stock. Make the connector even more ridgid but still allow for some metal to metal flex / movement like origional spot welds do
 
Dana67Dart said:
$260 and "most" of the work is done for you. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Wouldn't it be nice if they had a flanges running along the top where it meets the floor pans, would look super stock. Make the connector even more ridgid but still allow for some metal to metal flex / movement like origional spot welds do
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Agreed Dana67. Most of the work is done.

Yes , they need to be grinded and tweaked to fit but the basic floor pan ridges are already cut into the connectors. That's hotrodding. Most afternmarket metal parts have to be tweaked to fit. BTW , a flange would not give the same result or look. The whole idea of cutting the sides of the connector to match the frame is to use the floorpan as the top section of a box frame for ridgity. At least that's my interpretation of it
 
AAndrews said:
Hey KenDog,

Nice car ! Cool Color!

I'll bet subframe connectors make a huge difference on a convertible.
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Thanks. The hardtop has some pretty thick stock. The Ragtop ones are the same dimensions but a thinner material. Still makes a world of difference.
 
i looked at those cat tool one's and there ain't no way i would attempted to put those on without a rotisserie, ended up buying the hotchkiss connector's, they are well made and fit good with a little trimming work up front, i would recommend them
 
Lowcar said:
i looked at those cat tool one's and there ain't no way i would attempted to put those on without a rotisserie, ended up buying the hotchkiss connector's, they are well made and fit good with a little trimming work up front, i would recommend them
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I also have the hotchkis ones and they were an easy install and fit well. They are nice in that they get you to a continuous rail, not having an offset at the torsion bar crossmember, have surface area to dig in (not just stress the back) of the crossmember, and the e-brake cable just had to have its front hole moved up and everything else was cake.
 
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