Frame Connectors - install question

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halfafish

Damn those rabbits, and their holes!
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I answered one of my questions via searching and reading. Installing these appears to be one of the last things to add on a build so I will wait till I get all the running gear back in it.

In the meantime, I want to move the emergency brake cable and add the return line for the fuel tank. That brings us to fitment questions so I know where to put these.

I was having a hard time getting these to fit, but I think it's because all the rear running gear is out of the car at the moment.

DSCN0465.JPG


When I test fit the connectors, I can get them to fit nicely on one end or the other, but not both. Here is the problem, the rear frame pocket fits nicely but the torsion bar end either barely make contact or doesn't make contact at all.

DSCN0493.JPG

DSCN0495.JPG

I think the car is currently sagging, because it touches the front edge of the rear seat floorpan. This situation is the same on either bar installed on either side.

DSCN0489_LI.jpg


A couple of questions. I will put off installing these until I'm done with the rest of the car, but shouldn't these fit with space between the top of the connector and the floorpan? If so, how much room should there be?

The next stupid question is, these are clearly made for right or left side, but there are no markings and I got no instructions with them. Does anyone know which one is for which side? There is about 1/2" of offset on the rear frame rail ends that would put the connector further inboard or outboard depending on which side it was installed on. I tried it both ways and didn't see anything that makes sense.

I tried calling to see about install instructions and spent 2.5 hours on hold before I gave up. Any help greatly appreciated.
 
You need to have weight on the suspension,what I did was jack the car up put a tire rim under each tire lower the car down on them,crawled under tack welded the frame connectors in place,then raised the car and finished welding them in came out perfect!!
 
The unibody is probably already tweaked from time & age, albeit not much. You'll probably have to do a little fitting but the results will be worth it.
 
I agree with what what others have said BUT....
"...this is how we fix problem in Russian space station..."
 
when you install them, cut back this edge as needed to slide it forward
DSCN0493.JPG
 
I don't think anybody's mention this yet, but make damn sure the doors open and close before you start welding;-)
 
Heres solution to your parking brake cable issue. Pix are in order from front looking back, to back looking forward, and of course from bottom side. I used a long drill bit to punch through both sides of the crossmember in one shot. Front hole I used a rota broach to punch it out 3/4" that allows the cable to go in. The rear most crossmember hole, size it to fit the parking brake cable clip.

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If the length is ok, jack up the connector and weld it. You also want to weld it where it contacts the floor pan. We installed connectors in both my Barracuda and my son's Dart (both convertibles) with NO drive train or suspension. Doors may have been off both cars, as well. Remember, everything on these cars is adjustable. We had no fitment or door opening problems on either car.
 
I must agree it is best to install connectors with the weight on the suspension.
 
It doesnt make a **** whether or not theres suspension under it or weight on it. What matters is that you place your jack stands evenly at both ends, and use bubble levels in 4 spots and use shim stock between the stands and framerails to make sure the car is level before you weld these things in. If it's a convertible you temporary weld bracing front to back near the top of the door openings before doing the connectors or and floor replacement.

If you wanna make sure its square on jack stands, get 4 spirit levels. Mount one on each rocker in the door openings facing fore and aft with sill plates removed. Put one across the rear shock tower area top of transition pan facing side to side and one across the upper radiator support on the small ledge on the support at the opening facing the radiator. May have to loosen up the radiator to get the level in there. You shim the jack stands with thin steel strips to get the final level on all 4 axis, then weld in those bad boys and dont look back.
 
It doesnt make a **** whether or not theres suspension under it or weight on it. What matters is that you place your jack stands evenly at both ends, and use bubble levels in 4 spots and use shim stock between the stands and framerails to make sure the car is level. If it's a convertible you temporary weld bracing front to back near the top of the door openings before doing the connectors or and floor replacement.

If you wanna make sure its square on jack stands, get 4 spirit levels. Mount one on each rocker in the door openings facing fore and aft with sill plates removed. Put one across the rear shock tower area top of transition pan facing side to side and one across the upper radiator support on the small ledge on the support at the opening facing the radiator. May have to loosen up the radiator to get the level in there. You shim the jack stands with thin steel strips to get the final level on all 4 axis, then weld in those bad boys and dont look back.

Tell you what you do. Get one without connectors. Jack it up and put stands on four places on the frame rails. Open the doors. Now, let it down, jack it back up and put the stands under the rear axle and the lower controls arms. Open the doors.

Get back to me.
 
Jacked up with front jack stands on the framerails between the K frame and rad support, and rear stands on the framerails by the rear shackles or slightly forward on a hardtop, and leveled out. Doors open and close just fine. I mean this is also providing you dont have soft and crunchy framerails and **** like that.
 
:popcorn:... LOL...
I gave my-2 on this a month ago...
Something about your going to have to weld them in anyways.. over $200 for unpainted pieces of straight steel that don't fit... Ridiculous...
...:rolleyes:...
 
I don't think anybody's mention this yet, but make damn sure the doors open and close before you start welding;-)
I like the loaded door a hair high on the striker when welding them in. Close like a Cadillac on the ground.
 
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Jacked up with front jack stands on the framerails between the K frame and rad support, and rear stands on the framerails by the rear shackles or slightly forward on a hardtop, and leveled out. Doors open and close just fine. I mean this is also providing you dont have soft and crunchy framerails and **** like that.
It's nice to have adjustable jack stands or the like. The doors need to fit well first. Know the feel of the fitment.
 
It's nice to have adjustable jack stands or the like. The doors need to fit well first. Know the feel of the fitment.
I have scrap stainless steel shim stock in various thicknesses I got from the scrap barrel at work. Chopped it in the shear about 1" wide 6" long. My shop floor is pretty close to dead level, that little bit of extra I can get by using various thicknesses of shim stock between the jack pad and the framerail. When double checking level at the rear before putting in the transition pan in my sons 69 notch I used a piece of heavy angle iron across the bare rear framerails with a level on it. With that done, it's time to move on to the wheel houses and trunk floor. I ran the rear stands up forward of the front spring perches so I could roll the axle out with springs and tires attached. They were in place at the rear of the car for welding. It is nice to have them there for now to get it high enough to work under it.

20200531_153755.jpg


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I answered one of my questions via searching and reading. Installing these appears to be one of the last things to add on a build so I will wait till I get all the running gear back in it.

In the meantime, I want to move the emergency brake cable and add the return line for the fuel tank. That brings us to fitment questions so I know where to put these.

I was having a hard time getting these to fit, but I think it's because all the rear running gear is out of the car at the moment.

View attachment 1715559592

When I test fit the connectors, I can get them to fit nicely on one end or the other, but not both. Here is the problem, the rear frame pocket fits nicely but the torsion bar end either barely make contact or doesn't make contact at all.

View attachment 1715559595
View attachment 1715559596
I think the car is currently sagging, because it touches the front edge of the rear seat floorpan. This situation is the same on either bar installed on either side.

View attachment 1715559594

A couple of questions. I will put off installing these until I'm done with the rest of the car, but shouldn't these fit with space between the top of the connector and the floorpan? If so, how much room should there be?

The next stupid question is, these are clearly made for right or left side, but there are no markings and I got no instructions with them. Does anyone know which one is for which side? There is about 1/2" of offset on the rear frame rail ends that would put the connector further inboard or outboard depending on which side it was installed on. I tried it both ways and didn't see anything that makes sense.

I tried calling to see about install instructions and spent 2.5 hours on hold before I gave up. Any help greatly appreciated.

With these cars being built by hand on assembly lines 50 years ago theres always variation from car to car. Sometimes up to 1/8" in dimensional differences from car to car. With subframe connectors it's really better making them yourself to fit exactly to your cars chassis and then weld them in. That's not to say you cant make em fit. You can cut, grind modify anything to suit.
 
I have scrap stainless steel shim stock in various thicknesses I got from the scrap barrel at work. Chopped it in the shear about 1" wide 6" long. My shop floor is pretty close to dead level, that little bit of extra I can get by using various thicknesses of shim stock between the jack pad and the framerail. When double checking level at the rear before putting in the transition pan in my sons 69 notch I used a piece of heavy angle iron across the bare rear framerails with a level on it. With that done, it's time to move on to the wheel houses and trunk floor. I ran the rear stands up forward of the front spring perches so I could roll the axle out with springs and tires attached. They were in place at the rear of the car for welding. It is nice to have them there for now to get it high enough to work under it.

View attachment 1715559942

View attachment 1715559943

View attachment 1715559944
BEAUTIFUL
 
:popcorn:... LOL...
I gave my-2 on this a month ago...
Something about your going to have to weld them in anyways.. over $200 for unpainted pieces of straight steel that don't fit... Ridiculous...
...:rolleyes:...
Easy money. I will go with $40 worth of rectangular tubing, a chop saw, and a welder. I love making my own parts.
 
With these cars being built by hand on assembly lines 50 years ago theres always variation from car to car. Sometimes up to 1/8" in dimensional differences from car to car. With subframe connectors it's really better making them yourself to fit exactly to your cars chassis and then weld them in. That's not to say you cant make em fit. You can cut, grind modify anything to suit.
Cars still have tolerances. Some manufacturers are worse than others. Modern repair equipment is very precise.

If the Manufacturers could build to zero tolerance, it would make the repair process a lot easier.
 
I try to make everything fit better than it did when this stuff was built new. The primer I am using is a fluid resistant epoxy made by DeSoto aerospace.
 
Remember years ago, the lexus commercial with the car on a gimbal being rotated and the marble running around all the even panel gaps as they rotated the car? This one I am working on the factory gaps are effing crazy different everywhere. This cars gaps in places would have swallowed that damn marble lol. Some spots I am not going to have a choice but to make it fit. Doors have great gaps all around except for the center back edge. Top back edge is great. It's like the quarter skins are too far back in the middle. I am going to hang new skins, so I plan on tapping the jamb edge forward to meet the door better in this spot before I weld on the new skins.
 
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