connector connection ?

-
grassy

grassy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
5,352
Reaction score
86
Location
Nova Scotia
Hi,

Since I am going to have the car upside down, I will be putting in the rail connectors to stiffen up the body..but that is only front to back..is there such a piece that runs across the car to stiffen it up ?


The car will never be driven in the sno..not sureif it ever has..to I make these pieces out of steel or alunimun ?


Thanks
Grassy
 
Most weld them in so you got to use steel. If you were to use aluminum they would need bolted in and thats not the best way to go. Never seen any one put any cross bars in. Think the trans cross member is enough. You can put in torque boxes. They tie the front and rear frame to the rocker panel. From what I here they are not as needed when running connectors.
 
First you don't want the car upside down when you put the frame connectors in. You want it supported as though it was on the wheels so that the body will be seeing its normal loading (best if you do it with the engine and tranny in sitting on the wheel or on jack stands under the axle and LCAs). It is amazing how much these cars flex. My 68 Barracuda if it was jacked up at the subframe torsion bar cross memeber intersection with the door open would flex such that there was a 1/2" or more misalignment between the door latch and the stricker. After the subframe connectrs were welded in I can open and close the door as though the car was not jacked up.

The other thing you can do is to add torque boxes. This is additional sheet metal that boxes in the subframe, leaf spring mounting area and the rocker panels at the rear. In the front it boxes in the torsion bar cross member, front edge of the firewall and the rocker panels. The factory used torque boxes to stiffen up big block and convertable cars.

I would do both since anything that stiffens these cars is a good thing. Besides the door misalgnment issue I mentioned the reduction in shaking and rattles was quite dramatic.
 
Dave,

This just shows me that I still need to do more research..I would have installed them because it is easier with the car flipped.

Thank you for stopping me do something stupid.
Ian.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top