Car not sitting level after welding in subs. Advice needed.

9

92GTVert

New Member

Apr 23, 2003

29

0

0

Broken Arrow (Tulsa), Oklahoma

Mar 8, 2004

#1

• Mar 8, 2004

• #1

I recently had my subframe connectors welded on at a muffler shop. The shop had one of the lifts that you drive the car up on, so the car was sitting on its 4 wheels when he welded them in. Now the right side is sitting about 3/8" higher than the left side. Before the subframe connectors were welded in, the car was level. Should I be concerned or will the car eventually settle down to the way it was before? I looked under the car and the subframes look like they are welded in the same on both sides. I have a 1992 convertible with complete Steeda stage 3 G-Trac suspension (sport springs, upper and lower control arms, g-trac brace, subframe connectors, stb, Tokico 5-ways, c/c plates).

 

89MustangGX

I have nothing productive to add!

Jul 3, 2001

10,262

1

0

Mill Creek, WA

Mar 8, 2004

#2

• Mar 8, 2004

• #2

The subframe connectors welded means nothing moves...so don't expect any settling. I don't see how they could cause the car to sit different in that situation unless they jacked up the car by one of the subframes (maybe to hold it?) and welded it like that.???

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

9,039

6

79

Charlotte, NC

Mar 8, 2004

#3

• Mar 8, 2004

• #3

Did you ever measure it before the subframes were welded in? The convertibles are notoriously flexible; my guess is that the discrepancy was there before too.

 

M

mustangrfast88

Founding Member

Sep 22, 2002

330

0

0

middletown ohio

Mar 8, 2004

#4

• Mar 8, 2004

• #4

i am with michael on this on but know that you got it all stiffed up and everything it just shows alot more and i dotn know of anyway to fix this problem either

 

5.0Droptop

...all those nights we shared, and you're a dude??

Special Agent Mukity-Muck Whats in Charge Round Here

May 15, 2002

1,785

1,130

233

Indiana

Mar 8, 2004

#5

• Mar 8, 2004

• #5

nevermind i need to read more carefully...

 

9

92GTVert

New Member

Apr 23, 2003

29

0

0

Broken Arrow (Tulsa), Oklahoma

Mar 8, 2004

#6

• Mar 8, 2004

• #6

Yes, I did measure it before the subframes were welded in and all wheels were within 1/8" of each other.

 

Danny-Boi

New Member

Oct 5, 2003

97

0

0

Mar 9, 2004

#7

• Mar 9, 2004

• #7

Just out of curiosity how much did the shop charge you to have them installed?

 

5.0CRAZY

Founding Member

May 17, 2002

376

0

0

Frozen North

Mar 9, 2004

#8

• Mar 9, 2004

• #8

How do you go about measuring the car for straightness? Sorry for being off topic.

 

willys1

Active Member

Dec 2, 2003

1,004

1

36

New Jersey

Mar 9, 2004

#9

• Mar 9, 2004

• #9

How many miles on your springs,shocks,and struts?

 

9

92GTVert

New Member

Apr 23, 2003

29

0

0

Broken Arrow (Tulsa), Oklahoma

Mar 9, 2004

#10

• Mar 9, 2004

• #10

The shop charged me $60 to weld in the subs. I have less than 3000 miles on the springs, shocks, and other ssuspension parts.i

 

Psydwaze

Founding Member

Oct 10, 2001

661

0

16

Sacramento, CA

Mar 9, 2004

#11

• Mar 9, 2004

• #11

Not to jack your thread but my question is directly related to your situation.

My '88 vert shows obvious signs of chassis twist. (top of driver side door gap is large enough to stick my finger in, fender and cowl on driver side not sitting level, etc.) If I raise the front right wheel the door gap evens out. Should I lift this corner of the chassis when welding in subframe connectors to make a feeble attempt at straightening the car?

 

5.0CRAZY

Founding Member

May 17, 2002

376

0

0

Frozen North

Mar 9, 2004

#12

• Mar 9, 2004

• #12

TTT I would like to know this as well?

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

9,039

6

79

Charlotte, NC

Mar 9, 2004

#13

• Mar 9, 2004

• #13

psydwaze - you're headed in the right direction, but your tactics need a bit more elegance. If that's what you're trying to accomplish, you need to get the car to a sophisticated body shop that has a frame/uni-body hydraulic straightening jig. They have all the specs dimensionally for what is supposed to be where on a "straight" unibody. Have them hook the car up and get it tweeked to where it should be, and while it's being held in the proper position, then weld your subframes in. I don't think just jacking the wheel up until the gaps look similar is close enough -- that approach isn't accurate enough, at least by my thinking.

 

9

92GTVert

New Member

Apr 23, 2003

29

0

0

Broken Arrow (Tulsa), Oklahoma

Mar 9, 2004

#14

• Mar 9, 2004

• #14

My car is not tweaked or just higher at one corner. The entire passenger side is higher than the driver's side, although the front is only about 5/16" higher than the driver's side, whereas the rear is 3/8" to 1/2 higher than the driver's side. Last night I lifted the driver's side up off the ground and set that side on jack stands. I am not optimistic, but hoping that it will settle the other side down a little. Since it is the entire side is high, I don't understand why welding in the subs casued the problem. If it does not correct the situation, should I try to get the shop to cut them out and reweld them in.? Maybe like was said earlier the welder raised up the subs on the passenger side to get them closer to the subframe rails.

 

P

Pop-Pops-Pony

Founding Member

Nov 5, 2001

254

0

0

Sharpsburg, MD.

Mar 9, 2004

#15

• Mar 9, 2004

• #15

My 2 cents..

Was up at Ranchero 50's one day and saw a fox he was putting subframes on sitting up on jackstands...Stands were under the half frames up front and the control arm mounts in the back and the right rear mount was an inch + off the jackstand...Reasonably level concrete floor and same height on the stands etc....Just shows how much they can flex just in the body....Car settled over night and came down to the stand...Then he put the sub's on...

Might try that and see if there's any twist in your body...One thing for sure if it would "settle" and even out I'd think the sub's would be suspect...With them in it shouldn't flex at all if their any good...

Even at a frame shop they'd probably have to cut the subframes out then tweak the body...

Try bouncing the car a couple times then measure again, maybe it's just the spring-shocks settleing differently each time...