Maier Sub Frame Connectors

The Dan · Oct 10, 2006

Well in the past month I have completed:

T5Z Conversion, Hydraulic Clutch, Stainless steel brake lines converted to dual exhaust setup, Maier mid eye leafs w/ poly busing kit, Bilstein shocks, dual bowl master cylinder, FPS step headers into new 2.5" pipe with new flow 50's, and Maier Sub Frame connectors.

I had my exhaust shop weld up the sub frame connectors while they were under there, and I am surprised at how low these hang under the car. I assume that is normal? They are definitely installed right and are as tight as they can be to the mounting areas, just wasn't expecting them to be so low. My car is lowered, so I'm sure this just makes the problem look worse than it really is. Anyone else with sub frame connectors feel the same way at first sight?

I hope I notice as much a difference with these as everyone else that has tried them!

amorrow · Oct 10, 2006

I felt the same way, and I couldn't afford to have them hang so low since I'm going with side-exit exhaust. Because of this, my restorer is fabricating connectors that extend through the floors (inside the car).

Cannoball888 · Oct 10, 2006

I don't know about Maier's but TCP's hug the floor pans closely.

The Dan · Oct 10, 2006

I'll get a pic tonight to give you all a visual. I think they hug tight, but because it is towards the outside of the underbody, and the car is already a bit low, I think it is accentuated.

My exhaust is ran out back through a GT valance, so no side exit issues for me.

66Runt · Oct 10, 2006

Here's a shot for comparison sake.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/2400000-2400999/2400202_13_full.jpg

this is the TCP subframe kit for '66 convertible. 25.4" tall tires all around, front end lowered 1.25" rear stock ride height.

Please pardon the ugly looking undercarriage.

HTH,

Jester67 · Oct 10, 2006

My Maier subs are no lower than the front floor pan support and have less than 1/8 between them and the floor pan. I could see how they would be a problem with side exhaust thought. But IMHO any sub that is strong enough to be any use will hang down at least this much.

The Dan · Oct 11, 2006

Well, I guess mine are right by the looks of things. They are as tight to the floor pans as they can be. Just didn't realize the size of these things. Very robust, guess that means they'll work as advertised.

I can say that the little driving I've done so far I can tell a difference in the rear of the car. The new leafs, shackles, poly bushings, shocks, and sub connectors seem to be working well together. I'll give it a true test this weekend in the local canyons!

180 Out · Oct 11, 2006

Here's a pic of my kids' '65 fb with Maier Racing frame connectors.

They do hang down, and on this car they're the first thing to scrape. I have no problem with speed bumps and most driveways, but there is this underground parking lot nearby that I scrape a little at the transition from the sidewalk to the ramp.

My '70 Cougar also has Maier frame connectors and it sits slightly lower than the Stang. But the first thing to scrape on the Cougar is the header collectors. The Mustang has tri-Y's, which don't hang down as low as the hedman hedder full lengths on the Cougar. The point being that full length headers can cause more of a clearance problem than the Maier frame connectors.

I agree with the other poster, that there's a reason the Maiers hang low, and that's because they're round tubes and because they're big enough to do the job. Some of these frame connectors -- TCP comes to mind -- look barely strong enough to keep themselves attached to the car. When you put the Maiers on, the difference in torsional stiffness makes it feel like you added a couple hundred pounds/inch to your spring rate. My cars, when I jack them up using a floor jack at the pinch weld cut-outs where the OE scissor jack is supposed to go, both front and rear wheels come off the ground at the same time. This may also be the case with the TCP and other frame connectors, but it is not the case with the unreinforced OE unibody.

entdoc · Oct 11, 2006

Are the Maier units bigger in diameter than TCP or Global West? It looks like the new TCP units are square tube now. Any comments on the Global West setup? I need to purchase a pair soon for my 67 fastback so any advice is appreciated. chuck

truck90278 · Oct 11, 2006

there is not a lot of difference in diameter vs the square tube. The Maier racing unit is primarily stronger because there are 4 points that are welded to the floor pan which create a "truss" arrangement, also, by their choice of using round tubing instead of square, additional strength is gained by the increased section modulus over other shapes. Highly recommend the Maier units. We have had Mustang Plus's units on our car and were dissatisfied with them, we replaced them with the Maier units.

66Runt · Oct 11, 2006

When did TCP go to square tube?

I bought my system late last year and they are round. And quite substantial!
In the picture that shows the subframe connector on my car, that is a 20 oz bottle of water next to it. Like 180 out said, the car jacks up straight, and no matter where the jack is, I can open and close the doors with no alignment issue. And this is a convertible!

I like the idea of the 4 mount points, especially for a FB or Coupe.

67topless · Oct 12, 2006

66Runt said:
I bought my system late last year and they are round. And quite substantial!
In the picture that shows the subframe connector on my car, that is a 20 oz bottle of water next to it. Like 180 out said, the car jacks up straight, and no matter where the jack is, I can open and close the doors with no alignment issue. And this is a convertible!

I like the idea of the 4 mount points, especially for a FB or Coupe.

My undertanding is that the coupe/fastback TCP setup is now square. The convertible is still round (i got mine a couple of months ago, but have not intalled them).

Don't know if it makes a big differene in the long run, but I was interested in the cross bar application that TCP offers to tie both sides together. In addition, most other companies don't offer a setup for convertibles that I was aware of.

Scott

mdjay · Oct 12, 2006

Actually Maier just released the vert version!

I'm confident the tubing is a little bigger in diameter and that's where you're getting the difference in clearance. When all is said and done you may loose a 1/4" tops compared to the others.

truck90278 · Oct 12, 2006

66Runt said:
I bought my system late last year and they are round. And quite substantial!
In the picture that shows the subframe connector on my car, that is a 20 oz bottle of water next to it. Like 180 out said, the car jacks up straight, and no matter where the jack is, I can open and close the doors with no alignment issue. And this is a convertible!

I like the idea of the 4 mount points, especially for a FB or Coupe.

They didn't, I should have said the square ones were from Mustangs Plus, which we removed and trashed

mdjay · Oct 12, 2006

TCP went to square tube when chassisworks started reworking the designs. They went to larger tubing too outside ones and center.

truck90278 · Oct 12, 2006

mdjay said:
TCP went to square tube when chassisworks started reworking the designs. They went to larger tubing too outside ones and center.

I stand corrected

tylerrocks · Oct 12, 2006

180 Out said:
Here's a pic of my kids' '65 fb with Maier Racing frame connectors.

They do hang down, and on this car they're the first thing to scrape. I have no problem with speed bumps and most driveways, but there is this underground parking lot nearby that I scrape a little at the transition from the sidewalk to the ramp.

My '70 Cougar also has Maier frame connectors and it sits slightly lower than the Stang. But the first thing to scrape on the Cougar is the header collectors. The Mustang has tri-Y's, which don't hang down as low as the hedman hedder full lengths on the Cougar. The point being that full length headers can cause more of a clearance problem than the Maier frame connectors.

I agree with the other poster, that there's a reason the Maiers hang low, and that's because they're round tubes and because they're big enough to do the job. Some of these frame connectors -- TCP comes to mind -- look barely strong enough to keep themselves attached to the car. When you put the Maiers on, the difference in torsional stiffness makes it feel like you added a couple hundred pounds/inch to your spring rate. My cars, when I jack them up using a floor jack at the pinch weld cut-outs where the OE scissor jack is supposed to go, both front and rear wheels come off the ground at the same time. This may also be the case with the TCP and other frame connectors, but it is not the case with the unreinforced OE unibody.

Clean lookin FB!!

68FBJJZ109 · Oct 12, 2006

The TCP Sub frames make a huge differance, I havent driven the car, its not done yet. and there is no motor, but if i jack the car from the back right, the back left and front right come up with it. The Cross brace makes a huge differance. There is a thread on cornercarvers where some one made a model of a fastback to test and measure the mustang unibody, and how certain things improve its stiffness. he had good results when the the frame rails with torque boxes where braced in the cross brace fashion. though they do hang lower then the maiers in that 65 fastback picture. If i can find the link on my computer i update the post with it.

Maier Sub Frame Connectors

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