Subframe connector brand difference

Hammer1999Gt

Member
Mar 26, 2004
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16
Toledo, OH
My question what is the difference in brands between the Maximum Motorsports, Steeda, and Laurel Mountain Mustang (if any one has heard of them) full length subframe connectors? They all look exactly the same except the Steeda and Laurel Mountain ones come with Torque box reinforcement plates and the LM have the gussets already welded to the seat cross braces I assume these are just a copy of the MM or Steeda ones. I know alot of people have the MM ones if those are the best then I will get those. But if they are the same then the other 2 are cheaper. MM are $140 I think; Steedas are $129 w/ free shipping plus a slight discount; and LM are $82 plus shipping.
 
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A guy at the shop recommended Hans. After some research, I am getting them put on next week. They look different than the ones you mentioned. More expensive also, hopefully they are not too heavy. Seems like they will be worth it since I will be regularly autocrossing and road racing.

www.hansracecraft.com
 

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i have the kenny brown super subs, the come with the cross brace. I like them because they are part of a system that also includes the extreme matrix brace and a jacking rail...i felt an imediate difference after installation...i do have a vert though! and cost was 99 dollars i think.
 
We sell KB, Steeda, and I have MM's on my Bullitt. Here's my notes on the subject:

From what I've seen, the Steeda's and MM's are very silimar if not identical. The steeda's come with the seat brackets assembled and include tq box reinforcements. Translation - mm's require more weld time.

You can see material differences though, so I wonder if they are the same...

Kb's are much weaker than the other two and arent' recommended except for 100% street cars that are NA.
 
well the MM are 1.5x2 with .083 wall thickness.

the steada's are 1.25x2 with ??? wall thickness. I would find that out.

I got MM because I am running other stuff from them and am happy with it . You won't belive how heavy they are.

I looked very hard at global west as well. 1 5/8 .125 wall tubbing tubular is stronger given equal material. The global west were more money so I went MM. the global west are stronger though but I though it may be overkill.

if wall thickness is equal I would consider the steeda. If it has a thinner wall I would look at the MM.
 
just a note, as of a week or two ago i'd go with either steeda or MM, whichever was cheaper. though now i am seeing their new XL subs and renewed my thoughts on the MM brand. also if you read their site it mentions how a few companies copied their work so they just made another set up to remain on top. thought it was kinda funny. but from what a local shop guy told me (who will be welding mine in when i get the cash) the MMs do take a good deal more weld time, but i dont think anyone has every had any complaints about anything that came out of the MM shop.... just something to think about.

Torinalth
 
Torinalth said:
just a note, as of a week or two ago i'd go with either steeda or MM, whichever was cheaper. though now i am seeing their new XL subs and renewed my thoughts on the MM brand. also if you read their site it mentions how a few companies copied their work so they just made another set up to remain on top. thought it was kinda funny. but from what a local shop guy told me (who will be welding mine in when i get the cash) the MMs do take a good deal more weld time, but i dont think anyone has every had any complaints about anything that came out of the MM shop.... just something to think about.

Torinalth

good point. the new steedas are just an MM rip off basically. little smaller material (probaly helps on the shipping cost). they require a little less welding. The design is copied strait from MM. I have a feeling you get weaker material for the same intial price. the install will cost a little less though.
 
So who has acutally broke a set of any of these brands, and not at where they were welded in? So far I see a lot of talk about strength, but every time I read these SFC threads, I have never heard of anyone actually breaking any of them. Maybe I'm wrong and just missed it.

StangPro said:
Kb's are much weaker than the other two and arent' recommended except for 100% street cars that are NA.

Also, plenty of cars have KB SFC's that see lot's of track time. No company could get to thier level without building a decent product. They may have thinner walls (don't know for sure, I am assuming you do by making the comment) but again, has any one actually broken them?

I have been driving race cars for 15 years (no, not mustangs. dirt and asphault oval stuff) and beefier and heavier doesn't mean it's better. Give me the lightest item that will surpass the stress put on it anytime over extra weight and overkill.

Just my .02
 
Torinalth said:
just a note, as of a week or two ago i'd go with either steeda or MM, whichever was cheaper. though now i am seeing their new XL subs and renewed my thoughts on the MM brand. also if you read their site it mentions how a few companies copied their work so they just made another set up to remain on top. thought it was kinda funny. but from what a local shop guy told me (who will be welding mine in when i get the cash) the MMs do take a good deal more weld time, but i dont think anyone has every had any complaints about anything that came out of the MM shop.... just something to think about.

Torinalth
Werd, bro - my thoughts exactly. I'd rather spend just a few bucks more (and that's all it really amounts to if you are comparing $99 SFCs vs. $119 SFCs, and welding labor of, say $75 vs $100) - to me, and maybe it's just me, but I'd rather have a stock stang than have a bunch of low end crap on it (not saying that $99 subs are, but I would put $49 subs underneath my son's go-cart).
 
lgndracer said:
So who has acutally broke a set of any of these brands, and not at where they were welded in? So far I see a lot of talk about strength, but every time I read these SFC threads, I have never heard of anyone actually breaking any of them. Maybe I'm wrong and just missed it.



Also, plenty of cars have KB SFC's that see lot's of track time. No company could get to thier level without building a decent product. They may have thinner walls (don't know for sure, I am assuming you do by making the comment) but again, has any one actually broken them?

I have been driving race cars for 15 years (no, not mustangs. dirt and asphault oval stuff) and beefier and heavier doesn't mean it's better. Give me the lightest item that will surpass the stress put on it anytime over extra weight and overkill.

Just my .02

The KB's are thinner, narrower and about 15" shorter. KB says the length isn't that critical and just adds too the weight with no other benefit.
I don't think anyone (short of the Pro-5.0 guys) is going to break any of them so you won't see any feedback in that regard. The issue is the braces flexing under load.
No one has broken the weak wet noodle stock pieces, but that doesn't make them good.
These are just my observations. Besides over 10 years of building Mustangs, I've done a lot of work building everything from Skip Barber race engines to Team Oreca Viper GTS-R race chassis so I have a little background to pull from here.
 
Torinalth said:
i saw a post on stangpro's forums about a guy that got the UPR and said he was super upset with what they actually were. this is the thread

Torinalth

well the ends are welded shut so I cant measure thickness but they dont feel flimsy, I guess I'll see what the welder says when I bring them to him.
 
green_fow_six said:
A guy at the shop recommended Hans. After some research, I am getting them put on next week. They look different than the ones you mentioned. More expensive also, hopefully they are not too heavy. Seems like they will be worth it since I will be regularly autocrossing and road racing.

www.hansracecraft.com


Copy of the Global West product