subframe connectors

[steel1212]

Ok who has the best and where do I get them? Weld in or bolt in and why?

 

[skywalker]

Weld in is better hands down for rigidity.

Personally I liked TCP's with the x-cage set up. Right now though I have a custom fabbed set.

 

[reenmachine]

I do weld-in for the superior rigidity, with bolt-in crossmember so you can still do driveshaft, exhaust, etc. work.

It's easy to fab your own -- not really much more work than welding in some store-bought ones. They're just a couple pieces of tubing and some brackets/gussets. Depending on how fancy you want to get, access to a pipe bender is nice, but not necessary.

 

[allcarfan]

I got mine from summit racing. They were $89....bolt in. Those things are so TIGHT around the front frame rail and in the rear. I would get the bolt in ones...bolt them in, and then weld them on top of that.

 

[Pbum5]

I have the Completion Engineering Bolt-ins that I bolted and welded in. They fit tight up against the floor pan so there are no clearance problems.

 

[Jester67]

http://www.maierracing.com/
I like these, pricy but if I don’t build my own this is what I am going to use.

 

[65mistress]

Are the Maier racing connectors bolt on or weld in? I looked at those and they have what look like the bolting holes.

 

[Jester67]

Short answer YES.
They can be bolted on but you could just weld then or do both. I was planning on that rough. Use the bolts to locate and hold them in place while I welded and if for some reason the weld broke the bolts would hold them in place until I had a chance to fix then. I do like the shape of these and the fact they mount to multiple locations. I believe this makes them much better that the TCP and others that just mount at one point on each end. The only benefit to the TCP is the X cage and I am still undecided on that. But that looks like something easy to fabricate later if I wont to add it.

 

[steel1212]

I've seen people with the TCP subs but where do you get them? Also does th X cage get in the way of the exahust?

 

[brianj5600]

Any through the floor connectors here? Or pics of home built?

 

[Sicarius428]

I believe I purchased my TCP sub+xcage from Mustangs Unlimited. This was also a few years ago when TCP was going strong. Your best bet is to bolt them in to line it up right and weld it in. You must weld the subframe in while the car is on all four wheels too. You will need to get a custom bent exhaust which goes into the drive shaft hump. With my long tubes I was unable to squeeze an H pipe easily but I also have a C6. Hopefully your exhaust shop can get creative with it for some sort of equalizer... possibly an x pipe.
Kevin

 

[Clark]

I have the Completion Engineering Bolt-ins that I bolted and welded in. They fit tight up against the floor pan so there are no clearance problems.

I second this great fit and can't beat the price!

 

[WORTH]

I don't like the looks of any I have seen for a ragtop, for a coupe or fastback they are probubly fine. I think I'll build my own when I do the 70 Ragtop.

 

[thehueypilot]

Weld them in....there is not enough meat to bolt to plus if you over tighten the bolts you will crush your frame rails which will weaken them greatly. My TCP's are welded all the way around front and back which improved my 60' times.

 

[DarkBuddha]

I've got Global West sub connectors and can recommend them. They fit well with plenty of ground clearance and were reasonably priced at $145 shipped. They weld in, which is preferable over bolt in, so whatever you decide definitely weld them in.

Hope this helps.

 

[Hack]

http://corner-carvers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13919&highlight=mustang+subframe

There's a thread from Corner-Carvers that I found very interesting. Home made through the floors subframe connectors. Also balsa body modeling for torsional rigidity - similar to what Herb Adams advocates in Chassis Engineering.