Welding Sub-frame connectors-pull interior?

[Husky44]

How many of you guys that had your subframes welded in, or did it yourself, pulled the carpet/interior?

Some of the instructions I've read talk about doing it, but I haven't seen it mentioned often in the posts about putting them in. Is this something I can get away without doing?

 

[xr8d302]

No interior pullage on mine at all. Why do they mention pulling the interior at all? I'm not sure if there are SFC's that go through the floor, but if there is, you're better off just going with a set that doesn't require it

My SFC's were simple, welded on in about 30 mins

 

[desertcox05]

My sfc's were welded directly to the frames and also bolted to the seat bolts.
If your's only weld to the sub frames then no you won;t have to pull the interior.
If your's weld to the floor pans and sub frames then yes you'll need to pull the interior and carpet.

 

[Black95GTS]

I didn't pull my interior at all, guy at muffler shop welded them up in ~30 minutes for 50 bucks cash if I recall.

Adam

 

[xr8d302]

I didn't pull my interior at all, guy at muffler shop welded them up in ~30 minutes for 50 bucks cash if I recall.

Adam

+1. Exact same situation.

 

[95BlueStallion]

My subframes are dented from jackstands, and the best quote I have got so far is $400... The muffler shop is too scared to even try. I dont see how hard it is to weld plates on the sides to hold them stiff since they dont lay smooth on the subframes... I was offered by a chassis shop to weld them in the floor for $500. That would be cool, but I would have to pull my interior for that.

 

[revhead347]

It depends on the experience of the welder. It's all about comfort level. When mine were welded in, they left the interior in the car. I'm not as confident in my own welding skills, so I always pull the carpet when I do them on other people's cars. Usually, the only people who will willingly weld them in with the carpet in, are people who have done subframes on that same car many times.

Kurt

 

[Husky44]

Without having them in hand yet, I can't say this for a fact, but my inclination will be to weld them to the floors in addition to the frames, as that will give a little more rigidity.

I'm probably going to give it a shot without pulling the carpets. I know what burning plastic smells like.

Plus, that'll give me more incentive to slow down. I have a real bad habit of getting in too much of a hurry on big welds.

I'll be putting in my order soon...April 1 is just around the corner, and it was 49 degrees here today. Gotta get brakes, shocks/struts, and subframes done before the roads are clear and April 1 gets here (seasonal registration becomes legal!).

Any other tips from those who've welded SFCs themselves?

 

[revhead347]

They make this stuff called weldable primer. It keeps the metal in between the welds from rusting. I would get some of that stuff. The welding itself is pretty straight forward. There is a a gap between the floor and the connector. So the only real place you can weld it is at the ends where it attaches to the subframe.

Kurt

 

[revhead347]

Oh, something else REALLY IMPORTANT. If you do this on jackstands, make sure you have the Jackstands positioned under the spring buckets on the front, and under the axle on the back. You want the weight distributed exactly as it is when the car is sitting on the road. If you do it on a lift, make sure it's on a roll on lift. My friend had a company weld his in, and they picked the car up with a side grab lift. Of course the weight of the front and the back of the car caused it to flex. Now the doors rub the body everytime he closes them.

Kurt