Dirk37
Mr. Resourceful
I've always wanted to try out subframe connectors but didn't want to spend $150 bucks on them, so I made my own for $40 out of 20 feet of 1 1/4 x 1 1/4 x 0.065 steel tube.
The first step is to get the steel. I went to the local metal place and picked up two 10 foot sticks and loaded them in my friends mini van.
Next the car needs to be supported off the ground with the suspension equally loaded. If you support it by the frame / body on jack stands, it can twist it and the subframe connectors will keep it stuck in the twisted position which can make it handle weird. To lift it, I put ramps under the front wheels, then jacked up the back and put some bricks under the wheels. Make sure you put it in gear and set the e-brake so it doesn't roll off and **** you. I also recommend using solid bricks so that they can't break.
Now we all know that when you weld hot sparks like to go everywhere. We also know that gas and hot sparks make a hot fire. So to prevent from being burned to death, pull the fuel lines way away from where the subframe connectors are going to mount and strap them in place. Also Disconnect the battery before welding. I've heard of a few instances of people damaging their ECU while welding with the battery connected.
Now we need to clean the welding surfaces. I used a drill mounted wire brush and it only took a few minutes. Make sure to wear safety goggles because crap goes everywhere.
The back mount where we're going to weld the connectors has this weird little bend on the end of it that prevents the connector from mounting flush. Take a crescent wrench and bend it up so that it's out of the way. There's another body hook above the mount that might block your wrench from being able to bend it flush, I just took a hammer and bend it out of the way.
Time to actually start fabbing! Cut the two 10 foot section in half to make four 5 foot sections. Then cut each of those into a 2 foot and 3 foot section. On the 2 foot section, cut the end to a 15 degree angle.
Now the 15 degrees isn't 100% accurate so you'll need to mock it up and make adjustments as necessary. This part is kind of a pain in the ass but thankfully you only have to do it once since both sides are the same. How I did it is first I tacked the two halves together so I had a double wide 2 foot and 3 foot section. Then I put them on jackstands and using an angle grinder and chop saw got the angle right then tack welded them together.
For the back you can take a clamp and clamp the back part of the connector to this plate to hold it in place. I forgot to mention the 3 foot section connects to the back, and the 2 foot section goes on the front.
Once it's all adjusted and tacked, it's time to weld it all together! Make a bunch of short seam welds along the entire length of it on the top and the bottom, then weld the rest of it normally. The reason you don't want to make one long weld along the whole thing is those tend to crack, and that's overkill for just holding the two halves together. (Yes I know I suck at welding haha)
To prevent it from filling up with crap and rusting out internally, take some sheet metal and make end caps. Be sure these welds are water tight so water doesn't get inside.
At this point if it fits right, I'd go ahead and make the one for the other side. Since both sides are the same, just lay the pieces of metal over the one you just made, tack it together, and test fit on the other side before permanently welding it.
Clean the welds off with a wire brush and wipe the manufacturing oil off the steel with a rag with some solvent on it (gas works well).
To prevent them from rusting we need to paint them. I painted mine black because that's what I had lying around at the time. Do both sides and be sure to get the end caps because you don't want them rusting.
Now it's time to put them on the car! First you'll want to grind/sand off the paint along the edges where you're going to weld. Next position them under the car, the 2 foot section goes toward the front of the car and the 3 foot towards the back. Use the jack in the front to get it flat on the unibody rail and use a c-clamp in the back to hold it in place.
Just like when putting them together, make several hot stitch welds along the front.
In the back there's not much area to weld, so I made two hot stitch welds on each side and one along the end cap. Careful not to burn through the end cap like I did.
Finally clean the welds off with a wire brush, paint over them, and you are good to go!!
You will not believe how much firmer and planted the car feels on the road. It makes the car so stiff too that you can jack one side of the car up, and the other side will lift it up too! Enjoy :sun:
The first step is to get the steel. I went to the local metal place and picked up two 10 foot sticks and loaded them in my friends mini van.
Next the car needs to be supported off the ground with the suspension equally loaded. If you support it by the frame / body on jack stands, it can twist it and the subframe connectors will keep it stuck in the twisted position which can make it handle weird. To lift it, I put ramps under the front wheels, then jacked up the back and put some bricks under the wheels. Make sure you put it in gear and set the e-brake so it doesn't roll off and **** you. I also recommend using solid bricks so that they can't break.
Now we all know that when you weld hot sparks like to go everywhere. We also know that gas and hot sparks make a hot fire. So to prevent from being burned to death, pull the fuel lines way away from where the subframe connectors are going to mount and strap them in place. Also Disconnect the battery before welding. I've heard of a few instances of people damaging their ECU while welding with the battery connected.
Now we need to clean the welding surfaces. I used a drill mounted wire brush and it only took a few minutes. Make sure to wear safety goggles because crap goes everywhere.
The back mount where we're going to weld the connectors has this weird little bend on the end of it that prevents the connector from mounting flush. Take a crescent wrench and bend it up so that it's out of the way. There's another body hook above the mount that might block your wrench from being able to bend it flush, I just took a hammer and bend it out of the way.
Time to actually start fabbing! Cut the two 10 foot section in half to make four 5 foot sections. Then cut each of those into a 2 foot and 3 foot section. On the 2 foot section, cut the end to a 15 degree angle.
Now the 15 degrees isn't 100% accurate so you'll need to mock it up and make adjustments as necessary. This part is kind of a pain in the ass but thankfully you only have to do it once since both sides are the same. How I did it is first I tacked the two halves together so I had a double wide 2 foot and 3 foot section. Then I put them on jackstands and using an angle grinder and chop saw got the angle right then tack welded them together.
For the back you can take a clamp and clamp the back part of the connector to this plate to hold it in place. I forgot to mention the 3 foot section connects to the back, and the 2 foot section goes on the front.
Once it's all adjusted and tacked, it's time to weld it all together! Make a bunch of short seam welds along the entire length of it on the top and the bottom, then weld the rest of it normally. The reason you don't want to make one long weld along the whole thing is those tend to crack, and that's overkill for just holding the two halves together. (Yes I know I suck at welding haha)
To prevent it from filling up with crap and rusting out internally, take some sheet metal and make end caps. Be sure these welds are water tight so water doesn't get inside.
At this point if it fits right, I'd go ahead and make the one for the other side. Since both sides are the same, just lay the pieces of metal over the one you just made, tack it together, and test fit on the other side before permanently welding it.
Clean the welds off with a wire brush and wipe the manufacturing oil off the steel with a rag with some solvent on it (gas works well).
To prevent them from rusting we need to paint them. I painted mine black because that's what I had lying around at the time. Do both sides and be sure to get the end caps because you don't want them rusting.
Now it's time to put them on the car! First you'll want to grind/sand off the paint along the edges where you're going to weld. Next position them under the car, the 2 foot section goes toward the front of the car and the 3 foot towards the back. Use the jack in the front to get it flat on the unibody rail and use a c-clamp in the back to hold it in place.
Just like when putting them together, make several hot stitch welds along the front.
In the back there's not much area to weld, so I made two hot stitch welds on each side and one along the end cap. Careful not to burn through the end cap like I did.
Finally clean the welds off with a wire brush, paint over them, and you are good to go!!
You will not believe how much firmer and planted the car feels on the road. It makes the car so stiff too that you can jack one side of the car up, and the other side will lift it up too! Enjoy :sun:
