Is it possible to ditch the whole sub frame assembly?

[norurb]

I have an idea to rebuild/redesign the front end suspension on an SHO. I'd like to ditch the entire subframe, build new motor/tranny mounts and suspension points. Do you guys see any downsides or technical problems arising?

 

[SHOKING91]

no not at all, gl hf r^

lol

 

[SASHO91]

Here is a good read.
http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=79494&highlight=aluminum+subframe

 

[St Louis SHO]

Where's shoaz? And I scrapped the aluminum idea

 

[hawkeye18]

aw man, screw what shoaz says, that was a good idea! ****, everybody thought that stupid newfangled auto-mobile was a bad idea too, horses are a perfectly fine method of transport!

 

[NJSHO]

Do you guys see any downsides or technical problems arising?

Yes.

I wont list them though because apparently if I do it will add to the problem of no aftermarket parts being developed for the SHO.

 

[gmorrell]

After you've gotten a bunch of answers that you weren't expecting/don't like, just delete the whole thread...

Gary M.

 

[St Louis SHO]

heh I got the same thing, but now I am spending more time designing before I open my trap this time.

 

[LJRuddy]

There is a difference between giving criticism on having a subframe and building a custom subframe. Reason people got ****** in James' thread was because everyone threw out the thought that a custom subframe has been built before and can be very reliable. Instead of realizing this, everyone completely clobbered the poor guy.

 

[PAracer]

Then again, there is at least one known example of an aluminum subframe used in an SHO...

It is a very good idea, and with the possibility of revised suspension mounts (monoball) it could be quite an improvement. That being said, I'll let someone else built and market an aftermarket example.

 

[gmorrell]

Then again, there is at least one known example of an aluminum subframe used in an SHO...

That would be the University of Wisconsin's Aluminum Cow project. They replaced the steel engine subframe with one made of Aluminum, it was ~30 pounds lighter. Now, before you go jizzing yourself over this 30 pound savings, be aware that finite element analysis of their lightened subframe showed 3 times as much deflection as the steel subframe for a 1G (lateral) cornering load. U of W found this acceptable, and probably within their rights as a vehicle that got driven around to demonstrations and shows. For a track vehicle that's seeing ten or more 1G cornering events every lap - no way!

As I've pointed out here before, Aluminum has a finite fatigue life. If you repeatadly stress an Aluminum structure, even far below it's plastic deformation limit, it will eventually fatigue and break. Steel, OTOH, has essentially infinite fatigue life, again, as long as the deflection stays below the plastic deformation limit.

U of W's paper also made some very important points about post-weld heat treating of the entire Aluminum subframe assembly.

I'm not going to **** in anyone's corn flakes; if you want to make a SHO subframe from Aluminum, knock youself out, but you'd better do your engineering and materials science upfront work, and if you decide to sell these things, you might want to have a big legal defense fund in escrow somewhere...

Gary M.

 

[ohioshodude]

....Now, before you go jizzing yourself over this 30 pound savings....

thanks Gary now i have to clean my monitor off as there is now mt. dew all over it.

 

[baySHO_510]

There are tubular K-members & A-arms for Mustangs... why not have something similar for the SHO? I have had this idea in my head too but I dont have the $$$ or resources to actually fab up anything at all.

Think about it, it would be nice to lose some weight up front and GREATLY improve handling.