Frame connector recommendation

[1973grandeklar]

I have seen many of you weld in frame connectors from the front frame member to the rear frame member. What do you guys use/recommend? Where do you get them from?

I will be doing the floor pans in aboout a month and want to include these as well.

 

[CZ-75]

I got mine from Global West, but have not had them installed yet.

 

[1973grandeklar]

I have reviewed a bunch of other threads and it seems this comes up a lot.

So Global West, Tin Man fabrication, Competition Engineering are the weld on connectors that are brought up the most.

Summit has all three:

http://www.summitracing.com/search/year/1972/make/ford/model/mustang/department/chassis-suspension/part-type/subframe-connectors-weld-on/?SortBy=Default&SortOrder=Default

I am leaning toward the Tin Man as they look more natural under the car and they got a nice video to show installation (albeit it is not a 71-73 Mustang)

http://www.tinmanfabrication.com/index.cfm?ptype=product&product_id=47&category_id=76&home_id=76&mode=prod&prd47.htm

Thanks for the input CZ!

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

I have tinman connectors and the fit and quality is very nice. They clear my caltrac traction bars with no difficulty and are very solid.

I also bought their crossmember with driveshaft loop, but never installed it due to interference with my exhaust system.

 

[Mister 4x4]

I have a set of Global West on mine, and they were a snap to install, don't hang down very low at all, don't interfere with the floor pans, and are very strong (I took to jacking the car up with the subframe connectors, rather than trying to find the appropriate place below the rockers).

I picked mine up from Summit Racing as well.

I can post a couple of pics when I get home later this evening - not so much from work, though.

 

[Ron Tanzi]

I used Global West. Very strong and no interference issues.

Ron

 

[CZ-75]

I don't think you can go wrong with either... I have no knowlege of the other souce you mention.

 

[droptop73]

I patterened my custom connectors after the Maier Racing and Global West pieces. There were some features of each I liked.

 

[jbojo]

I have tinman connectors and the fit and quality is very nice. They clear my caltrac traction bars with no difficulty and are very solid.

I also bought their crossmember with driveshaft loop, but never installed it due to interference with my exhaust system.

+1

I also used Tinman and the fit was flawless. I noticed some require you to modify the floor pan while others are contoured to fit. They were easy to install and I am happy with them.

 

[luxstang]

I am still haggling with the inspection requirements. Here they do not allow any alterations to the chassis or structural part of a car. A subframe connector is such an alteration, even if it improves instead of degrades the structural integrity.

When I explained that, their lame reply was that an improvement will cause the car to perform better which means there is no guaranty that the other parts of the car can cope with that new strength and performance. uuuhm... ok..?

 

[CZ-75]

Typical bureautical idiocy...

I can see having concerns about beefing an engine up in horsepower without being sure the frame can handle it... But how could improving structural integrity cause any other concerns?

 

[1973grandeklar]

I am still haggling with the inspection requirements. Here they do not allow any alterations to the chassis or structural part of a car. A subframe connector is such an alteration, even if it improves instead of degrades the structural integrity.

When I explained that, their lame reply was that an improvement will cause the car to perform better which means there is no guaranty that the other parts of the car can cope with that new strength and performance. uuuhm... ok..?

Europe, sorry for that. The way the US is going, politicians would love to diktate to us these absurd rules as well.

Beauracrats are usually the people that could not make it in engineering so they got a liberal arts degree and went into government. And now they know better than anyone else

Anyway to add rigidity and still technically be within the rules?

 

[Mister 4x4]

I am still haggling with the inspection requirements. Here they do not allow any alterations to the chassis or structural part of a car. A subframe connector is such an alteration, even if it improves instead of degrades the structural integrity.

When I explained that, their lame reply was that an improvement will cause the car to perform better which means there is no guaranty that the other parts of the car can cope with that new strength and performance. uuuhm... ok..?

It's definitely a case-by-case application, but I can see their point (to a point). When building an off-road vehicle and adding a 10,000 lb winch, if you simply bolt it onto the bumper without some kind of strengthening mounting method, you run the risk of simply ripping the whole thing off the vehicle the first time you use it. I watched a guy literally rip the bumper off a full-size Jeep Cherokee because he chose to use the chrome bumper as the hooking point, rather than the D-Ring he'd bolted onto the frame.

Subframe connectors could cause damage in other places that rely on frame flex to absorb torsional energy first. But, I also believe the benefits FAR outweigh the risks.

 

[pedstagn71]

I custom made the sub-frame connectors out of 1 1\4 square tube and 1\4 flat steel to the torque boxes. I used a press and contoured them to the floor.

 

[Gold Rush]

I custom made the sub-frame connectors out of 1 1\4 square tube and 1\4 flat steel to the torque boxes. I used a press and contoured them to the floor.

Plan on building mine myself, have any pics of your's?

 

[will e]

My American car loving Switzerland friends said the Government is trying to make sure it doesn't become a 'car culture'. Why I don't know.

I would agree the Tin Man's probably look more stock/original. I have the global west. (If you click on my garage you can see a shot of them). You can see them from the side, kind of looks like exhaust to the uninitiated.

They made nice sliders if you run over a curb...



Another shot. Don't be confused by the traction bars.



Here you can see there is a slight gap between them and the floor.

 

[1973grandeklar]

thank you will e. that is what I like to see, picture of them installed and how they show up from the side profile.

Sliders for jumping curbs? You trying to grind with your Mustang? Or is it an "out run the cops" technique (not that Mustang people would ever try)?

 

[will e]

It was a brain fart. I was pulling across traffic into a gas station and a car in the gas station did an unexpected move so I veered to the right and caught the end of a island curb.

The header didn't hold up as well:



But I really thought I was going to see some major body damager and I believe the slider kept that from happening.

 

[pedstagn71]

I custom made the sub-frame connectors out of 1 1\4 square tube and 1\4 flat steel to the torque boxes. I used a press and contoured them to the floor.

Plan on building mine myself, have any pics of your's?

I can get pics Saturday night