I already have some subframe connectors, but i still feel the car is a bit sloppy, has anyone stregthened the factory frame rails for a more rigid vert ? Ideas?

 

Could you post a pic of your installed subframe connectors? I didn't think Hotchkis made SFC's for verts.

 

oh the hotchkiss are on my supercharged Z, i have the alstons on my vert.....

 

You should start with getting the perimiter style (Spohn) SFC's as well. I'm just waiting for the Alstons to show up and then I'm getting them, the Spohn SFC's, and an Edelbrock STB installed all at the same time. I'll let you know how it goes when they get here.

 

My Alstons arrived from TDS today (amazing shipping Lon uses). Anyway, I was torn about which SFC's to get until I read this thread about an aborted Spohn SFC install. I just didn't want to deal with that.

Here's what I know about SFC's:

• ANY SFC is better than nothing.
• Perimeter SFC's are probably more rigid than that others.
• Weld them in while the suspension is loaded.

That's all I got and I am by no means a power user on the old suspension (no AutoX or anything). Have I heard of members with both types of SFC installed. Can this be accurate?

 

Could someone just grind down the stock rain gutter rivets and weld them inplace. Maybe with some tubing down the inner edge for some beef?

 

I dont see why you couldnt get rid of the rivets.

Rather than add the weight of a second set of SFC's, I'd look into tying in the Alstons (or even the factory frame) to the existing SFC's. Broken down into simple from complex, what you are probably feeling is the body twisting about the centerline of the car lengthwise. In simplistic terms, the car is experiencing bending along any axis you want to think of. Putting in the Alstons helped minimize bending along the car lengthwise, but didnt do much if anything about bending along the width of the car. Imagine the frame as 4 toothpicks all running the same direction, put them side by side. Grab one end of one of the toothpicks, what prevents you from lifting it up? Nothing. Now glue a toothpick to each of the 4 ends. Now whats preventing you from lifting it up?

Unfortunately nobody makes anything that you need, it'd have to be a custom fab. The front should be fairly easy (aside of the exhaust), the back is going to be an issue especially with clearance. Anything you do will help though, as you already know from what your car feels like now.

 

hmm... if you have a rollbar, wouldn't that minimize that centerline bend? and couldn't you even add a low profile bar at the rear base from the passenger to driver seat?

I don't know much about it. In fact i have no clue what people are talking about flex. lol. Pretty much all i've ever driven is third gens, so i guess i wouldn't know what non-flexing cars feel like. *shrug*

 

It would, but most people dont want a rollbar in a vert.
Hell maybe he does. Good point.

 

I had SFCs made from rollbar tubing, very thick and very strong. Worked great.

The only thing that's really going to make your vert strong is a rollbar, seriously consider it.