I have a set of weld in subframe connectors that I still have not managed to get installed since I bought them 20 million years ago. Well, I have some slight damage underneath the car at the passenger side jacking point. Apparently, the sheetmetal is bent, and it is no longer flat enough to weld in the sfcs. It doesn't look too bad, its just annoying to fix. The shops I have spoken to don't want to get near the car with a 10 foot pole because its not worth the hassle for what they can charge me. I did find a place that is willing to work on the car. The guy does not work on a drive on lift though. He prefers to jack up the car by the a-arms and the differential to load the suspension. He also mentioned that for customers that have sagging door problems ( like me...my doors sag quite a bit) he opens the doors and places a jack with a block of wood under the door. He jacks the door up just a little to try to counter the problem. He then welds in the subframes.

Since this is the first time I have heard of someone do this, I'm not so sure its a good idea. I definitely don't want to **** up my doors. He seems like he knows what he is doing though, and the guy builds oval track cars for a living. Sound like a good idea to you? Let me know what you think...

 

Not sure if I totally agree with that idea. On these unibody cars, the doors are actually part of the "chassis" so to speak and provide some of the stiffening. I'd just keep the doors shut. There's no problem with welding the SFCs in with the car on jackstands and the suspension loaded, that's how I did mine: front tires on ramps, rear axle on jackstands. It's the same as having the car on a drive on lift, suspension is loaded.

Now, if you have damage in an area preventing you from properly welding in the SFCs, have you thought of going with another design? I can't easily install Spohn SFCs on my RS for the same reason (something bent on the driver's side rail) so I purchased a set of Alstons for the RS and I will have no problems installing those sine they weld on in a different location.

HTH....

Ed

 

Opening up the door and jacking it up bends the hinges to compensate for the door sag. To do it right you need to put a bushing kit in the upper hinge.

 

Like Mighty said, if he jacks up the doors, he will bend the hinges (or the sheetmetal that the hinges are attached to). You do NOT want to do this! It is entirely unnecessary for welding on SFCs, and is a seperate issue on the car. When he's done welding on the SFCs, the doors will open and close a little better. All that's left is to get a hinge repair kit, and your doors are good as new.

If this guy hassles you or insists on jacking the doors, bring the car somewhere else!!

 

I agree,its seems retarded to fix door sag in this manner, do it right, the sell kits to repinn the doors. I also think that putting your car on jack stands is the appropiate way to do it.

 

Oval cars don't have doors.


Watch out, you be getting in and out like them Duke boys after he gets done fixxing your doors.