Hello all, I'm looking for a bit of assistance with regards to my SFC's. I just got my Spohn SFCs welded in yesterday, and the car does feel stiffer, but not as much as I thought it would. Here's my concern though. The shop did not pinch weld them along the rocker panel lip, only at the ends/crossmembers. I asked the guy why, and he said that not only was there too much space (there is about an inch gap between the SFC and the rocker lip), but that he has done this install on many F-bodies before and found that it isn't necessary. So I have two questions, 1) is welding along the rocker lip necessary to achieve full benefit of the SFC and 2) how could it be welded to the rocker lip with that gap there?

 

Yes, welding the pinch is required for max. SFC efficiency. If you carefully dolly the pinch area inward it should be easy to do however an inch of gap is quite a bit. Shouldn't have been a lot more than less than half an inch.

 

Thanks TwinTurbo for the reply! Is it possible my rocker is bent or something? And would inserting some scrap metal to bridge the gap (welded to both the SFC and the rocker) be a solution?

 

Is it straight down? It should be. Most likely the guy welded the SFCs too far inboard.

I would roll the pinch area inboard and then weld it for full penetration. Filling up the gap with some metal strip gives you no access to the back side, possibly a nice rust spot as a result,

 

If he did install them too far in, I'm going to be angry. So even if the rocker lip is straight down, bending it inwards to contact the SFC is not going to be a problem?

 

Nope, take a pic... might clear some things up

 

Will do, give me just a few minutes.

 

I put about 20 welds on the rocker lip to the sub frame connecter area FWIW.

 

Okay here are some pictures of the SFC/rocker area

 

Those are way too far inboard, you won't be able to get the pinch area welded up...sorry

 

take them back and have them rewelded. I have the same sfc as you and mine are stich welded every 2 inches along the pinchweld. There are detailed photos on the net that is what I would bring to show him how they should be done. Hawksthirdgen has some good detailed photos of it.

 

So that's it? Is the only way to fix it grind them off and start over?

 

Not the way my Spohn SFC"s look. Mine are up against the rocker and they were welded in every 6". Also, my installer bitched about how much welding wire he had to use. The car is still stiff and rattle free even 12yrs after the install. You have problems with your installation, in my opinion.

 

Yeah I also think it's clear that the guy totally screwed it up. Guess I'm going back to the shop today to make them fix it. For the $200+$150 installation, I don't like that I'm not getting the most benefit. I didn't see any pictures on the hawks website, I'll check the Spohn website for some pictures to show the guy.

 

Yes check the spohn wedsite. I know one of those websites has detailed photos on how to weld them in. Make sure your suspention is loaded when he does the install.

 

If the guy didn't know what he was doing it would have been a lot easier to just ask for some installation instructions and pictures. I have never stopped learning things about cars and the upgrade there of. You have to watch out for some one that knows every thing no matter what it is.

 

The only thing that amazes me is, the rear part of the SFC bolts on the outside of the rear subframe using the lower control arm bolt. I can't clearly see it in your pic but with the gap you have, they must be installed crooked as the rear would have to be much closer to the pinch area as they are built to the correct width...or did he cut off the mounting flange?

 

Okay so I went back to the shop today and got the story. Turns out that he didn't like the Spohn instructions (which I gave him from the beginning), so he just decided to weld them where he thought would be best towards the front. The puzzling thing is that on the passenger side (you can see in the pictures) the connector is inboard at least an inch and a half too far. But the mounting plate on the connector is flat against the LCA box thing. After calling Spohn tech support, they told me that the plate probably wont sit flat. Why the hell would they build them this way?!?! But anyway the guy can't cut the connectors off close enough to the LCA without damaging the LCA box (I'm just glad he told me this before he tried it), so my options at this point are 1) be happy as is 2) get him to bridge the gap between the SFC and the rocker with some metal (which he suggested, and is willing to do). Wish I had a welder...

 

I'd not be happy with that install, but there is a solution.

Weld some 1/8" steel plate strips in, but have a different shop do them. Evidently that guy doesn't do a good job.

 

I think cutting my losses and not returning to that shop is my best option at this point. I have a friend who is a diesel mechanic with a welding shop that would be willing to help me work on them. What would be the best way to optimize the usefullness of what I already have installed?