Hey guys, been searching old posts with dead links and pics that are no longer there for awhile now. What would be the best subframe connectors for me to buy? The car is an 88 rs 5 speed I plan to eventually run a vortec 350 in with stock style 3" exhaust and shorties.

From what I have read, it sounds like it's a toss up between UMI, Spohn, Jegs, Global West, and Alston. I saw some people mention S&W, but haven't seen any pics of those. What's the deal with the Alston sfcs? Are people running those with other brands in place as well?

Also the Jegs... Is pn 64714 the ones people keep calling "The Jegsters?" In a thread I read awhile back it sounded like they had two different styles available, these were the only ones I saw listed on their site.

I don't want sfcs that hang way down off the bottom of the car and hit things, and I don't want any exhaust interference. I'm not really interested in spending time to make my own, as I already have a massive amount of work to do on this car. Interior is completely out and I would prefer to weld on the floor now. If anyone has pics of these brands on their car I'd appreciate it if you could post them up, and give me some input.

Thanks,
Cale

I have the UMI ones for stock exhaust (forget the part #) welded in. Cost me about $250 at a local well regarded body shop to do them with the car on their frame rack to make sure car was square and level. Best money I have spent on the car. They tuck up under the car so nothing hangs down

When the time comes I'm buying the UMI's.
Here's a link to them. Take a look at the photos at the bottom of the page.


= http://umiperformance.com/catalog/in...roducts_id=127

I'm really happy with my spohn SFC. I can't say about the exhaust clearance though as I'm running custom true duals.

The spohn units tuck up tight to the body, don't hang down really at all. With ground effects on my car, I can not see them from the side view at all.

Anyone know of a good shop near Chicago to install them? I have umi ones but cannot find a shop.

Try small privately owned Muffler shops. Just ask them if they do or have they done an installation.

Check with Speed Inc, great guys!

Thanks for the responses. I was kind of leaning towards the UMI connectors initially. My only concern is the exhaust clearance. I plan to run 3" exhaust in the factory location. In the picture on the UMI site it looks like the pipe is close, and I am doubting it's 3" in diameter.

Can anyone with 3" exhaust chime in on this before I place my order? I'd appreciate it.

I have the Alston's and I am happy with them. No issues.

Again...

Do the UMI subframe connectors clear a 3" y pipe okay? I'm ready to buy them, but my car is completely apart and I don't want any surprises later on.

There is rarely any problems with our sub frame connectors and 3" exhaust.

http://umiperformance.com/catalog/in...roducts_id=127

The right side brace as shown in the picture if you enlarge it can be optional if there would happen to be a clearance issue.

In a nut shell we haven't had any major issues as far as clearance with our SFC's.

Craig

Thanks Craig - Are you able to link us to install directions? I'm curious where all the weld points are located and if carpet needs removed. Also, do you have the total weight of the assembly?

Thanks Craig, I figured 3" exhaust was common enough on these cars. Didn't mean to drag this out, I'm just really ocd anymore over proper fitment after all the issues I've had with aftermarket parts in general for my other car. I appreciate UMI's presence on the forum. Just ordered a black set of your subframe connectors now.

UMI is pretty good with fitment.... But let me give you a little advise that I learnt a long time ago and it helped my stress levels a lot..

No aftermarket parts are going to fit perfect.
No bolt on part will ever just bolt right on.

If you understand this and buy each item knowing that, you will be less stressed out when something needs a tad of fab work to fit.

A member on another site that I'm on made a joke years ago... Something to the nature of...

"yes rest assured, those bolt on bolts will simply bolt on as long as you own a 6' tall 48" wide tool chest packed will tools, drills, drill press, grinders, cutting torch, mig welder, tig welder, plasma cutter, and a bridgeport mill"

Thanks for the order!

Not a problem answering any questions you guys have this is why we are here.

Sometimes problems do arise as far as fitment issues go.
We always try to work with the customer when this happens.
Most of the time a solution can be reached to make it fit proper if not we always stand behind our product and try to make every customer happy.

Craig

This could be my new favorite quote!!!!! lol

You are exactly correct! Because of factory tolerances and design variances it sometimes becomes very difficult to manufacture direct bolts on products that fit every car.

We are constantly tweeking products to fit every application as problems arise.

Craig

UMI should fit without difficulty if your car hasn't been hit or twisted. I have UMI connectors for my vert (yet to attach but have dry fitted them) and the passenger side front might be off a little but the vert has the factory outer connectors and that's what's causing the possible small issue. As for weld points, that easy: weld them everywhere and anywhere you can. Don't choose only to weld them at the front and rear, stitch weld them to the entire floor pan if/where it's close enough and you will increase the vehicles rigidity. If you stitch weld them and skip around several feet you shouldn't need to pull the carpet.

Thanks for the input on weld points. I am wanting to minimize weld points if I was wanting to install SFC at all. I hesitant as it is to install SFC, due to changing a factory car. I'm sure there are others around here that feel the same way. Any mods I ever do I want them to be reversible and all parts would be saved. I've owned the car since 1992 and never done anything to it, its been in storage since 93. The SFC are an modification I am considering because it could potentially extend the life of other parts of the car, i.e. dash, doors, ect......., making the trade-off worth it. But I would still want the option to remove them and having weld points all over the place would make this even more difficult. I have no intentions of racing the car, I have another car for that purpose. I just want to drive it, maybe with some spirited driving at times.

Great photo of some subframe connectors (or at least appears to be )

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...-car-lift.html

There are bolt in types of subframe connectors BUT they will not work as well as welded in connectors nor as well as welded in having the sides stitch welded. The vert cars came with half-assed outer subframe connectors so you could have a welding shop make you a set and only a serious Thirdgen guy or know it all car appraiser would ever know. Subframe really should be the first thing anybody does to these cars as it can prevent so many problems. Imo it's going to be another 15+ years before these cars in stock form can demand $20,000 and by that time the car may be worth more because it did and does have connectors.

I bought UMI sfcs for my IROC to take the flex and twist out of the picture. Going to weld them every place I can.

We have our annual Black Friday Sale starting this Wednesday so you could save some $$$!!!!

Craig

delete.

Hey Bill. What do you mean by squaring up? If your near Austin, I might let you put some on my baby

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As long as driver and passenger side are level the front and back don't need to be. 4' carpenter level probably wouldn't be good enough unless it has a digital angle finder and is qc to be within a fractional limit. Short of expensive (not typical diy tool store) laser levels the best way is a water level.

hmmm, hadn't thought about all this. Would another way to make sure it is level is to rest the chassis of the car on a straight beams with wheels hanging free?

You need ensure whatever it rests on is directly under the a arm mount and lca frame vicinity and can be exactly leveled to each other.

My wife spilled the beans and told me she got me the 2004's. I'm excited but have no clue where to take them to get installed.

I have the UMI 2400's. I bought them years ago intending to put them on. Now I have a 4th Gen rear end. Will they still bolt on and be a proper fit?

Yes.

$250 just for labor? Is this what most of you paid to have them installed?

There are lots of variables involved. Is the welder certified? Are they removing carpet? Are they stitch welding them? Tig or mig? Big city or rural area? Just call around, tell them it's not an asap job so they can keep it 2-3 days and save you a little.

One quote I have locally is for $250. That's with ME getting the seats and carpet out of the way. And it's from a shop that builds race chassis. They actually had a 3rd gen. they were putting a cage in the day I stopped to talk to them about it. Looked like they were doing nice were, so that was reassuring.

This is a major reason why you (or any car person) should think about getting a mig welder.

You can get a new Hobart 140 amp mig welder for $500, rent your shielding gas bottle for $15 a mo. and pay $35 to have it filled with gas. You will have that welder for the next 20+ years and use it MANY times.

You can look around and find a good used one for $250-350.

Once you have a welder and practice with it you then can weld all kinds of things like SFC, LCA brackets, box your LCAs, roll bar, exhaust, etc

I'll definitely second that advice. I bought an Eastwood mig welder that had a three year full warranty and it has been great and was only $300 I believe. Not a single problem. Ahp offers the same welder for a near identical price. Only thing I would say differently is to buy a used tank from Craigslist. Some places will allow you to exchange a propane tank for a welding tank. But they are few.

I will most likely do this as I have been wanting to learn how to weld.

Cool deal, I truly belive that is the best route to go. I have been welding since I was a teenage, but it was with stick and flux core. So when I went to install my roll cage, NHRA says it much be mig or tig welded. My idea was to fit and tack all bars in place and call a pro out to mig them up. I called around and I think the cheapest I could find was like $650

At that point I said the heck with that and bought my holbart mig and welded up my cage. At that time I rented a 140 cf bottle from my welding supply shop. 6 mo. contract, $10 per mo. After that 6 mo. contract was up, I just bought the bottle out right from them.

Man I can't tell you how much I have used this welder and all what I have done with it. Having a good mig welder IMHO is a must have.
I have built a welding cart, steel work bench, 8' long car trailer ramps, fixed all kinds of broke tools, just last week I welded our mail box lid hinge back on where someone ripped the door off the box.
Welded in my SFC, LCA relocating brackets, exhaust on 5 of our own cars and atleast 10 for friends. My roll cage, built 2 go carts, and that is just scratching the surface of things I have done with this welder.