sub frame connecter install

[408 dart]

to install home made weld in connectors in 69 dart,do i support car on frame or put stands under axle,and control arms? they shower on musclecar tv to let car hang to take any sag out of body?

[Dono]

I have had all mine on 6X6 wood blocks on the front of the car and the rear on jack stands.  The blocks are on each side of the K member at the front.  I have welded in the front of the connector then used a floor jack to get the back to where it needs to be so the doors close like new.  Just my way and it seems to work for me.

Don.

[moparrr07]

i would do like on musclecar and let the front sag, jack stand under the rear axle and firewall-

at tucks the doors in alot nicer and reduces wind noise- most people i hear that have done it both ways say it make the car fit to itself so much better

[RoachRunner]

I don't know if it's the right way or not, but when I installed them in the 'runner, I put jackstands under the rear axle, and put the front on ramps. I figured it'd be better to do it with the car loaded like it normally is.

[moparrr07]

you want it to be like when it came out of the factory, not strengthen it to its disconfigured 35 year old sag

[birdboy]

it all depends if the car sags bad or not. i use a chassis plate and had to do all the above some cars need the middle jacked up to get the door gaps right some don't. if you put the car up on jack stands and the doors wont shut right then you know you have to support the middle. i have seen guys put roll cages or frame ties in and couldn't shut the doors after. what ever you do make dam sure all the door gaps are right before you weld.

[Bakaruda]

The only correct way to do this is to have the wieght on the car. Otherwise the car is not relaxed. The doors do not fit correctly if you let the car sag. Oh, and yes you can adjust the doors. Why do it that way?

[DRJDVM95]

What if there is no weight in the car at all

Right now my car is on the rotisserie and has no motor, trans, rearend, doors etc etc etc...

I was planning on supporting the car on the frame rails, setting it on jackstands so its completely level and then welding them in...

[moparrr07]

flip it over

[Dono]

What if there is no weight in the car at all

Right now my car is on the rotisserie and has no motor, trans, rearend, doors etc etc etc...

I was planning on supporting the car on the frame rails, setting it on jackstands so its completely level and then welding them in...

Wate till you have her back on the ground and the doors hung on her.  I would not try welding them in with out knowing where the doors are at.

I seen a 70 cuda convertables doors pop open the first time launching with slicks and a 440 with out connectors.

[kuztomz]

Generally speaking .. any major additions or modifications to a unibody car should be done with the car on it's wheels and as close to normal weight as possible ... with doors in place and fit correctly (nice gap all around, open and close easy, no dropping nor "popping" up when opened)

Rust free cars would be less susceptible to issues from welding frame connectors in while on jacks, if the car is from the rust belt then I can see how letting the front hang (a little) might be of use but in those cases I'd be inclined to add a full cage if the car is that loose ...

[Bakaruda]

I would set the car on jack stands as close to the suspenion as possible. Just let the car relaxe as if it was on the wheels.

[moparrr07]

wait till its back together, if its still dead strait, put jack stands under suspention components, if the top rear door corners dont fit quite so good anymore, put front jackstands on firewall

[JohnnyfromChicago]

I  just read the instructions from comp engineerings connectors and they say to support the car by the frame and let the suspension sag. Seems right, you would want to get all the sag out of the body and this seems like the best way to do it.

[jet-taz]

support it in a least 8 places. nearest front and near the rear. also under torsion bar mounts and near front leaf spring mounts.if its a shell car weight won't come into play but you want to keep it level. as doors i had to rebulid the hinges and fix door strikers any way as to door fit.

[69 GTS Clonvertible]

Here is what Mopar performance says to do. I just emailed this to Ray (Kawazuki)
This is for bolt intype but they can be welded as I did. and for verts or hemi darts barracudas the outside rear flange needs to be cut off to clear the torque boxes.

[HemiDoug]

I'll throw in a little controversy here. I had my '67 Dart bare body on a rotisserie, and used a laser to measure the total deflection of the body while rotating the car 90 degrees each way. It was almost unmeasurable. I felt comfortable welding my frame connectors in on the rotisserie, and I was able to get really good welds this way. The car is back together now, and the door fit is perfect and they close like a new Mercedes. I drilled a 1/8" hole through each hinge before removal so I could stick the doors back on in the same place without adjusting them. Unless you have a convertible or a really rotted car, I think this method is OK.

[chastee1]

My 69 Dart is in the shop right now ready to get the frame welded together - only they already pulled the engine/tranny for the mods they are doing.  From reading this it sounds like the car wont be properly setup at all!?!  At this point Im hoping they are a little behind schedule and didnt get them welded in.........I'll call them first thing in the morning, am I understanding this correctly?  Could there even be a chance that once the engine/tranny wer put back in it would flex the chassis bad enough to snap some welds?

Sounds like I should advise them to at least sit the engine/tranny back in place so the weight is in the car?

[JohnnyfromChicago]

Thank for all the info guys. I'm sending these wrong connectors back to Summit and a racer friend of mine is fabbing some custom ones for me for about $50 total. I'm going to print all these suggestions for when we install them and test the doors and body lines using all the different methods. I love this site.

[Capt Jack]

finally added pass side to mine last night after work.  driver side tonite.
say what you will about the bolt on ones, but theyre better than nothing, even if only slightly

[JohnnyfromChicago]

I think the bolt ons are great. They fall right in and you can weld them in when you get the chance. They sure are good looking pieces too.

[Capt Jack]

yup, both mine are in and took almost no time.

no door open/close issues either.  I think we're back in business.

[JohnnyfromChicago]

Were you starting to twist up Jack?

[Capt Jack]

I'm just at zero traction for the most part.  the connectors are just a part of an overall scheme to get the car to where I want it.  so far that includes redo of the entire fuel system including intake, cooling, various interior and exterior parts, charging and electrical, blah blah blah.

but honestly...no, I dont think it was twisting all that much cuz the tires werent gripping enough to really push it that hard.   that should change as part of the redo includes tires, so I want to be ready.