thatsupnow

Anybody have any experience with Midwest Chassis subframe connectors?? They say they go from subframe to subframe. Any difference in strength compared to say the BMR that go from LCA box outside to the front??

https://midwestchassis.com/products/...-powder-coated


Thinking of maybe getting a set of those for doubled up strength. IDK yet

Dueling73s

iTrader: (4)

I would want to see some install pics or at least something better than what they are showing. The pieces that they show
look like straight tubing instead of something that at least tries to follow the contour of the floorboard. I have the Alston inners.
They are not perfect by any means as they hang a little low but made quite a difference. I have a t-top car so I also added
the UMI outers so the car is pretty solid at this point.

vinny R

Those straight bars just don't look like they will line up to the rear subframe. There seems to be no rear "pads" like the front.
I have Alstons also, welded, and they have to contour so there is exhaust clearance. These look like you weld these in and everything else has to fit around them instead of the other way around.

thatsupnow

Where are the Alstons on the website I can't find them at all or anything for a 3rd gen for that matter

EDGE

I have Alston as well. What do you mean you added the UMI outers? Curious what you did.

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

Heidts sells the Alston inners.

Firechicken82

I have a set of Alstons inner and a set of older CE outers. The ones in this post seem like tubular outers that only have one pad to weld. There's no place to tie into the trailing arm mount. There's quite a few well designed products out there. These don't seem to be in that category. If you don't have anything at this point I'd check out the Alstons. If you want outers I'd get square/rectangular stock ones that can be stitch welded in along the rockers.

you can get Alstons from jegs/summit/heidts and hawks.

Airwolfe

iTrader: (1)

I guess Lon at Top Down Solutions quit selling them. I haven't seen them on his site for awhile now.

thatsupnow

Thanks guys I'll check it out

exiled350

iTrader: (1)

They kinda look like the subframe connectors I got for my Camaro back in like 1998. They were just two chunks of raw square tubing... Had to cut open the floor to pass through and weld it all together. Can't say I'd do it again if I had to but I will say, I can easily open and close the doors when it's jacked up at the front or rear and it won't make good contact on one of four jack stands because the floor isn't level.

Dueling73s

iTrader: (4)

Not sure if this is still a question or not? The Alston connectors route from the back of the front sub frame to the front of the rear
sub frame. The UMI outer connectors go from the rear control arm mounts along the rocker panels to the front of the car. There
are also ties back to the front sub frame. I also welded in a few pieces of small square tubing that bridge the gap between the
UMI outers and the rocker panel. This makes for a nice structure that in effect ties the everything together. I can also jack the
car up from the UMI outers very easily from the side of the car.

EDGE

Thanks for the clarification. So you basically have two different sets of subframe connectors installed. Are they just run along side the rocker or stitched to the pinch weld? I have T-tops as well and would like to possibly do this to mine.

thatsupnow

You got a link to the Alstons?? I can't find them anywhere

EDGE

82-92 Camaro / Firebird Inner Subframe Connectors, BLACK, Heidts (Alston's) - Hawks Third Generation (hawksmotorsports.com)

thatsupnow

Thanks!

thatsupnow

Just ordered a set

EDGE

Awesome. That's what they look like installed

thatsupnow

Nice! Thanks for that. I've got a set of umi boxed connectors that go on the outside. These new ones will be a nice addition and make things stiffer

EDGE

Do you have to pull the interior out to weld in the UMI's?

thatsupnow

Nope. Just drove it onto the lift so it was nice and level and welded them up. They made a huge difference.

Firechicken82

I have a set of Alstons and old CE square stock outers. I welded in the outers years ago and that helped a lot. I had a fabricator put the Alstons in. This guy builds multi million dollar drag cars. He does insane stuff (it was really cool to check it all out). He said between the inners he put in and the outers that were there, the car was good for any power level until the car has a set of slicks/tubs. At that point he said a cage would be necessary (not my plan). At this point the car is solid, no flex issues, no cracks in the roof/sail panels. The doors line up no matter how the car is on the lift or stands.

best of all, when I shift it really hard and beat on it, it is totally sold. And that's w sticky 305s in the rear.

thatsupnow

Nice man. Excited to get these inners welded in

Airwolfe

iTrader: (1)

You might want to think about that. You might be OK welding in the Alston inner subframe connectors without puling the interior. Don't know if I'd risk it welding in the UMI outer subframe connectors without pulling the interior.

@dagwood Had a really nice 1990 G92 5 speed IROC-Z. July 2019 COTM **Winner**

He sold it to another guy and he had some really bad luck welding in subframe connectors. My old G92, 5 speed IROC-Z........RIP

This story didn't have a happy ending.

thatsupnow

That's pretty ridiculous. Obviously whoever welded those connectors in has no idea what he's doing. Mine welded in without issue and without pulling the interior. Jus saying

Airwolfe

iTrader: (1)

I've heard this my entire life from almost everyone I know. "Boy I been doing it like this all my life and ain't never had a problem!" My response is "Yeah that's how life works. Nobody ever has a problem, until they have a problem."

I know my personal luck. If it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. Maybe you are way luckier than I am.

I'm also not a welder and I've never welded in UMI outer subframe connectors. So I have no idea where the heat from welding will be located. Maybe it ain't nowhere near anything that could get hot and catch fire. I could see it not being a problem with the Alston inner subframe connectors.

It's not too hard to pull the sill plates, seats, and pull back the carpet and underlayment in areas where it might get exposed to the heat from welding. I weigh the time and effort to do that vs the fiery story without a happy ending.

Firechicken82

I've welded quite a bit, who ever welded/tried welding those in had no idea what they were doing. Thats a complete cluster, if it was a leaking fuel line why was the fire inside the car? That part of the interior does have some welding on the outside floor in that area. But a leaking fuel line would have cause an ignition/fire on the outside of the car. This fire likely started from heated metal igniting the sound deadening underlayment and carpet. Thats all very avoidable by paying attention to where you are in the car and being mindful of what's getting hot. Outers are mostly stitch welded to the rockers except for under the kick panels and trailing arm mounts.

Dueling73s

iTrader: (4)

The UMI outers can optionally be stitched welded to the pinch weld. There is a gap however between them and this gap isn't necessarily uniform from front to back. I measured the gaps and purchased a couple of different sizes of steel tubing to fill the gaps. In 3-4 places along the pinch weld I cut a short piece of the appropriate size
tubing welding it to the connector and to the pinch weld. I see the BMR version of these includes a few small plates to weld in to bridge this gap.

WildCard600

Maybe I can't read good, but I'm pretty sure the leaking fuel line story was a different poster talking about a totally different car.

Firechicken82

I may have missed it, either way, it's a cluster.

84 1LE

iTrader: (9)

I got my alstons back in the 90s when Saleen used to sell them under a different name. Plus ive got global west that run along the rocker. Both are tubular, didnt want to mix tube with sqaure SFC.

thatsupnow

Have you ever welded subframe connectors with a stick welder?? I don't have access to a mig welder but have access to plenty of arc welders. I was thinking of using a 7018 1/8" rod to burn these new connectors in

Firechicken82

My stick welding is limited. I always use mig. But it's the same concept. It really comes down to using the proper settings on the unit for the metal your welding. Practice on some scrap metal and get good penetration and even beads. Having a fabricator weld them may be the move if you don't feel confident. It's important that the car is evenly weighted so it's straight. You also don't want to overheat the metal.

thatsupnow

Yea that's kinda what I figured. I have no problem welding stick just never really heard of people using stick only mig

thatsupnow

So I just got home and checked out these Alston subframe connectors and boy oh boy do they good nice. I went to the car to check the fit and saw that they definitely won't fit with what I've got going on.

First issue is that I'm using a hooker transmission crossmember and the thing kinda creeps towards the back of the subframe.

Second issue is that my torque arm crossmember is also in the way mainly on the driver side. I can get the passenger side over the TA crossmember but again the hooker unit is in the way.

So as it stands right now I'll have to do some modifications or just completely scratch the idea of using these.

I'll take some pics in the next day or so to show y'all what I'm dealing with

Firechicken82

Both my Alston sfc's and spohn trans mount needed mods to fit. There was some additional cutting to get clearance. It was not at all plug n play.

thatsupnow

Ah okay that makes me feel a bit better. I've got a pretty good idea of what I need to do to get it to work but I've got other things to get done first. I'll revisit this a little later