Gauging Interest: Rear subframe repair kit

[becauseican]

I have repaired a few rear subframes now due to cracking including my own, and I thought that I could offer pre cut plates and reinforcement bars to you guys. You would have to weld them on your selves or take it to a welder/ shop. For anyone local here I can do the welding and install of the parts. Even if your subframe is not cracked yet it is a great preventitive measure. For anyone making 350 HP or more you should be checking your subframes often and check for cracks, normally around the front lower mounting points and above the pinion flange. I recently did one where the frame was cracked right through above the diff, the front lower bolts were ripped right through and the diff was only held on by two bolt out of the six!!! Just wondering how many of you would be interested. I am not sure about pricing yet as it would depend on how many sets I would make, but aiming for about $75-100.....Discuss.

It will include pre-cut plates to for the front cross beam, upper, lower and front plates, rear mounting hole plates, and the front/rear bracing bars.

Here is some pics of the prototype's on my car. The first pic is just a few of the plates (not the complete kit)

Welded on the subframe:

Finished product with BIC solid subframe spacers:

 

[gofastgeorge]

Nice pictures !

 

[Mk3runner]

i'm down for it.

 

[radiod]

A little late for mine...I've already replaced and reinforced my subframe :S. Mine cracked through on the diff mount just for any of you who were curious. That was a nasty job to pull it all and replace...ended up having to cut my lower control arms off and get new ones

 

[hvyman]

id be interested if i had money.

 

[Cz.]

I would be interested in a kit

 

[tekdeus]

Lol, I think Randy is talking about my subframe, the diff would have surely ripped out of the subframe if I kept on driving it like that at 450rwhp. It was actually cracked when I got the car, when it had only 350hp. The 87-88 subframes desperately need reinforcement.

 

[lewis15498]

Not in the budget now, but i would consider it at some point, would love to see some pics tho.

 

[T701jz]

Mine is hanging by the thread :nono:

 

[becauseican]

EDIT, pics in first post.

 

[Flateric]

What is the leading cause of this failure?

Wheel-hop, age, corrosion, jumping the car (kidding), bad luck etc........?

 

[IJ.]

Damn good idea!

Might I suggest a couple of 1" holes one either side of the diff cutout to allow for a rosette weld?

 

[garagefujimoto]

I will buy anything you make.

 

[reydio]

I'm down for it, better safe than sorry later.

 

[Highnitro]

id buy one, especially if u did what Ian said.

 

[Flateric]

What is the leading cause of this failure?

Wheel-hop, age, corrosion, jumping the car (kidding), bad luck etc........?

Anyone have any idea?

 

[Jeff Lange]

I think probably mostly age and corrosion, combined with bad luck. I've seen some very clean, non-rusty cars with stock power and cracked subframes.

Pretty much any A70 subframe could use reinforcement, but the 86-88 subframes need it even more.

Jeff

 

[tekdeus]

It just fatigues over time and causes stress cracks, which eventually expand. Torque around 350 and above just drastically accelerates this process!

 

[becauseican]

The 89+ subframes have two extra support bars that tie togeather the lower front and rear mounting areas to help keep flexing down. One major problem is loosening off of the front diff mount bolts, once they have loosened off a bit it allows the diff to move around causing stress cracks arounbd the mounting holes and if not adressed right away they spread until it cracks right through the front cross beam. Wheel hopp and drag racing will definatly will not help.

 

[hvyman]

is there any way to make like a sandwich plate out of the kit to be able to put a mk4 diff in to run a v160? just curious.