Tubular Rear Subframe Install

[99gst_racer]

Looking good. Looks like the fuel filler situation won't be so bad afterall.

 

[gofer]

Yea, the filler wasn't a big deal to get clearanced around the subframe. I'm not sure how it's going to work at the gas station though since I did change the routing of it and now there's a slight hump in it to go over the subframe. There's also an anti-siphon butterfly valve at the end I cut off that I may get welded back on. We'll see tho...

I think the moment of truth now is going to be hanging the exhaust, I'm not 100% confident it's going to clear just by looking at it. I plan on finishing this entire thing up today and attempt to align it so I can give it a test drive.

 

[99gst_racer]

The exhaust is probably going to need to modifications to get around it. I know that John built his exhaust after he had the subframe installed and I'm pretty sure he had to kick the routing out closer to the inboard CA mount rather than follow the original path.

 

[gofer]

Sweet. Now I have an excuse to drive around with a cat-delete downpipe and sound like a dump truck. Paul, do you happen to have a link to a photo of John's car with the exhaust up?

 

[99gst_racer]

Here's a few of John's:

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[gofer]

Thanks for those shots Paul. I'll have something to take into the shop with me and show what I'd like done. I've been looking for an excuse to get a different exhaust setup, looks like I've found one.

Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and this HKS hipower will clear it.

 

[gofer]

Got quit a bit done before it was time to break for a Bud Light & Clamato and nacho lunch.

I made a trip to the local car parts store and snagged a 1.5" I.D. hose with a 30* turn for the fuel filler and a 5/8" and 1/4" hoses for the vents going from the tank to the filler neck. Everything fit up exactly how I'd hoped, I'll just have to see if it works when I try to fill the tank. I also bolted up the passengerside suspension (LC/toe/tension arms), next will be torquing everything down and trying to fit the exhaust before I drop it on it's wheels and fill the diff with Redline.

If anyone noticed I cleaned up that edge so it doesn't look I cut the spare tire well out with a butter knife, I'm going to put some foam hose around it too and which should clean it up even more.

On to the pictures...

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[gofer]

Done son. Car went down on its wheels about an hour ago. Toe adjustment looks good, I need to adjust for negative camber from what I can tell. I'll be tackling that chore on Wednesday as I need to take a day off, too much wrenching...

As I suspected the exhaust doesn't clear the bottom of the subframe either so I'll be taking it into the fabricator's shop, hopefully soon, and get an exhaust welded up. I think this time I'll be going muffler-less and save even more weight...

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[1990AWD]

sexy...

 

[91-GS]

That exhaust seems to be really low to the ground. Are you not worried about is scraping?

Run an oval pipe instead of round. Or at least have a piece of oval where the subframe is to give you a little more of road clearance.

 

[gofer]

I'll see what the exhaust fabricator can do. The difference between Whalen's car and mine is the stock gas tank so I won't be able to push the exhaust out towards the LCA like he did. Maybe I'll run it through the subframe...

 

[gofer]

I got the car aligned this a.m. Did it myself with a piece of string, two jack-stands, tape measure, level, and some salt so the tires slide on the garage floor. Toe needed quit a bit of adjustment on both sides and camber was great according the the level, still not 100% certain about camber though as I thought I had some negative on both sides. The local alignment shop will do all 4 corners for $60 and they said they'd have no problem doing it to a modified suspension, I just wanted to get it close so I wasn't fighting it driving there.

I've sent a few emails out to local fab shops about the exhaust, just waiting to hear back. I'll post pictures once I get it installed...

Paul, on John's car did you notice a ride height change after installing his subframe? My car looks like it raised a 1/4" or so and I'd like to think it's from the weight loss, not only have I dropped the 30lbs+ from the subframe change but also another 25lbs or so since I don't have a 6ft stretch of exhaust with that big HKS muffler.

 

[eDeclpse92]

This looks awesome and well made! If there was one for a 1G, I would be ordering it! I did notice however in post 57 with the picture of the sway bar attaching to the tab on the new subframe; there doesn't seem to be a brace or a gusset in the strong axis direction of how the sway bar will act (force wise) on those tabs. It may just be the angle of the picture that I can't see it but it looks like that tab might have a tendency to bend under some conering. Just a suggestion, I didn't know if you ran any FEA analysis on it at all. I'm not dissing the subframe at all because I absolutely love it, just a friendly suggestion! Keep up the good work!

 

[gofer]

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[eDeclpse92]

Looks good! I just was looking at a bad angle.

 

[gofer]

I took the tubular subframe out for its maiden voyage on Tuesday and damn was it a blast taking corners, even with my shitty Eibach/Tokico suspension. After the 10 mile cruise I made it back to the garage to check everything out and make sure nothing was getting tweaked from mild driving. Everything looked great, just getting a gas smell from somewhere. Not sure if it's from the modifications I had to make to the filler hose, up in the engine bay, or somewhere in the middle but I won't have time to look at it until later.

That being said, the tubular subframe is doing great and I can't wait to get a exhaust back on and the DG Koni/Hypercoil coilover suspension setup under the car and see how it corners.

Of course, I had to take a picture too.

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[black97spyder]

Looks great man!

Im wanting to cut my spare tire area out on my 97 awd talon because it has 2 tiny spots that have rusted through the trunk area from the hatch drain holes being plugged so I figure I can cut it out to put a good piece of metal in there that would be lighter and flat to help save weight, did you do it to save weight? Any advice on what to do and where to stop cutting?

Also what did you use to cover the hole to help prevent road noise? Id like to cover the hole with something sturdy enough to support a single 12" sub and box

 

[99gst_racer]

Also what did you use to cover the hole to help prevent road noise? Id like to cover the hole with something sturdy enough to support a single 12" sub and box

He's running one of the plates/covers that Andrew @ Frontline Fab makes.

I'll be doing the same thing as my fuel cell is going to sit where the spare tire hump currently is.

 

[black97spyder]

Hmm didnt know he made such a thing... could you elaborate more for me paul? Or a link to what one looks like?

 

[99gst_racer]

Hmm didnt know he made such a thing... could you elaborate more for me paul? Or a link to what one looks like?

I don't think they are on Andrew's site, but I'll bet Corey has a pic he could share.

 

[gofer]

I really don't like sharing but, here's a shot of the spare tire well cut-out.

And of the F*F cover installed. Eventually I'll probably modify it a bit and run Dzus fasteners to hold it down but Andrew designed it to use existing screw/bolt holes which is nice. You'll have to get a hold of Andrew via email or phone to ask about them though, I bought mine a few years ago.

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[black97spyder]

Thanks Corey! You have me very interested in one if those covers since I have rust in my trunk bay.

how much weight do you think you saved by cutting the spare tire well out and replacing it with Andrews FF cover?

 

[bduran1220]

That looks incredible it might be really expensive but probably well worth it!!!!!!!!!!! (The Subframe)

Is that a spare tire well trunk delete??? Awesomeness!!! ^^^^I got rust on mine too, how lame is that???

 

[gofer]

I weighed all the scrap I cut out of there and it was ~9 lbs IIRC and the F*F cover probably weights ~4lbs. It's thick enough that I can stand in the middle of it and it will support my weight so you can still put your spare tire on it and tools if you need to no problem.

I remove it when I go to the track so it's just an empty hole. One more place I can crawl out and escape if I need to.

 

[99redgst]

Any updates on this? Pics of the exhaust?