vega Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I have been reading about subframe connectors. The most help I saw was some pics from Johnc. I am trying to find some decent pictures to how you fellas are welding the connectors to the subframe. Or more over where on the subframe you are actually welding them to. Also is there a bolt in kit that is being sold that I can bolt up and then weld? I would appreciate some pictures of this. I have seen a few but they are mostly at very bad angles or just show the floor rails. I get the floor rails, I don't get where you weld them to the rear subframe. Oh, correct me if I an wrong, but I don't think most of you weld to the front subframe just the rear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzgoten Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/102637-my-first-z-build-road-course/page__st__60 Check out Rob's build. Maybe that'll help you out a bit. He was a pretty extensive build going but you can clearly see the points he uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 If you search through the photos on the Betamotorsports Facebook page you'll find a half-a-dozen of the Bad Dog connectors installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 On a 240 they connect to the same frame rail that the front diff crossmember attaches to. In the front they slide over the frame rails up to the TC box. Here is a pic of the rear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duragg Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I have the pics of my build which look identical to the one posted above. They don't fit just right. You have to get them close and start tacking them in and add some little chunks of metal in certain places to tie it all in. What fun that was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vega Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 Thanks much fellas, big help. Btw, I don't want to sound stupid but, what the heck is a tc box? I haven't heard that reference before, I have been working on cars for over 10 years now. So you are kinda throwing me through a loop. That is the second reference I have read today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DREW RBZ Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Tension Control box. Tension Control rods hook into the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 TC rods are also called strut rods. It's the rod that keeps the struts from moving rearward under braking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vega Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 That is a new way of calling them to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsommer Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 (edited) Bad dog sub frame connectors at the back end of the frame rails. Zeddfindings floor pans, bad dog frame rails. Edited October 27, 2012 by dsommer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EF Ian Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 I'm hoping to use the bad dog subframe connectors on my project. Does anyone know if they fit 260Z's also? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vega Posted October 28, 2012 Author Share Posted October 28, 2012 I have a 280z. do they work with those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 They have a 280Z variant. For the 260 you'd need to know if you have the early one which would take the 240 SFC, or the later one which would use the 280 style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emeraldlion Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 They don't offer the rear subframe connector for the 280 though. Interference with ARB mounts I believe. I don't know this for sure, but from looking at things, I think you could mount the rear sfc if you were to cut out the stock arb mounts and go to a rear mount setup for arb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vega Posted October 28, 2012 Author Share Posted October 28, 2012 Thanks for the info john. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EF Ian Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Mines definitly 280Z style as its a 78 260Z. My frame rails are solid so I don't think Its worth adding extra metal there but I would really like to install subframe connecters. Perhaps I can alter the 240Z rear frame rails to fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Mines definitly 280Z style as its a 78 260Z. My frame rails are solid so I don't think Its worth adding extra metal there but I would really like to install subframe connecters. Perhaps I can alter the 240Z rear frame rails to fit. I'm sure if you looked you'd find more info, but I believe the 280 style frame rails are something like 35mm tall and the 240Z stuff is more like 15mm tall. If that is correct, then the aftermarket rails might fit over the top of the existing rails, but they wouldn't hit the floor making it a real PITA to install them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EF Ian Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 I'm sure if you looked you'd find more info, but I believe the 280 style frame rails are something like 35mm tall and the 240Z stuff is more like 15mm tall. If that is correct, then the aftermarket rails might fit over the top of the existing rails, but they wouldn't hit the floor making it a real PITA to install them. You are correct, the 280 style rails are much taller, but they don't go all the way back and the subframe connectors are quite short, therefore it shouldn't be too hard to fab them up to connect, it might not look quite so neat but it should work. I contacted John at bad dog and he says this is what others have done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vega Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Do you guys have a link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnosez Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 www.baddogparts.com Both 240 and 280 rails are made to fit over existing rails (will just fit over a very clean and undented one with the use of a rubber hammer) or as replacement rails. The fit would add about an 1/8 inch to the bottom of your S30. They are the same length as the OEM rails. As to the rails not reaching the floors, I'm sorry to say Jon is completely wrong. In fact the contour of the rail is a bit complex to match the actual contour of the floor itself. If you want to install the 240 rear optional rails on a 280 it can be done but it might not be pretty. A 280 version is in the works for release later next year. As to rear sway bars the optional rear frame rail will limit the bar's upward movement so you'd need to one like the Suspension Techniques sells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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