How to prevent dash from cracking?
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
I'm glad your happy with your koni package on your street car setup. However add fat and skinnys, a full spool 12 moser,a full Spohn rear suspention package and an engine putting out 450rwhp. Then add a set of 28 inch tall Mickeys and 4 AFCO DA racing shocks from Madman racing. Now set the front shocks on about 7 and 14 with the 300# springs on..
Now you can kick your gas to the floor and watch your dash crack. Should have added that set of SFC you didn't need huh?
Now you can kick your gas to the floor and watch your dash crack. Should have added that set of SFC you didn't need huh?
If its that bad you need a cage, not SFCs...
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i got SFCs simply to reduce the groans and creaks of going over speedbumps in my neighborhood....at 3mph. theres nothing that a suspension can do for that when half the car is twisted 6 inches higher than the other half. u need a stiffer chassis
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 576
Likes: 1
From: En Casa del Carajo
If I remember right I read "armor all" may speed the process up from absorbing the sunlight more or something like that... Either way use a real interior detail spray and not some greasy junk.
The dash crack has nothing to do with chassis flex (its the cheap plastic GM used that expands/contracts with different temperatures) - much like the firebird interior door pannel crack issues.
These cars don't flex anywhere near enough to do anything like that, they're actually pretty sturdy. The rough ride and perceived "flex" people feel is from inadequate shock dampening (yes, it makes that much of a difference).
The dash crack has nothing to do with chassis flex (its the cheap plastic GM used that expands/contracts with different temperatures) - much like the firebird interior door pannel crack issues.
These cars don't flex anywhere near enough to do anything like that, they're actually pretty sturdy. The rough ride and perceived "flex" people feel is from inadequate shock dampening (yes, it makes that much of a difference).
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
If your car is "twisted 6in higher than the other half" over a bump then there is something seriously wrong with your car, and it wouldn't be safe to drive.
These cars do not flex like that, that's completely ridiculous.
Ive personally had my car in the air with a jack on one corner (with no SFC's) with the car teetering back and forth, no flex at all.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
Because the companies that sell them are great at marketing, and 3rd gens did need them (and many 4th gen owners were prior 3rd gen owners).
And at the point when you would "need" them, for example pulling the wheels at the track, you need a cage anyway which does greatly stiffen the chassis (much much more so than SFCs could).
Talk to the guys that have actually done them with other (proper) suspension mods like good shocks, you will see they dont notice the SFCs and often take them off... A great example is Sam Strano's old auto-x 4th gen Camaro he sold (national champion winning car, no chassis bracing at all), the new owner threw on SFCs, went slower due to the added weight, and took them back off and preceded to keep winning...
I again can tell you first hand, I have 3 point welded on, they did nothing noticeable, but I already fixed the real problem: bad shock dampening.
I had some groans you talk about as well, they were rear LCA bushings, and my front swaybar D-bushings. Replaced those, and guess what? No more noise.
And at the point when you would "need" them, for example pulling the wheels at the track, you need a cage anyway which does greatly stiffen the chassis (much much more so than SFCs could).
Talk to the guys that have actually done them with other (proper) suspension mods like good shocks, you will see they dont notice the SFCs and often take them off... A great example is Sam Strano's old auto-x 4th gen Camaro he sold (national champion winning car, no chassis bracing at all), the new owner threw on SFCs, went slower due to the added weight, and took them back off and preceded to keep winning...
I again can tell you first hand, I have 3 point welded on, they did nothing noticeable, but I already fixed the real problem: bad shock dampening.
I had some groans you talk about as well, they were rear LCA bushings, and my front swaybar D-bushings. Replaced those, and guess what? No more noise.
you could have it removed and have it wrapped at an expense. it should have been wrapped anyways.
you need to keep it clean and not go 4x4 ing with it like it did with mine after making it 3/4 of the way through a drift on a completely circular on ramp in the rain.
put that hoe in a garage and keep it out of the heat and out of the real cold ****. these cars are not air tight. you hop in, that dash is below freezing. you let it heat up then hit the defroster with 90 air coming through it all of a sudden, then thing will act the same as a windshield. the door panels do it too. when that happens youll just have to get new ones, or fab up something to make it look decent.
you need to keep it clean and not go 4x4 ing with it like it did with mine after making it 3/4 of the way through a drift on a completely circular on ramp in the rain.
put that hoe in a garage and keep it out of the heat and out of the real cold ****. these cars are not air tight. you hop in, that dash is below freezing. you let it heat up then hit the defroster with 90 air coming through it all of a sudden, then thing will act the same as a windshield. the door panels do it too. when that happens youll just have to get new ones, or fab up something to make it look decent.
