Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Again, I'll say they are NOT bad things. They just aren't 100% necessary, and don't make the car pull more g's. They aren't handling parts per se. They do add weight and cost money so you have to decide if they are right or needed for you. That's it.

I'm just tired of how things get said on the internet and become universal truths. I hear 'I read/saw/heard it on the internet' 20 times a day. I generally ask from who or what was said and it's that met with 'I don't know'. I'm not sure why in this area folks are so willing to listen to completely anonymous figures they have no personal knowledge of, but they do. I often find myself asking "Who are *they*???". I feel like the Emperor in that Robot Chicken sketch about who blew up the Death Star....

1981TA

iTrader: (7)

yeah, I've been doing a whole bunch of weight reducing mods on my car (it's down nearly 600 from stock), and now the easiest one on the plate involves pushing away the plate and waddling around the block a few times.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Lol.. What the hell is an aluminum falcon???

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Yep.. sub in "______ part" for aluminum falcon and you pretty get it.

Atrus_SS

iTrader: (1)

haha, werd - the sad part is it'd be a cost savings for me to drop that weight too! And I still don't do it!

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Some guys ridicule the "jacking point" factor. But we got ice in KS today with this weird storm, and I had to take off my usual summer tire / Nitto combination and bolt on my Blizzaks. Only had to jack up each side once. Now that's value!

Otherwise, they have upsides (no more RR quarter panel wrinkles) and downsides (increased ride harshness).

MrBluGruv

But that's been proven to be untrue.

There's not even a 100% correlation, as there have been numerous first-hand reports of post-installion wrinkles and dimples after SFCs.

Unless I'm mistaken and hadn't dug enough through the search, I don't think that anyone has been able to counter solid evidence with the claim (that itself was backed up through evidence) that SFCs, by design, don't provide structural support in a manner that would stop those wrinkles/dimples.

Heck, I don't even think there is a true consensus about what actually causes them in the first place, I've seen it divided (albeit unevenly) between "hard launches" and "birthing marks during the forming of the panels during the manufacturing process."

itsslow98

iTrader: (18)

Id rather have them then not. When I jack the car up on the furthest point forward the rear tire almost raises just as much as the front. If they dont make a difference in chassis support I dont know what would.

I never looked at them as handling mods, its more of a chassis enhancement IMO and its well worth the 15lbs of added weight.

ssvert99

iTrader: (26)

I would have to believe it would be a matter of if someone decides to install connectors to install a set that ACTUALLY CONNECTS THE FRONT AND REAR SUBFRAMES.

People actually need to look at these cars(3rd and 4th gen) up in the air and realize the outboard side of the LCA box (or entire box for that matter) is NOT part of the rear subframe. On some connectors I have seen the front of it just installs to the forward floor cross brace... not even on the front subfame as well! Not only this but to bolt the connector on the car is just plain worthless. I can guarantee you the flex between the mounting surfaces and long bolts are moving around way before the connector is doing anything to eliminate flex. MWC does not offer bolt-in connectors and never will.

A JACKING RAIL IS NOT A SUBFRAME CONNECTOR! Jacking rails are there to protect the rocker pinch weld and other sheetmetal components. The rocker is the strongest part of a uni-body car anyway- why add material right next to it that don't actually connect the subframes? IMO jacking rails unfortunately have been sold to many of you as subframe connetors.

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

Your SFCs look pretty good. And they look relatively light compared to some. I'm thinking of doing your 6-point roll cage and SFCs. Ought to have one hell of a solid car after that... and for $435

GTA91

iTrader: (14)

I have the old SSM SFC's on my GTA and BMR ones on my 'vert. My GTA is a hardtop and well the 'vert is, well... a convertible. lol

Anyways, I didn't really notice that much difference in either car. The GTA has an 8pt cage now too which I'm sure helped more than anything else.

The 'vert has LCA's, APHR, STB, shocks/springs... but honestly I think the shocks/springs setup has more to do with my "cowl shake/twist" than the SFC's.

IMHO the SFC's can only help so much... if your overall suspension setup (shocks/springs) aren't controlling the car's movements then the SFC's sure in the hell aren't going to overcome all of that. Similar to the rattle comment made earlier. Just my $.02

NoHope

I thought they were 50 lbs?

buellxb12s

iTrader: (9)

I plan to put 3 points on mine as I literally lift a wheel when pulling in my driveway. don't see shocks and springs helping much there.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Here's what I know from firsthand experience. I developed a 9" crease in my RR quarter from launching at the track. It even wrinkled the fender lip. I had it repaired and installed UMI two point weld-ins. After innumerable similar launches, it has never come back.
I also get dimples on the tops of quarters if I go to the track or launch hard on the street. They DO come back after SFC's. I've had them PDR'd out a couple of times. But the crease has never reappeared.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

You're right... but then that's not a handling thing. And that certainly is putting a hell of lot of stress into the body. But it also shows the body isn't just twisting so much since it does unload a tire. Of course over time that will just make the body more and more weak. This is a perfect place for 3-points.

buellxb12s

iTrader: (9)

Sam you have no idea how glad I am that you support my reasoning. I already have your springs and hope to upgrade shocks and your sways this year. I wanted to get your opinion but didn't want to bother you until it was actually purchase time. so thank you for your input.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

no problem, and I see exactly why you'd want to go that way. That's the trick with what I do, there is no one answer. And that most *frustrating* think about the internet is how folks take things out of context. If I said to Joe Smith 10 years ago he didn't need them, then that somehow becomes gospel, and that's not how it works.

demonspeed

iTrader: (7)

Hell, I still remember meeting Sam at the local autocross nearly 10 years ago when it was the first time [that I had heard] anyone dispelled the whole notion of SFC's preventing the quarter panel dimples. I even called him out on this very site as "some guy said..." Granted, I had no idea who Sam Strano was back then, but this just goes to show there is no "only one way" when it comes to individual's wants and needs with their vehicles.

2001WS6-DJP

If your trying to stop the crease and stiffen your car put in a cage

ddnspider

iTrader: (26)

yea cause everyone wants to throw a cage in their street car or DD