How do SFC’s really work?
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How do SFC’s really work? After having seen different SFC's designs I have to admit: I don’t understand what they REALLY do.
Some just connect the front and the rear of the car without any contact in the middle. I can imagine they avoid stretching and twisting of the body, but not its flexing.
Others don’t connect front and rear but are welded on many spots under the body. They for sure avoid flexion and maybe a certain amount of twisting.
Others have a central connection to the X-brace with some transversal reinforcement. Due to their angled shape they (to my opinion) can’t really avoid a stretching. In the middle they don’t have a direct connection to the body, so I can’t see how they can avoid bending.
Due to their linkage they may avoid some body warping.
Does it really matter how SFC’s look like?
What do you guys think / know?
Thanks
Stefano
Some just connect the front and the rear of the car without any contact in the middle. I can imagine they avoid stretching and twisting of the body, but not its flexing.
Others don’t connect front and rear but are welded on many spots under the body. They for sure avoid flexion and maybe a certain amount of twisting.
Others have a central connection to the X-brace with some transversal reinforcement. Due to their angled shape they (to my opinion) can’t really avoid a stretching. In the middle they don’t have a direct connection to the body, so I can’t see how they can avoid bending.
Due to their linkage they may avoid some body warping.
Does it really matter how SFC’s look like?
What do you guys think / know?
Thanks
Stefano
The way I see it, upon hard acceleration or launches, the back half of the car flexes inward towards the front of the car. Connecting the rear half to the front half acts like a torque arm.
I put in my UMI Subframe Connectors and noticed no change really. I guess because I put it on at an early age instead of a high-mileage wagon on wheels. I also went with the two-point to save weight. I'm sure the 3-point is sturdier but I don't want it at the expense of added weight.
I put in my UMI Subframe Connectors and noticed no change really. I guess because I put it on at an early age instead of a high-mileage wagon on wheels. I also went with the two-point to save weight. I'm sure the 3-point is sturdier but I don't want it at the expense of added weight.
They are just braces, and the more metal you have harder is it for the floorpan to flex. The more mounting points you have, the more the load is spread out. If you took a ruler, and twisted and/or bent it, then stacked another rule on top of it, it'd be harder to twist of bend the two of them together. That's basically the deal with SFC's.
They are supports for the floorpan that just stiffen the chassis a bit.
They are supports for the floorpan that just stiffen the chassis a bit.
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Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
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By the way: your bars and shocks are working grate, now I need to stiffen up the body a little
i have UMI SFC that tie in to the LCA's mounting piont that help pant more weight buy putting more leverage on the whole body the stock mounting pionts are weak and the SFC help alot to make them stronger good stuff
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I've never heard of an adjustable shock tower brace. I'm not convinced that those things do anything on these cars. What condition exactly are you not satisfied with that you are trying to improve?
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This is an adjustable strut tower brace:
http://www.lmperformance.com/4886/8.html
"Strengthen your front sub frame assembly and eliminate shock tower deflection by connecting the shock mounts together. Built with heavy duty 1/4" mounting plates and 1.25" x .095" tubing. This unit allows you to pre-load the brace for maximum rigidity! "
I was thinking it was possible to pre-load the chassis too
What condition I'm not satisfied with: the typical convertible F-Body twist and bend.
http://www.lmperformance.com/4886/8.html
"Strengthen your front sub frame assembly and eliminate shock tower deflection by connecting the shock mounts together. Built with heavy duty 1/4" mounting plates and 1.25" x .095" tubing. This unit allows you to pre-load the brace for maximum rigidity! "
I was thinking it was possible to pre-load the chassis too
What condition I'm not satisfied with: the typical convertible F-Body twist and bend.
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Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
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Aren't SFC's supposed to be installed with the car weight distributed even on the 4 weels?
Would this be a way to preload the SFC's? Let the car hang during the installation so that the SFC's will be under tension once the car is on the floor?
The picture is of the car on the rack so you can see how they fit.... Yes, it's best to install them on a drive-on lift to make sure the body is as it goes down the road.
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Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
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Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
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Install them and then shorten them a little.
If they are a little under tension wouldn't they stiffen ou the body a little more?
You don't want them to be under tension or compression. They are there to enhance the floorpan's stiffness, that's all. Adjustable STB's are for fitment, because the cars can and do vary quite a lot. Using such an item to push or pull is not how they should work unless you want to put more stress on what you are trying to brace.
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Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
I have these from SLP. I honestly didnt notice a difference. But maybe it was because of the blown shocks I had at the time I dont know. Theyre heavy as hell too. but ill kepp them on. because I feel like they do work in my head and I just like to be assured that the body is as stiff as possible for what I have.
Sam, does that tunnel brace really make a difference?
Sam, does that tunnel brace really make a difference?
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Fine, thanks!
Sam, going back to your explanation:
"If you took a ruler, and twisted and/or bent it, then stacked another rule on top of it, it'd be harder to twist of bend the two of them together. That's basically the deal with SFC's".
Does the distance between the "rulers" make a difference? In our case: does it matter how far the SFC's are from the floor pan?
I can imagine that a higer distance is better, but this means less floor clearance...
Sam, going back to your explanation:
"If you took a ruler, and twisted and/or bent it, then stacked another rule on top of it, it'd be harder to twist of bend the two of them together. That's basically the deal with SFC's".
Does the distance between the "rulers" make a difference? In our case: does it matter how far the SFC's are from the floor pan?
I can imagine that a higer distance is better, but this means less floor clearance...
You'd need an engineer to tell you yes or no. But the better the tighter they fit, the better the ground clearance and the better they look.
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
I installed the SLP's and right away noticed a big difference! 1.) ride quality is a little ruffer. 2.) No more dash squeaks. 3.) t-tops come on and off with no forcing at all,,,drop right in place on and off. 4.) I did notice the car seemed tighter and traction did improve off the launch.
