How hard is it to install SFCs, bolt ons?

[Wheeler99WS6]

I was wondering how hard it would be to install some bolt on SFCs? What all is required, am I supposed to drill holes for bolts or do the bolt up to existing holes? Is this something I should try myself or should I take it to somewhere that has a roll on lift? I obviously dont have one of those I would have to try and bolt them on with car on the ground. Let me know guys.

Wheeler99ws6

[INMY01TA]

They are usually welded on.

[Wheeler99WS6]

thats true, but i dont know how nor do i have a welder so i was wondering about the bolt on ones, but bot even sure if i will be able to do them myself either, if not and i have to take them to a shop i will go with the weld-ins for sure.

[Wheeler99WS6]

I am curious if this could be done at home, i dont have a roll on lift or anything so it would be done with the car on the ground. If i have to take it somewhere i will just go with weld ins. Let me know if any of you have ever done the bolt ins yourself, is there existing holes you use for the bolts? Or do you have to drill holes? I honestly dont know, I tried to do a search and came up with nothing.

[rbob93]

About an hour and a half lying on my back in the driveway.

Gotta cut the heat shield for fuel lines on the driver's side, piece of cake.

[Wheeler99WS6]

no drilling of holes or anything? What brand did you end up going with, did they come with instructions?

[rbob93]

no drilling of holes or anything? What brand did you end up going with, did they come with instructions?

SLP......just had to trim the heat shield and muscle a bit with the center brace......probably helps not to tighten up until all are in place....instructions are in the box

And what a difference!!

[Wheeler99WS6]

thanks for the info

[Sunset T/A]

No drilling required, all holes are in the chassis already. The SLP bolt-on's as I installed uses plates with threaded holes that slide inside the hollow part of the chassis. You can read the installation instructions on the SLP website, before you tackle the job if you are unsure if you can do it.

[NHRAMAN]

WELDED is Better though...any muffler shop can do it..shouldn't be too much money.

[tbaum]

Good luck with the whole bolting in thing. I really have to doubt the effectiveness of bolted in SFC's. If I were you I would really look for someone who knows how to weld. Mine made so much difference in my TA. Spend the extra cash and get it done right. The weld needs to look like a roll of nickels when it's done.

[INMY01TA]

Welded or not at all.

[oneBADDz]

Good luck with the whole bolting in thing. I really have to doubt the effectiveness of bolted in SFC's. If I were you I would really look for someone who knows how to weld. Mine made so much difference in my TA. Spend the extra cash and get it done right. The weld needs to look like a roll of nickels when it's done.
and who says welded is right and bolt-in are wrong? Do you weld your headers to the heads? Do you weld the intake on? Bolt-in are fine

[tbaum]

There is a big difference between headers and a piece of metal that adds to structural support. Headers have air go through them SFC's keep the entire car stiff. Listen...each to their own but I would get them welded in. I just can't fathom how bolt-in's would even come close to adding the same structural rigidity as welded in.

[INMY01TA]

There is a big difference between headers and a piece of metal that adds to structural support. Headers have air go through them SFC's keep the entire car stiff. Listen...each to their own but I would get them welded in. I just can't fathom how bolt-in's would even come close to adding the same structural rigidity as welded in.:stupid:

[oneBADDz]

:dunno: to each his own, but bolt-in are great. Just because you can't fathom it doesn't make it untrue. I'm not trying to argue, I'm just telling you they are better than you think

[AKIRA]

I cant see why anyone wouldnt even weld in the bolt ons!

I had mine welded on when I had the mustang. I got a muffler shop to do it and I remembered it being pretty cheap.

[Wheeler99WS6]

lol. Thanks for all the opinions fellas.

[NHRAMAN]

and who says welded is right and bolt-in are wrong? Do you weld your headers to the heads? Do you weld the intake on? Bolt-in are fine

are you in the same world as us ???? :ughlaugh:

[firesilver]

So is it the same or even better if you bolt them on, and then get them welded in.

might bring the labor cost down some if their already in place and everything.

[Frozen WS6]

Unless you are going to be doing some serious drag or road racing boltins are fine. Yes, I do agree that welding them in will make the chassis even more rigid, but you have to take into concideration what a person wants to do with there car. I've ran a 600 rwhp 69 camaro at the king of the street drag races for over 5 years with boltins with no problems. But when we put the 900 motor hp in it we welded them in for safety sake.

[Fastcar]

Bolt-in types work perfectly fine, they don't shift around and the mounting holes won't get elongated if you bolt them in properly (make sure that the mounting bolts are torqued to the suspension part manufacturer's specs). The only experience I have is with UMI SFCs: they mount using existing screws and chassis holes, no drilling or cutting is needed....AND, you don't have to do any cutting of anything (such as heat shields, etc.). The only thing that you have to do to make sure the SFCs are not putting any unnatural loads on the car is first mount all the components with the screws NOT torqued down, just torqued enough to keep everything together. The final torqueing of all the bolts MUST be done with the car's weight on the tires, the way your car normally sits on a level road - that keeps the SFCs from inducing any abnormal 'twisting' of the body structure. :burnout:

[Frozen WS6]

I have SLP's boltins and I didn't have to cut or drill anything either. They came with all the bolts and instructions also. I've been happy with mine.

[ss~zoso~ss]

RK sport weld ons, the work great, they are for verts tho

[whs]

What do you guys do about repainting the underside after the welding is complete?

[Frozen WS6]

WHS, Once the area is ground down to bare metal, a good shop will spray it with some weld through primer. That will prevent a lot of potential rusting issues. Then you could spray it with some Dupli color touch up paint and that should do it. I did this method plenty of times at the bodyshop. Just remember once the metal is ground on it will have removed all of the galvonizing that GM did at the factory.

[indiana hawk]

2-point bolt on's will work just fine for your car. Get the UMI's, that's what I put on my firehawk. They're easy to install at home. Just get you a piece of 1" thick plywood, cut it in 12"x12" squares, put 4 squares under each tire two squares at a time. This is how I did it. It gave me plenty of room to get under the car and it kept the suspension loaded, which is required for installing SFC's. I installed mine in an hour and that included jacking it and putting the wood squares under it.

[Wheeler99WS6]

excellent idea. thanks

[oneBADDz]

2-point bolt on's will work just fine for your car. Get the UMI's, that's what I put on my firehawk. They're easy to install at home. Just get you a piece of 1" thick plywood, cut it in 12"x12" squares, put 4 squares under each tire two squares at a time. This is how I did it. It gave me plenty of room to get under the car and it kept the suspension loaded, which is required for installing SFC's. I installed mine in an hour and that included jacking it and putting the wood squares under it.
I happen to have a spare set of rims laying around, they work great for putting under the tires when you needs the whole car up in the air also