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  1. #1
    Senior Member kool-aide's Avatar
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    Sebring Silver Metalic
    2002 Camaro Z28

    Subframe connectors, weld vs bolt

    I like doing things myself. I can't weld nor will I have a chance to learn.

    Aside from what I think is obvious in the difference between weld in SFC vs bolt in. Can any one say with confidence it is worth the hourly labor to pay for weld in SFC?

    To me the obvious is the weld in should come out feeling more like the car was made that way. To me bolt in relies on good fit, and good bolt re-enforcement points. Again I love to DIY, and i'm a non-welder. I don't mind paying some one the cost of labor when i can't do it. But if i have a choice that lets me DIY, I want to DIY.

    Plus i once heard the only way to inspect a weld for quality is to x-ray it. Otherwise you are at the "mercy" of the welders craft and skill level. While the welders skill level should be enough without question, every one has a bad day. I haven't heard of anyone spot checking welds when building custom bikes or hot rods. But i have heard of spot checks in other industry fields that rely on safe quality welding.

    For the record I would like to buy the SLP bolt ons, but would consider the BMR weld in as a second choice. To me its about DIY and money. Any time I can DIY it saves me money.


    Thanks

    Jason

  2. #2
    Member sirenformula350's Avatar
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    1998 Trans Am

    subscribed... I'm the same way and this is something that has been bothering me also.

  3. #3
    Member Frozen WS6's Avatar
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    2001 WS6, 1998 TA

    I have slp bolt ons and since I'm not seriously drag racing my car they are fine. This is my opinion and experiances. But I've done it both ways. On street cars and sometimes raced the bolt on are fine. I've been really happy with mine and are a must on any f-body.

  4. #4
    Junior Member Hamrhead's Avatar
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    2000 Camaro

    If your a street car then bolt on is fine but if you are a serious track car then go welded!

  5. #5
    Senior Member kool-aide's Avatar
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    ok, UMI claims their bolt ons can be future weld in.

    Any exp with UMI?

    Frozen, I see from you pic you may have a t-top?

    Any one out there with t-tops have a lot of rattle, vibs, and noise?

    Most manuf. claim the SFCs reduce the rattle on t-tops, any truth?

    How good are the 2 pt vs the 3 pt? UMI has 2 pt and 3 pt bolt on. I think SLP only has the 3 pt in a bolt on.

    thanks

    kool-aide

  6. #6
    Junior Member Hamrhead's Avatar
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    2000 Camaro

    Never had a rattle from my t-tops but have heard of it. Get the 2 point.

  7. #7
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    Bolt-ons are good but will have a chance of the bolt holes to elongate over time. There is alot of body flex and twisting during spirited driving and those bolts and hole can only take so much. You can do bolt ons yourself then just pay somebody to put beads of welds on it. This should cut down labor requirement considerably. This should satisfy your thirst for DIY and have the full strenght from the SFCs

  8. #8
    Senior Member kool-aide's Avatar
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    that's what i was thinking. DIY 2 day and save for the welding 2 morrow. I figure if UMI is confident their bolt ons can take the weld in treament down the road. Then it would be the best of both worlds.

    So you would choose the 2 pt over the 3 pt? Uh, is that because of cost? I was preparing to beg for forgiveness after ordering the 3 pt, 300 bucks is the lowest on UMI I could find, so far.

  9. #9
    SUPREME member-oderator oneBADDz's Avatar
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    I have UMI bolt-in. . .and am a semi-serious racer. I think they are great. If you want to weld them later they are just like a weld-in just with bolts also. Bolt-holes aren't going to elongate, they don't bolt into holes in the car, they have a backing plate that they bolt into in a way that I don't believe allows for elongation. They are a great product and most people that argue weld-in over bolt in simply have no experience with the bolt in type. I can see where they would believe that weld-in are superior, but in reality they are probably equal as far as perfomance goes.

    You can always weld in the bolt ins later, but can you just bolt-in a weld in? Just get bolt-in and if you want to, weld them up later
    Last edited by oneBADDz; 10-16-2007 at 03:44 PM.

  10. #10
    Senior Member kool-aide's Avatar
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    Sebring Silver Metalic
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    oneBaddZ, do you have the 2 or 3 pt? THanks for the info.

  11. #11
    SUPREME member-oderator oneBADDz's Avatar
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    2 point UMI bolt-in.

  12. #12
    Senior Member kool-aide's Avatar
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    thanks, where did you buy yours, UMI or a shop?

  13. #13
    SUPREME member-oderator oneBADDz's Avatar
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    Straight from UMI. They do have an ebay account where you pay the exact same as through their site.

  14. #14
    Senior Member kool-aide's Avatar
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    oh nice. I'll look them up on ebay. I had no idea. Thanks for the info, off to ebay i go hi ho.

  15. #15
    Senior Member kool-aide's Avatar
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    oneBaddZ, boxed or tubular. It looks like UMI on has tubular in the 2 pt bolt on?

  16. #16
    SUPREME member-oderator oneBADDz's Avatar
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    I have tubular bolt-ins. I think it's the only option from umi as bolt-in. It's definitly strong enough, and they don't take up any ground clearance

  17. #17
    Senior Member kool-aide's Avatar
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    well sounds like i have a good feeling about spending money. I love DIY, gets me all excited that i did something myself and didn't F it up.

  18. #18
    SUPREME member-oderator oneBADDz's Avatar
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    You can't get it wrong, they are so east to install it's rediculous. Best part is, since they will be exactly where they need to be etc, If you want to have them welded up most exhaust places will do it for $10-$20

  19. #19
    Senior Member kool-aide's Avatar
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    wow, never would have asked an exhaust shop. I'll have to keep that in mind for the future thanks.

  20. #20
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    oneBADDz, how do the fronts bolt up? Does anything go into the subframe section where the bolts would bolt up to? Can you explain the backing plate? It is sanwiched between the SFC and the subframe? I've been wondering about that.

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