tompumped

iTrader: (3)

I found this website just now. I'm going to buy alston subframe connectors, but why do they have 3 different things, I wrote them an email, but I figured someone on here would no why it's this way. thanks What does the windshield have to do with it?

Frame Connectors - Doug Herbert High Performance Parts

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

Have them e-mail you a picture of them and describe the difference. I suspect they are from the wrong Alston. There are two (at one time they were the same company), Chris Alston Chassisworks of CA and Alston Racing of IL. I sell the ones from Alston Racing. Here's what they look like:

http://www.top-downsolutions.com/images/306020.jpg

Lon Salgren
Top-Down Solutions

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

alston racing out of illinois are really great guys and their shop is top notch

tompumped

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the info. I was just looking to save some money. I'll deal with someone else.

gcgarner

Lon,

I see that your SFC's from Alston Racing are bolt-on with the option of welding. Which do you recommend?

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

If you're going to have them welded than you won't need to drill the body and bolt them in. The bolt in option is nice because it allows you to install them at home, potentially saving money on installation. I would suggest having someone weld them in after you've bolted them in if you decide to go that route. Just be sure that you grind about 1/4" from the lip of the mounting cups and the adjacent body location before bolting them in or you'll have the welder cursing you.

Lon

tompumped

iTrader: (3)

I was going to bolt them in, but I don't exactly understand what you mean by grinding 1/4 inch off. Is that just to get the powder coating off, so the weld can stick? Or is it, because the top of the metal cup touches the floor? thanks, I will buy them from you, I just have to send a money order, when I have the money.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

grind the metal under the subframes as well, so that when the welder goes to weld around the brackets he has clean metal to weld to with no contamination. so use a grease pen, etc to mark around the bracket shapes, then remove them and grind away all the factory coating on the floor, then grind on the subframes as well to have them welded up after they're installed.

5speed

iTrader: (1)

I have the Alston Racing sfc's. I had them welded in. I have no experience with the other brands but the Alston ones fit like a glove. No clearance issues with anything.
Made a huge difference in my car.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

Yes, you're grinding off the powder-coat so you can weld it to the body.

Lon

tompumped

iTrader: (3)

One more thing, will they clear a 3 inch exhaust? I don't think I ever saw the question asked when I read about them on here.
I was actually looking to keep the muffler by the cat, but i'll run it to the rear if needed.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

Yes. Several local SoCal club members (including me) have a 3" intermediate pipe and Alston Racing SFC's. No interference.

Lon

5speed

iTrader: (1)

Me too. No issue.

Pat Hall

iTrader: (31)

I got my Alstons from Lon at TDS a couple of years ago. I cleaned off the frame areas and removed the powdercoating from the edges of the cups. I installed them with the bolts in my garage at home, then drove to a muffler shop a couple of days later and had them welded up. After they were welded, I took a can of spray on overcoat and covered the new welds with it to protect them from rust. I'm running the Edelbrock 3" catback system with no interference problems. I did have to grind off a little bit of the front mounting flange of the cat, but it was really easy to do and didn't affect anything. Lon is a great guy to do business with, and I have to agree that putting the Alston connectors on my car is definitely one of the best mods I've ever done. In fact, it should be a mandatory one if you plan on keeping your thirdgen car long term!

tompumped

iTrader: (3)

I'm defninitely going to do it, thanks for the information. I'm disappointed, because when you stand behind the car one side is higher than the other. I think the person tweaked the frame, from driving around with a high horsepower motor and horrible home made subframe connnectors. It makes me feel like I wasted a lot of time. I thought the body would settle back out maybe when I cut the old ones out, but no.

Pat Hall

iTrader: (31)

Wow. Even though it'll cost you some, you might want to take your car to a frame shop and have them do some reference checks to see how far out of alignment it is, and maybe have them tweak it back to specs if necessary. I wouldn't want to weld up new connectors on a car until you know for sure that it's fairly straight. Otherwise, it'll stay crooked with solid connectors in place.

tompumped

iTrader: (3)

I never went to a shop like that or ever heard anything about them. I guess I will have to do that, but I didn't cut the driver side out yet. I can almost guarantee it will still be crooked. This car has been a nightmare, and it was my first serious project.

tompumped

iTrader: (3)

I forgot to mention I haven't replaced the front shocks yet, but I doubt if one was really bad it could make the car lean that much. There was no broken springs. The right side is higher, but when I just went to look at it, it seems like it settled a little. I'm going to cut the other one out today. The person might have not supported the vehicle right when they were welded.

onebad82z

iTrader: (7)

Talk to Will at Chester Collision, he is an honest guy and if he isn't busy he has a frame machine to straighten the car out.Make sure it is straight before you weld the new ones in.I have three cars in my shop right now with Alston's I have installed, really nice product.

onebad82z

iTrader: (7)

If the car is that tweaked and was never in a major accident, I think you nailed it.

tompumped

iTrader: (3)

Thanks, i'm probably going to do that, but I guess i'd have to rent a dolly and tow the car there. I don't want to put it on the road till everything is ready.

tompumped

iTrader: (3)

What shop do you own/work at, if you don't mind me asking?

tompumped

iTrader: (3)

I was just thinking, when I bolt them in I need a shop to weld them. I don't work in the field right and I don't know anyone good enough to trust to weld them. If your shop would do it let me know. thanks

onebad82z

iTrader: (7)

Home shop.Located in Warwick.

My brother in law and I had a 30'x40' shop built in his backyard so we had somewhere to work on the toys.I do all of my own,and most of his work.I want to try and turn it into a full time shop but don't have the money right now to do so.I can weld them when you get to that point,PM and we can set something up.

tompumped

iTrader: (3)

I appreciate it, that would help me out. I don't know what it costs, but I will pay whatever, especially if I know it's done right. Hopefully I will be able to put the car on the road for a little this year. When I get them bolted in i'll let you know. thanks again

Drew

iTrader: (58)

FWIW I put the Alston SFC's on my Formula back in about 1999. The stock dual cats bang against the SFC's just about all the time. It's really annoying and everyone that rides in the car notices. Of course since they're WELDED in they can't be removed easily.

I'm not the only one with this problem either. There used to be a thread with replies from other people who had the same problem. It is/was a high mileage car (100,000 miles, not really high mileage anymore) with all original equipment except for an Energy Suspension transmission mount with the preload spacer removed.

Also I want to say we had some issues drilling the bolt holes (we bolted them in then had them welded after), there wasn't enough clearance to position the drill to drill the holes.

They didn't have any noticable effect on the car, aside from the rattle/clank/bone jarring racket.

A few years ago I even went so far as to replace the entire dual cat assembly with another from a very low mileage car. I also replaced the hanger with new OEM parts from GM, and the rattle is still there. Incidently, if I remove the bolts from the hanger, and pull the cats down and reinstall only one bolt, no rattle.

It's a crapshoot at best, nothing against Alston or Lon because they seem to be a great product, but to say there is no risk of problems or downsides to the install would be to ignore a possible issue.

tompumped

iTrader: (3)

I'm not running a cat, if I was to run one it would be a single. What did you do to drill the holes, get a right angle drill? I never used one, but I have a good 1/2" electric drill.
One thing about the es trans mount, I installed es motor mounts, but I have yet to install the trans mount. I'm wondering if I should use the preload spacer, because I have the engine mounts, and they raise the motor. With my last third gen, when I installed the trans mount I had a wicked vibration, with or without the spacer. It was one of the worst vibrations I ever felt. Thanks

tompumped

iTrader: (3)

Have you tried using something to cover the metal so it doesn't make as loud a noise when it hits?

Rottluver

Heater hose with matching clamps for the win.

Pat Hall

iTrader: (31)

I'm running a single 3" cat and as mentioned in my earlier post, I had to cut off a little of the rear mounting flange on the cat with a 4" grinder/cutoff wheel and I also had to flatten out the top of the casing on the cat a bit with a BFH to avoid the rattling problem, but it really wasn't hard to fix. Besides, I wasn't worried about the casing on the cat anyways since it's hollowed out with a straight pipe welded in the middle of it!