Okay...I've been searching and reading but can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for.

We installed one of the bolt in sfcs I have and found a minor problem with bolting to the front subframe. It seems that the bushing slips thru the fork opening on the sfc. I am thinking to fabricate a steel plate, maybe 1/8" thick to put between the bushing and sfc with a hole big enough fo only the bolt to fit thru.

The connectors I have are similar to the bolt ons that are sometimes on ebay...don't know if they are the same but could be. I didn't buy them. They were in a box of parts that were with the car...

Any additional suggestions? I don't know if I explained this right. If not, let me know and I'll try again...

It has to slot around the bushing back there.

And the bushing halve's fit through the S/F mount and center such that the bolt can locate a tad off if needed.

You can do it but then you effectively do away with any self centering/ bushing interlocking IF I recall right??

pdq67

After some serious messing around, we got the back bolted up. Unfortunately we are still running into problems with the front. The bushing that would normally be on the bolt and meet with the sleeve squishes through the sfc. Seems that the sfc is too big for the bushing....I'm so confused, and hubby's interest in either car is wanning, so it looks as though I fix this one myself...:( but I have no idea how. Engineer I am not!

Are you using stock rubber body bushings? If so are they new? If they are old ones this could be the problem, most SFC's MFG's recommend using solid bushings (Aluminum) with sfc. If they are old origionals they may be to sloppy to maintian there shape when tightening them and thus pull through the connector. New rubber bushings should do the trick many use them with sfc's but I would recommend going to solids for more frame stiffness. I had the bolt ons on mine they were Competition Engineering and they worked fine they fit the bushing fine but they were solid bushings.

New rubber bushings. They don't seem to fit. Enlighten me on solid bushings....never heard of 'em (yep that's the girl in me...) So fill me in, including where to get them please....

Most of the high performance suspension mfg's have them Competition Engineering, Detroit Speed etc... Try Summit Racing, Jeggs And DSE.
Heres Summit (A Link to there CE's) http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=CEE%2D3027&N=115&autoview=sku

Tomorrow night I will measure the opening on my bolt ins, for you.

Thanks. The SFCs I have could be the ones pictured in the Summit and Jegs catalogs....These solid bushings will do the trick huh? Cool. Ordering today. I am assuming installation is pretty self explanitory?

Solid bushings will transmit a lot of vibration and noise so, be warned!

The subframe connectors are a sloppy fit where they meet the subframe. This in normal for these out-of-the-box connectors.
They must slip into the subframe and become sandwiched between the two-part bushings.
Unfortunately, the bushings will not sit well with the open connctor's hole and also the bushing are not designed to reach through 3/8" of steel. They where only design for 1/4".

I don't have any real advise except try and use the rubber bushings for ride comfort. Alternatively, you can do what I did and make your own connectors that fit YOUR car exactly and don't have an open hole where the bushings & bolts pass through.
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/9026/misc0345mb.th.jpg (http://img58.imageshack.us/my.php?image=misc0345mb.jpg) http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/2696/assembly1403ky.th.jpg (http://img110.imageshack.us/my.php?image=assembly1403ky.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1590/assembly1308cl.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=assembly1308cl.jpg) The plates on the side are my traction bar lift points.. You don't need those!

Interesting thought, however, fabrication is not my stong suit. If I close in the opening to just big enough for the bolt, will that work? I will still try the bushings first, since I can get them locally...but if they are that bad.....

Use poly-mounts, the best of both worlds.

???????????? Enlighten please...

I had to use a hacksaw to notch my black, hard as frozen hockey pucks Poly S/F bushings and my Jegs bolt-on S/F/C's went right on!

I did however use Cornholio's suggestion to use onna my small floorjacks as a third hand to push them up next to the floorpans and it worked GREAT!!

pdq67

Ok, heres a link to some pictures, you can see where the bushing sat in the connector as it didnt get hit with paint, from the side you can get an estimate on how far it sat in the frame. The actual hole/slot for the bushing end measures 1 1/4" in width and 2 1/4" deep the actual arc starts at 1 1/2" from the frame end of the connector. These were on the car when I purchased it and it was a drag car PDQ and others are right you will get more vibration and noise with solids. I have purchased the DSE connectors that weld in and I plan to use the solids with these and from what others have said the extra vibration and noise is not that bad. I will let you know when I get it on the road, but it will be awhile LOL.

Link to Bushing End: http://community.webshots.com/photo/443555202/2644787120077826120gJdKpd

Link to Side http://community.webshots.com/photo/443555202/2606291670077826120BKbdmL

One of the machine guys I work with said he can cut a 1/8" plate to fit inside the connector with a hole only big enough for the bolt to go thru. Will this work?

Sitting here looking thru Classic Ind. catalog, on page 429, there are two kits shown. One has steel sleeves, the other does not. I am not entirely blonde, but aren't the sleeves important???

Yes the sleeves in the bushings are extremely important. Otherwise, your subframe will move considerably in the event on an accident and would most likely act as a guillotine and shear those bolts in half leaving your Camaro (and maybe you) in 2 pieces!!

Any 1/8" plate you have made MUST have a hole in it to accomodate the bushing's sleeves.

I used the CE connectors with Energy Suspensions poly bushing set (which included the sleeves)....and used the jack as the third hand, with no problems....Still havent gotten her back on the road...but plan on gettin her done by the end of this summer, at least drivable...Rolls around the driveway real nice though:D

Okay, I'm going out to give the plates a shot. My only concern was the bushings. They don't seem to be deep enough to go all the way thru the plate, SFC, and body. The bolts should work (I hope) but the bushings won't quite seat. Should I anticipate any trouble?

Hey cool. the plate idea worked. Unfortunately, we managed to shear one leaf spreing bolt and destroy 2 J-nuts. Guess we're done till next weekend....dang it!:mad:

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=83635

Thanks Black Out! That made for some interesting reading. BTW You have mail!

Yay! I'm back on all 4 tires. Leafs and connectors look good. Sits a little high, but hopefully it will settle.

Now, on to body work!

:thumbsup:

you go girl... :thumbsup:

You take and pictures of the sfc's or the car are the installation?