Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension subframe anybody???

does anybody possibly know someone selling an ati subframe?? i have broken the sway bar tab on mine and it is clunking bad. i dont really have the technical expertise to drop the subframe fix it and then do the loading and reinstall it . i cant find a single fab shop in town that will work on it so it looks like a reinforced subframe may be my only option. unless anyone wants to make a trip out to boise, id to give me a hand. ideas? suggestions?

I'm confused. You want a new subframe, but you don't want to drop the existing subframe?

I'll assume you will have a shop do this, then. ANY shop that would install or remove a rear subframe will have welding capabilities. Why would they NOT if you are a paying customer? Take it to a Pepboys if you must, tell them the tab on your subframe broke, needs welding, and they'll do it. They charge you a rapage, you hand them your credit card, they do the welding (quite possibly while it's still on the car), and you come back an hour later with lube in hand and pick up you ride.

Now, all joking aside, there used to be a complete rear subframe in teh classifieds, an ATI one at that, but it doesn't look to be there anymore. Just to throw my opinion in the ring, it will cost you A LOT less to just reweld the mount on. Shoot, a mom and pop muffler shop would probably do it. Or call a machine shop, they usually have many tig and mig welders on site that could easily button it up for ya, and I wouldn't imagine they'd charge you very much to do this. You will probably want to remove the sway bar now. Take the broken piece and the car there, and get it done.

it has already been rewelded 2 times. i would drop the subframe but like i said, im not sure i trust my own abilities. im not sure i trust any of the local shops in town either so there is no point in replacing it i suppose. i guess i will keep searching for someone willing to reweld with a bit of reinforcement.

batinc.net sells the reinforced subframe, but it is pricey. Be sure to have some brackets for your sway bar added to the deal, or be ready to hunt for those.

that would be awesome. take your time. its been jacked up for awhile now so a few days is not going to matter to me. it is defintely not the bar that is causing the issue. just weak ass ford construction. thanks for your help and get back to me when you can.

TERRY HAINES has modified subframes. talk to him. 616-874-1148 he does them fairly cheep

One more low dollar suggestion for you. Pick up a subframe & rear bar at the bone yard & have that subframe modded. Install it with the junkyard bar & you should be good to go.

Personally, I wouldn't trust a subframe that has been damaged & repaired that many times, and I think a bar that is mis-aligned or slightly bent may be causing the repeated damage.

Best of luck.

I knew it, like Tour said, that sway bar HAS to be bent or off kiltered to be causing this. THose tabs are small, but it sure as hell takes a lot of pressure and force to snap them off.

I like his advice, too. Get oen from the boneyard (abotu 50-100 bucks at a u-pull) and have a machine shop mod it for you. Insstalling and uninstalling the subframe is a sinch, and I (as others) would be willing to "e-help" you do it.