I went to the alignment shop yesterday and was told that the subframe where my steering box is attatched is shot.Well i know that this area of the car is a known problem with F-bodies.My father(avid trans am fan) has every high performance pontiac magazine published told me that there is a company that makes a brace to fix this problem.Unfortunatly i do not know where that issue is and i need to find out who makes the part so i can get it and have it replaced or repaired on my car otherwise there will be one more camaro in the junkyard.

Any help would be appreciated,i really dont want to be forced to get rid of my camaro

thanks,
Kyle

 

I dunno about a fix for the actual subframe (you'll probably just have to get the torn section welded back together) but the steering box brace or "Wonderbar" will reinforce the area to keep it from tearing out again. Top-Down Solutions has a VERY nice one, as well as Spohn and most aftermarket suspension companies.

 

I am sure the Wonderbar brace will help keep that in order but you have to now take care of the main problem. I am in Australia and when the 84Z28 that I own was converted to right hand drive, the converter welded in a sort of light weight steel piece to mount the steering box to. That is the typical way that they do conversions for that piece. My mechanic showed me that the steering box was actually moving when the car was turning. I had him strip away the old mounting steel plate and make a 1/4inch box that would mount over the frame to which the steering box was mounted. It worked like a charm and now the box moves nowhere. I dont think that I would need a steering box brace but soon I will be installing one to make sure. I would highly recommend making one of those boxed to fit over the frame and mount the box to it. Works great.

 

Alright thanks for the replys.

I will be taking the engine out infavor of a v-8 so i will get the subframe boxed then.The car wont be seeing any roadtime until this steering box area is fixed,i'm aiming for 2 weeks to a month total time to have everything done.

I found a donor camaro at a wrecking yard for about 1000 canadain.Does anybody know off hand if the 84 Z's came with the quick ratio steering from the factory or was it only an option on the car?If so i will change the steering box too.

 

the only camaro the quick ratio box came in was the IROC's as far as i know.

and BTW,most places dont put 3rd gens in the junkyard...they are crushed.

 

How about getting in straightened out and then welding subframe connectors in it?

 

Because the steering box is about 4' away from where SFC's mount up.....they wouldn't make a difference for this particular problem (although I do highly recommend them.)

 

If I were you and had the engine out of the car, I would make myself a re-inforced box to fit around the frame where the steering box mounts. Like I said, mine is fantastic. Also, add a Wonder bar or steering box brace. You wont be sorry.

 

Yankeecarman - When the car goes into the shop i'm getting the engine lifted out and the subframe boxed.My father had the same done to the rear of his 71 trans am years ago.

i'm also gettin a wonderbar too,just gotta decide which one.

Aklim - the car is straight,it's just where the box mounts that the metal is fatigued from years of makin them turns

Rice killer -I 've only seen the v-6 3rd gens get crushed.I was lucky to find the 84 Z that i did because here in ontario they are almost always stripped of the parts(the parts sell FAST!) and the parts that nobody needs or wants are left in the yard to sit and rot.

 

not around here...we had an 86 IROC almost a year ago that i got a bunch of parts off of and pretty much the only stuff on the car was all the interior (minus the grey plastic i took...ill sell it if some1 wants it...good condition) and i took the driver door and fender. the rest of the body was is great condition except it needed paint and the passenger door had a couple dents (thats y i didnt take it) and my dad called a guy he knows at a local junk yard to see if he wanted the car and he told us they didnt even keep the cars most of the time...just crash them.

 

crushing 3rd gens?

round here they are in abundance but lucky for me i know a guy who owns a small wrecking yard so i get parts cheap or free

 

Alright i'm looking for the "wonderbar",i've only came across sub frame connecters by spohn.Anybody have any part numbers(i gotta call the local speed shops to get prices)

 

Lon at Top-Down Solutions makes a real nice one.

 

alright well i ordered my wonderbar today.I got the zinc coted yellow one cause i live in canada and i dont want it rusting on me.

thanks for the help and suggestions everybody