Installing subframe topside brace on welds

[1000hp]

Has anyone done reinforcement plates plus an x-brace, with the upper spot welds boxed-in?

My plates and upper "triangle" welds are done, as shown in the attached pic from Turner's instructions.

X-brace is going on next weekend.

How flat do the triangle welds need to be before the subframe brace is bolted down? Meh-flat? Flat-ish? Perfectly flat? If it needs to be perfectly flat, How did you grind it, and how did you check it for square?

UPDATE: I ground the welds down slightly in a couple of spots to make their height even with what remained of the 'T' in the sheet metal surrounding the extended bolt.


Thanks

[Slideways]

My guess is perfectly flat. That welding step in the Turner instructions is pretty unnecessary if you are bolting in a topside brace to the rear subframe mounts.

[1000hp]

My guess is perfectly flat. That welding step in the Turner instructions is pretty unnecessary if you are bolting in a topside brace to the rear subframe mounts.

I decided to do the brace after doing the upper weld. But the instructions for the brace(s) make no mention of flattening the factory welds or the T.

[Slideways]

I decided to do the brace after doing the upper weld. But the instructions for the brace(s) make no mention of flattening the factory welds or the T.

Does the brace mount the the rear shock towers? You probably want the brace to sit perfectly flat on all the mounting points so the brace is not at a slight angle.

[1000hp]

Does the brace mount the the rear shock towers? You probably want the brace to sit perfectly flat on all the mounting points so the brace is not at a slight angle.

It does.

I'll aim for perfectly flat. Should be fun grinding welds with a dremel through a two-inch hole 🥲

[karter16]

It does.

I'll aim for perfectly flat. Should be fun grinding welds with a dremel through a two-inch hole 🥲

Good luck - I used a carbide burr on a die grinder and that was a hard enough job. Going to take a while with a dremmel!


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[Flow]

I personally decided to leave them be. Why cut them ? They are a structural shape of the chassis and there is, from my point of view, no upside to cutting them and flattening them.
The rear brace will be perfect sitting on top of those T shaped forms and you won't compromise that part.
But that is just my vision of this.

[DJM]

Expose and grind

[1000hp]

I personally decided to leave them be. Why cut them ? They are a structural shape of the chassis and there is, from my point of view, no upside to cutting them and flattening them.
The rear brace will be perfect sitting on top of those T shaped forms and you won't compromise that part.
But that is just my vision of this.

It's not the T I'm worried about, it's my welds connecting the stock spot welds, similar to what is shown in the pic. If my welds are lower than the T, I'll leave it alone. If they're taller I might be suffering for a while to bring them down.

[1000hp]

Expose and grind

The cover plates are already installed, welded, seam-sealed, and painted. Definitely not removing all of that.

[1000hp]

Good luck - I used a carbide burr on a die grinder and that was a hard enough job. Going to take a while with a dremmel!


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Yeah, not looking forward to it. Were your spot welds connected? Or did you grind down the stock stuff?