Floor pan distortion

rwleonard

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I have recently run across information suggesting that the s197 floor pan is at risk of distortion/buckling where the rear leg of the k member anchors. The info came from a pretty reputable source, but I can't find much of anything about it anywhere else. Anyone here have anything on it?
 

Norm Peterson

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It's true. If you use that area as a jacking point, the floorpan can and will distort, and you may notice that this has happened when you push on the floor with your foot while getting out of the car. You'll get a 'something just popped through' kind of sound that's similar to what you hear when you buckle a can.

The good news is that a little "persuasion" with a medium-weight hammer and a block of wood can restore the floorpan shape well enough to eliminate the noise.


Norm
 

rwleonard

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Thanks Norm. Have you ever heard of it being caused by hard braking on road courses with sticky tires, or just by mis-placed jacking?
 

Norm Peterson

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Misplaced jacking is the only one I know of for sure. But it might be hard to discount something like the hitting of a hard bump while braking hard as a possible cause.


Norm
 

Fabman

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Both torque boxes that the k member bolts to on mine are bent but it doesn't transfer to the floor inside. There is some gap between the floor and those boxes. I have been looking for a way to pull that out so I can re enforce the area but haven't come up with a good method other than taking it to a frame shop. I'm open to ideas if anyone has done this before.
 

Vorshlag-Fair

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Never heard of those areas bending or cracking without some kind of "jacking error" like Norm stated.
 

Fabman

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Never heard of those areas bending or cracking without some kind of "jacking error" like Norm stated.
I have a 4 post lift in my shop so it has never ever been lifted from that area on my watch. Regardless, they are both bent and short of chaining it to the ground and lifting the car to pull them out or taking it to a body shop I am not sure how to handle this. The car has a BMR K member so I don't think it has quite the support in that area that a stock one does.
 
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RocketcarX

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I have a 4 post lift in my shop so it has never ever been lifted from that area on my watch. Regardless, they are both bent and short of chaining it to the ground and lifting the car to pull them out or taking it to a body shop I am not sure how to handle this. The car has a BMR K member so I don't think it has quite the support in that area that a stock one does.
Will you post pics of the area you're talking about, plz sir
 

travelers

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I'm glad I got the Steeda jacking rails on the car now. Yes it adds a few lbs. to the car, but I can live with that.
 

kazman59

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I'm really starting to think of investing in those things. And I'm not otherwise much of a Steeda fan.

I installed 'em...

OG2hHwW.jpg


 

RocketcarX

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On my car those 3 inch diameter round holes just behind the K-member mounts are no longer round. Instead they are sort of distorted and bowed, are you seeing any of that?
 

Fabman

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On my car those 3 inch diameter round holes just behind the K-member mounts are no longer round. Instead they are sort of distorted and bowed, are you seeing any of that?
Mine aren't actually distorted per se, but since the plain of the hole is no longer flat it does give the appearance of them being oval shaped from certain angles.
 

Gab

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I'm really starting to think of investing in those things. And I'm not otherwise much of a Steeda fan.

There's other brands for jacking rails, aren't there? Stifflers, maybe?
 

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