Subframes = Subpar

[ROD1]

I have absolutely no valid complaints other than the mild steel they use for Camaro's subframes. After removing jackstands, there are literally impressions of them pressed into the frames. Leaves a not so good feeling of quality. Am I shocked? Heck no. About on par with manufacturing these days.

[Shuffler]

Did you support the car in the areas your supposed to or did you just sling stands under it. The steel is formed into channels and tube for strength. That does not mean that any one point may support the weight of the vehicle. Look in your handbook.... there should be an area on proper areas for jacks and stands.

The flip side is to make the frame thicker and heavier or to use a harder steel like T-1. Hardened steel like T-1 means that you will get a frame less forgiving. You will notice this in the ride.

Deisigning anything is an art in give and take.

[Kwik]

I suspect you picked the wrong spot for your jack stands. I made the same mistake. There are places where you can place a jack / jack stand that doesn't mark the metal.

[toesuf94]

I cannot stand the bitching on these threads any more! Honestly, did you buy a $100,000 car? NOPE! You bought a $40,000 car that kicks the asses of a lot of much more expensive cars on the road. Of course it may have things that keep it in a lower price range - hell they cannot build a $100,000 car and sell it to you for less than half of what it cost them to build it! It is a Camaro, not a BMW/Mercedes/Porsche/lambo...

Every day I log onto this site because I love the Camaro and its beautiful design, great value, and ability to run with the big dogs for a lot less money! And every day there is somebody on here complaining about how this is sub par or that is cheaply made or something fell off, or - God - you name it!

Honestly, did you support the car in an appropriate manner or did you just slap some stands underneath the car then get upset when something got tweaked that should have never been touched in the first place?

And, if you want to talk sub-frames, google BMW's subframe issues ( http://www.google.com/search?q=bmw+s...e7&rlz=1I7ADBS )...they have a HUGE problem with them breaking on the 3 series and Z-series, and the cost of admission to an M3 is a lot higher than an SS...and the SS will run with an M3 all day long.

So, maybe everyone with complaints should just take your car to a dealer and get it fixed instead of posting all of this dirty laundry all over the internet for everyone to read and then have them make fun of your decision to buy from GM? I am sure the Mustang/import/Challenger guys all get a great laugh when every new thread pops up when yet another axle snaps, a battery cable lead is wrong or the paint chips somewhere on the car.

Rant over...sorry if I hurt some feelings. I know we spend hard earned money on our cars and bitching is your right...but some things are best left between you and your service advisor.

[rawj7]

Originally Posted by ROD1

I have absolutely no valid complaints other than the mild steel they use for Camaro's subframes. After removing jackstands, there are literally impressions of them pressed into the frames. Leaves a not so good feeling of quality. Am I shocked? Heck no. About on par with manufacturing these days.

Not to Jack this thread, I just noticed your C5 Avitar Icon how much was that, I'd sure like to get one.

[HIGHOCTANE]

As said...you put the stands in the worng place if they dented anything..I have had mine on stands twice(catback then headers) and no dents..there are some very solid places to put stands. General rule always try to put them near a suspension mount when possible.

[Baldilocks01SS]

Originally Posted by toesuf94

I cannot stand the bitching on these threads any more! Honestly, did you buy a $100,000 car? NOPE! You bought a $40,000 car that kicks the asses of a lot of much more expensive cars on the road. Of course it may have things that keep it in a lower price range - hell they cannot build a $100,000 car and sell it to you for less than half of what it cost them to build it! It is a Camaro, not a BMW/Mercedes/Porsche/lambo...

BMW/Mercedes/Porsche are built pretty much the same way as the Camaro. Steel, Plastic, Rubber and composite materials.

It surely doesn't cost $100,000 to build any one of those cars either. You are paying for the name really.

[hot_rod]

R.T.F.M. -

page 9-79 states:


Notice:

Make sure that the

jack lift head is in the correct
position or you may damage your
vehicle. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty.

3. Position the jack lift head at the
jack location nearest the flat tire.
The location is indicated by a
mark on the bottom edge of the
vehicle. The jack must not be
used in any other position.
Raise the jack until it engages

with the jacking point.

[Patriot]

Originally Posted by toesuf94

I cannot stand the bitching on these threads any more! Honestly, did you buy a $100,000 car? NOPE! You bought a $40,000 car

Actually... this is a $23,000 car.

[jmelchio]

Originally Posted by hot_rod

R.T.F.M. -

page 9-79 states:


Notice:

Make sure that the

jack lift head is in the correct

position or you may damage your
vehicle. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty.

3. Position the jack lift head at the

jack location nearest the flat tire.
The location is indicated by a
mark on the bottom edge of the
vehicle. The jack must not be
used in any other position.
Raise the jack until it engages

with the jacking point.

I didn't see anywhere in the manual that talked about floor jack/jack stands. It is my understanding that the pages you listed are for the scissor jacks. My SS didn't come with a scissor jack since there's no spare tire. Unless I missed it, I didn't find any diagrams on using a floorjack/jackstands. I'll have to check again.

[bigearl]

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33938

[hot_rod]

Originally Posted by jmelchio

I didn't see anywhere in the manual that talked about floor jack/jack stands. It is my understanding that the pages you listed are for the scissor jacks. My SS didn't come with a scissor jack since there's no spare tire. Unless I missed it, I didn't find any diagrams on using a floorjack/jackstands. I'll have to check again.

Well gee, i guess it's my biased prespective of having an engineering degree.

If ya can't jack it up from just any point, ya can't set it down on a jack stand at just any point.

I thought it would be obvious, my bad.

[greenrail]

Just from a simle standpoint here, but, if you used some form of flat surface on tp of the small contact points of the jackstands, you would help avoid denting the metal you are contacting. I isually put a piece of wood betweenthe jackstand andthe car when lifting it up.

Accidentally did that to my '98 Camaro, lesson learned.

[HIGHOCTANE]

Originally Posted by greenrail

Just from a simle standpoint here, but, if you used some form of flat surface on tp of the small contact points of the jackstands, you would help avoid denting the metal you are contacting. I isually put a piece of wood betweenthe jackstand andthe car when lifting it up.

Accidentally did that to my '98 Camaro, lesson learned.

Block of wood between a floor jack's pad and the car...ok...
Block of wood between a jack stand and the car...not ok...
I only get under a car on jack stands and I don't want anything between the stand and the car when I do...
JMO...