tie front and rear frame together?

[Texas82GP]

For us non GP owners...what does the GP frame bar look like?
...and I'm a cheap basa, my work time is cheap

It's a hollow steel tube that bolts to each frame rail behind the core support. It is just ahead of and parallel to the sway bar. You can see it in a few of the pictures in this page of my build thread......
https://gbodyforum.com/threads/space-city-1982-gp-build.55501/page-5

 

[mobileaudio25]

For us non GP owners...what does the GP frame bar look like?
...and I'm a cheap basa, my work time is cheap

Do you know what the jounce bars look like? They connect the front frame horns to the bottom of the engine cradle. The Grand Prix bar is the jounce bars with a bar running perpendicular with the frame connecting the jounce bars...

Here's an aftermarket one...
http://umiperformance.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8_404&products_id=999

 

[mobileaudio25]

When I added the GP bar up front, I noticed that when I turned the wheels, the car responded faster. I added a piece of square tubing across the rear bumper bolts, it was the equivalent of being drug across the yard on a piece of 3/4" plywood versus 1/4" plywood. The car seemed stiffer and it made the suspension work more. I added a bar across at the upper rear shocks, I didn't notice as much as a difference, but I also changed to a stiffer spring at the same time, so hard to tell, but I'd definitely recommend the GP bar and tying the rear frame horns together.

Have you heard of anyone welding a bar in the middle of the jounce bars to accomplish the same thing?

I spoke with a custom trailer builder today he is going to get me a strong piece of steel to tie my rear frame horns together..

 

[mobileaudio25]

If you're not going to autocross the car, don't sweat it. It sounds like you're overthinking the handling issue. I think what you've done so far makes a dramatic difference compared to a stock G-body, even with the F41 package.
Good springs and shocks will improve upon what you've already accomplished.

I've only added the GP bar tied into the jounce bars, fender to core support bars, radiator X-bars, front F-body 36mm hollow swaybar, rear 7/8" swaybar, boxed lower control arms, KYB shocks, MOOG 5606 F41 springs, rear cargo coils... and Monte SS steering box...Energy Suspension body mounts and front end bushings. I'm happy with the handling of my wagon. For street and road use, I feel it's more than sufficient.

Yeah I'm intalling 2in lowering umi springs as well as umi shocks and a whole new front end along with the blazer brake upgrade. I've done the 4 rear frame mounts but need to do the front mounts they are original

 

[mobileaudio25]

It's a hollow steel tube that bolts to each frame rail behind the core support. It is just ahead of and parallel to the sway bar. You can see it in a few of the pictures in this page of my build thread......
https://gbodyforum.com/threads/space-city-1982-gp-build.55501/page-5

Those grease fitting aren't designed for blazer hubs arethey? Do the grease fitting bolt exactly to the hub without any modifications? Definitely liking the idea of serviceable Hubs! Any complaints with replacing the connector with a zerk fitting?

 

[Texas82GP]

Those fittings fit the hubs exactly. 100% bolt on. Remove allen head machine screw. Remove sensor. Install fitting. Install screw. That easy. The sensor just stabs in the hole and has an o-ring, just like the grease fitting that replaces it. Very slick. Only thing to watch for is if you buy new hubs, some of them don't have the OE style sensor so the fitting wouldn't work with them.

Sorry!

 

[403Olds]

Have you heard of anyone welding a bar in the middle of the jounce bars to accomplish the same thing?

I spoke with a custom trailer builder today he is going to get me a strong piece of steel to tie my rear frame horns together..

the jounce bars are pretty thin, it'd be difficult to weld a brace to them. Finding a GP bar would be much easier. For the rear bar, I used 1" .062 wall square tubing. Bigger isn't always better. here's picture of how I bolted it to the lower bumper bolts.

 

[565bbchevy]

I made my own jounce bars and GP bar out tubing that is twice a thick as factory and I feel that the GP bar being separate and mounting at the same point the jounce bars terminate is stronger than a cross bar mounted to jounce bars.
I also opened up the lower mounting bolts on the frame to 1/2" to eliminate the smaller metric fasteners.


For the rear I welded in 1-3/4' roll bar tubing.

 

[mobileaudio25]

Those fittings fit the hubs exactly. 100% bolt on. Remove allen head machine screw. Remove sensor. Install fitting. Install screw. That easy. The sensor just stabs in the hole and has an o-ring, just like the grease fitting that replaces it. Very slick. Only thing to watch for is if you buy new hubs, some of them don't have the OE style sensor so the fitting wouldn't work with them.

Sorry!

I pulled a set of hubs as well as the spindle and calipers from a used 2001 jimmy. One of my bearings isn't as smooth as the other is hopefully a little grease inside will take care of that!

 

[mobileaudio25]

I made my own jounce bars and GP bar out tubing that is twice a thick as factory and I feel that the GP bar being separate and mounting at the same point the jounce bars terminate is stronger than a cross bar mounted to jounce bars.
I also opened up the lower mounting bolts on the frame to 1/2" to eliminate the smaller metric fasteners.


For the rear I welded in 1-3/4' roll bar tubing.

Very nice car looks great! I like the idea of making my own gp bar but not sure that I have the skill or tools to do so! Never messed around with pipe bending!