Galant VR4 front Subframe question

G'day gents,
Just signed up to the Galant forums as im doing some research on my car and im in need of some information that i hope you can help /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Firstly i dont own a Galant but rather a 93' 3000gt VR4 and its in the middle of a restoration at the moment but before i go much further id like to check something out, i would link you the restoration thread but not sure if that would be of any interest to you guys anyway. Id be happy to at request.

Question 1.
What is the bare weight of the front cross member? This is the large horizontal member that houses the steering rack.

Question 2.
What material is it made from? i.e. Cast alloy, pressed steel etc?

Question 3. What is the measurement between the mounting locations?

My thoughts are that i have heard that a Galant front subframe is cast alloy, the same mounting pattern and is much lighter than the 3000gt one. Now the structural side of thing i dont see being a problem as it supports the steering rack, holds the rear engine mount and keeps the front of chassis from flexing by locking together with the two front members bolted toward the front bumper. But, if it significantly lighter in weight there maybe a opportunity for weight savings.

I appreciate your responses.

 

[iceman69510]

3kgt front crossmember should be stamped steel. Don't know the weight.

The only alloy crossmember I know is the V6 version of the Galant, the 98 MY generation (foreign markets, not US. US starts in 99). You would have to check out the mounting locations of that one, and see it it is lighter. The aluminum in the US versions was pretty thick.

 

[nsin]

Darn so no alloy in the gvr4s, i figured it be steel just by lookinga at it.

 

[bobdole]

Post the link for your build. Love to check it out.

 

Yes you are correct the 3000gt is of stamped steel construction. I'll check out the US version and thank you for the heads up.

Since i know very little of the galant are all front cross members the same across the models?



As for my rebuild it is located here: Rebuild
It is pic heavy and id welcome any comments that you may or may not agree with, learning through experienced owners is information you cant buy!

 

[Dasith]

i don't know the weight of the cross member, but i have a whole subframe in parts in my Garage,

if you can find some sort of scales, then you are welcome to drop by and weight it... im in melbourne too

 

[fuel]

let's not forget that a 3000GT VR-4 is some 3" wider than a Galant VR-4 so the crossmembers are likely to be a different length and shape.

The 3000GT is based on the 1st gen Diamante platform rather than the 5/6G Galant platform so not many parts are interchangeable - however the 1G Diamante platform in itself is based on the 5/6G Galant platform, though it is stretched and widened. The 4WD Diamante and 3000GT has a very similar rear end to a Galant VR-4 apart from different arm lengths and larger differential gears.

 

Diamante you say..?
I had a feeling there would need to be some modification, that is what i was also trying to avoid, thanks for the input!

I might go have a look at the Diamante chassis a little later this week /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[bobdole]

Thanks for posting your build. Looks very nice and keep up the good work.

 

[fuel]

Quoting Ausgt3:
Diamante you say..?
I had a feeling there would need to be some modification, that is what i was also trying to avoid, thanks for the input!

I might go have a look at the Diamante chassis a little later this week /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif



I just realised you were in Australia. Magna roughly equals a Diamante, except the Magna has a few differences (beam rear axle instead of multilink in the rear). Verada is as close to a Diamante as you'll get in Australia as far as the 1G Diamantes are concerned. I would say a crossmember from a V6 91-96 Magna would be the same as a 1G 90-95 Diamante and 3000GT/GTO crossmember.

 

[fuel]

Quoting iceman69510:
3kgt front crossmember should be stamped steel. Don't know the weight.

The only alloy crossmember I know is the V6 version of the Galant, the 98 MY generation (foreign markets, not US. US starts in 99). You would have to check out the mounting locations of that one, and see it it is lighter. The aluminum in the US versions was pretty thick.



8G with the alloy crossmember starts in 1996 rather than 1998. Both my '96 and '97 Legnums had alloy crossmembers.

 

[fuel]

And as mentioned above the only Galant to have an alloy crossmember is the 8G, but the few 8Gs in Australia will be jap-imports which means they have the multilink suspension and not the macpherson strut suspension of the USDM 8G.

 

[iceman69510]

Really? Thanks. Didn't know it started that many years ahead of the US version.

Quoting fuel:
Quoting iceman69510:
3kgt front crossmember should be stamped steel. Don't know the weight.

The only alloy crossmember I know is the V6 version of the Galant, the 98 MY generation (foreign markets, not US. US starts in 99). You would have to check out the mounting locations of that one, and see it it is lighter. The aluminum in the US versions was pretty thick.



8G with the alloy crossmember starts in 1996 rather than 1998. Both my '96 and '97 Legnums had alloy crossmembers.