Borgenson conversion causing frame cracks.
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Race Director
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From: No Where USA
Borgenson conversion causing frame cracks.
I converted my steering to a Borgenson box and now have cracks in the frame in that area. I didn't have them before I did the conversion. I sanded and painted the frame and know every inch of it. I don't even have any miles on the finished car, maybe 50. Could the box cause more stress on that part of the frame. And how to reinforce it. And have others had this problem.
Melting Slicks
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From: Dallas Georgia
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Ridetech did release a borgeson box brace that mounts to the top of the box as well as the outer frame. The box does flex the frame, as has been shown in various videos, which the brace is supposed to lessen.
Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: No Where USA
Found the site, thanks I am going to order it today. I have to take the box out to weld it up. The crap that happens to this car just never stops.
Le Mans Master
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From: Southern NH
http://www.ridetech.com/store/c2-c3-...forcement.html
Drifting
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From: Lake Arrowhead - Georgia > 72 Base Coupe & 74 BB Roadster
I'm going to order one too just in case. my box has been on for about 5,000 miles so far so I hope I don't have any cracking yet
http://www.ridetech.com/store/c2-c3-...forcement.html
http://www.ridetech.com/store/c2-c3-...forcement.html
I just finished the borgeson install yesterday!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Dallas Georgia
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
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Correct. I was concerned the box was going to shift when I installed mine but you can pull all 3 bolts and it really does not move. If you just did it, it might take you 5-10 minutes to install the brace. Hopefully the added brace helps.
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From: los altos hills california
Will the button head bolts fit? They look long enough and I don't want to have my tire rubbing against the hex bolts shown in the RideTech photo.
Last edited by ignatz; Aug 8, 2015 at 07:52 PM. Reason: and
Thread Starter
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From: No Where USA
Race Director
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From: Plano TX
Intuitively it would seem the Borgeson box would decrease the risk of frame cracks compared to the factory system.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Wichita Kansas
The origional hyd ram placed that side load at a diffeent location and shared it with the origional box.
With the Borgsen I would tend to beleive the side load is concentrated at the box loaction.
Le Mans Master
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From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Relocating the stresses from the ram attachment point to the box itself seems a logical explanation, but then how many manual steering C3s might be at risk of this developing? In any event, this definitely illustrates why the Chevy Power book C3 Corvette Chassis section refers to reinforcing this area as being "required".
Melting Slicks
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From: Piedmont Va
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13,'19-'20
Can we see some pics of the alleged cracking? I dont think one example/allegation makes for a systemic problem regardless of how the NTSB does it. I've had my Borgeson unit on for 5+ years and at least 5k and see no signs of stress or cracking. The ad for the bracket states they needed it because they were running 315-30-18 tires on a car that is raced hard almost every weekend. Not quite an analogy for most of us. I would think a spreader bar would better address the flexing, if that's what the concern is.
Race Director
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From: San Jose CA
I believe the bolts I got are longer yet than the ones that came with the box.
My bigger concern with the shoulder bolts is how they would be retained as the slots in the RideTech brace are bigger than the ones in the frame, IIRC.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Wichita Kansas
Relocating the stresses from the ram attachment point to the box itself seems a logical explanation, but then how many manual steering C3s might be at risk of this developing? In any event, this definitely illustrates why the Chevy Power book C3 Corvette Chassis section refers to reinforcing this area as being "required".
I didn't think about the manual steering. That puts a different perspective on things. Do manual steering systems cause this type of cracking? If so it matches the stresses of the borgsen. If not then this is just strange to me. I have never heard of the cracking with stock power steering.
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Race Director
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From: No Where USA
Can we see some pics of the alleged cracking? I dont think one example/allegation makes for a systemic problem regardless of how the NTSB does it. I've had my Borgeson unit on for 5+ years and at least 5k and see no signs of stress or cracking. The ad for the bracket states they needed it because they were running 315-30-18 tires on a car that is raced hard almost every weekend. Not quite an analogy for most of us. I would think a spreader bar would better address the flexing, if that's what the concern is.
If it isn't one thing with this car it is something else.
Last edited by 540 vette; Aug 11, 2015 at 05:18 PM.
Le Mans Master
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From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
I didn't think about the manual steering. That puts a different perspective on things. Do manual steering systems cause this type of cracking? If so it matches the stresses of the borgsen. If not then this is just strange to me. I have never heard of the cracking with stock power steering.
One thing's for sure, I'm going to pay close attention to the whole area during frame off.
I believe we're all taking your problem quite seriously, but I'd like to put my eyes on what went wrong on it too.
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Race Director
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From: No Where USA
Sorry I didn't take any pictures.
I did by the piece to reinforce the box and am thinking of something else to add to it.