Cutting the Tunnel Plate
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,121
Likes: 3
From: Shreveport/Bossier Louisiana
St. Jude Donor '08
Cutting the Tunnel Plate
No, not for holes for the O2 sensors....actually cutting it from side to side. Would this cause a major drop in stability??
I am using the Elite Eng. thick tunnel plate and I have lots of wires and hoses that are above it. It's a huge pain in my *** to pull off both of my turbos and manifolds to drop the tunnel plate but I want access to those aforementioned wires and hoses for maintenance and inspection without pulling them off.
If I simply cut it across and still attach it to the car with all the bolts, will it cause a noticeable structural instability?
If you are still confused, the reason it wont come off is because it is wider in front than it is in the middle/rear, so I want to be able to removed the bolts from the middle/rear portion to remove it while leaving the widened part attached at the front.
I am using the Elite Eng. thick tunnel plate and I have lots of wires and hoses that are above it. It's a huge pain in my *** to pull off both of my turbos and manifolds to drop the tunnel plate but I want access to those aforementioned wires and hoses for maintenance and inspection without pulling them off.
If I simply cut it across and still attach it to the car with all the bolts, will it cause a noticeable structural instability?
If you are still confused, the reason it wont come off is because it is wider in front than it is in the middle/rear, so I want to be able to removed the bolts from the middle/rear portion to remove it while leaving the widened part attached at the front.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,292
Likes: 1,109
From: Dyer, IN
No, not for holes for the O2 sensors....actually cutting it from side to side. Would this cause a major drop in stability??
I am using the Elite Eng. thick tunnel plate and I have lots of wires and hoses that are above it. It's a huge pain in my *** to pull off both of my turbos and manifolds to drop the tunnel plate but I want access to those aforementioned wires and hoses for maintenance and inspection without pulling them off.
If I simply cut it across and still attach it to the car with all the bolts, will it cause a noticeable structural instability?
If you are still confused, the reason it wont come off is because it is wider in front than it is in the middle/rear, so I want to be able to removed the bolts from the middle/rear portion to remove it while leaving the widened part attached at the front.
I am using the Elite Eng. thick tunnel plate and I have lots of wires and hoses that are above it. It's a huge pain in my *** to pull off both of my turbos and manifolds to drop the tunnel plate but I want access to those aforementioned wires and hoses for maintenance and inspection without pulling them off.
If I simply cut it across and still attach it to the car with all the bolts, will it cause a noticeable structural instability?
If you are still confused, the reason it wont come off is because it is wider in front than it is in the middle/rear, so I want to be able to removed the bolts from the middle/rear portion to remove it while leaving the widened part attached at the front.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,121
Likes: 3
From: Shreveport/Bossier Louisiana
St. Jude Donor '08
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Mike
If a THICKER Tunnel Plate doesnt do anything for rigidity,,, Why did GM increase the thickness of the plate on the C6 cars????
It sure wasnt for weight reduction....
Corvette-Chris
There are a TON of structural engineering types on the forum. Im SURE,, sooner or later,, one will jump in.
If in the end ,,,you do cut it,, make sure that you dont leave any sharp 90 degree angles on the plates. Round them off to keep the plates from cracking. What about a bolted in bonding strip that you can bolt in to rejoin the plates after you cut them? That will allow you to have a completly connected plate but yet your still able to seperate it. You could even have one side of the bonding strip welded to the plate so you would only need fasteners in one side.
Bill
If a THICKER Tunnel Plate doesnt do anything for rigidity,,, Why did GM increase the thickness of the plate on the C6 cars????
It sure wasnt for weight reduction....
Corvette-Chris
There are a TON of structural engineering types on the forum. Im SURE,, sooner or later,, one will jump in.
If in the end ,,,you do cut it,, make sure that you dont leave any sharp 90 degree angles on the plates. Round them off to keep the plates from cracking. What about a bolted in bonding strip that you can bolt in to rejoin the plates after you cut them? That will allow you to have a completly connected plate but yet your still able to seperate it. You could even have one side of the bonding strip welded to the plate so you would only need fasteners in one side.
Bill
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,292
Likes: 1,109
From: Dyer, IN
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,292
Likes: 1,109
From: Dyer, IN
Good question....perhaps we can get an answer(from the horses mouth) at Bloomington this year. Based on my experience in design, that is the last approach I would take, in an effort to make the frame more rigid.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,121
Likes: 3
From: Shreveport/Bossier Louisiana
St. Jude Donor '08
Mike
If a THICKER Tunnel Plate doesnt do anything for rigidity,,, Why did GM increase the thickness of the plate on the C6 cars????
It sure wasnt for weight reduction....
Corvette-Chris
There are a TON of structural engineering types on the forum. Im SURE,, sooner or later,, one will jump in.
If in the end ,,,you do cut it,, make sure that you dont leave any sharp 90 degree angles on the plates. Round them off to keep the plates from cracking. What about a bolted in bonding strip that you can bolt in to rejoin the plates after you cut them? That will allow you to have a completly connected plate but yet your still able to seperate it. You could even have one side of the bonding strip welded to the plate so you would only need fasteners in one side.
Bill
If a THICKER Tunnel Plate doesnt do anything for rigidity,,, Why did GM increase the thickness of the plate on the C6 cars????
It sure wasnt for weight reduction....
Corvette-Chris
There are a TON of structural engineering types on the forum. Im SURE,, sooner or later,, one will jump in.
If in the end ,,,you do cut it,, make sure that you dont leave any sharp 90 degree angles on the plates. Round them off to keep the plates from cracking. What about a bolted in bonding strip that you can bolt in to rejoin the plates after you cut them? That will allow you to have a completly connected plate but yet your still able to seperate it. You could even have one side of the bonding strip welded to the plate so you would only need fasteners in one side.
Bill
If I cut it across where it is the same width all the way back, it will be easy to slide out and access my wires and hoses.I really don't consider this "hacking" anything up. One may or may not even notice its there.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
Hi CC.
Why wouldnt Bill's splice plate work if.....
You cut the plate accross the width, where ever you need.
Make up the splice plate & have it installed to the t/tube side of the car
with holes drilled through the s/plate & tunnel plate.
Have nuts welded to the s/plate, t/tube side & run the bolts up to through the t/plate into the s/plate.
You could then unbolt the half side that you want to drop/slide & the other plate would still be in place afterwards but still bolted to the
s/plate.
Why wouldnt Bill's splice plate work if.....
You cut the plate accross the width, where ever you need.
Make up the splice plate & have it installed to the t/tube side of the car
with holes drilled through the s/plate & tunnel plate.
Have nuts welded to the s/plate, t/tube side & run the bolts up to through the t/plate into the s/plate.
You could then unbolt the half side that you want to drop/slide & the other plate would still be in place afterwards but still bolted to the
s/plate.
Last edited by bumble-z; May 3, 2011 at 05:17 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
So the tunnel plate does do something noticeable.
Bill
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,121
Likes: 3
From: Shreveport/Bossier Louisiana
St. Jude Donor '08
Hi CC.
Why wouldnt Bill's splice plate work if.....
You cut the plate accross the width, where ever you need.
Make up the splice plate & have it installed to the t/tube side of the car
with holes drilled through the s/plate & tunnel plate.
Have nuts welded to the s/plate, t/tube side & run the bolts up to through the t/plate into the s/plate.
You could then unbolt the half side that you want to drop/slide & the other plate would still be in place afterwards but still bolted to the
s/plate.
Why wouldnt Bill's splice plate work if.....
You cut the plate accross the width, where ever you need.
Make up the splice plate & have it installed to the t/tube side of the car
with holes drilled through the s/plate & tunnel plate.
Have nuts welded to the s/plate, t/tube side & run the bolts up to through the t/plate into the s/plate.
You could then unbolt the half side that you want to drop/slide & the other plate would still be in place afterwards but still bolted to the
s/plate.
Here you can see what Im dealing with in terms of space. These pipes are all one piece and will stay in place when I want to remove the tunnel plate.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,292
Likes: 1,109
From: Dyer, IN
Well,,, I know for a fact that with out it in place,,, you will see a lot more chassie flex. A long while ago A forum member had a clutch installed and stated that after the install his car handled poorly. There were 50 recommendations on different things to check. Ended up, the garage forgot to reinstall the "stock" tunnel plate. Plate reinstalled, all was well!
So the tunnel plate does do something noticeable.
Bill
So the tunnel plate does do something noticeable.
Bill
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
If you do cut the plate, make sure you cut it at the very end of a
bolt hole.
Grind/cut the plate where you would have a 1/8" gap between the two plates. Drill a new set of holes close to the other plates end, to allow bolting & to keep that piece ridgid.
Or are you just planning on leaving the cut plate completly out?
bolt hole.
Grind/cut the plate where you would have a 1/8" gap between the two plates. Drill a new set of holes close to the other plates end, to allow bolting & to keep that piece ridgid.
Or are you just planning on leaving the cut plate completly out?
Last edited by bumble-z; May 3, 2011 at 06:45 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 40,999
Likes: 9,764
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Mike
If a THICKER Tunnel Plate doesnt do anything for rigidity,,, Why did GM increase the thickness of the plate on the C6 cars????
It sure wasnt for weight reduction....
Corvette-Chris
There are a TON of structural engineering types on the forum. Im SURE,, sooner or later,, one will jump in.
If in the end ,,,you do cut it,, make sure that you dont leave any sharp 90 degree angles on the plates. Round them off to keep the plates from cracking. What about a bolted in bonding strip that you can bolt in to rejoin the plates after you cut them? That will allow you to have a completly connected plate but yet your still able to seperate it. You could even have one side of the bonding strip welded to the plate so you would only need fasteners in one side.
Bill
If a THICKER Tunnel Plate doesnt do anything for rigidity,,, Why did GM increase the thickness of the plate on the C6 cars????
It sure wasnt for weight reduction....
Corvette-Chris
There are a TON of structural engineering types on the forum. Im SURE,, sooner or later,, one will jump in.
If in the end ,,,you do cut it,, make sure that you dont leave any sharp 90 degree angles on the plates. Round them off to keep the plates from cracking. What about a bolted in bonding strip that you can bolt in to rejoin the plates after you cut them? That will allow you to have a completly connected plate but yet your still able to seperate it. You could even have one side of the bonding strip welded to the plate so you would only need fasteners in one side.
Bill
The main reason the plate is there is to stiffen the car. Cutting it may reduce chassis stiffness but there is no way to know without doing some math. I can't remember whether it was in the All Corvettes Are Red book or in the first sales info when the C5 was introduced but there was an extensive discussion of why the tunnel plate was there.
Bill
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,121
Likes: 3
From: Shreveport/Bossier Louisiana
St. Jude Donor '08
I cut it today and have a few pics, but y'all will have to wait a day or so because I haven't uploaded them yet. I got a lot of work done today and dont feel like do it haha
