battle boxes or just weld the seams?

Ive heard mixed opinions, some people have said that welding actually weakens them. I would like to get away with welding them though, its cheaper...
 
I did both, welded all the seams and added battle boxes. I also welded in gussets on the sides of the uppers.

I figure every bit helps on a manual car.

--Joe
 
The battle boxes are nice to work with. I have installed probably a dozen sets my self. You can weld the seams, but in the end your still pulling on factory sheet metal. With the battle boxes, you have a plate on top and on the bottom that you sandwhich the factory boxes with. After welding and bolting, in my opinion, its much stronger than just welding seams.
 
My boxes were torn to hell, when i would shift the car hard it would sound like a 12 gauge just went off. I instsalled the upper and lower re-enforcement kit, then had my buddy weld everything up. Now its nice and tight and no more noise!
 
A buddy of mine had a conversation about welding in his torque boxes with Dave at TeamZ and he told him it's the side load that tears them out, not straight line launches. Putting on aftermarket controll arms with no bushings or flex is what tears them up in street driving. My buddy has been racing his 10 sec car with a trans brake for 5 years and has no mods to his boxes and they are still in tact.

On another note my boxes are welded as well as a battle box upper and lower kit. Mine we tore out from previous owner road racing the car.
 
I had mine welded, plated, and tied into the cage at Reiters- if my boxes get ripped out, the cage is going with it! Im not a big fan of the battle boxes- your still pulling on the sheetmetal.
 
The upper are going to be doing more of the pulling than the lowers (they push).

If you have access to a welder, you can make a set of battle boxes, upper and lowers, it's not hard. I would do both and weld the seams, it's cheap insurance.
 
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