Cheap Chassis Bracing Bits You Can Buy And Bolt In

[hardsteppa]

To be clear tho, thanks for yr input, was going to pm u anyway about it so glad u chipped in. I 'm not an engineer and really for the priduction cost of under $50, not going to pay to consult one for this lil job lol so will just be using the knock it up and see how it performs approach.

[ichi-go]

spec-R I believe, not S?

That back-of-boot brace for the r33 gtr got a "noticeable difference" from the driver. I'm inclined to make something myself though which I don't think will cost that much and will be a bit more solid, ie, exhaust shop to bend a section of tube to run across back between mounting points, then welded to probably 3mm steel plates, bolted to chassis rails using existing 4xbolt holes as mentioned.

I could see the benefit of the front 1/4 panel triangular braces and it seems they're pretty popular/widely used so will be looking into that further too.

The B-pillar/floor brace - i get it in principle, as in using a 20?cm section of chassis rails either side joined to reduce twist, but given overall length of car/chassis rail, could see it making minimal difference.

I believe the only car that doesnt have the brace is the Jap Spec S - which comes with non turbo SR20... dont think you will find them here unless it's personal import, even Autech comes with the brace

Safe to say most of s15s in Aus will have that bracing

[omnigear]

slight hijack, but since relevant to the thread topic - after not finding the chassis braces I want, thinking I will just make my own. My understanding is, given an equal diameter and wall thickness, square tube will be stronger and flex less than round tube, is that right?

Like previously stated if the brace is in 2D form, it is just adding weight.

[simpletool]

Invest in a set of axle stands first or you may end up with someone dead under your car.

AGAIN for clarity. That is a f**king brave man under that car ! I had an R31 fall on me once, not cool !!!

[hardsteppa]

Like previously stated if the brace is in 2D form, it is just adding weight.

see, this ain't right. I just finished making my boot-brace, modelled off the GTRS15 one linked above, and mann, you feel it as soon as you go around the first corner. Definitely worth doing but then I guess that's why Nissan bothered starting to put them on straight outta factory.

[GTSBoy]

Blind test or I call placebo effect.

[Ben C34]

Blind test or I call placebo effect.

Seconded

[hardsteppa]

Or, what i call, too much theory not enough practice. Come back to me once you've tried before and after, not just ' i think it would do this'

[Ben C34]

You thinking it feels better after one corner points strongly to the placebo affect.

More info on the corner so we can get a better understanding?

[hardsteppa]

(edit*first decent corner)

Nah no offense but how about i don't bother. My experience is there as feedback, take or leave it, up to you.

[GTSBoy]

Thing is, that one that goes on the boot floor right at the back......what is it supposed to do? It doesn't stop the body from twisting - there's no triangulation. It doesn't stop suspension points moving relative to one another - it's nowhere near any of them. It is very hard to see how it could help at all. Therefore it is very hard to believe that it makes such a large difference that you can feel it straight away.

[ichi-go]

Who can read japanese? Maybe they can translate it

[omnigear]

Feeling is not really data... its just a sensation.

(edit*first decent corner)

Nah no offense but how about i don't bother. My experience is there as feedback, take or leave it, up to you.

[XGTRX]

(edit*first decent corner)

Nah no offense but how about i don't bother. My experience is there as feedback, take or leave it, up to you.

Really interested in some more feedback mate...this stuff has always interested me. Can you describe the differences you are feeling...thanks in advance

[hardsteppa]

sure, well corner referred to is kind of a ? mark shape, entered from the curve-end. When getting back on throttle coming round 90deg section off to the left, the 'transitional' feeling during weight transfer one side to the other was reduced and a more solid feel to the rear end when applying power, as a basic explanation. Some people might be less sensitive to this than others...

[XGTRX]

Thanks mate..the more solid feel makes sense especially with bracing at the extreme end of the car. Thanks

[D.I.Y. Mik]

The cheapest bracing is a $250 mig welder and some steel, you can have all the bracing you want.

I couldnt weld before, but its easy as.A mates 31 strut brace i made:

Im going through the same thing with bracing, and i think all the braces do is stop sideways slop for cornering at the track. Think about how they are all in a flat plane along the bottom of the car.

A rollcage would give the most twisting rigidity, because its a box not a flat brace. Bond in Sydney do them, CAMS approved, bolt in, about $600 for half cage. (r32)

Id also recomend a HICAS eliminator that eliminates the old ball joints too, like the Driftworks one.

You can make a bearing/bushing press with an old bottle jack and some steel. You can buy a set of press bits cheap on ebay. (the round bits to push on the bearing/bushing)

Bad driveway?

How long are you going to own cars?

If your not renting.... get your pick and shovel out and make it a home.

If you can do that you will have a place to do anything you want to your car.

Edited April 19, 2014 by D.I.Y. Mik

[R.3.2.G.T.R]

stumbled on this today, http://www.jdm-option.com/eng/feature/05_10/bodyup.html

[skylinecouple]

What about ripping your carpet and seats out and physically checking for cracked welds in the floor or chassis. Then get under the car with your local welder and seam weld the whole chassis. No roll cage just solid welds. Very effective. You'll need to do it anyway if the spot welds are coming apart, and it sounds like they are.

[hardsteppa]

the latest product from A-Type performance industries. Best thing is it just bolts into existing mounting points and weighs 180 grams more than the stock 2-point flexi-piece.

This one here is just finishing completion - runs across the back of the car underneathat the end of the transmission tunnel, similar to the standard item on the later r33 and r34 gtr's, but with extra mounting points and much stiffer. Once again, no mods needed as bolts to existing mounting points. Small piece weighs bang on 1 kg and larger piece 1.76 kg.