[Renalicious]

So I finally got the car back with all the goodies installed and fixed up, I should comment on the newly installed lower chasis brace (along with the Design 1 Racing strut brace).



The shop mentioned that they didn't want to go on modifying my metal under tray when installing the chasis brace, so they left it off the car. I'm not sure how hard it is to modify, but it's something I can do myself in the future if I want to. They also mentioned that if I hadn't replaced the motor mount there would have probably been some contact between the down tube and the brace as well. So for anyone planning on putting this in, be sure to replace the motor mounts like the instruction sais <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



The ride itself felt a little less harsh I think. Driving over the second narrows bridge (which is usually pretty jittery an almost uncomfortable), the car felt more planted and overall more stable with what seemed like less side to side movement; less bouncing around.



I have yet to take it out on any fast twisty roads, but the feel of the car is promising. Maybe not quite to the degree of putting a strut brace on a stock car, but it's noticable. For anyone wanting to squeeze out more performance (handling) out of their car, this looks like a worth while upgrade, especially if you end up replacing motor mounts too (less vibration potantially!). Way to go Flash!



If anyone else has this installed, please feel free to add to this thread, I'll updated it once I have driven the car some more <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[skiemt]

For my birthday, Snowman gave me the lower chasis brace and we installed it the following weekend. To both of us, the steering is firmly and more responsible. The brace was very close to the RS Barn Header so after a week or so of driving with a slight vibration of it hitting, I had the mounter mounts checked by a mechanic to find they were in good shape. So I added some SS washers to the brace under the brackets to increase this distance with no change in handling. With the top struct tower brace and the lower chasis brace, we feel that RS Barn has once again made some outstanding improvements to our 968.

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[xrad]

skiemt: do you have standard front and rear a-arm mounts?

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[flash]

the motor mounts may have "looked" like they were in good shape, and many mechanics make this mistake, but there is actually a measurement to tell you for sure (i think it's 63mm) - but, even without doing that, i can tell you that if you were hitting the brace, and you got a revision 2 unit, your mounts are in need of replacement - however, if somehow you got a revision 1 unit, then you might not have a motor mount issue - i thought we sent new brackets to everyone though

stick a tape measure on the brackets, measure vertically, and tell me how long they are

that being said, the washer trick should work, but i'm not a big fan of the idea, only because now the load is on a smaller surface area, and you have also introduced another component which could move and provide leverage and result in bending or damaging the threaded holes in the frame - you have also decreased the amount of threads engaged which can also lead to damage

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[flash]

i had another thought and test to do - rev the engine while looking at it - it should not lift or move more than about 1/8" or so - if it does, your motor mounts are soft or worn

another measurement, if you have the Design 1 Racing Strut Tower Brace, is about 10mm from fuel rail cover to bottom of the front of the brace bar - more than that and your mounts are soggy

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[skiemt]

<!--quoteo(post=73233:date=Jun 4 2009, 08:33 PM:name=xrad)-->QUOTE (xrad @ Jun 4 2009, 08:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->skiemt: do you have standard front and rear a-arm mounts?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Standard.

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[skiemt]

I guess I will do some measuring today and take some pics before her weekly bath.
My mechanic pointed out that there is about a penny's thickness clearance between the valve cover and top strut bar, a good indicator of my motor mounts' status. I do have 3 different shops that I take it to. I could always get a second opinion...
I will be back in touch after some info gather.

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[flash]

actually, not necessarily - i just came across a car yesterday that looks like it had the wrong transaxle mount installed, which in turn pushed everything upward from the rear - this resulted in the engine sitting high

has your transaxle been removed for service of some sort?

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[skiemt]

Transaxle never has been removed for service of any sort.

Never got under her yesterday. Wife's birthday and I was not allowed to. I even had to let her drive it out to her parents and back! Things a married man has to put up with.

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[flash]

hmmm - well, we are looking into this - this is the second instance where the engine sits abnormally high - it's not a small amount either, so something is up somewhere

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[flash]

still trying to figure this out - talked to pete - he checked out the rear mounts and doesn't think there is any way to get the wrong one in there and have this happen, so looks like not the rear mount

perhaps aftermarket motor mounts?

need to do more investigating here - these are the only 2 cars like this so far, and we have dozens of these things out there, so i have to think something is different somewhere

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[JWahlsten]

Just thought I'd add a data point on the lower brace. I installed mine with some Elephant racing bushings, and I won't say the handling is transformed. However, it is NOTICABLY better. The whole system upfront feels more planted allowing the suspension to work much better. I'm interested to feel the difference on the track and autocross course.

I've gone from thinking coilovers to driving it like it is until I can't go any faster on the track with the current setup. I do have M030 bars with delrin bushings as well, but other than the upper and lower braces the suspension is stock.

This is a very worthwhile upgrade. In my opinion this made a bigger improvement than the upper. The two working together really removes a lot of flex in the front end.

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[ds968]

I definitely a difference after mounting the lower brace ( particularly when driving over a poorly maintained road ), much more so than I have felt anything with the upper one. Although I'm sure the upper one makes a difference, even in the hardest turns /cornering I could not tell, seat-of-the-pants wise any difference from stock. But hey, if for no other reason I love how that D1 brace looks on my engine [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif[/img]

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