Ok i am doing some research on some chassis upgrades and thought about tieing the lower frame rails together with one big metal "X"... what do you think it will do? will it make a differnance or not becasue it is so low on the car where the reinforcment needs to be closer to the top of the car.???

here is the picture

 

It will help rigidity to some extent, but you won't know exactly how much unless you can get it on a chassis jig of some sort.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kendall &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It will help rigidity to some extent, but you won't know exactly how much...</TD></TR></TABLE>

I guess the real question iks, if i make one, will i notice the differance or will i just "think" i notice it?

 

no doubt bracing the car in general makes for a stiffer chassis.

the question is, how much does a stiffer chassis help? particularly in the area the brace is located.

when ppl talk about the effectiveness of strut bars and tie bars and "Z" bars or whatever, i have no arguement that it does its job of bracing whatever two or 3 points it does. but does bracing the hatch area do anything positive except lessen some interior rattle?? i can tell you that a front strut bar like neuspeed can be felt through the handling on my crx, especially with stock springs. its minor, but its there and its contributing to something, and i know its directly impacting the chassis near the suspension. some would easily dismiss this minor effect as worthless or even non-existant.

anyway, looking at that picture, sure, its bracing the underside of the car. but i dont think its all that necessary. youve got two big frame rails that go down the sides and its all connected by the monocoque body.

 

i just never understood the "X" design.

triangles are strong , attaching them point to point is not.

 

I'll tell you what:

If you have the materials & tallent to put something like that together, I must recomend you give it a try. If you are not pleased with it's performance, you can sell it to the kids in the Civic (or whatever chassis) forum at a rediculous profit. Those guys pay out the nose for chassis braces they can show off to their friends...

I saw one person that was planning on spending $500+ on a stupid 3 point trunk brace with spherical rod ends (which render the design completely useless)....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 94eg! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'll tell you what:
If you are not pleased with it's performance, you can sell it to the kids in the Civic (or whatever chassis) forum at a rediculous profit. Those guys pay out the nose for chassis braces they can show off to their friends...
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That is pretty funny, with that advice I think I will give it a try.

let you guys know how it works out

 

Yeah, please don't forget to update this (with pictures)...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 94eg! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah, please don't forget to update this (with pictures)... </TD></TR></TABLE>

will do with the pics... I am going to try to do it tomorrow. My plan is to take some angle iron and some 1"x1/2" square tubing to make the "X". I will use the angle Iron to bolt the "X" onto the frame rails. so that it will be sunken up, flush, to the bottom part of the frame rail... well, it is hard to explain... you will just see with some pics hopefully tomorrow... if i can stay awake after eating all that turkey mmmmmmm...triptophan(???)

 

do not make square tubing from angle iron #1, #2 listen to Dr. Cortez...he actually went to school to understand Vector mechanics...you didn't. So without learning a bunch of physics and math, just listen to what he has to say.

 

Any update on how it feels?

It honestly seems like a good idea to me - if you're into rally racing. Simply add some mounts for skid plates, weld in a full cage, and your car will be stiff as hell.

But yeah, is the first picture your finished product? Or is that someone elses..?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MrTodd &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Any update on how it feels?... Is the first picture your finished product? Or is that someone elses..?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I decided not to make it for a number of reasons, but that is one i found on the internet.

No...I was thinking about it and I thought that the unibody design for the car, with the frame rails, and the huge "hump" in the middle where the exhaust goes has to give alot of support in the first place. where as like in the trunk or under the hood, where there are big open areas where there is no support, a chassis bar does alot.

So to make a long story short i did not make it, becasue i thouht it would be a big project for little or no increase... But i am always open to ideas on what to make to make my car handle better, so if ya got any, let me know!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by racer_X_123 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> But i am always open to ideas on what to make to make my car handle better, so if ya got any, let me know! </TD></TR></TABLE>

I ordered one of these rear lower tie bars to see how it works out on my EM1, i'll keep ya posted.

 

I made one of these as well, I thought it made a big improvement. I think you will like it.

Anybody running traction bars... how do you like them?