Group buy, front strut brace?

[jonbills]

A few months ago, I got a front strut brace for my MR2 which made a huge difference to the ride of the car:

So I asked the people that made it about something similar for the Z.
They've mocked this up so far, which looks pretty fantastic and rigid in every dimension (well, at least the ones that the strut towers might flex in) but I think it's going to be expensive as a one off.
If I can get 5 or 6 buyers, they'll be about £200.
Anyone interested?

 

[SeanDezart]

My opinion (and all credit for going and doing something), I think that they need a little 'taste-guidance' - it looks like the kind of foot-ladder one sees on the back of old vans and camping cars.

 

[Ian]

You know these are already available for the S30?

They make a good difference. Unfortunately I can't run mine anymore as the bar hits my twin turbo pipe.

 

[jonbills]

Yeah, I know there are many around, some like the racetep one look like they'll control flex well in most directions. Most, like in Sean's pics, not quite so much and are not cheap either.
I reckon this will be as good as the racetep one.

 

[jonbills]

You know these are already available for the S30?

They make a good difference. Unfortunately I can't run mine anymore as the bar hits my twin turbo pipe.

Must be a big turbo?

 

[ben240z]

You know these are already available for the S30?

They make a good difference. Unfortunately I can't run mine anymore as the bar hits my twin turbo pipe.

Have you pics of yours and are you selling it?

 

[Ian]

Must be a big turbo?

Its not the turbo it hits but the pipe joining the two turbo outlets on an RB26 setup.

Have you pics of yours and are you selling it?

Mine are Cusco ones, photos in the build thread. Won't be selling it as the mounts have been welded to the chassis in the front. I have an idea for lower engine mount bush which may enable the bar to fit with the expense of also needing to adjust my downpipe.

Problem is the car is in the paint stage so if my idea doesn't work and I've left it on then the mounts will be stuck there useless forever, so need to decide if I just want to just remove it for good, however I feel it would be very beneficial given how hard my car can be driven.

 

[jonbills]

As Mentioned last week (or was it two weeks ago?) I got my finished brace fitted. A test drive shows it works well. So well it exposed my lack of damping at the front, so I bought some Koni adjustables from theZstore.
I think the normal strut braces with a bar and an adjustable fastener at each end can stop the towers moving towards each other and away from each other, but this one (like the Racetep one, and some others I'm sure) can do that but more rigidly, AND stop the strut towers twisting relative to each other or moving up and down independently.

 

[Rob Gaskin]

I'm amazed that you have such a problem with body flexing/twisting on the road.

How does it manifest itself?

What can you feel?

 

[jonbills]

I'm amazed that you have such a problem with body flexing/twisting on the road.

How does it manifest itself?

What can you feel?

I don't have a problem with the body flexing and twisting on the road, I'm sure my car is no different from any other 260 without a brace. I was talking hypotheticaly about how different braces might resist different flexing forces.
Before I got the brace on my Mr2 I was pretty sceptical as to whether I'd notice a difference on the road, but it did. It made it feel more solid and smooth.
On the Z, it feels different from without the brace but actually less controlled which I put down to lack of damping. I suppose I need to fit the new dampers to prove it!

 

[SeanDezart]

I'm not convinced that a road car, even an occasional track-day car needs such heavy reinforcement but if you're happy - that's what counts.

 

[jonbills]

I'm not convinced that a road car, even an occasional track-day car needs such heavy reinforcement but if you're happy - that's what counts.

Do you mean heavy as in weight, or do you mean reduction in potential flex of the strut towers?
It weighs 2.9kg which isn't much IMO, and of course you're right, it would still drive along a road or track perfectly safely without it, or without a zstory exhaust, or a modified engine or a Quaife diff or the 100s of other things I and others do to them. Come to think of it, needs would still be met if I swapped the S30 body for a mk2 Ford Focus. Hallelujah! I see the light!

Seriously, before I was persuaded to get the brace on my Mr2, like you I didn't think they could make much difference, but they do. But you're still right. No one needs one.

 

[SeanDezart]

Do you mean heavy as in weight, or do you mean reduction in potential flex of the strut towers?
It weighs 2.9kg which isn't much IMO
Seriously......like you I didn't think they could make much difference, but they do. But you're still right. No one needs one.

I meant heavy as in 'look' (over-engineered) but whilst we're measuring, those that I've had are 1.4kg for the front.

I've had a front and rear since over 20x years so I saw the light a while ago. The front I would say is needed for the road if one drives with 'spirit'. The rear less so and I've done away with mine to ease luggage loading but have a half cage which amply replaces it whilst offering a minimum of protection and a well-placed horizontal bar for my harnaisses.

 

[jonbills]

I meant heavy as in 'look' (over-engineered) but whilst we're measuring, those that I've had are 1.4kg for the front.

I've had a front and rear since over 20x years so I saw the light a while ago. The front I would say is needed for the road if one drives with 'spirit'. The rear less so and I've done away with mine to ease luggage loading but have a half cage which amply replaces it whilst offering a minimum of protection and a well-placed horizontal bar for my harnaisses.

Do you want one or not?

 

[SeanDezart]

No thanks, for diverse reasons - good luck with the sale.