BRZ/FR-S Strut Tower Brace - Any Interest?

[GrimmSpeed]

Guys/Gals,

Everyone's payments have been processed that has been received and your bars are already on the FedEx truck head your way!

-Matt Homes

[elrod]

I received my strut tower brace this evening after the FedEx man left it on the porch without bothering to ring the doorbell.

This is offered as constructive criticism: the STB just isn't packaged well enough to make the trip. I found: one box end (PN end) open and almost severed; the GS decal was mangled and hanging out; the plastic bag had been punctured by the STB.

I polished the black powder coat off my GS logo and I think it looks better. It was marred a bit with the welds at each corner.

The second image shows part of the installation with the ever-convenient GS hood struts.

[mrjester]

Installed here as well. Super simple. Less than 10 minutes.

[GrimmSpeed]

Thanks for the early feedback! We'll review the packaging today and make changes as necessary. Also, the polished logo looks great! We had that in mind as an option, which is the reason that we laser cut those logos out of stainless. Unless whatever you sanded/polished it with was contaminated, you should be rust free!

Just a reminder, now that these bad boys are starting to show up:



Matt Beenen
Engineering

[mRdeMs83]

Having an issue with link for payment. Cannot find where to purchase

FR-S Hachiroku

[elrod]

Your (GS) comment on how it improved ride was one of the things that helped sell me. It really is true. I took my test drive this morning. On a BRZ with stock suspension and tires, it has removed a LOT of the harshness. Driveways, intersections, bumps, potholes are much smoother and less noticeable now. It seems to handle cornering better but I was limited by school zones being checked out. The strut tower brace is really a plus to my driving satisfaction.

[Slartibartfast]

Originally Posted by GrimmSpeed

I bought some VHT wrinkle red (I didnt test black), and did a test piece with one of the 3d printed bars that I had previously coated black. The VHT turns out a lighter color red, so the match is not perfect. I'm not sure how easy it would be to match the color by doing lighter coats, but I believe that would be the way to achieve the right color. It's just tough with wrinkle spray paint because you almost have to lay it on heavy to get the wrinkle effect to happen right. If I get some time later, I'm going to attempt to lay it on thinner, and see if I can achieve a lighter color.

Chase
Engineering

Hey Chase & Matt.

Can't wait to get my bar. Tracking says it hit Chicago this morning, so it may be here Monday or Tuesday.

Thanks for posting about your paint test. I was going to spray my triangulation bars before I recieved my bar from you. I have held off now.
Do you have any pictures of how different it is with the VHT wrinkle red? If it's pretty close, I may try the idea you had with thinner coats.

Or option #2

Is there anyone in the group buy getting the red brace, who already has the red Perrin intake? Could you post a picture of the colour difference when you receive your brace? They look very close in separate pictures (see below), but they're different pictures, with different lighting, etc, etc.

I have the Perrin intake on my list and I will likely be ordering within the next week or two. I figure, if they are close in colour, I'll try to make the tri-bars half way between in colour. If it's really far off, I may wait until I recieve the Perrin intake, then send all three braces to a powder coater to have them all match the intake precisely.

I'll post up some pictures with whatever route I take.

Cheers all!

[GrimmSpeed]

Originally Posted by mRdeMs83

Having an issue with link for payment. Cannot find where to purchase

FR-S Hachiroku

Hey, if you're still having problems, I would encourage you to just call in if you have a a minute or two. It'll get handled lickity-split. 612 379 0000

Originally Posted by elrod

Your (GS) comment on how it improved ride was one of the things that helped sell me. It really is true. I took my test drive this morning. On a BRZ with stock suspension and tires, it has removed a LOT of the harshness. Driveways, intersections, bumps, potholes are much smoother and less noticeable now. It seems to handle cornering better but I was limited by school zones being checked out. The strut tower brace is really a plus to my driving satisfaction.

Thanks again for the feedback on shipping, we've already adjusted how we package them, so it will no longer be an issue. Also, I believe you are the first to take advantage of our stainless tag! I haven't even found a little bit of time to customize our own strut bar.

I'm happy you're as blown away as I was by how much NVH the strut bar removes. I've stated earlier in this thread that I am one of the biggest skeptics about the usefulness of strut bars, let alone in brand new cars, and especially non-convertibles. However, when we prototyped this and began deflection testing, even as a passenger I noticed what you noticed immediately. I honestly can't wait for more people to get these in and installed, because it really does make a difference, even on a stock daily driver.

For the record, we're still planning on releasing the deflection testing video we performed, but we decided to re-do it with a new production strut bar as opposed to our prototype. This way it is a true "apples to apples" comparison. Thank you again for the kind words, and I hope you get to go out and toss the car around somewhere safe

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Hey Chase & Matt.

Can't wait to get my bar. Tracking says it hit Chicago this morning, so it may be here Monday or Tuesday.

Thanks for posting about your paint test. I was going to spray my triangulation bars before I recieved my bar from you. I have held off now.
Do you have any pictures of how different it is with the VHT wrinkle red? If it's pretty close, I may try the idea you had with thinner coats.

Or option #2

Is there anyone in the group buy getting the red brace, who already has the red Perrin intake? Could you post a picture of the colour difference when you receive your brace? They look very close in separate pictures (see below), but they're different pictures, with different lighting, etc, etc.

I have the Perrin intake on my list and I will likely be ordering within the next week or two. I figure, if they are close in colour, I'll try to make the tri-bars half way between in colour. If it's really far off, I may wait until I recieve the Perrin intake, then send all three braces to a powder coater to have them all match the intake precisely.

I'll post up some pictures with whatever route I take.

Cheers all!

Hey i did take pictures a few days go, but with a cell phone, so this morning we did it again with a quality camera. As you can see, it's close, but it's not right. I hope this helps you make a decision!



Chase
Engineering

[GrimmSpeed]

Originally Posted by mRdeMs83

Having an issue with link for payment. Cannot find where to purchase

FR-S Hachiroku

Just responded to your PM.

-Matt Homes

[ATL BRZ]

Installation was a joke, less than 5 minutes total. The triangle is complete!




Thanks GrimmSpeed!

[Chee-Hu]

I can't wait for Tuesday to be here already lol!

[GrimmSpeed]

Originally Posted by ATL BRZ

Installation was a joke, less than 5 minutes total. The triangle is complete!

Thanks GrimmSpeed!

Nice!

Originally Posted by Chee-Hu

I can't wait for Tuesday to be here already lol!

Here's a pro-tip. Since the install is so quick and easy, take your car for a 5min spin before you pop the hood and install your new bar. Hit pot holes, cracks in the road, carve some quick turns, etc. Then install your bar and take the same drive. Then be happy.

Glad to hear that you guys are loving the bar/install/performance just as much as we do!

Matt Beenen
Engineering

[stockysnail]

I have the red Perrin intake. My red bar will be here next week. I can post pics when I install it if you'd like.

Painting the triangulation bars red is a good idea and I think I'll do that as well. Thanks for whoever posted that.

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Hey Chase & Matt.

Can't wait to get my bar. Tracking says it hit Chicago this morning, so it may be here Monday or Tuesday.

Thanks for posting about your paint test. I was going to spray my triangulation bars before I recieved my bar from you. I have held off now.
Do you have any pictures of how different it is with the VHT wrinkle red? If it's pretty close, I may try the idea you had with thinner coats.

Or option #2

Is there anyone in the group buy getting the red brace, who already has the red Perrin intake? Could you post a picture of the colour difference when you receive your brace? They look very close in separate pictures (see below), but they're different pictures, with different lighting, etc, etc.

I have the Perrin intake on my list and I will likely be ordering within the next week or two. I figure, if they are close in colour, I'll try to make the tri-bars half way between in colour. If it's really far off, I may wait until I recieve the Perrin intake, then send all three braces to a powder coater to have them all match the intake precisely.

I'll post up some pictures with whatever route I take.

Cheers all!

[Chee-Hu]

Originally Posted by GrimmSpeed

Nice!



Here's a pro-tip. Since the install is so quick and easy, take your car for a 5min spin before you pop the hood and install your new bar. Hit pot holes, cracks in the road, carve some quick turns, etc. Then install your bar and take the same drive. Then be happy.

Glad to hear that you guys are loving the bar/install/performance just as much as we do!

Matt Beenen
Engineering

Matt, I already do all of those on my daily commute. I'm on the highway in the morning and backroads for some "fun" in the afternoon. I am almost sure the difference can be felt instantly.