DIY : TRD Door Stabilizers
 

Installed the TRD Door Stabilizer kit today. Ordered it from Carson Toyota in CA for $190 or so and shipping was free as it was included with the TRD spoiler I ordered at same time.
The instructions are all in Japanese of course but the few diagrams included gave good hints as to how it would be installed. This photo is one side not yet installed.

Attachment 27582


Seems to be fairly straight forward. The black part in upper left is heavy duty plastic. The new screws are “star” screws so took a run to Harbor Freight to buy the bits for it. I also needed to pick up a screw driver socket set as I didn’t have one and it was necessary. Not bad for $20 total but then again it’s harbor freight so I get what I pay for. Tools I had to buy from Harbor Freight:

Attachment 27584


This of course is what it looks like before we start:

Attachment 27586


The hardest part of this whole project is getting those damn screws loosened. I thought a breaker bar with a Philips head would do the trick:

Attachment 27585

(As n2oinferno points out, you shouldn't use a torque wrench as a breaker bar but this is a very old and abused one so it's not doing it any more harm. You should use a real breaker bar if one is available)

But the breaker bar just started to strip the screws despite how hard I pushed. So I resorted to using an impact driver and hammer just to loosen them a bit.

Attachment 27587

Hold it differently from picture or you’ll break your wrist with the hammer. After getting the old one off, it’s then just a matter of holding the “spring” section back and screwing in the new plate with the star screws:

Attachment 27588

I found in the Japanese documentation that the torx screws should be tightened to 23 nm (~17 ft lbs). Thanks to Hanasuko for pointing out this fact.

Here’s how it looks when complete:

Attachment 27589

The screws on the actual door are trivial in comparison. It’s just a matter of loosening two screws and putting the metal bracket on:
Attachment 27590

Note that the lower screw isn't yet installed just to show how the bracket fits quite well into the screw hole. According to the doc, these screws should be tightened to 6.5 nm (~ 4 ft lbs). Then the plastic piece snaps in as so:
Attachment 27591
Push it into the bracket at the point above and then just gently push it to the outside to lock it in place. This is what is looks like complete:
Attachment 27592

I had no issues with fit or function, it did not affect the door alignment.

Are they worth it? Meh, probably not as I’m not auto-crossing or racing the car at this point. It’s just some silly bling for now.

Cheers.

How does the door fit now that there's something wedged in there? Does it feel harder to open/close? Does the door still sit flush?

The screws made the job much harder then anything. I added a very thin layer of rubber gasket so it doesn't scratch the paint between the metals

Btw you should include the proper torque specs.

What are these supposed to do?

Thanks for the writeup.

Two things I want to point out though. Using a torque wrench as a breaker bar (I assume this from the picture) will ruin the calibration on the torque wrench and make it useless for its intended purpose.
Secondly, the proper name for those "star" screws is torx, just for future reference. :)

Extra bracing and less movement tolerance on the hinge for when the door closes, to stiffen the body, if I remember correctly.

I'd pay maybe $30 for those. Def not $190!

Thanks for taking time for pics. I've been thinking that these are a pretty cool idea, but maybe a solution to a nonexistent problem. Keep us updated if you can offer any feedback.

Thanks for the suggestion. I found in the doc that they are specifying 23 nm for these screws.

Both doors fit great. No issues with opening or closing. I can't really say it gives any louder "thud" when closing. Sounds about the same.

Hi,
In fact, I agree that the main problem is to unscrew the screws on body side as they are put in place with blue Loctite. This means that you have to first of all release them with the help of an impact driver and hammer and finish the total unscrew with screwdrive.(not by hands)
For the assembly, it is quite easy and do not need any particular setting, the pieces are well in place and take 5 minutes by side.(more longer for the unscrew...)
I did not noted any difference in opening or closing the door. It remains quite and easy.
Now, it is know what exactly this material make change to the car, I mean in a normal driving, excepted for the look.

nice job hotlavaman! I dig it.

Good job!

Damn $190?!?! WOW!

QFT!

Hey guys, "look at my door stabilizers" ... this seems like something you would sell the Honda crowd.. I know this because I'm from that crowd lol

To the people asking "did your doors make a thud sound after install" are you also from the Honda crowd? How would shimming the door latch make the door itself more solid? Common sense here folks. Want a heavier door shutting sound add sound deadening material it will help.

Interesting. Might have to try a set of these on our daily driver / track / time trials / autox car and give our feedback.

can i get a little clarification on this install? I'm a little confused. so when everything comes off that silver bracket goes on? then the actual door hook goes on over it? screw down? slide the black thing over? seems out of order there.

You're taking about the actual door and the black piece with the metal clip/adapter?

Remove door screws, reinstall screws with metal clip, slip black plastic piece over it.

perfect! thank you. would you know where I could get these for a good price?

I impulsively bought mine locally at Carson Toyota

any special after install it ?

what are these things supposed to do?

Is there any noticeable difference in handling characteristics before and after install? If you could go back and do it again would you spend the money on these "door stabilizers"? I am just trying to get some opinions before I decide wether or not to buy them.

Thanks, Jordan

I have no clue, wtf do these do? Make the door seat better?

For $200 they better do something

They're JDM y0! $190 is a small price for JDM bling.

That do nothing?

Alright I looked them up:
"The TRD Door Stabilizer helps stiffen the chassis of your BRZ, FR-S, or GT86 by sliding a spring loaded metal section behind the lock which grabs against a polymer based plastic piece on the door itself. This then pushes on the door and against the hinges which helps stiffens the chassis."

Really? I'd like to see someone with lap time to prove this isn't bullshit it looks cool but for $200?:http://www.brz-parts.com/ms304-18001.html

Seems to me like there are better ways to stiffen the car. Sway bars and strut bars to start, maybe the TRD brace kit, and eventually coilovers. After you have done all that, then I would blow $190 on two pieces of plastic.

My understanding is that the engineers designed the crash beam in the door to also act as a chassis brace when you use these door stabilizers. So by installing these you are essentially making the chassis more rigid which should help with handling and feel of the car. I think mods like this become more apparent and noticeable when you have suspension mods, sticky tires, bushings etc..

Hope this helps! And thanks for the Writeup as well, this is an item I will install on my car one day lol.

Thanks,
Rick

Thanks for that I found an explanation from another trd website
"The TRD Door Stabilizer helps stiffen the chassis of your BRZ, FR-S, or GT86 by sliding a spring loaded metal section behind the lock which grabs against a polymer based plastic piece on the door itself. This then pushes on the door and against the hinges which helps stiffens the chassis."

Pretty much what you said.

Any handling differences you can notice?

Do "bling" parts actually have a purpose or function besides than the "cool" factor?

The "swag" factor

Anyone want to do some before and after autocross? Preferably someone who can put down consistent times lol.

I'd offer to do it myself but my life is kind of spiraling out of control for the next month or so :(

can't wait to find out if these actually do anything.

Been thinking about these since I saw them way back when. I'd say that these are like any strut tower bar. You really can't feel with with any butt dyno, but does aid in certain situations. I mean how many of us have truely felt the benefits of a strut tower bar? I'd wager, not many, but we still buy them by the truck loads. Maybe one day... I just can't fight the urge to fold up a wad of old newspaper and stick it in the door jam and call it a day. :bonk:

http://www.japanparts.com/images/Ima...ase=1&no=42152
I have installed this and I think it works. If it does not it makes you thing it works :)

it completely shaved off 2 seconds on my lap time .............................come on people, it's a door stabilizer.......:laughabove:

I remember someone posting an Autox video early on showing a lot of chassis flex around the door frame (was that you @feldy?). This will limit that, however, I don't know how effective it will be in your lap time.

Here's a video I looked up. Skip ahead to 134. It's a little harder to notice on a black car, but you can see the door flex in and out on each turn.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNc5ABlY3o0"]FRS Miller Park Autocross Run #4 - YouTube[/ame]

Here's a better one. Skip to 1:20.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3i_RVz8F1Y"]FRS First Drive with Jeff - YouTube[/ame]

That is a bit of flex. I don't think it major but thanks for those videos. The second one was definitely better.

[QUOTE=Hawaiian;1064592]I remember someone posting an Autox video early on showing a lot of chassis flex around the door frame (was that you @feldy?). This will limit that, however, I don't know how effective it will be in your lap time.

Here's a video I looked up. Skip ahead to 134. It's a little harder to notice on a black car, but you can see the door flex in and out on each turn.

Holy crap! i guess they do serve a purpose......unless my eyes are being fooled by the light and shade ,but it is very obvious. nevertheless , I don't track and have no need for this ............for now.....:burnrubber: