FRS/BRZ Drift Bars - Interest?
 

Hi all,

As most of you know, we are going to all measures to lighten our race car for the United States Touring Car Championship series. Urban Metal Werks in Las Vegas did an amazing job on our race car's roll cage - so we came back to them with another request.

They have created drift bars to replace the OEM crash beams for the front and rear of the FRS/BRZ.

I wanted to see if there is any interest for these to go into production. Mine are made from chromoly and we saved 8 lbs. To take down costs, they would sell in mild steel for about $150 each. Any interest? Post up your thoughts.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y11...ps0cb191c6.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y11...ps9004ed9c.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y11...ps88ca2654.jpg


And here's an updated photo of my cage, just for reference :)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y11...psf77a9424.jpg

You can follow them on instagram @uRBAN_Metal_werks and facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/urbanmetalwerks.geddes?fref=ts



Edit: heres a shot from test fitting the front - still nailing down the mounting plates

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y11...psfaa4c92f.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y11...ps65f1c190.jpg

Could you please tell me what the purpose/advantage of these are? Just curious :)

Why not 6061 and shed more weight?

I'm guessing lighter and more room for coolers and shit up front

i didn't want to use aluminum.

hmm, look pretty good and priced well.

Because race car...

lol jk.

weight reduction
rigidity/chassis strengthening
easily replaceable if contact is made
frees up space

Looks great!

I have the similar Drift Armor bar in front, and this type of front crash bar allows a LOT more air into the front.

With these the car really only becomes racecar since I doubt these drift bars were nhtsa or crash tested at all for daily public road use.

This.

Also, the stock bumper beam has crumple zone. A solid steel framed bumper bar will transfer all the energy through to the frame and is more likely to cause more irreparable damage.

But then again, if you go to this extent, you should have the *real* need for it.

I'm not a structural engineer, so please correct me if I'm wrong.

EDIT: I'd consider it for $150 if it would come powdercoated/protected.

That would be just as bad for a race car as for a street car. Properly designed race cars are built so that the cheapest/most-easily-replaced parts break ahead of the major/expensive parts.

Only 8lbs weight savings? Is that per end, or both front and rear combined?

Has anyone have crash data on these? If I have to replace the OEM safety equipment, I want to atleast know if this is any good in terms of safety.

To answer all your guys' safety questions. I'll do it simply by saying these drift bars are just like many other aftermarket products. Only meant for off road use.

If it's sole purpose of creation are not your intent for purchasing, then I wouldn't encourage buying it. As stated in my first post, this is for our fully prepped race car with the intention of weight savings. I would personally not put these bars on a street car.

We race in the USTCC wheel to wheel series, much like PWC and these bars are extremely common in all kinds of "race" vehicles. They are not intended for street use.

Correct. 8 lbs total - which is a lot in the racing world.

just leave them off, it has been said before that the crash bars don't really offer any real frame rigidity

^^this

Respectfully, OP, they do absolutely nothing. ...well, they add mass.

Count me in, I wanted the drift armour bars but the lead time is a month.

Cool - PM'd.

I am interested in the rear drift bar, do they still wanna make it?

interested in the rear crash beam

In most cases their main design is for low speed impacts, it can absorb most of the impact by deforming just that piece in a moderate speed impact.

assuming the impact point of the collision is where the crash beam covers, the same moderate impact can deform the rear quarter, trunk, tail lights trunk lid etc if the crash beam was completely removed.

In wheel to wheel racing, friendly nudges from the back do happen from time to time.

so if you're going to nudge someone, make sure you have one in the front, if you expect to get nudged (which you will at some point) have one ready to protect your rear.