TOM's Chassis Bracing Released

[Hanakuso]

The bracing on the bottom look similar to others but what I'm very interested is the rear strut/trunk brace.

http://www.tomsracing.co.jp/news/2012/1017-161124.html

[7thgear]

not feeling the trunk brace

it's not triangulating anything

[Hanakuso]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

not feeling the trunk brace

it's not triangulating anything

What do you mean? Isn't it preventing flex of areas around the rear suspension and the top of the trunk all together?

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by Hanakuso

What do you mean? Isn't it preventing flex of areas around the rear suspension and the top of the trunk all together?

those two vertical bars need to meet together in the center

the trunk area is a box, this design simply reinforces the box with another box

you are getting marginal increase in stiffness, if at all (since most of these things have basic mount designs that don't bother to improve much.

[Hanakuso]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

those two vertical bars need to meet together in the center

the trunk area is a box, this design simply reinforces the box with another box

you are getting marginal increase in stiffness, if at all (since most of these things have basic mount designs that don't bother to improve much.

The two vertical bars do meet up to create a square, unless you are talking about a diagonal bar that goes from top left to bottom right. I think this picture is slightly enlarged.



I'm far from an expect but I would think most modern cars these days wouldn't benefit much from chassis bracing like in older cars. I guess it's just hard for me to understand which actual chassis braces benefit the car more then others.

[7thgear]

if i was to do it

i would do it like this, and i don't know why nobody has made something like this yet.







this essentially creates a W inside the trunk area.. and you know what else uses such triangulation?

[Ro_Ja]

Originally Posted by Hanakuso

I'm far from an expert but I would think most modern cars these days wouldn't benefit much from chassis bracing like in older cars. I guess it's just hard for me to understand which actual chassis braces benefit the car more then others.

Exactly my thoughts. Perhaps as the car is more subjected to the abuse that comes from driving over the many years of ownership, it might be something to consider, but for now, most chassis bracing kits out there for brand new cars just seem like a scheme to take money from suckers. I'm probably wrong, but that's how I see it.

Nice looking parts though. Price, not so much.

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by Ro_Ja

Exactly my thoughts. Perhaps as the car is more subjected to the abuse that comes from driving over the many years of ownership, it might be something to consider, but for now, most chassis bracing kits out there for brand new cars just seem like a scheme to take money from suckers. I'm probably wrong, but that's how I see it.

Nice looking parts though. Price, not so much.

a tank of a car like a mercedes, you're probably right




a sub 30k japanese-steel car?

while the FRS is far better in rigidity that most cars, it could easily use upgrades in many areas for track use and abuse.

[Hanakuso]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

if i was to do it

i would do it like this, and i don't know why nobody has made something like this yet.







this essentially creates a W inside the trunk area.. and you know what else uses such triangulation?

[img]http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/tower-crane12.jpg[img]

I'm guessing that would be better, but then it would sacrifice trunk space. I like the Tom's design because it still gives you the ability to use the full trunk space especially if you have a large item that needs the rear seats folded down. I'm guessing Tom's made the brace as a compromise, not a 100% performance oriented design

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by Hanakuso

I'm guessing that would be better, but then it would sacrifice trunk space. I like the Tom's design because it still gives you the ability to use the full trunk space especially if you have a large item that needs the rear seats folded down. I'm guessing Tom's made the brace as a compromise, not a 100% performance oriented design

given that there is a dollar cost attached to this, i would say it is a poor compromise.

Like paying a man to give you a blowjob so as to not offend your wife as much if she happens to find out.

[Hanakuso]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

given that there is a dollar cost attached to this, i would say it is a poor compromise.

Like paying a man to give you a blowjob so as to not offend your wife as much if she happens to find out.

Well if you don't mind swinging that way I would say that's a great compromise

[Danzzt231]

I want something like my Celica's C-One rear brace



Damn thing really works. But I'm no engineer.

[Hanakuso]

Price as expected on Japanparts
http://www.japanparts.com/db/partsli...EY=008-012-006

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by Hanakuso

Price as expected on Japanparts
http://www.japanparts.com/db/partsli...EY=008-012-006

Check out the TiC X-brace (licensed Carlab X-Brace) for the Impreza GD chassis. That thing was originally designed by a bunch of auto engineers. A good piece of bracing like that is expensive.