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

[Hawk77FT]

Originally Posted by fuddbutter

Since we are talking about things you don't want to read and Australia..

Did you guys ever design one of them number plate relocation kits to suit our plates?
I heard one was getting developed and i got all excited, took all my clothes off and rubbed baby oil all over myself in anticipation.

Pics or it didn't happen...actually I am having second thoughts here...no pics please. Unless you are tall blonde and busty...and a woman.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[tintumz22]

Add me to the list please.

[xn7485]

Originally Posted by GrimmSpeed

-Replacement triangulation bars. We hear you, and we would love to hear more! Lots of people are interested in having matching replacements, even if there is little to no performance benefit (not necessarily true, I'm just saying worst case scenario). We're also still interested to hear how many people want the triangulation bars integrated, even if it means raising the MSRP (again worst case scenario) and offering a product that a couple of other companies kind of already offer.

Chase
Engineering

Any chance you may still incorporate triangulation bars production with strut bar? I do think your designs would be superior to the OEM ones.

Originally Posted by GrimmSpeed

Admittedly I have been looking into it (you caught me), but the probably with what you're suggesting (and what I want to do too) is that you can't make one that hides under the cover (just requiring a few foam cuts) AND is still able to clear the spare tire. And since most people will find that removing their spare to put in a rear strut bar is completely unacceptable, I haven't looked too much further into it. I think that going over the carpet might be the only way...

Chase
Engineering

I got the idea from looking at Beatrush's rear strut bar. Looks like they get to keep the spare as well as keeping it within the foam spacing.

----------
Side notes:
Random question, how would a flexible section benefit at all in the strut bar? I've originally set my sights on the STi strutbar until I realized it won't fit with my Crawford AOS..

Also not too many manufacturers are so involved with the community on R&D. Usually many keep people updated, but this feels like the community gets to help create perfect parts. Keep it up, you've been a new favorite company of mine.

[GrimmSpeed]

Originally Posted by fuddbutter

Since we are talking about things you don't want to read and Australia..

Did you guys ever design one of them number plate relocation kits to suit our plates?
I heard one was getting developed and i got all excited, took all my clothes off and rubbed baby oil all over myself in anticipation..
But nothing!
So now my numberplate is still sitting in the "non baller" position

I personally hate it when a license plate is sitting "non baller." We have not started working on that, I'm not sure if that project is coming up, or anything about it right now unfortunately. It's just a shame that our plates are an inch wider than yours (5.3 vs 6.3) or I would just modify our existing plate holder with a few more holes to fit your plates (only the top two holes would bolt up right now, but you could do it). I'll have to check on that to see if it's something in the pipeline if there is enough interest.

Originally Posted by tintumz22

Add me to the list please.

Will do, you've been added!

Originally Posted by xn7485

Any chance you may still incorporate triangulation bars production with strut bar? I do think your designs would be superior to the OEM ones.


I got the idea from looking at Beatrush's rear strut bar. Looks like they get to keep the spare as well as keeping it within the foam spacing.

----------
Side notes:
Random question, how would a flexible section benefit at all in the strut bar? I've originally set my sights on the STi strutbar until I realized it won't fit with my Crawford AOS..

Also not too many manufacturers are so involved with the community on R&D. Usually many keep people updated, but this feels like the community gets to help create perfect parts. Keep it up, you've been a new favorite company of mine.

I'm not 100% sure if the triangulation bar replacements are in our pipeline, as we've found the OEM ones to be quite good, we will have to test if we can produce one that functions better. The mount at the firewall appears to be the limiting factor. If you unbolt your oem triangulation bars at the shock towers and leave them bolted at the firewall, then grab the bar's end at the shock tower you'll notice how easy it deflects, and how easy it is to twist the mount at the firewall. This tells us a few things, but I think the gist of it is that the stock triangulation bars do a good job of preventing movement from the shock towers that comes from braking forces, and it does an ok job of preventing deflection between the shock towers. However, we were able to identify movement between the towers that our strut tower brace was able to minimize. This is precisely because of the mount at the firewall, it allows torsional and shear forces from the strut towers because the firewall bracket. The addition of the strut tower brace works against those torsional and shear forces (while better preventing deflection due to compressive and tension loads between the shock towers), which allows the factory triangulation bars' main focus to be preventing fore and aft movement of the shock towers. Again, we'll have to see if we can produce a triangulation bar that improves over stock, and still fits into the allotted space, but based on what I've told you, I'm not sure we'll find the results we're looking for in re-designing the triangulation bars.

I know exactly what you're talking about with the beatrush rear strut bar, and I can tell you that that bar won't fit with a spare tire. That's designed for markets without spares (some markets get space caver spares, some get full size spares, and some get a can of fix-a-flat and I believe an electric compressor). If you look at some installed pictures of the beat rush bar, you'll notice the foam in the trunk has no provisions for a spare tire. I just don't think there are many people willing to remove their spares (and rely on getting a tow if something were to happen) to install a strut bar. I could be wrong, maybe you saw a picture of it with a spare tire that I didn't see!

Flexible strut bar: well, that is kind of like an exaggerated version of what we were talking about with the firewall mount. I do believe the idea behind the flexible strut bar is to prevent deflection from shock tower to shock tower (compressive and tension loads) while still allowing for shear and torsion at the shock towers. I believe the idea is to decrease NVH, mainly vibration and harshness. I know STI has been making these bars since around '09 (maybe earlier), and obviously there is something they like about them, but having never driven an 86 with one installed, I can't comment. I do know, and have said before, that our strut bar (the opposite design) definitely decreased NVH driving around town, while theoretically the STI bar should feel exactly the same as stock as far as NVH goes, but still decrease deflection between the towers. It's something we can't quantify unfortunately, but rather something that comes from personal "feel."

Thanks a lot! We obviously love working with the community, it's almost like working with a group of friends here. I love these really good serious questions like this, I love the jokes and poetry, I love the nay-sayers, I love all the positivity. Support like yours and the rest of you is really what makes us tick, and the reason why we want to keep so closely connected, because it makes for better parts. Better parts mean better cars, and happier people. If when you're driving your car you get the same shit-eating grin that I do, then we've done a good job.

Chase
Engineering

[2point0]

Originally Posted by GrimmSpeed

I love these really good serious questions like this, I love the jokes and poetry, I love the nay-sayers, I love all the positivity.

I love lamp.

[loogs]

i want in. please add me to list

[fuddbutter]

Originally Posted by GrimmSpeed

I personally hate it when a license plate is sitting "non baller." We have not started working on that, I'm not sure if that project is coming up, or anything about it right now unfortunately. It's just a shame that our plates are an inch wider than yours (5.3 vs 6.3) or I would just modify our existing plate holder with a few more holes to fit your plates (only the top two holes would bolt up right now, but you could do it). I'll have to check on that to see if it's something in the pipeline if there is enough interest.

Chase
Engineering

I guess i can get one and modify the back plate? is it just Aluminium?

[goke186]

powder coat it light blue and I am sold

[GrimmSpeed]

Originally Posted by 2point0

I love lamp.

And lamp, I forgot lamp.

Originally Posted by loogs

i want in. please add me to list

Loogs, I don't know what it is, but I really like that user name. You've been added!

Originally Posted by fuddbutter

I guess i can get one and modify the back plate? is it just Aluminium?

Yeah, its only .08in (2mm for you metric folk) aluminum. We have threaded inserts pressed in to the plate, so MAYBE you'll only have to drill one hole and utilize one of the available holes. It may or may not be osmething you want to do. If you wanna talk about it more hit me up on PM, or shoot me an email at Chase@GrimmSpeed.com

Originally Posted by goke186

powder coat it light blue and I am sold

For the immediate release we will only be releasing them in textured black powdercoat, same as on our master cylinder brace, hood strut hood brackets, etc If there is a huge demand for colors we will probably add them to the lineup.

Chase
Engineering

[OICU812]

With your guys machining, cnc abilities be nice to see a GS metal black powder coated "splitter" style diffuser, something low profile and sexy.

[GrimmSpeed]

I go to a weekly car meet here in Minnesota, and I've met a couple of guys and gals from here down there. Yesterday a gentleman on here (I know your first name, but not screen name!) let me test fit one of our 3d printed bars to his car. Snapped a quick pic with my cell phone to show some OEM goodness!

[DriftEightSix]

Originally Posted by GrimmSpeed

I go to a weekly car meet here in Minnesota, and I've met a couple of guys and gals from here down there. Yesterday a gentleman on here (I know your first name, but not screen name!) let me test fit one of our 3d printed bars to his car. Snapped a quick pic with my cell phone to show some OEM goodness!

Looking good!!!!

I think yo need to send someone in Australia to test that it will fix on a RHD car .... I know someone whos available

[fuddbutter]

Originally Posted by DriftEightSix

Looking good!!!!

I think yo need to send someone in Australia to test that it will fix on a RHD car .... I know someone whos available

Dude! that is so kind of you to offer my services :p

[dawnst3ar]

Personally, I think you need someone to test it out in the extreme heat of Texas to be certain that the materials don't become brittle with use. Now, should you decide to put your materials through such a difficult test, I would be willing to put myself out and allow you to use my car as a mule..

P.S. I like pie!