22+ CF Strut Braces

[Re_Invention]

Originally Posted by dragoontwo

I like the STI bars compared to the stock bars. Got mine through Subaru N.A. so not as expensive as the JDM ones, but the same.

Are you talking about these STI V-Bars?



If so, could you please let me know where to buy/how much they were and how you like them? I was real close to adding them to my cart on JapanParts last night. Thanks!

[dragoontwo]

Originally Posted by Re_Invention

Are you talking about these STI V-Bars?

If so, could you please let me know where to buy/how much they were and how you like them? I was real close to adding them to my cart on JapanParts last night. Thanks!

Yes. They will be all black though.

50866CA020 right stay
50866CA030 left stay

I was able to get both shipped to me from https://subarusource.com for $385 last year. It looks like the price per side went up just a few bucks since then.

[Re_Invention]

Groovy - many thanks dragoontwo. You said you like 'em more than the oem steelies, could you describe any difference to steering feel/car handling?

[dragoontwo]

Originally Posted by Re_Invention

Groovy - many thanks dragoontwo. You said you like 'em more than the oem steelies, could you describe any difference to steering feel/car handling?

What I noticed was that it softened up the front end on side specific bumps, holes, etc. No real turn in changes to note.

I think it made a bigger difference on the 1st gen than on the 2nd. Possibly because the 1st gen doesn't have the stiffening plates on the front subframe found on the 2nd gen.

[KillerBMotorsport]

Originally Posted by dragoontwo

What I noticed was that it softened up the front end on side specific bumps, holes, etc. No real turn in changes to note.

They reduce the rigidity to some extent, so this feedback makes sense. Under conditions of rough or very uneven conditions, having some additional chassis flex can be beneficial to traction. Think off-road rally, where you're in ruts created by the previous 20 cars that ran ahead of you. If the chassis can move some, you can maintain a larger contact patch with the ground. On a flat paved surface, being able to maintain a flat contact patch is typically best.

[dragoontwo]

Originally Posted by KillerBMotorsport

They reduce the rigidity to some extent, so this feedback makes sense. Under conditions of rough or very uneven conditions, having some additional chassis flex can be beneficial to traction. Think off-road rally, where you're in ruts created by the previous 20 cars that ran ahead of you. If the chassis can move some, you can maintain a larger contact patch with the ground. On a flat paved surface, being able to maintain a flat contact patch is typically best.

"flat"

A lot of places don't have roads like that.

[KillerBMotorsport]

Originally Posted by dragoontwo

"flat"

A lot of places don't have roads like that.

There's nothing wrong with dialing in your car for your preferences, and if softening up the chassis does that for you, and puts a smile on your face, that's really all that matters. They do look good, and of course anything "STi" gets street cred points.

[Re_Invention]

Thanks for the feedback all.

Sounds like if there is little to no loss in flat road traction but an upside in uneven terrain it would be a win-win? There's multiple times [per lap] where I'm smacking on curbing on the kart track and/or accidentally putting a wheel off onto the dirt. Right now the suspension does an adequate job keeping the car together, minimizing damage or upsetting the car. Adding stiffness for extra feedback and adding compliance (oxymoron?) for the upsetting parts would be great.

Man... I'd be great to open this discussion up to that idea; where to go stiffer and where to go softer. I recall reading in other threads about which bushings should go stiffer (I wanna say outboard bushings?) and which should stay oem or soft (inboard?) on cars like the 911 GT3 RS.

But I don't want to derail your thread any further, Killer.

The c/f strut braces look like nice pieces and I can see them being a big hit in the market, folks love the that twill/weave/etc. design. Combine that with a nice c/f battery tie down and some other bits and I think you've got yourself a stew.

[KillerBMotorsport]

Originally Posted by Re_Invention

There's multiple times [per lap] where I'm smacking on curbing on the kart track and/or accidentally putting a wheel off onto the dirt. Right now the suspension does an adequate job keeping the car together, minimizing damage or upsetting the car. Adding stiffness for extra feedback and adding compliance (oxymoron?) for the upsetting parts would be great.

Softer is not your answer here, because the suspension isn't made to handle better when you bump a curb, it's made to grip better the 99.8% of the time you're NOT riding over a curb

The time attack guys are about the most aggressive out there since they only need ONE fast lap. They run rock hard suspension, with super aggressive aero/downforce, and jump curbs often seeking the shortest path around a track. During trials, you find where you can get away with this without unsettling the car, and where it's a bad idea. Every corner, curb, camber, etc., is going to be different. Another comparison would be a base Carrera 911 vs a GT 911. The GT2/3 having much stiffer suspension and more chassis stiffening add-ons vs the base 911. Can they both go around a track, of course, but the GT3 is going to whoop it terribly. Porsche even posts generational telemetry data from track testing showing how much different the lateral loads are of one car to another. On the street, the GT cars are noticeably stiffer ride as well. Too much so for some people.

[Racecomp Engineering]

In most cases, it's beneficial to build compliance into your actual spring/damper system rather than the chassis itself (which doesn't have a shock absorber paired with it). This doesn't mean the STI flexible strut tower bar or V bars are bad...I actually have the STI strut tower bar on my 1st gen. It looks cool. It has a very slight effect on driving dynamics.

The main disadvantage of adding chassis rigidity that car manufacturers deal with is that making a chassis stiffer usually means adding weight. Yes adding rigidity can sometimes reduce compliance slightly, and sometimes it can actually make the car "feel" more composed. Either way, there are other methods to deal with the compliance issues. And tuning a suspension on a floppy soft chassis car is difficult because the car is insensitive to changes.

Bushings are sort of a different thing...building compliance into rubber bushings can be done for both comfort and dynamic suspension geometry changes. But it's not the same as chassis stiffness. Spherical bearings are almost always the choice for motorsports purposes.

In conclusion, these carbon strut braces look cool as hell and I want them to go with my STI strut tower bar lol.

- Andrew

[KillerBMotorsport]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

In conclusion, these carbon strut braces look cool as hell and I want them to go with my STI strut tower bar lol.

- Andrew

Thanks for the kind words. Means a lot coming from you guys!

[Wally86]

I know you guys are busy but I'm bumping this because I need it in my life

[KillerBMotorsport]

Originally Posted by Wally86

I know you guys are busy but I'm bumping this because I need it in my life

We're just waiting on some more parts so we test the next version and then production

[KillerBMotorsport]

These look so good I wonder if we should also offer then raw, with no powder coating...