V35 Rear Bracing

[Jetwreck]

Jetwreck, thanks for the partially sensible/reasonable reply, I was starting to think all I would get for disagreeing is flames..

Firstly, I never claimed this would make no difference or is a bad idea.. just that I am highly skeptical about simple braces making much difference.

To your question, if the S2 V35s have the extra bracing, and it makes so much difference, why don't we ever hear people claiming how much better a stock S2 V35 handles compared to a stock S1 V35?

In regard to the J30, yes it was a luxury designed vehicle, and will never handle like a 350Z, but there were many, many posts, on Australian forums and US forums, singing the praises of the FSTB and front lower tie bar, lots of 'huge difference', 'best bang for buck mod', 'car handles so much better', 'corners much faster' claims (it's amazing how much the placebo effect works), I already had stiffer springs, and stronger whiteline sway bars, and figured the chassis wouldn't be designed to handle the extra stress, and would flex more than a chassis of a 'performance' car, which would be stiffer in stock form. So it makes sense that bracing would be more noticeable in this situation. I ordered both the FSTB and Lower tie bar, and they had no noticeable difference to vehicle dynamics. After stating this on the forums, i got 1 of 2 types of replies. firstly, flamed for 'not knowing a thing about cars', or 'would know handling if I fell over it'. (similar to what I see here) or secondly, lots of backpedaling like 'you will only notice it if you have other suspension mods (which I did have), and 'you will only notice it on track/circuit events, and not with normal street driving'.

Feel free to correct me here, but I figure the only thing bracing can do for handling is reduce wheel camber and caster changes on rough roads or heavy cornering, there is no way it can reduce body roll, or make the car itself sit flatter in the corners. If the stock chassis is flexing so much to cause noticeable instability under normal street cornering and rough roads, when you already have uneven surfaces, stones, line marking, etc. Then I would expect to find cracks in the chassis after a couple of years.

As I said.. I am not saying these don't do anything, and I am more than happy and willing to be proven wrong. I am just outlining the reasons for my skepticism.. and a link to a page with a few 'stress measurement' graphs with no axis labels and no notes to show how the figures were obtained, doesn't mean much. Given my previous experience, a few people saying 'huge difference', 'corners much flatter' doesn't hold much weight either.

If I had a spare $200 or so that I didn't know what to do with, I may have even just given it a try for the sake of curiosity.

Perhaps if someone was to do a few 'blind' back to back tests and was able to determine 100% of the time if the bar was fitted or not, it would be a credible result.

- ok, bring on the flames!

Lolz

Shit chassis produced a shit response is the answer. Never driven j30 and I doubt I will ever drive one that is modified so I could not tell you wether it makes a difference but an m35, v35 and z33 is a f$&king way from a j30. As mentioned before a good chassis with show up the slightest of changes in the suspension or chassis.

I might give subaru a ring tonight a give em the bad news that the extra 100 kgs of bracing they put into the wrx chassis is a waist of money.....shit I might ever go and remove some of it from the race car......thanks for your advice buddy now piss of and go spam up someone elses thread with your j30 info.

[scotty nm35]

If you got out of the V section occasionally you would have read that everybody fitting the Daleo front underbody brace was suitably amazed by the difference it made to handling and turn in. Yes, the chassis does flex that much and it does cause the rear subframe to crack occasionally. Being sceptical and overly cautious about bracing is a good thing (I was a little worried at first too) but when you have every single person raving about the change in handling, and you don't listen, then you miss out I guess.

Thanks for organising the rear brace Craig, can't wait to get it on and I hope it makes the same dramatic change to the car the front one achieved.

[sonicii]

Lol Jetwreck.. based on your reply, I guess you quoted but didn't read what I said... - one again for good luck - 'I never claimed they don't do anything or are a bad idea'. - just skeptical based on experience.

Scott - thanks for the reply.. good to see someone else has actually questioned the concept.. sometimes I think these items are like a religion.. 'thou shall not question'. I have been burned by 'everyone raving about the results' before, so I am just after something more.. unless I happen to have the spare cash that I am willing to risk.. which I don't at this stage. but if I ever do, and get the same results as everyone is claiming, i will be more than happy to tell everyone..

[Jetwreck]

Lol Jetwreck.. based on your reply, I guess you quoted but didn't read what I said... - one again for good luck - 'I never claimed they don't do anything or are a bad idea'. - just skeptical based on experience.

Scott - thanks for the reply.. good to see someone else has actually questioned the concept.. sometimes I think these items are like a religion.. 'thou shall not question'. I have been burned by 'everyone raving about the results' before, so I am just after something more.. unless I happen to have the spare cash that I am willing to risk.. which I don't at this stage. but if I ever do, and get the same results as everyone is claiming, i will be more than happy to tell everyone..

You still trolling around nummers. Thanks for you skeptical feedback.

What's your experience again? You put bracing on a j30 and could not feel the difference! Lolz....

Edited July 30, 2012 by Jetwreck

[Jetwreck]

Guys this group buy ends today.

[R6n350GT]

mine has been paid for !

[iamhe77]

Scott - thanks for the reply.. good to see someone else has actually questioned the concept.. sometimes I think these items are like a religion.. 'thou shall not question'. I have been burned by 'everyone raving about the results' before, so I am just after something more.. unless I happen to have the spare cash that I am willing to risk.. which I don't at this stage. but if I ever do, and get the same results as everyone is claiming, i will be more than happy to tell everyone..

I think the bracing is worth it, but I am taking a different approach to the handling and not touching aftermarket swaybars. I want the flex point on my car to be the sway bar and not so much the mounts so I want to stiffen it up with bracing to give cornering response. Corners quite well at the moment too (even on stock springs lol). You'll find that a few of us Stagea owners actually questioned, thought about and applied everything we have done to our cars over the years (mainly because there was no other reference, but still...)