Suspension Braces
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Suspension Braces
Has anyone tried this on their 3rd gen ? I thought it might work seeing how the upper tower brace from any year will fit on our car. What about this lower brace ?http://www.gtfabrications.com/maxima/barsindex.htm
I have(had) one of those on my Integra...the difference was very noticaeable only drawback was if you are dropped more than 1.8-2" up front say goodbye to your clearance 
(reason why I removed mine, dropped 2.25" in front) and if you ever MAJORLY bottom out its possible to seriously **** up the LCAs and other lower suspension components. but I highly recoomend!
(reason why I removed mine, dropped 2.25" in front) and if you ever MAJORLY bottom out its possible to seriously **** up the LCAs and other lower suspension components. but I highly recoomend!
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Joined: Aug 2001
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Originally Posted by Matt93SE
I doubt they'll work since the frame is completely different.
How much would you pay for one if they were made, anyway?
How much would you pay for one if they were made, anyway?
As the resident suspension guru do you think we'd see much benefit from one of these? Is it even possible to fit one? I can't remember what it looks like between the arms...Personally I don't know if I'd risk trying that 4th Gen FSTB because it's solid and non-adjustable (unless you can sell them to someone else). If the distance between the towers isn't the same, you're stuck. I think someone here has used one of those Stillen STB clones that are also non-adjustable, but I don't know if the strut tower spacing between 3rd and 5th Gens is just a coincidence or not...
Originally Posted by Bman
Heheh, with all the other stuff you've been churning out lately I was kind of wondering if you had one of those lower control arm braces in R&D or something. As the resident suspension guru do you think we'd see much benefit from one of these? Is it even possible to fit one? I can't remember what it looks like between the arms...
As the resident suspension guru do you think we'd see much benefit from one of these? Is it even possible to fit one? I can't remember what it looks like between the arms...Here's a hint... I guess the secret would get out sooner or later anyway...
http://www.mattblehm.com/suspension.html
and you don't have a job why?? dude you need to start making parts on the regular, you've got skills 
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Originally Posted by Matt93SE
Here's a hint... I guess the secret would get out sooner or later anyway...
http://www.mattblehm.com/suspension.html
http://www.mattblehm.com/suspension.html
You have mad fabricating skillz Matt!
Don't forget though, someday, NOT necessarily today right now, you'll have to do a quick writeup on what you think of these mods and what your experiences were driving with them. Gotta give the people something to drool about, right?
678910
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,371
WOW so many mods so little money, once i get the go fast mods taken care of ill just start fowarding my paychecks to MATT of corse by then he will proboly offer a replacement 3rd gen shell made out of titanium $$$$$ keep up the great work i havnt seen so many new products in one sitting since way back when i got my car and started looking for mods
Originally Posted by Kevincleff
u da man Matt!!
Get those prices out Matt. Time for us 3rd gens to do some X-mas shopping...for ourselves.
Kevin the pigeon arrived yesterday, it is larger and heavier than I thought, but I haven't really touched or felt the OEM one. Also was it dropped. There is a sight indentation on the outside groove? No biggie though.
Ummm, the prices are listed on there... everything but the RSTB. 
Brian, aren't they cheap enough already?! considering the time it takes to make some of those pieces, I certainly think so!
I might offer some package deals later, but right now I'm just getting things going. once I have time to play with numbers and build a real website, I'll do some sort of package deals.. Right now, I'm just trying to make ends meet so I can keep food in my mouth!
Brian, aren't they cheap enough already?! considering the time it takes to make some of those pieces, I certainly think so!
I might offer some package deals later, but right now I'm just getting things going. once I have time to play with numbers and build a real website, I'll do some sort of package deals.. Right now, I'm just trying to make ends meet so I can keep food in my mouth!
the wood made a noticeable difference....
If you look closely at the pics, you'll notice there's small bolts all the way around on the wood.
with the RSTB out of the car, I can hear those bolts pop and creak when I pull into my driveway.
with the RSTB installed, no noise at all back there.
as for driving, I can't *feel* an improvement, but that's also because I've got so much else done to the car.
I've got one other person I tested it on, and he said it made a noticeable difference in the stability of the car. I'm going to have him write up a small review of it and I'll stick it on the site when I have time.
If you look closely at the pics, you'll notice there's small bolts all the way around on the wood.
with the RSTB out of the car, I can hear those bolts pop and creak when I pull into my driveway.
with the RSTB installed, no noise at all back there.
as for driving, I can't *feel* an improvement, but that's also because I've got so much else done to the car.
I've got one other person I tested it on, and he said it made a noticeable difference in the stability of the car. I'm going to have him write up a small review of it and I'll stick it on the site when I have time.
we won't feel a difference in everyday driving now would we?
i'm just orderd a FSTB. hopefully it'll come in next week. there's this one curve on this street going into campus, and i can feel the car twisting. when i drove my old crx, i didn't feel as much roll/twist.
i'm just orderd a FSTB. hopefully it'll come in next week. there's this one curve on this street going into campus, and i can feel the car twisting. when i drove my old crx, i didn't feel as much roll/twist.
you'll definitely feel it in everyday driving. that's where you feel most of the improvements on this kind of stuff. less body flex/roll and more responsive steering.
come down to the south side and I'll let you take a spin in the car and judge for yourself.
come down to the south side and I'll let you take a spin in the car and judge for yourself.
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Hold off on those packages until spring! 
It's too cold for me to wrench on my car right now, but come spring I'll probably have a MO headed your way.... unless I'm out of a job (again). 
Fosgate Fan: Take a few suburban right hand turns fast, and note how it feels and the steering feedback. After installing your FSTB it should feel better, but you might not notice much in "normal" driving.
It's too cold for me to wrench on my car right now, but come spring I'll probably have a MO headed your way.... unless I'm out of a job (again). Fosgate Fan: Take a few suburban right hand turns fast, and note how it feels and the steering feedback. After installing your FSTB it should feel better, but you might not notice much in "normal" driving.
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Originally Posted by anaximander
I don't know about level ground, but you'll have to unload the suspension during install by lifting up the car's front to make the mod effective.
I would find level ground if I were you Fosgate. You only need a few tools (wrenches, ratchet, torque wrench, maybe pliers, etc) with you.
EDIT: Hey, waitaminute!! Won't the struts fall out if you lift the car off the ground and you undo all 3 tower bolts???
Originally Posted by Bman
Uh..... no. I hope you didn't do this.
I would find level ground if I were you Fosgate. You only need a few tools (wrenches, ratchet, torque wrench, maybe pliers, etc) with you.
EDIT: Hey, waitaminute!! Won't the struts fall out if you lift the car off the ground and you undo all 3 tower bolts???
I would find level ground if I were you Fosgate. You only need a few tools (wrenches, ratchet, torque wrench, maybe pliers, etc) with you.
EDIT: Hey, waitaminute!! Won't the struts fall out if you lift the car off the ground and you undo all 3 tower bolts???
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 773
Mad props.
Since the VE is not a go fast car, shaving off .1 and .2 in the 1/4 here and there isn't that important. However, handling is since once you have the speed built up, why lose it?
I'll be buying some stuff from you in the coming months (after I get springs, shocks, wheels & tires.)
Since the VE is not a go fast car, shaving off .1 and .2 in the 1/4 here and there isn't that important. However, handling is since once you have the speed built up, why lose it?
I'll be buying some stuff from you in the coming months (after I get springs, shocks, wheels & tires.)
Originally Posted by Fosgate Fan
yeah no kidding. there won't be anything holding the struts once those 3 bolts are off....
Oh, and Matt... mad propz on the suspension stuff, man! Come spring, you and me are gonna have to sit down and discuss where I send my checks to...
Originally Posted by Bman
Uh..... no. I hope you didn't do this.
I would find level ground if I were you Fosgate. You only need a few tools (wrenches, ratchet, torque wrench, maybe pliers, etc) with you.
EDIT: Hey, waitaminute!! Won't the struts fall out if you lift the car off the ground and you undo all 3 tower bolts???
I would find level ground if I were you Fosgate. You only need a few tools (wrenches, ratchet, torque wrench, maybe pliers, etc) with you.
EDIT: Hey, waitaminute!! Won't the struts fall out if you lift the car off the ground and you undo all 3 tower bolts???
Slapping on the FSTB without unloading the suspension will make little or no difference in handling because of the inherent physics. The simplest way to see this for yourself is to try both versions.
Originally Posted by anaximander
They will. The trick is to lift it off to a certain degree initially to loosen the bolts, then after you put on the FSTB lift it completely off the ground and tighten the bolts.
Slapping on the FSTB without unloading the suspension will make little or no difference in handling because of the inherent physics. The simplest way to see this for yourself is to try both versions.
Slapping on the FSTB without unloading the suspension will make little or no difference in handling because of the inherent physics. The simplest way to see this for yourself is to try both versions.
WTF?! that's a load of BS.
The strut towers flexe both ways, in AND out. unloading the suspension when you put the braces on isn't going to do squat.
If you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe someone else...
http://www.nissanperformancemag.com/.../project240sx/
read the second paragraph.
The strut towers flexe both ways, in AND out. unloading the suspension when you put the braces on isn't going to do squat.
If you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe someone else...
http://www.nissanperformancemag.com/.../project240sx/
read the second paragraph.
exactly, i was trying to get him to explain it through his 'inherent physics'.
i don't see how that will help besides creating more work for yourself. no bolts + jacked up front end = struts falling off.
i don't see how that will help besides creating more work for yourself. no bolts + jacked up front end = struts falling off.
The article says "contrary to popular opinion". I think the popular opinion prevails here, not just because of the empirical evidence, but due to my own experience.
I had it installed without unloading the first time. No difference. I researched .org, the web, and asked some of my friends. I can't put it in the tech lingo, but it has to do with taking the pressure off the suspension by jacking up the car, which allows the fstb to be effective once installed. I explained it above already, the struts won't fall out because initially you lift it off half way through without tires being in the air, loosen bolts, put the fstb on, tighten bolts moderately, lift car off ground completely, tighten bolts completely, put car down. These are the people who made the same experience as me.
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=215703
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=207950
Again, the best way to convince yourself is to try it both ways.
I had it installed without unloading the first time. No difference. I researched .org, the web, and asked some of my friends. I can't put it in the tech lingo, but it has to do with taking the pressure off the suspension by jacking up the car, which allows the fstb to be effective once installed. I explained it above already, the struts won't fall out because initially you lift it off half way through without tires being in the air, loosen bolts, put the fstb on, tighten bolts moderately, lift car off ground completely, tighten bolts completely, put car down. These are the people who made the same experience as me.
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=215703
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=207950
Again, the best way to convince yourself is to try it both ways.
