Time to fire up my mig

IMHO if one could use a longer curved shaped pice and attach it closer to the front, I imagine it would help more. But what forces are these braces trying to limit?

 

Right on

 

They do well, there's supposed to be a bit of flex between the engine bay and the firewall/cabin, so they seem to do something to help reduce that chassis flex that occurs, little as it may be. The results are actually noticeable.

 

I was being sarcastic--240 guys like them because they're effective, so chances are that they do something...

Thanks for the info anyway.

 

lol! sorry.

 

Sean has my 4th Gen in the shop right now working on a prototype. Hopefully we will have photos to post up later tonight or tomorrow. We will be running a group buy for these and we are kicking around a reduced price if you buy both chassis bracing and the fender bracing all at once. Not sure about prices yet, but we want them to be afordable. They will be a bolt on application. You will need to remove the fender of course to install.


Dan TMS

 

Great idea! You read my mind. Please do offer a package deal.

 

Not if it's curved (unless it's also triangulated).

Any twisting of the front end relative to the firewall, like a triangulated FSTB only better in some ways.

 

I'll take some for my 97 I30, if they will be exact fit

 

Alright the moment you have been waiting for some pictures of what I came up with. I didn't go crazy with putting the brace as far forward towards the bumper as possible. I do have a reason for doing so, my thought was the most energy transfered from the strut housing occurs at and behind the strut housing towards the rest of the chassis not towards the bumper so heres some pics.

Enjoy!




We will be posting a group deal later on tonight,


-Sean

 

I like the one butt ended connection but IMHO, the two others aren't joined as well as they could have been. Angle cut the ends and butt weld those two would be a "stronger" way to do it. AGain IMHO

 

All them leaves.....LOL!

 

will these fit the 5th gen too?

 

+1 That's exactly what came to my mind as well.

 

What is involved with removing a front fender?

Anyone please.

 

Good question. And does it need to be re-aligned as well (like a hood or trunk)? Or is there only way for it to go back on?

 

A bunch of bolts and plastic clips.

 

It all depends on what you have. Not sure on a 4th gen but if you have a 5th gen. it's only bolts. But if you have side skirts they have to come off to get fender off. I have taken my off before.

 

Jeff the produced piece has gussets and is flush welded.

To take off fenders its mostly just bolts. I made sure not to use all the door mounting holes, as to not have anyones doors fall off, or need to be realigned for that matter.

It takes me less than 45 minutes to take off both fenders. There are two bolts hiden by the door itself, three nuts that mount the fender to the bumper, two bolts on the headlight, one screw on the turn signal, three bolts I believe on the fender under the hood. And they come off.

If you haven't been in an accident or have your fenders shimmed they should pretty much bolt back into place with just matching up the wear marks in the paint with the bolt head.

-Sean

TMS

 

I see that now. But it seems like two of the square tubes are welded right on the edge of the gusset. Why not extend the top of the angle tube so you can weld it onto the middle portion. The bottom one, I would hope the gusset extends all the way to the end of the tube so it can be welded on both sides.

Any pics of the backside of this piece?

 

My quick thoughts- take them for what you will.
1. use larger tubing. 3/4" square tubing just isn't enough. use 1"
2. welding onto a piece of flat bar that long is going to turn the stiffness to crap. that long section of flat bar will buckle and bend. needs to be shorter and wider. have customer drill holes into fender and bolt through if they have to. I suggest just using longer bolts and extending the tubing to the end instead of welding to flat bar.
3. lengthening it toward the bumper more will result in a longer torque arm and more strength overall. miter the end of the angle bar to match the upper bar and you'll be able to weld it all the way around for more strength.

....... Deep thoughts from a drunk guy.

 

Whats the update for 5th gens

 

Sean and Dan,

Will any revisions be made before the design is finalized? Any thoughts/comments with regards to what Jeff and Matt said? I'm sure we would all like to hear your point of view.

 

Very nice! I know this is OT, but do you have any pics or a thread showing this? Feel free to PM me as to not ***** up this thread. Thanks.

 

I am working on addressing some minor design details. However I cant really use larger tubing as there just isn't ample clearance for the fender. As well flat stock is very strong with energy coming from one way, and very flimsy from the other. I tack this into serious accord, and the flat on the front is 1/4" thick so I dont see any detriment in using such material.

-Sean

 

Aw man, looks like my christmas money will be going to the state of California for a BS ticket instead of towards these.

 

I hate tickets.

-Sean

 

Still waiting for driving impressions on the test car. Haven't seen any activity in the group deal thread. If 1" square tubing really won't fit I'd at least like to see the final version with angle cuts and butt welds all around.

Thanks again for taking the initiative to make these! We're a tough crowd but I think you'll sell a lot of bars with those modifications.

 

I found a pic of how some others are welded up for some ideas.

 

I would really like to see these for the five gen's and love to give a good review of them.

 

Dan Truax PMed me recently and said "Just to let you know we are continuing to work on the fender braces. We want to make these strong as we can but also fit with ease. It is easy to fabricate a set for my car but when you are thinking of making hundreds of them, best to go a bit slow and make sure you have all your bases covered."

So it may be a while. I hope they'll be ready by spring.

Here's a very nice looking brace for 350Z and 240SX for inspiration. http://www.mynismo.com/products/?id=6847#

 

The amount of flex is easily apparent anytime you lift your car from the front jacking rails behing the wheels, just measure the front door gaps before and after you lift it.

 

In it for 3rd Gen fender braces!

 

Do not release these for awhile plz

Trying to save up for a bike

 

These I would buy. The others pictured...I would just make myself. If I am going to pay mucho dinero, I want it to look as well as it performs.

 

...Why? Wouldn't the R&D be enough to deserve your money?

 

So you can marvel at the worksmanship whenever you remove your fender?

Engineer it well, I don't care what it looks like save for weld quality and I will rip off any decals that are put on it

 

Because if I am spending my hard earned cash I want them to look finished and professional. If it looks like someone welded them up in their garage I am going to feel ripped off and would rather do that type of work myself. My rule of thumb is if it looks cheap it probably is.

 

Sounds like you need to learn what you call "cheap." These parts are being hand-made, not mass produced. People are fabbing up designs that will fit any 4th/5th/whatever generation and that will be effective. They will be function over form (or I am not buying) I am not a hard parker, I'm in it for the rigidity benefit, not how mad tyte JDM it will make my car look.

 

Who the hell is going to look inside a fender to see a chassis brace? So you would spend more on a brace that looks better than a brace that is cheaper but doesn't look as nice but does the same thing? Cause what you are saying is very stupid.