Smokin' X-press

I posted this in the 5th Gen forum but I wanted some feedback from the 4gen folks to as I put this bar on my 2K1.

As the bar is for the A32 Chassis, It wasn’t a simple bolt on as the rear bolts were off by ~1/2 inch. The distance that was off was b/w the front and the back bolts…so vertically and not horizontally. If you see the picture of the brace u’ll understand. The distance from the front bolt to the back bolt is the vertical distance. Horizontal would be the distance from the left front bolt to the right front bolt. That (horizontal distance) is fine for both the front and the back. Anyway, the shop that installed it (nissan dealer in my case) was actually able to modify it by bending the rod on each of the back bolts sockets to align it with the hole on the control arm. The install took one hour. So it’s not a DIY unless you have the necessary tools to bend it.

Now for the handling. I haven’t been able to test the car at the track as in the case of the Sub Frames Connectors, but just drove the car to and from work. My initial thoughts are that the steering feels a little heavier and stiffer and so does the front end. As for the steering response, it doesn’t really appeared to have improved, but I’m pretty sure this bar will make a huge difference at the track during high speed turns (gotta wait till next year to test that out though). I also spoke to Gtfabrications about my initial thoughts and he wanted me try it out taking fast turns and that’s where I’ll feel the suspension doing a lot more work and the car would feel more responsive. One thing that I did notice after installing the bar is the improvement (lack of) in wheel hop. If anyone has tried to floor the max on wet roads…u know what u’d expect…nasty wheel hop!!! I was really surprised as I did just that tonight coming home from work and absolutely no wheel hop and I’m talking doing so on wet and slick roads. I couldn’t believe it as the tires just spun and rpm climbed as the tires tried to get traction, but absolutely NO wheel hop!!! I’m not sure, but can this be the cure for our nasty wheel hops??? I gotta test it some more.

Overall, the car feels a lot more solid and the chassis feels really tight. I like how the car handles and rides now. The only thing I’m disappointed about is that I thought, my steering response would be better and crisp, but it’s not. I’m not sure why, but it could be the suspension (springs/struts) and tires (Nittos 555) I have. My suspension mods so far include:1. FSTB, 2. RSB, 3.Warpspeed SFCs, 4 Eibach and Tockico Blues and 5. The lower control arm brace.

Anyway, just thought I’d pass along this information for some modoholics to spend another $170. Also I’d be very interested in hearing what the 4th Gen folks have to say about their experience with this brace. Please let me know and hope this helps.

Link to Gtfabrications: www.gtfabrications.com

mzmtg

iTrader: (11)

Was the change anything like the change due to the SFCs? More or less significant?

Smokin' X-press

I would say that SFC are still the best mod I have. That made the car feel a lot more solid and calm going over bumps. But the brace works really well with the SFC. The front end feels solid and the steering feels a little heavier and you can feel the front suspension working a little bit more than with the SFCs. So far i'm pretty satisfied with both but won't really know until i get a chance to test it at the track. Also, i feel that wheel hop is greatly reduced. Even though i had Eibachs and Tockicos, FSTB and RSB before i got the SFCs and the brace i used to get nasty wheel hop when i would floor the gas on cold roads. Now there is none. I'm not sure but it could be due to both a stiffer chassis with the SFC and the brace. But one thing though is that the car is really prone to oversteer (back end coming loose). This I noticed when i went to the track (road course) after installing the SFCs.

Hope this helps.

97MaxGurl

iTrader: (17)

Thanks for spending the time to share your feedback on the suspension modifications you've done to the car thusfar.

For all that you did to enhance/stiffen your chassis, why did you stick with Eibach and Tokico Blues? Have you considered swapping your setup for some JICs for a true upgrade? IMO, eliminating those silly stock pillowball mount/upper strut mount alone will do wonders.

AnGe

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

not for a Maxima, but I have a LCA brace on my Integra(just like that one)....BIG improvement, front end is super stiff! but I'm having crazy clearance problems now since I dropped it 2" but I'd definently reccomend that brace.. plus it looks cool when you get the car up on the lift...people are like wtf is that??

MAX2000JP

You need to adjust your RSB and tire psi to dial out the oversteer. My car understeered pretty bad going into corners, but thats due partially to my tires. I see you are in Michigan, which track did you run at? What were your times?

Smokin' X-press

AnGe

When I changed the springs and struts the JICs and Teins were not out. And yes I've considered changing my suspension as when i first got it, I had no intentions of taking the car to the track (road course) and now i'm hooked on it. If I do, it won't be till spring as by that time, i'm hoping i'll find out if i'm getting a new car. I'm waiting for the 350Z TT to come out, but will have to wait for the NAIAS to see if Nissan discloses anything.

If I do change i'm leaning towards the Teins as they're more affordable than the JICs, but I really haven't done much research yet

Smokin' X-press

MAX2000JP - A few other ppl also suggested that in the 5th Gen Forum. I'm definitely going to play around with the settings. I have the Stillen RSB so i know it's adjustable. Also, would moving the bar forward or backwards dial out the oversteer? I may be confusing over/understeer. That's why i put back end coming loose. As for the tracks I go to Gingerman in South Haven and Waterford for road course racing/events. I really haven't been to a drag strip.

BEJAY1

iTrader: (19)

So you're hooked on roadracing and you haven't instaled a cage yet? I'd think that would increase chassis rigidity another level also.

mzmtg

iTrader: (11)

You are experiencing oversteer. Slide the RSB towards the back of the car to reduce it.

MAX2000JP

Brian a cage isn't really necessary to go road racing. I would have one in a dedicated race car, but not in a street vehicle.

MAX2000JP

Understeer is push, you will generally feel it in the front end of a FWD car. Oversteer is the rear rotating around. I have run at Gingerman a couple of times, it's a lot of fun. I was wondering what lap times you ran there

Smokin' X-press

It's as far back as it can possibly go. Right now it's sitting pretty close to the beam. If I move it any further back, it will hit that suspension linkage thats after the rear beam. I had it there when I initially installed it and whenever the car would go over the bumps, that linkage would flex and hit the RSB.

Would taking off the RSB help? Would it increase body roll?

Thanks

Smokin' X-press

I may have misunderstood you before...I've never timed myself as the ones I go to don't have timers available. The next one I go to will be in April organized by Speed Trials USA. Let me know if u're interested and i'll forward you the registration info when it becomes available.