I love my lower tie bar. here's why
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,144
I love my lower tie bar. here's why
The lower tie bar, with the addition of my eibach, strut tower brace and RSB, help to keep my car from being a little back end happy (aka overstear). I noticed my max had more overstear once i added my RSB and I wasnt sure if i liked. I was fun sometimes but i had decided for safety reasons i want my car to stay planted better. THe only place that i know you can get them is from Matt93SE (Matt Blehm). He recently made one for 5th gens. He prototyped it on my car last Monday. He will start to put them into production sometime late next week.
Here are some pics on how it looks on a 3rd gen or 4th gen. dont know which one
here is the link
http://www.mattblehm.com/suspension.html
Here are some pics on how it looks on a 3rd gen or 4th gen. dont know which one
here is the link
http://www.mattblehm.com/suspension.html
Old Fuddy Duddy
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,712
Originally Posted by Luquire
The lower tie bar, with the addition of my eibach, strut tower brace and RSB, help to keep my car from being a little back end happy (aka overstear). I noticed my max had more overstear once i added my RSB and I wasnt sure if i liked. I was fun sometimes but i had decided for safety reasons i want my car to stay planted better. THe only place that i know you can get them is from Matt93SE (Matt Blehm). He recently made one for 5th gens. He prototyped it on my car last Monday. He will start to put them into production sometime late next week.
Here are some pics on how it looks on a 3rd gen or 4th gen. dont know which one
here is the link
http://www.mattblehm.com/suspension.html
Here are some pics on how it looks on a 3rd gen or 4th gen. dont know which one
here is the link
http://www.mattblehm.com/suspension.html
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,144
I first got the springs then the strut tower brace then the sway bar and then the lower tie bar. the addition of the sway bar seemed to make my car over stear more which was cool for a little while until i took a really hard s curve down a hill and had to tap the brakes (not cool). this threw my back end out and i drifted around the turn . I would of rather just help tight and not had to drift but whatever. I then got matt93SE to prototype a lower tie bar on my car and for some reason it just makes the frame seem more solid then before. this in turn made less over stear. Matt would have a better time explaining it All i can say is i Love it. to bad he had to take it off my car to be able to copy it and produce more. O'well I will get it back hopefully by the end of next week. I think that it would ever add understear just decrease overstear. It is a weird way of looking at it but i really dont think it would ever add understear
Absolutely, if it really works it will be a great staple for stiffening up one's suspension... just like the RSB and FSTB, combined with SFCs this could be a winning combination 
Hell Matt or somebody could put together a kit for the Maxima... "Ultimate Stiffness kit", containing the lower tie bar, an FSTB, an RSTB, RSB, stage 1+2 SFCs
"It makes you and your car stiff!"
"It makes you and your car stiff!"
Originally Posted by spirilis
Hell Matt or somebody could put together a kit for the Maxima... "Ultimate Stiffness kit", containing the lower tie bar, an FSTB, an RSTB, RSB, stage 1+2 SFCs
"It makes you and your car stiff!"
"It makes you and your car stiff!"
A few comments on the Lower Tie Bars...
I've had one on my car for several months now, and it makes a HUGE difference in handling-- think FSTB two or three times over.
I've also been selling them for 3rd gens for a while, and everyone has been very happy with them. Check out the 3rd gen forum for a few words on it.
Handling... This mod greatly reducse chassis flex up front, which allows for better cornering, letting the suspension do the work instead of the frame. I wouldn't say it "adds" understeer, but the front end does have a tendency to push a bit more, given the same setup elsewhere. As Luquire mentioned, the 5th gen tends to oversteer quite a bit when you've added the rest of the basic bolt-ons (springs, struts, RSB, strut braces)-- the lower tie bar will help to correct it back to more neutral handling. you can fine-tune the handling by adjusting tire pressures until the car over/understeers like you want.
The only drawback to this mod is that it decreases ground clearance between the front wheels by about 1". For those of you that are alreaddy scraping your Y pipes on the ground, it may not be a good idea... BUT.. My 3rd gen is so low that I can barely roll a soda can under the car, and I've only scraped the bar twice in the months I've had the car one.. One of those times was my own stupid fault for hitting a raised hump in the road while hard on the brakes..
Obviously, the handling benefits far outweigh the one drawback to the tie bar.
Availability-- As soon as I get a second car to test-fit it on, I'll verify that it fits. I then need to build a jig and I'll be able to start production. I'd much rather spend an extra week waiting on a second trial fittment than to send out 20 of them that don't fit! (ouch!)..
I have someone that is coming over next Monday to do the second fittment, so I should be able to be up and running on making them by late next week.
Pricing on them will be the same as my 3rd gen bars, $125, but once I get these done, I'm going to do an intro pricing/group deal on them for $100 for a short time. As soon as I get to the point they're ready for production, I will post more info.
I've had one on my car for several months now, and it makes a HUGE difference in handling-- think FSTB two or three times over.
I've also been selling them for 3rd gens for a while, and everyone has been very happy with them. Check out the 3rd gen forum for a few words on it.
Handling... This mod greatly reducse chassis flex up front, which allows for better cornering, letting the suspension do the work instead of the frame. I wouldn't say it "adds" understeer, but the front end does have a tendency to push a bit more, given the same setup elsewhere. As Luquire mentioned, the 5th gen tends to oversteer quite a bit when you've added the rest of the basic bolt-ons (springs, struts, RSB, strut braces)-- the lower tie bar will help to correct it back to more neutral handling. you can fine-tune the handling by adjusting tire pressures until the car over/understeers like you want.
The only drawback to this mod is that it decreases ground clearance between the front wheels by about 1". For those of you that are alreaddy scraping your Y pipes on the ground, it may not be a good idea... BUT.. My 3rd gen is so low that I can barely roll a soda can under the car, and I've only scraped the bar twice in the months I've had the car one.. One of those times was my own stupid fault for hitting a raised hump in the road while hard on the brakes..
Obviously, the handling benefits far outweigh the one drawback to the tie bar.
Availability-- As soon as I get a second car to test-fit it on, I'll verify that it fits. I then need to build a jig and I'll be able to start production. I'd much rather spend an extra week waiting on a second trial fittment than to send out 20 of them that don't fit! (ouch!)..
I have someone that is coming over next Monday to do the second fittment, so I should be able to be up and running on making them by late next week.
Pricing on them will be the same as my 3rd gen bars, $125, but once I get these done, I'm going to do an intro pricing/group deal on them for $100 for a short time. As soon as I get to the point they're ready for production, I will post more info.
damnit all these nice mods coming out around the time I move out... gonna have to tackle 2k4 rotors + Axxis Metal Masters soon, then SFCs, FSTB, RSB, and now Matt's new LTB later on this summer 
Old Fuddy Duddy
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,712
Originally Posted by spirilis
:... gonna have to tackle 2k4 rotors + Axxis Metal Masters soon, RSB, and now Matt's new LTB later on this summer
Yeah matt, on a related note....I know most on here regard stickers on the car as "gay" alot of the time, but I think it may be time for you to get some "BlehmCo" stickers made so we can advertise for you.....the least we can do considering how much great stuff you put out at prices most here can actually afford!
Donating Maxima.org Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 838
Yeah, I may even put a sticker on my car. On the glass, not on the paint
With all the stuff my car has been test mule for, would I be considered a "sponsored" car?
Just givin' Matt a hard time, he's a great guy to work with!!
Mike
With all the stuff my car has been test mule for, would I be considered a "sponsored" car?
Just givin' Matt a hard time, he's a great guy to work with!!Mike
Originally Posted by MaxSE03
I'll have to keep an eye on this. Great job, Matt! Now i just need to see some pictures and how low it sets. I'm pretty close as it is. My y-pipe flex section is only 2 1/4" off the ground.
). I'll try to snag the digi cam and snap some pics. I'm glad I asked for it red, now I can say look under there and you can easily see it, ohhhhh ahhhhhh wow niceeeee
Originally Posted by 1BADMAX
So the SFC's will fit over this bar? 
Originally Posted by spirilis
I don't believe the Lower Tie Bar comes close to the SFCs... unless I'm mistaken
Correct, the SFC's come in after the Front Sway Bar, the Lower Tie Bar ends before the FSB.
Luquire, the reason your car went into oversteer was not the RSB itself, but the combination of it, stiffer springs, and very likely some sticky tires. When you tap on the brakes, you unloaded the tires and the stickiness of the compund plus lack of susp travel did not make for a progressive breakaway. I have an RSB on my 03 with pilot sport all seasons and the car is perfectly neutral.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,144
I know what your saying but i do feel the back end being a little happier than i would like. This seemed to make it much more neutral or balanced one could say. I took a fast turn last night without the tie bar and i did not touch my brakes. The back end still got a little happy. I was really wanting the tie bar. I coul of just stuck to the road instead of sliding for a bit.
Im not arguing whether or not the tie bar works, it does. It helps to finish "boxing out" the frame and keeps the front tires more perpendicular to the pavement, this is why you didnt have to tap the brakes, the car makes more grip. As for being tail happy, the stiffer you make the chassis, the worse it will get. Go drive any mercedes or BMW or any other ultra stiff chassis vehicle. It will do the same
VMaximus02, the 5th gen ground kit SHOULD fit the 5.5 gens, but I haven't tested them on it yet. I've looked at the service manual pictures and wiring diagrams, and everything shows to be in the same position as far as sensor grounds and such- but I haven't personally installed it to say 100% yet.
5 spd, As soon as I get the other car over here for a test fit, I'll snap some pictures of it on the car from several angles.
Since the 5th gen front sway bar is above the front subframe, the tie bar is the lowest thing on the car near the front axle. I looked at Luquire's car once the bar was on it, and it's about the same height as the cat- which is in the middle of the car. the cat will drag the ground before the tie bar will in 90% of the cases where anything would drag.
Spirillis, the SFCs stop several inches away from the tie bar. As you can see in the pics of my car that Mr Gone posted, the tie bar is in front of my front sway bar. The SFCs stop several inches behind the sway bar, as you can see in this pic:
http://mattblehm.com/pics/car/suspen...s/MVC-001F.JPG
5 spd, As soon as I get the other car over here for a test fit, I'll snap some pictures of it on the car from several angles.
Since the 5th gen front sway bar is above the front subframe, the tie bar is the lowest thing on the car near the front axle. I looked at Luquire's car once the bar was on it, and it's about the same height as the cat- which is in the middle of the car. the cat will drag the ground before the tie bar will in 90% of the cases where anything would drag.
Spirillis, the SFCs stop several inches away from the tie bar. As you can see in the pics of my car that Mr Gone posted, the tie bar is in front of my front sway bar. The SFCs stop several inches behind the sway bar, as you can see in this pic:
http://mattblehm.com/pics/car/suspen...s/MVC-001F.JPG
Originally Posted by Matt93SE
VMaximus02, the 5th gen ground kit SHOULD fit the 5.5 gens, but I haven't tested them on it yet. I've looked at the service manual pictures and wiring diagrams, and everything shows to be in the same position as far as sensor grounds and such- but I haven't personally installed it to say 100% yet.
5 spd, As soon as I get the other car over here for a test fit, I'll snap some pictures of it on the car from several angles.
Since the 5th gen front sway bar is above the front subframe, the tie bar is the lowest thing on the car near the front axle. I looked at Luquire's car once the bar was on it, and it's about the same height as the cat- which is in the middle of the car. the cat will drag the ground before the tie bar will in 90% of the cases where anything would drag.
Spirillis, the SFCs stop several inches away from the tie bar. As you can see in the pics of my car that Mr Gone posted, the tie bar is in front of my front sway bar. The SFCs stop several inches behind the sway bar, as you can see in this pic:
http://mattblehm.com/pics/car/suspen...s/MVC-001F.JPG
5 spd, As soon as I get the other car over here for a test fit, I'll snap some pictures of it on the car from several angles.
Since the 5th gen front sway bar is above the front subframe, the tie bar is the lowest thing on the car near the front axle. I looked at Luquire's car once the bar was on it, and it's about the same height as the cat- which is in the middle of the car. the cat will drag the ground before the tie bar will in 90% of the cases where anything would drag.
Spirillis, the SFCs stop several inches away from the tie bar. As you can see in the pics of my car that Mr Gone posted, the tie bar is in front of my front sway bar. The SFCs stop several inches behind the sway bar, as you can see in this pic:
http://mattblehm.com/pics/car/suspen...s/MVC-001F.JPG
Don't know whether you are fitting on dropped or normal height cars, and you said you thought it was about the height of the cat off the ground. Would appreciate it if when you fit it on the second car, actually take measurements of the lower tie bar height and the next lowest part of the car (the cat)...that would be great!
