Fender Braces

[Lazeum]

I had a discussion with some friends about fender braces on Mitsu Evos forum. I've never heard of such parts before and I'm very suspicious about the benefits of those parts.

By searching online, I found some great comments about them. So I'm wondering why aren't they popular then on regular suspension mods? As long as you can weld, those parts look quite easy to do and I've never seen them on s30.

To get the same stiffening effect, I've seen many members having a tube going from the strut tower to the top of the firewall (either to the center of the firewall or to each side of it).

 

Comments from Turbo Magazine

Upon reassembly of the front end, we were simply amazed at the difference. We felt that these braces would make little difference because of the rigid and triangulated WORKS front-strut tower brace and the extensive matrix of Cusco Power Braces fortifying the underbody. We were wrong; these braces make a bigger difference in body stiffness than any one single brace that we've installed so far. We noticed a difference in ride comfort right away. A stiff chassis allows suspension to work better at absorbing bumps and, believe it or not, the braces made our stiff competition sprung Moton shocks and stiff sidewalled Nitto NT01 tires ride about as well or better as a stock Evo.

 

An Evo isn't known for refinement and they exhibit a pretty large amount of squeaks and rattles from the factory compared to a luxury car like a Lexus. Our Evo has had its share of squeaks coming from the dash and cowl area of the car. Amazingly, the braces stopped the majority of undesirable noises coming from this area. The stiffness is very apparent when jacking up our Evo compared to unbraced Evos. When jacked from one corner, our car doesn't flex or sag like stock Evos. The whole car lifts at once, much like a car with a rollcage. Even when one corner of the car is jacked by itself, the doors all open and close easily. When driving up steep driveways on a diagonal, sometimes one or two wheels are lifted off the ground.

 

When driven there's an amazing difference in the solidness feel between our chassis and a stock Evo. Our car feels much like a caged car and the steering response is tight and solid. Although these braces have zero bling factor since you'll be the only one who knows they're there, they're probably the first brace we'd recommend installing.

 

 

A picture from the thread below to show the product... (the product looks kind of "weak" versus the rest of the car)

 

Basic changes are better steering feedback as well as better stability when braking/cornering.

 

I guess it could be worth a check...

 

The links I've read.... on Evos, Silvias, RX7.

http://www.turbomaga...tem/nagisa.html

http://forums.nicocl...ll-t255621.html

http://www.rx7club.c...ad.php?t=642616

 

 

And the part source...

http://www.more-japa...-p-2-c-281.html

Edited September 2, 2010 by Lazeum

[emeraldlion]

This actually has been done on most of the cars that have been heavily modified and reinforced for road race and autcross uses. People brace the rocker area up to the upper frame rail to aid in stiffening unibody. I think jmortenson and bjhines both have good pictures in their galleries depicting it.

[johnc]

Somewhat common on the S30 where the rules allow it. There's also a cheater way to achieve the same thing in the same area on the car without the obvious tube. But that would be against the rules...

 

BTW... OEMs generally don't brace this area in the way pictured (or typically done on the s30) because they want the front clip to deform a certain amount in a frontal impact. Adding this brace reduces (by some unknown amount) the crumple zone or increases the force needed to achieve the designed in deformation.

[Forcer]

I have a set of aftermarket fender braces on my STI. I did notice an improvement in steering response, but I also have poly steering rack bushings. I haven't noticed any change in ride quality though. I've let a few other WRX & STI owners drive mine, and they all noticed a difference from their own cars. They are good stuff, and probably would make an improvment on a S30. Then again, I'm not an engineer.

[srgunz]

20 years ago when I still autocrossed, I wanted the frame rails reinforced fron the core support to the back end. Much like the Bad Dog rail set up.

Nobody would do it for me because they said it was illegal to modify the factory 'crush zone'. They all were afraied to take a chance and do it.

[Lazeum]

When you said it has been done, did people use the braces the same way as the one on the picture? Does this kind of products exists for s30?

 

I also understand the OEM specs about this particular area but I'll be questionning anyhow the crush mode of the s30, not sure it will prevent anything from saving my life if crash is bad enough to bend this area (the engine would have a lot of opportunity to come into the cabin anyhow)

 

I guess I will add it to my to-do list when time will come to refresh the body ("no rust" - I can see - but never has been restored)