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lol thank you!
S Kept it blue. Would've preferred red. I had to cut about 5mm so it mounts flush without stressing welds on Cusco brace. Treated some rust where material was damaged and resprayed with dampening spray. TRD strikers. Unfortunately they are machined to fit the countersunk bolts, so they cannot be adjusted body-side for door fitting. You will need to check your window interference and adjust door side lock or window.
o I went for a very long drive with the top down yesterday, it's always hard to isolate the impact of a single suspension mod...
Honestly, for $150 and a very easy install, I would say it's a pretty good bang for your buck suspension mod.
I installed TRD door striker, tested, then Cusco 187477a underbody brace with TRD striker and tested.
The TRD striker absolutely does help with vibration with top down. But the underbody brace was superb.
Michigan roads felt a little harsher with the new brace, but there was no shake or shimmy post-pothole.
If you want comfort and want to improve highway vibration, the checks helped.
Unfortunately, I think the brace transfered vibration to the side mirrors making mirror image slightly worse with top down (but it was already bad). Cabin comfort was much better overall with faster dampening from road input.
I'll be saving for coilovers next, but might grab a used ISF sway bar if I see it show up.
Joe, why dont you just weld the doors shut? 😉 please don't get me wrong here. I do like certain aspects of your build. I would like to install an LSD to improve rear wheel traction, but I admit that the real life benefits of some of your other mods allude me. The car is already so heavy that going through twisties in the mountains is surprisingly smooth. Chassis flex hasn't been an issue for me as a daily driver. Can you explain to me the driving circumstances that you will be improving on with the chassis modifications. Truely trying to understand what is lacking in our cars that I am missing. Maybe Im just to old. LOL. But I don't think I will ever be drifting my car around a roundabout in a parking garage!
Joe, why dont you just weld the doors shut? 😉 please don't get me wrong here. I do like certain aspects of your build. I would like to install an LSD to improve rear wheel traction, but I admit that the real life benefits of some of your other mods allude me. The car is already so heavy that going through twisties in the mountains is surprisingly smooth. Chassis flex hasn't been an issue for me as a daily driver. Can you explain to me the driving circumstances that you will be improving on with the chassis modifications. Truely trying to understand what is lacking in our cars that I am missing. Maybe Im just to old. LOL. But I don't think I will ever be drifting my car around a roundabout in a parking garage!
Paul
LOL! I get where you're coming from, I thought bracing wasn't real (at least on the street) until the Miata forums convinced me to try some on that car (which are cheap). It's really hard to explain chassis flex until you feel the difference. It just makes the car feel more predictable and solid through the turns. Convertibles are highly suceptable to chassis flex because there isn't a roof holding it all together on the top.
If you wanted a taste of what I mean, you could remove the 2 side braces that connect to the lower chassis brace and drive around some turns or on/off ramps and see how it feels. When I first installed the new chassis brace I didn't put those back on at first because we had to trim the corners like Andreiu did above. Driving without them was quite noticeable which you would never guess from how small and thin they are.
Honestly, I'm REALLY spoiled on handling because the Miata was my daily for a long time and that has practically zero body roll and weighs almost half of this car. So anytime I get in a car that has normal suspension it weirds me out, lol. I loved driving the SC when I bought it, but I love it even more now. I tried to accentuate the "sporty" aspects of it without trading off much, if anything, in comfort. (In fact, between the big wheels/tires and the coilovers, I think it's actually more comfortable now than when I started)
LOL! Oh man, what I wouldn't give for one of those gems.
Thats OK. I believe you. Ill just come by when she's finished and we can swap SC's while going for a ride up to Julian! Mine all nice and stock and smooth as butter and yours a modded wolf in sheeps skin. LOL.
Thats OK. I believe you. Ill just come by when she's finished and we can swap SC's while going for a ride up to Julian! Mine all nice and stock and smooth as butter and yours a modded wolf in sheeps skin. LOL.
Funny enough, it was on my Miata that I was completely sold on the idea of bracing a convertible, but all the bracing I have done on this car confirms it for me.
I like the tubular steel design, I would assume it's stiffer than flat aluminum anyway. (Not that it probably makes any noticeable difference)
I decided to order a set, since it's a really easy mod to install. I figured when I go up to the shop to work on the "one touch" top up/down button, it'll only take me an extra 10 minutes to bolt those on since I have access to a lift there.
06-03-20, 10:39 AM
