Rear suspension brace pic - LotusTalk

sleepless · 12-08-2005, 11:29 AM

Presenting... the ever popular, by virtue of being so controversial, rear suspension brace

andykeck · 12-08-2005, 11:35 AM

Looks like a thousand bucks worth of metal to me.

Surferjer · 12-08-2005, 12:01 PM

THAT is $1,000?!? This must be a joke. No, really.

Vantage · 12-08-2005, 12:02 PM

Pete,
I think it's time for you to go into the aftermarket parts business and make some replicas.

- J

sleepless · 12-08-2005, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vantage

Pete,
I think it's time for you to go into the aftermarket parts business and make some replicas.

- J

If I made them, this WOULD be a safety issue

pianomaniac · 12-08-2005, 12:54 PM

Now tell us how much safer you feel.......and how much better the car handles.

Jack · 12-08-2005, 01:27 PM

It's significant and improves handling.....you don't like it, don't get one.

TimMullen · 12-08-2005, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack

It's significant and improves handling.....you don't like it, don't get one.

How does it improve handling? It does absolutely nothing to the geometry or structure. It simply replaces the the single shear ball joint with a double shear heim joint. Did you get a new alignment along with the installation that could have altered the handling?

Patricko · 12-08-2005, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyElise

Don't believe it changes handling at all. If it does it's not doing what it's supposed to do.

I think it may hold the rear toe more accurately under load...IIRC

raggedy1 · 12-08-2005, 05:09 PM

a popular "ricer" mod on honda/acuras

i really hate that word - ricer

TimMullen · 12-08-2005, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patricko

I think it may hold the rear toe more accurately under load...IIRC

It's not like there is a lot of play in the ball joint. I'm betting on the alignment...

Jack · 12-08-2005, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimMullen

How does it improve handling? It does absolutely nothing to the geometry or structure. It simply replaces the the single shear ball joint with a double shear heim joint. Did you get a new alignment along with the installation that could have altered the handling?

The rear toe had to be re-set after the install -- it's possible it was off before, but I don't think so. Took the car to the track the next day and the rear felt more planted under certain conditions than my previous outings. Who knows...maybe it's my imagination. As Patrick mentioned, I also thought one of the benefits of the setup with the heim joints was less change in the toe settings under load. Maybe we're wrong on this one also.

In the meantime, since I track my car a lot, I'll settle for peace of mind as the benefit.

JnC · 12-08-2005, 05:18 PM

Gee, I seem to remember back in the day when the "track bar" was a popular mod on the first generation Miata. Cost around $100. It eventually became standard issue from Mazda.

Have we come full circle?

sleepless · 12-08-2005, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pianomaniac

Now tell us how much safer you feel.......and how much better the car handles.

Well, given it cost a grand, I guarantee you I will feel safer and the car will absolutely handle better

Seriously, I'll report back after a track day which is likely a good month away...

andykeck · 12-08-2005, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepless

Well, given it cost a grand, I guarantee you I will feel safer and the car will absolutely handle better

Seriously, I'll report back after a track day which is likely a good month away...

Not going tomorrow?

I thought about it, but my crew would kill me. I managed to be in Monterey and then Phoenix over the four busiest days we've had all year.

APOGEE · 12-08-2005, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepless

Presenting... the ever popular, by virtue of being so controversial, rear suspension brace

Thank's for posting sleepless.I've done three braces so far, two on sporty cars
and one on a well setup street car. When I get a Elise or Exige next year I will
be buying a brace as well.When I play hard I don"t mind paying for the best
equipment.
All the best, Don

sleepless · 12-08-2005, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andykeck

Not going tomorrow?

I thought about it, but my crew would kill me. I managed to be in Monterey and then Phoenix over the four busiest days we've had all year.

I'm taking the Turbo to the track tomorrow

Need to try out winter project "improvements"

APOGEE · 12-08-2005, 09:44 PM

Don - will you be passing your discount on to the rest of us EliseTalkers?[/quote]

I pay racer net........... List plus 30%

Kidding aside our parts guy is not
getting rich selling brace kits, they were I bitch to get but good things take time.
All the best, Don

GabbaGabbaHey · 12-09-2005, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by APOGEE

Thank's for posting sleepless.I've done three braces so far, two on sporty cars
and one on a well setup street car. When I get a Elise or Exige next year I will
be buying a brace as well.When I play hard I don"t mind paying for the best
equipment.
All the best, Don

So how many hrs. to put the brace in? Installation cost?

sleepless · 12-23-2005, 06:14 PM

UPDATE: Had the Elise on track about a week ago.

I changed several variables so I can't say what effect the brace had on handling, but then I got it for safety reasons anyway. The other variables that changed were softer suspension settings and put on the AD07 tires instead of the Hoosiers.

Yet, I did my best lap time ever in the Elise at Pacific Raceways; a tick over 1:40. This, despite it being no warmer than 32 degrees all day! Needless to say the car was running beautifully and we seemed to be in the groove together that day

I posted some DL1 data in the Track forum.

God I love this car!

12-08-2005, 11:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
sleepless Elise Fanatic Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,234	Rear suspension brace pic Presenting... the ever popular, by virtue of being so controversial, rear suspension brace Attached Images __________________ Pete 05 Lotus Elise \| 06 Porsche Boxster S \| 97 Porsche Turbo

12-08-2005, 12:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
Surferjer No more cone damage! Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Exton, PA Posts: 8,954	THAT is $1,000?!? This must be a joke. No, really. __________________ Jer-2005 Elise (retired from autox) 1993 MR2 autox car 2002 Ford Excursion DIESEL 4 X 4 1993 Miata (throwout bearing or clutch failure) 1987 Toyota Corolla FX16 Lemons car (needs new head) 1984 Chevy Citation Lemons car (needs a motor)

12-08-2005, 12:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
pianomaniac Elise #76 Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: SoCal Posts: 2,531	Now tell us how much safer you feel.......and how much better the car handles. __________________ Owner of '05 Elise S/T- touring- LSS-Stage 2 '07 Audi RS4 4.2L V-8 420 HP - 6 Sp..(sold) '07 Toyota Prius

12-08-2005, 01:27 PM	#7 (permalink)
Jack Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 3,161	It's significant and improves handling.....you don't like it, don't get one. __________________ Jack '08 2-Eleven Track videos ... http://www.youtube.com/jackcup

12-08-2005, 05:09 PM	#10 (permalink)
raggedy1 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: belmont Posts: 3,824	a popular "ricer" mod on honda/acuras i really hate that word - ricer __________________ It's Delux son, Delux. It's not that hard. http://itsdeluxson.com/

12-08-2005, 11:35 AM	#2 (permalink)
andykeck Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 4,944 Images: 1	Looks like a thousand bucks worth of metal to me.

12-08-2005, 12:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
Vantage please don't hit my car Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 4,041	Pete, I think it's time for you to go into the aftermarket parts business and make some replicas. - J

12-08-2005, 05:18 PM	#13 (permalink)
JnC Thread unraveler Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 2,891	Gee, I seem to remember back in the day when the "track bar" was a popular mod on the first generation Miata. Cost around $100. It eventually became standard issue from Mazda. Have we come full circle?

12-08-2005, 09:44 PM	#18 (permalink)
APOGEE Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Newport Beach Ca Posts: 858 Images: 1	Don - will you be passing your discount on to the rest of us EliseTalkers?[/quote] I pay racer net........... List plus 30% Kidding aside our parts guy is not getting rich selling brace kits, they were I bitch to get but good things take time. All the best, Don __________________ '' I always tell my students to follow their bliss- where the deep sense of being is from, and where your body and soul want to go''. Joseph Campell

12-23-2005, 06:14 PM	#20 (permalink)
sleepless Elise Fanatic Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,234	UPDATE: Had the Elise on track about a week ago. I changed several variables so I can't say what effect the brace had on handling, but then I got it for safety reasons anyway. The other variables that changed were softer suspension settings and put on the AD07 tires instead of the Hoosiers. Yet, I did my best lap time ever in the Elise at Pacific Raceways; a tick over 1:40. This, despite it being no warmer than 32 degrees all day! Needless to say the car was running beautifully and we seemed to be in the groove together that day I posted some DL1 data in the Track forum. God I love this car! __________________ Pete 05 Lotus Elise \| 06 Porsche Boxster S \| 97 Porsche Turbo

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