Chassis Strengthening Discussion/Comments/Advice

[rightcoastimports]

I'm trying to find some viable solutions to adding some chassis strength to my car without ripping out the whole interior and doing seam welding.

Maybe some of you guys wouldnt notice but here in new england there are some prety sheisty roads. Meaning constant bumps.. causing aggravation. It feels like your hurting the car almost.

Everyone knows the 240 has an odd floppy chassis. Everyone slams theres to the ground, uses big wheels, and not all of us can afford amazing coilovers.

Me for example am using ksports mainly because i'm a dealer for them. I know they are considered "cheap" but they get the job done if adjusted properly.

Over the last few months i've installed rear subframe spacers, greddy front + rear strut bars. And I just ordered a Nismo power brace for the front seeing the good reviews it got.

I was also looking into a rear under brace.. i see megan makes one, tanabe, and cusco. tanabe makes a 2 point and 4 point version.. Anyone have any experience with a rear under brace?

comments/advice for chassis strengthening

[timtiminy]

fender braces, miracle x brace

[240sxaddict]

http://forums2.freshalloy.com/showthread.php?t=162693

nuff said.

[rightcoastimports]

thats awesome... something i probably wont do.. maybe someday if i get fed up enough.

[gunluvS14]

woot woot, nice referral there

dude, you won't regret the chassis foam man. I wouldn't even waste money on any bar except (Nismo power brace, fender braces, and Doluck RXB, which is discontinued)

any other bars are dead weight and not effective.

[JohnD1079]

That was a nice link indeed

[rightcoastimports]

Originally Posted by gunluvS14

woot woot, nice referral there

dude, you won't regret the chassis foam man. I wouldn't even waste money on any bar except (Nismo power brace, fender braces, and Doluck RXB, which is discontinued)

any other bars are dead weight and not effective.

yea i have the greddy front and rear strut tower bars and i just ordered the nismo brace from one of my distributors.. probably going to stop there.. like you said every bar adds weight. might invest in some bigger sway bars eventually.

[KA24DESOneThree]

I have foamed a lot of my chassis. It made a difference.

I've also installed fender braces, shakitto plates, Nismo powerbrace, solid strut braces front and rear (rear by Jonnie Fraz, who does great work), SPL subframe braces, and I think that's it for now.

I can jack up the car from a tow hook and the deflection from side to side is at most an inch. The doors don't fit differently whether the car is in the air or on the ground. Steering feel is sublime, and creaks are a thing of the past.

The stiffer the better.

[shade]

http://www.ultraracing.com.my/ultraracing/ProductDetailView.asp?ID=841&DP_JpgID=Nissan%20S13 %20rear%204p.jpg&Tablename=DaxAdvertiseP

I like their 4 point rear strut bar. You should see their other braces as well.

[az_240]

I hear foam can take in moisture and cause rusting...and just the idea of pumping foam into my car doesnt really make me want to do it to my kouki.

If I had a beater track car I wouldnt care.

I have shakitto plates, fender braces, DC front strut bar, tcs rear strut bar, do-luck RXB with tunnel stabilizers, power brace, ebay front ladder bar (blue one)...some of it is on its way... most not installed....yet.

I will post updates/reviews in some new thread someone makes on this subject in a month.

As of right now all I can say is the nismo power brace is a very nice upgrade.... rest of the car is pretty floppy

[OperationSr20]

I was curious on the Cusco OS 3 Point Rear Strut Bar Extensions... I obtained one in a trade a long while back and feel that the difference it will provide is minimal at best. I have a Cusco OS Rear Strut Bar and Megan C Pillar Bar already in the rear, will the Extension give a noticeable feel/difference to the Strength of the Chassis?

[HS13KLS]

Originally Posted by az_240

I hear foam can take in moisture and cause rusting...and just the idea of pumping foam into my car doesnt really make me want to do it to my kouki.

If I had a beater track car I wouldnt care.

I have shakitto plates, fender braces, DC front strut bar, tcs rear strut bar, do-luck RXB with tunnel stabilizers, power brace, ebay front ladder bar (blue one)...some of it is on its way... most not installed....yet.

I will post updates/reviews in some new thread someone makes on this subject in a month.

As of right now all I can say is the nismo power brace is a very nice upgrade.... rest of the car is pretty floppy

i never thought of that..

i know the advantages to the foam..but what are the disadvantages..?
does anyone know

[KA24DESOneThree]

1. It, like everything else, adds weight. The gain is minimal compared to the return.

2. It's sticky and can get everywhere if you forgot to tape up a small hole. Ask me how I know.

3. It's nearly irreversible. Once it's in there, there's not much you can do about it. Maybe an acid dip will remove it, but I'm not sure.

I seriously doubt it will take in moisture. It provides a place for moisture to hide, but it is not absorbent, at least in my experience.

[zavala]

Originally Posted by shade

http://www.ultraracing.com.my/ultrar...=DaxAdvertiseP

I like their 4 point rear strut bar. You should see their other braces as well.

i have their 4-point front under brace and fender braces. well worth the money and made a good diffrence in steering responce and front body roll before i went to a set of coilovers. now it just all works together

[clark]

a cage...

yeah i know, that's not practical..

but the S15 had a tranny tunnel brace, and a trunk brace. you can also look at the chassis of a vert because they had some additional bracing and gusseting for obvious reasons.

but yeah, my first though was fender braces and the shakitto plates. those are the ones that you mount to the front strut tower and then to the firewall right?

i forgot what it was called. but there is a bar that you can bolt to your front lower control arms. it just connects them, reducing flex.

[240sxaddict]

Originally Posted by gunluvS14

woot woot, nice referral there

Haha, didnt realize you were over here too. And yes, there are tons of stiffening options out there, but not many for someone who doesnt want to dig into his car.

[eastcoastS14]

wow that foam is a pretty good idea...i might really have to look into it, I mean my zenki only cost me $2500 so who cares

[rightcoastimports]

Originally Posted by eastcoastS14

wow that foam is a pretty good idea...i might really have to look into it, I mean my zenki only cost me $2500 so who cares

yea its supposed to get rid of all the little creaks and rattles.. something i get annoyed at.. right now something under my headliner is rattling over bumps and its driving me nutz.

But honestly i dont think i'm going to do it.. too much work not enough drive to do it i guess. seems like im putting a new part in my car or working on it everyday. gets tiring..