['05CrystalGray]

I want to stiffen up the chassis on my 2005 Sti. I’m having a hard time figuring out what parts I want, manly because there are so many items out there.

The parts I know I want so far are the GT Spec fender braces, Car lab X-Brace.

What other parts should I add to the list? I know that there are subframe pieces but from searching there is a debate on what ties the car together the best, which one hangs down the most, etc?

Please everyone feel free to comment, and if you do suggest a piece can you post a link to where I could buy it, or at least a picture of the item?

Also, currently I have a replica strut tower brace on the front of the car, would it be worthwhile to upgrade to a quality front strut brace?

[futureficus]

FYI There's a great GB for TiC fender braces right now.

[QuickSilverSTi]

RPM subframe in chromoly.

http://www.surgestreetshop.com/produ...oducts_id=1762

Keep the replica front strut tower brace - they won't do much anything until you lower the car anyway.

['05CrystalGray]

Im going to be lowering the car when I do all the chasis modifactions as well. Im going to be using JDM pinks and RCE lowering camber plates, along with Gruppe-N hardened rear top hats.

[QuickSilverSTi]

what size rims/tires are you running?

[VSGTS14]

RPM subframe
rear subframe lockdown kit
rear diff brace
fender braces

['05CrystalGray]

Originally Posted by QuickSilverSTi

what size rims/tires are you running?

Just stock, I might upgrade to 18's in the distant future.

Originally Posted by VSGTS14

RPM subframe
rear subframe lockdown kit
rear diff brace
fender braces

Can you post links to the products?

Thank you

[TurboDXsti]

I'm having the same delima , I came across this stuff today http://www.i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145796

[grambo]

CarLab X-brace is a great idea.

NRG makes a subframe brace "H brace" (shameless plug for paperchasin') at a great price manufactured from the same aluminum that Cusco/GTspec or any of the others uses.

Some of those big trunk braces like the Beatrush offerings are kinda cool looking but I don't know how much chassis stiffness you'd get form them, alas, I dont have one yet.

I did an Energy Suspenion Hyperflex Kit on my ACR and that made a huge difference in all around rigidity.

[Guest_1u53r]

The CL X-Brace is definitely the most effective thing you can buy, but lets think about some other things as well. . .

You should concentrate on the ones that you see STI adding to their elite models such as the Spec C RA and the S204. You know they wouldn't bolt them on unless they were worthwhile. Subaru has always offered a lower arm bar on these higher end STI's and frequently offer a Front Strut Tower Bar. Additionally, STI offers upgraded fender braces (and in fact the USDM 07 models received upgraded fender braces as well).

So to your list with the X-Brace, definitely include:
-Fender Braces
-Lower Arm Bar
. . .and consider a front strut tower bar.

Now, there's no nice way to say this so I'll just go ahead and say it: the GT Spec Fender braces are garbage.

When you build a strengthening brace that is meant to triangulate something, you don't put a goddamn curve in it when you don't have to. Curves are to make things soft and flexy. Look no further than modern bicycles which have curved seatstays to make them more flexible in the rear end and thus more comfortable.

The absolute best design in a fender brace is the genuine STI one, but it's overpriced, IMHO. The best alternatives are the knockoffs (Happi, etc) and after that there are plenty of other great ones such as the TiC which are fine units, but they just don't have the svelt fit-and-finish of the STI piece.

For Lower Arm Bars, Pretty much any of them are good as long as the section that goes across the bottom has a perfectly straight (NOT BENT!) section to join the two sides of the subframe. Cusco's TypeI is superb, TypeII adds a bit more fore/aft location to the rear mount for the control arm.

For strut tower bars, it's important to think about what they are and how they work before buying one. In cornering, the strut towers want to spread apart (or are pulled apart relatively) so a STB works in TENSION. In vertical bumps like speedbumps or expansion joints, the towers will be pushed together relatively and the bar works in Compression. Unfortanately, you can't put a perfectly straight bar in there. It just won't fit. So what you want is something that is ovalized in the correct axis (planar with the arc of the curve in the bar) to minimize bending (reducing the compression effect) or straightening (reducing the tension effect). The Whiteline is the best I've seen in this regard. If you look at the GTSpec bars, they are ovalized in the completely wrong axis... the oval is almost at a right angle to the bends at the end of the GTSpec bar.

[RacerXS]

Thanks for the informative write up.

Originally Posted by nhluhr

The CL X-Brace is definitely the most effective thing you can buy, but lets think about some other things as well. . .

You should concentrate on the ones that you see STI adding to their elite models such as the Spec C RA and the S204. You know they wouldn't bolt them on unless they were worthwhile. Subaru has always offered a lower arm bar on these higher end STI's and frequently offer a Front Strut Tower Bar. Additionally, STI offers upgraded fender braces (and in fact the USDM 07 models received upgraded fender braces as well).

So to your list with the X-Brace, definitely include:
-Fender Braces
-Lower Arm Bar
. . .and consider a front strut tower bar.

Now, there's no nice way to say this so I'll just go ahead and say it: the GT Spec Fender braces are garbage.

When you build a strengthening brace that is meant to triangulate something, you don't put a goddamn curve in it when you don't have to. Curves are to make things soft and flexy. Look no further than modern bicycles which have curved seatstays to make them more flexible in the rear end and thus more comfortable.

The absolute best design in a fender brace is the genuine STI one, but it's overpriced, IMHO. The best alternatives are the knockoffs (Happi, etc) and after that there are plenty of other great ones such as the TiC which are fine units, but they just don't have the svelt fit-and-finish of the STI piece.

For Lower Arm Bars, Pretty much any of them are good as long as the section that goes across the bottom has a perfectly straight (NOT BENT!) section to join the two sides of the subframe. Cusco's TypeI is superb, TypeII adds a bit more fore/aft location to the rear mount for the control arm.

For strut tower bars, it's important to think about what they are and how they work before buying one. In cornering, the strut towers want to spread apart (or are pulled apart relatively) so a STB works in TENSION. In vertical bumps like speedbumps or expansion joints, the towers will be pushed together relatively and the bar works in Compression. Unfortanately, you can't put a perfectly straight bar in there. It just won't fit. So what you want is something that is ovalized in the correct axis (planar with the arc of the curve in the bar) to minimize bending (reducing the compression effect) or straightening (reducing the tension effect). The Whiteline is the best I've seen in this regard. If you look at the GTSpec bars, they are ovalized in the completely wrong axis... the oval is almost at a right angle to the bends at the end of the GTSpec bar.

[TurboDXsti]

Originally Posted by nhluhr

The CL X-Brace is definitely the most effective thing you can buy, but lets think about some other things as well. . .


For strut tower bars, it's important to think about what they are and how they work before buying one. In cornering, the strut towers want to spread apart (or are pulled apart relatively) so a STB works in TENSION. In vertical bumps like speedbumps or expansion joints, the towers will be pushed together relatively and the bar works in Compression. Unfortanately, you can't put a perfectly straight bar in there. It just won't fit. So what you want is something that is ovalized in the correct axis (planar with the arc of the curve in the bar) to minimize bending (reducing the compression effect) or straightening (reducing the tension effect). The Whiteline is the best I've seen in this regard. If you look at the GTSpec bars, they are ovalized in the completely wrong axis... the oval is almost at a right angle to the bends at the end of the GTSpec bar.

If I could have one made with a straight bar , what effects would this have on my car's performance ? I'm guessing the aftermarket ones are made to compensate for a TMIC , where I have a FMIC .

[Guest_1u53r]

If you have room for a custom completely straight STB, then do it... it's not like it'll be a night and day difference (hardly any of these chassis bracing products are) but it'll be a significant difference from a traditional bent bar.