Thread: Triangulated FSTB

Whoa there Steve, first I think we need to monitor your posting habits, you just threw 10 posts in this thread lol. Second I think you misunderstood me. The point here is that I'd like to take on the project of designing a 3pt brace for lowport/VE B13's for myself, and the SCC car is the ONLY triangulated brace I've ever seen on a B13.

1. It won't work
2. Cheap is good
3. Adjustable is better

I see no issues with the bar aside from the fact that I'm 90% certain it won't fit my VE, or any lowport for that matter. The point here was to get an idea of what others are trying out, and if any of those ideas could be implemented into the design of my bar. I could buy the cusco bar, but where's the fun in that? I'm sure it's nice and rigid, but for the money I can't justify it, especially since I've become anal of this 3pt thing. I mean the bar sits 1in form the firewall, why not just attach it. Maybe I could modify the cusco brace, but not keen on cutting up a $200+ brace...

There will be a lot of moving to do in the engine bay, the power steering stuff has to go. Below you'll find an intense graphical demonstration that outlines my basic idea.



I will have to relocate the power steering hardware, along with the vacum source for the brake booster. These are two minor issues, I am more concerned for the hardlines on the powersteering. I like the adjustability, and will try to incorporate heim joints along with threaded rod to allow for preload. I would mimic the SCC idea 100%, if I was using GC uppers.

I see there is some interest from forum vendors in producing something of the like, and I'm pretty sure their skills are beyond that of mine. If their designs look promising I may scrap the idea in an effort to support a vendor.

We'll see how it goes, I'm a ways off at this point, hell that picture was from a month ago and the car just hit the road Tuesday, which reminds me, I need to update my build thread...

I will be building a tri-brace to fit around my VE eventually. I'll definitely post up following...

_SHig

Thanks, worth considering, personally I would not have accepted the problem and left the bolt out, I'm too anal about stuff like that to do so. What if I lost 1 of the 3 remaining bolts to failure? That could be a problem at 100 mph.

I'm not as sure however that more caster is needed - I have to get the car up to higher speeds on a track, since more caster as I understand it first helps with straight-line stability, and second can help somewhat with contact patch through the steering cycle.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the benefits, it feels very dialed in but everything has room for improvement!

Sorry Chris, I should have stamped that with a HUGE J/K!!! You should know that As to posting habits, well, people brought up some really interesting questions and also some good questions about the setup I have.

It's blue.

If you look closely at the pass side of my FSTB on my U13 here, it's a threaded rod with a heim joint for adjustability and preloading the bar. It just bolts into a very simple ring, so even w/o GC plates I think something similar could be done that was just a cut and drilled ring with two small pieces welded onto it. I like this setup even for a FSTB because fit is really good, and you can adjust it.



I'll have to check later to see what the issue is with clearance from the tower on the lowport, since I don't have one and can't see your pics at the moment. Ideally having the rods terminate on the FW as close together forms the strongest triangle, I am wondering what else is in the way. Plus my B13's hard lines look like they were pushed around a bit, but again I don't know what they'd look like otherwise.

Oops - is that 12 posts?

When you make the tribrace, please let me know. I have your front bar on my GC plates and have a VE waiting to go in my SE-R.

Will do!

_SHig

I see the problem w/the plenum now, something that separates the bars going back from the tower to tower brace like Forzwin sketched out looks quite doable . I don't see how either of the one piece TSBs shown in this thread would work with a VE, there just isn't room.

Still I can see how Forzwin's design would work with very similar hardware to what I have, even w/o GC plates. You just need a bolt on ring with two mount points each, one for the tower to tower, one for the FW. You might have to loosen up how close the ends come together at the firewall making not quite as much of a triangle as a trapezoid:

/---\
------

I'm exaggerating a bit there but that seems like the path of least resistance, and if you fabricated the firewall side piece well, it would still tie things together nicely, could be inexpensive, and bolt-on using 3 bars, 2 rings with mount points, and a rear FW side mounting bracket.

Looks like my FW side tubing was just kind of bent out of the way, straightened out a bit to make room for the bracket. Not the most elegant solution, but it worked

trash the metal line and run a straight rubber hose from the booster to the intake. that problem is solved. for the power steering you can remove that bracket and some of the plastic clips holding the metal line in place. make your own brace and move it were you need it while gently bending the hard line as needed.