Deleting The Convertible's Rear Chassis Braces

[Benwhite911]

I have been debating leaving off the Convertible's Rear Lower Chassis Braces next time I need to make an adjustment to the rear of the car. They're a pain in the ass to remove and put back that I just want to sent them to the scrap yard. Has anyone with a Convertible S197 removed the Rear Lower Chassis Braces and just left them off? I would love to hear any thought on this.

http://s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=132377

 

[JimC]

A friend of mine removed them from his 2005 convertible years ago with no issues. He did an engine swap after blowing it up a couple of times. Aluminator with a Roush blower on it with something like 550 rwhp

 

[JeremyH]

I removed those shortly after getting my car in 2007 and junked them.

 

[Benwhite911]

I removed those shortly after getting my car in 2007 and junked them.

After taking them off, did you notice any difference in the car, in any way?

 

[grimesd]

Is there an benefit to removing these?

 

[JeremyH]

Gets them out off the way lol I guess weight savings too. Also gives you room for suspension upgrades in the rear they are in the way for things like anti roll bars and watts links.

 

[stkjock]

Don't post the same threads twice

 

[JeremyH]

After taking them off, did you notice any difference in the car, in any way?

No.

 

[Benwhite911]

No.

Thanks. They're history.

 

[Rasmus]

Yes, the car was softer after removal. It would twist a little more. This speed bump I used to go over diagonally, one wheel at a time, would make the car creak. I stuck the braces back on, and the creaking stopped. Then I took the braces back off because F that.

In practical terms, however, I rarely felt a difference. It's not like you're going to go carve corners in a convertible anyway.

 

[JeremyH]

I should mention I installed traditional inner to outer frame rail sub frames on my vert. So I'm sure that helped in feeling zero difference with them off I also have a frame bolted roll bar.

 

[Benwhite911]

Yes, the car was softer after removal. It would twist a little more. This speed bump I used to go over diagonally, one wheel at a time, would make the car creak. I stuck the braces back on, and the creaking stopped. Then I took the braces back off because F that.

In practical terms, however, I rarely felt a difference. It's not like you're going to go carve corners in a convertible anyway.

Yeah. Who would do that with convertible?

 

[Benwhite911]

I should mention I installed traditional inner to outer frame rail sub frames on my vert. So I'm sure that helped in feeling zero difference with them off I also have a frame bolted roll bar.

Thanks for letting me know. I was planning on putting on some Lakewood chassis braces as well.

 

[JeremyH]

I would stay away from Lakewood. Check out freedom racing, bmr and umi.

 

[Benwhite911]

I would stay away from Lakewood. Check out freedom racing, bmr and umi.

I must ask. What is it about Lakewood chassis braces that raise concern?

 

[JeremyH]

The brand in general I would not recommend (owned by holley). Quality was the issue with the parts I had ( cheap materials and inadequate design/craftsmenship), made the mistake of getting some Lakewood stuff for my car when I first got it, I liked the price, that was about it, uca arm weld broke, bent heim joints on the adjustable control arms. Mounting holes worn and out of round and the watts link was complete junk and didn't fit right. It all had to come back off the car. I wont ever use any of their products again and thus do not recommend them. The 3 companies I listed above that I have parts from are the exact opposite, excellent quality and well designed/made products and support.

 

[Benwhite911]

The brand in general I would not recommend (owned by holley). Quality was the issue with the parts I had ( cheap materials and inadequate design/craftsmenship), made the mistake of getting some Lakewood stuff for my car when I first got it, I liked the price, that was about it, uca arm weld broke, bent heim joints on the adjustable control arms. Mounting holes worn and out of round and the watts link was complete junk and didn't fit right. It all had to come back off the car. I wont ever use any of their products again and thus do not recommend them. The 3 companies I listed above that I have parts from are the exact opposite, excellent quality and well designed/made products and support.

Good to know. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Benwhite911]

Here's something I've never seen before, and can't seem to find now either. Apparently these are made by Stifflers, however, I can't find them anywhere on their site. Has anyone seen these before?

 

[BMR Tech]

I do not have the engineering or "scientific" data to back up my thoughts on this.

But, I have always had a very hard time accepting that the OE braces do much of anything.

1: They are not very strong.

2: They are bolted on via weak hardware.

3: Where they attach to, the sump/tire well is a very weak area.

4: If torsional rigidity is the purpose - I fail to see how they are effective when they span from the outboard subframe area and mount inboard close together. When we design a chassis stiffening part, especially for something like this particular part, we would want it to spread wide and triangulate together. When you mount a "brace" to an area of the car you want more rigid, why would you mount the two individual pieces so close together?

As you will see in the picture above of the aftermarket braces - look how narrow. Would the chassis not easily be able to "roll" or "pivot" around those "braces"?

 

[JeremyH]

My thoughts exactly Kelly, when I first got my vert and saw how they were installed, I thought it was pretty cheesey how they did that. So had no fears on pulling them out and trashing them. They are bolted to the spare tire well bottom and is not very supportive material in the first place was my exact thoughts. Any one that has tried to put a jack on the tire well I'm sure has seen that it starts bending and caving in as soon as you put pressure on it. So not sure what they were thinking, to me it seems like an afterthought and they just put them where they could. Which is odd because I remember reading that the 05 s197 was the first chassis that they designed to support convertible as well as coupe.