What type of fender braces?

hiimrif · 05-04-2009, 11:58 AM

So I want to ask your guys opinon. Do you think that solid fender braces are better or tubular fender braces? Thinking of making a run of these in the future and just want to know if anyone has any experience with either kind. I've searched on the world wide interweb and the tubes have told me both ways. So if anyone has personal experience or would just like to throw in their two cents it would be welcom

Shawn B · 05-04-2009, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiimrif

So I want to ask your guys oppion. Do you think that solid fender braces are better or tubular fender braces? Thinking of making a run of these in the future and just want to know if anyone has any experience with either kind. I've searched on the world wide interweb and the tubes have told me both ways. So if anyone has personal experience or would just like to throw in their two cents it would be welcom

I've got Stephens Fender Braces on my B13 right now.

http://www.sr20forum.com/group-buys/...er-braces.html

They rock.

hiimrif · 05-04-2009, 04:39 PM

Yeah I was going to buy some of those for my b13. But now I have the b14 so I fugured I could make some for it. I heard from a few "source's" that the tubular were flexible, but I don't see that being possible if they were made with good round or square stock.

Shawn B · 05-04-2009, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiimrif

Yeah I was going to buy some of those for my b13. But now I have the b14 so I fugured I could make some for it. I heard from a few "source's" that the tubular were flexible, but I don't see that being possible if they were made with good round or square stock.

I see no way possible that the square stock ones from Stephen are in any way flexible. Your "sources" are talking about another product from a different manufacturer.

I looked at them.

Mike my mechanic, inspected them.

Sal, my body-guy, inspected and installed them.

Everyone was impressed. I can assure you that they are rock-solid, inflexible, stout as hell. The fender brace is both much stronger and thicker than the metal it is being welded/bolted into.

If you are making some for the B14, I don't see why you would need anything stronger than one of Stephens Fender Braces.

T28turbos · 05-05-2009, 03:00 AM

^^ I second that!!X2

Diabolic Hippo · 05-05-2009, 04:00 AM

does stephen make them for the b14's?
i'm in for a set then.
try his x-trunk brace also, works great!

hiimrif · 05-05-2009, 10:03 AM

This is why I put "source's" in qoutes because I wasn't sure how that tubular ones would be flexible if you made them with good thick stock. I have only found the x brace from stephen for the b14 haven't seen th fender braces from him. Well I'm pretty sure I'm going to make tubular ones now. I will put up some pics once I get them mocked up and installed.

Shawn B · 05-05-2009, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiimrif

This is why I put "source's" in qoutes because I wasn't sure how that tubular ones would be flexible if you made them with good thick stock. I have only found the x brace from stephen for the b14 haven't seen th fender braces from him. Well I'm pretty sure I'm going to make tubular ones now. I will put up some pics once I get them mocked up and installed.

See post #1 and #2.

http://www.sr20forum.com/members-rid...storation.html

#1 shows the braces up close and personal uninstalled.

#2 shows the braces up close and personal installed.

Good thick stock, well engineered and built overly stout, no way they are bending or flexing, no doubt whatsoever.

I've spent considerable time, reSearch and expense to make my B13 as stiff as humanly possible short of seam welding the chassis, or having any in-cabin bracing. Those Stephens Fender Braces were one part of my multi-pronged plan of attack on uber-chassis-stifness.

hiimrif · 05-05-2009, 05:10 PM

Ahh yes I have read you suspension post several times and if I remeber correctly you completely stripped your b13 to foam it(at least I think that was you). So now my question is could you gain the same stiffness from a solid piece as from the tubular design. The reason for this question is simply that a solid brace would be cheaper to produce than a tubular one, and since my end goal is to make a small production run of these would it be more advantageous to be cheaper with approximately the same strength to allow more people the ability to get in on a set of braces.

Hammerin Hank · 05-05-2009, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiimrif

Ahh yes I have read you suspension post several times and if I remeber correctly you completely stripped your b13 to foam it(at least I think that was you). So now my question is could you gain the same stiffness from a solid piece as from the tubular design. The reason for this question is simply that a solid brace would be cheaper to produce than a tubular one, and since my end goal is to make a small production run of these would it be more advantageous to be cheaper with approximately the same strength to allow more people the ability to get in on a set of braces.

Something that's hollow is going to be lighter...something to consider.

Diabolic Hippo · 05-05-2009, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiimrif

This is why I put "source's" in qoutes because I wasn't sure how that tubular ones would be flexible if you made them with good thick stock. I have only found the x brace from stephen for the b14 haven't seen th fender braces from him. Well I'm pretty sure I'm going to make tubular ones now. I will put up some pics once I get them mocked up and installed.

if i am not mistaken, stephen made the x-brace for b13's, since that is what he drives. I test fitted it on my b14.
please lmk if you do start to produce some for the b14, i'll take a set off your hands.

hiimrif · 05-06-2009, 12:26 AM

Well it does seem there is interest for these which is good

Just waiting on approval from the HOA on a color scheme so I can paint a house and fund my project. Stupid hoa.......

Shawn B · 05-06-2009, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiimrif

Ahh yes I have read you suspension post several times and if I remeber correctly you completely stripped your b13 to foam it(at least I think that was you).

So now my question is could you gain the same stiffness from a solid piece as from the tubular design. The reason for this question is simply that a solid brace would be cheaper to produce than a tubular one, and since my end goal is to make a small production run of these would it be more advantageous to be cheaper with approximately the same strength to allow more people the ability to get in on a set of braces.

Yes, that is me with the foaming-madness.

I *believe* my Classic has thee stiffest chassis, sans in-car bracing or seam welding, on Planet Earth.

I am not an expert on anything mechanical. I would *assume* that you could build equally stiff braces out of solid stock. As Hank pointed out, they would be heavier than hollow ones, but it still could not be that much weight, relatively speaking. The braces simply are not that large, maybe a couple extra pounds per side for solid braces vs. hollow braces (?).

However, I have no real experience or knowledge-base on metal fabrication. You'd have to ask Yahnoza (Custom Steel) or Chuck (Bolt In Bars) or one of the other "metal fabrication" wizards on our forum.

Props to you or anyone else that is producing performance parts for our vehicles.

Best of luck.

hiimrif · 05-06-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawn B

Yes, that is me with the foaming-madness.

I *believe* my Classic has thee stiffest chassis, sans in-car bracing or seam welding, on Planet Earth.

Best of luck.

I believe you might be right

So when I say solid I think people might have misunderstood me... I was refering to a single piece of say .25" sheet. I know of a picture of what I'm talking about but it is on another forum... and I'm not sure how that would go over.

Thanks for the input everyone it is appreciated.