That what I hoped to hear. I already have the trapezoid brace and it does not sit that low. Sounds like this is not much different. Glad it seems it will work with a skidplate. Since it would be under that it would also provide a little more protection under there.

 

I agree that is is probably overkill and not a cheap set up either... but it looks as if they would work together well.

 

I got my hardware and installed my lower stress bar. install was pretty easy I thought. the bar has been on for about 2 weeks. Tuesday I noticed something in my driveway...a bolt. I picked it up to inspect it and it was the bolt from my bar. The threaded insert was sheered off 2 days later I found the other side. same thing...in the driveway. I dont understand I threaded them into the subframe as far as they would go. When I mounted the bar, washer and bolt there was proabably less then a quarter inch showing. Has anyone else had this problem?? Its weird how both times I find the bolt in my driveway

 

PA-MCS
See post #12. I had the same problem, but only one sheared off.
Steve

 

I guess if one gets sheered off the the second probably isnt to far behind. finally getting around to fix the problem today, i hope the inserts come out without to much problem. I'm getting new bolts and double checking the threads to make sure they are clean.

Also, is anyone have this brace plus a skid plate?? I havent done a test fit yet, but Im wondering which should be mounted first. should I mount the skid plate on top of the brace...incase I need to remove the skid plate for whatever reason??

 

Looking at the pictures, I think you have to put the skid plate on first. Looking at doing the same setup myself.

 

Did some work under the car yesterday and the hardware for this brace is total crap. Really awful, rusted, and ugly.

One of the forward studs sheared off and is now stuck in there, hopefully I'll be able to get it out. Very disappointing.

I temporarily replaced the rear bolts with the OEM ones I had removed last fall.

So the brace is off and I'd like to get it back on (with hardware that isn't crap). Any options for those front two studs? Why in the world did they use a stud there anyway?

- Andrew

 

Andy
As I said in my previous post I shortened and reused the original bolts that I took out of the lower controll arm brackets. That is a stretch bolt and should be renewed for the controll arm brackets. Just measure the total depth and shorten the bolts slightly less than the depth. I have used these for two years now and they still look like new.
Steve

 

Ah, missed that. Thanks! That should work out well.

My advice for anyone getting one of these braces is dump the supplied hardware in the trash and use your current control arm bolts for the forward mounting points (after shortening them) and get a new set of control arm bolts for the rear mounting point/control arm.

- Andrew

 

When I installed the Madness brace, I used Grade 8 bolts in all four corners. I knew not to reuse the OEM bolts and the stuff they sent me was not to my liking. The Grade 8s worked very well...

 

do you have the specs on the bolt? pitch and size etc?

 

Both my aft bolts sheared off as well. Contacted ME and they sent new bolts. So far, so good...

 

Someone should email Mason and tell them their hardware does not work for a lot of people.

 

Sorry Andy, I don't. I just took the stock stretch bolts and matched 'em up at our local hardware vendor. They seemed to fit perfectly. They are coated and should not rust like a black iron bolt or those lousy allen studs and cap screws that come with the kit.

 

Just wondering which of the two x-braces (Ireland/Mason or TSW) would work better. Both are 'X' style and look reasonably sturdy. I think the biggest difference is the mounting point; one is mounted closer to the center of the car while the other is mounted closer to the front.

In a different thread, a member used the analogy of an upside-down Altoids tin. So using that analogy, would an x-brace be more effective against flexing if placed closer to the end or closer to the middle?

 

The reason the X brace makes a bigger improvement is cause it is further back and stiffens up the open area under the car. The other brace systems have a majority of the bracing following the subframe, which doesn't need stiffening. My challenge still stands. If someone has one of the other braces, try the TSW and see the difference, if there's no difference I'll let you return it.

 

I think Way is correct...

The trapezoid style bars with some sort of GTT style mid brace might be close, but at that point you might as well get the TSW/Way X brace.

- andrew

 

I'm gonna make my own mid brace out'a some aluminum stock and use it in conjunction with the Trap Brace from M/M. I'll post up some pics after it's completed...

 

I wonder how the combo of the ME trapezoidal bar and the TSW X-brace would be

 

Andyroo, did you get the IE trapezoidal brace or IE x-brace?

 

updated my first post with a warning on the hardware.

 

and if they do return it, sell the used discounted brace to me

 

As we all know the bolts that come with the brace are crap. I found that the bolts are 10 mm 80 mm long and tread pitch of 1.50. I found them online in a grade 10.9 (grade 8) at www.boltdepot.com

 

I went to the hardware store and bought some bolts. Less than a dollar each. I'm using the OEM bolts for the control arm part and my new bolts for the front.

 

Because I hit a 6 inch rock coming around a turn at 65mph in the mountains in California (in an area with no cell phone reception)





As you can see from the photos the steel x brace got bent pretty bad. The front bar, and the X Brace section behind it.

How would you feel if hit by a rock at 65mph?!!

But the point is, it protected my aluminum transmission housing, which absolutely would have cracked and we would have been stranded for a long time.

I had just enough time to say this was going to hurt, and WHAM !! Front two wheels came off the ground as this rock met the steel.

We would have been stuck for hours, as we were about an hour out on an obscure road and would have required stopping a random car driving by. (It really was a road less traveled)

After checking for leaks and damage, we were able to drive for 6 more hours that day.

This bar has really helped in Autocrossing, and gave it's life so that my car didn't get hurt.

Skid plate will be next on my list.

Very thankful for that strong well made steel X Brace from Mason Engineering!!