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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

TRD front strut brace installation problem?


David P

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On what basis, I would personally rate the Carbing as one of the better unit plus it doubles up as a brake stopper too :search:

 

Ive been thinking about the carbing. In sence it is sort of linked to the bulkhead via the brake MC and servo so i could see that making a slighty bigger difference plus a more solid feel to the brakes but thats about it.

Its stil just an aluminium bar and it will flex

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On what basis, I would personally rate the Carbing as one of the better unit plus it doubles up as a brake stopper too :search:

 

The welded construction of the Carbing and TRD braces should make them stiffer than ones that are bolted together.

 

The TRD brace is steel and a lot heavier than the aluminium Carbing brace (although Carbing do a steel brace option).

 

As you say, you also get the benefit of the BMC stopper with the Carbing brace, which does make a noticeable difference to the pedal feel.

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I took my front strut brace (Cusco) off when I first got the car. I wasn't convinced it had any effect, apart from adding weight. If the top of the suspension turret does flex then wouldn't the brace just transmit that flex to the other turret (assuming the brace is stiff enough, if not all it will do is absorb the flex which is as good as doing nothing)?

 

Are the BMC braces still available as a separate item - Cusco? Can't see any listed anywhere ... :search:

 

Sorry! Just realised I've gone off-topic - apologies to the OP.

Edited by spartan
Apologies (see edit history)
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Sorry to go off topic slighty but does anyone ever notice a difference with a stut brace, i have used 5 different braces on various cars using both steel and alloy bars and i couldnt see a blind bit of difference.

 

I would like one for my NA but there's no way i'm paying £200+ if its going to make sh*t all difference.

 

I know they make some difference - I jacked up the front of the car on the lower subframe once, so all the weight was off the wheels/suspension, and *then* tried to take the strut brace off. Could I? Could I 'eck as like. The turrets were trying to flex outwards to the point where they wouldn't let go of the brace.

 

As for handling differences, well... who here is on the edge of traction in bends on public roads, to the point that a strut brace would make a difference? 0.1s faster to Tesco? ;)

 

-Ian

 

PS in my defence the strut brace was on the car when I got it. God help me I've got one on the rear as well.

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God help me I've got one on the rear as well.

 

I use to run one on the rear as well, there are two large plates that look like they do a similar job plus I have since had a cage welded in which goes to the rear suspension mounts so I removed it :D

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I noticed a difference when I fitted a rear strut brace. I had speed bumps near where I lived, if you went over them at an angle ie. one wheel then the other, you could hear the rear door twisting slightly against the rubber seal, this was noticeably reduced after the brace was fitted.

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I've had both the Carbing and the TRD braces and they do make a difference. It's especially noticeable on a floppy aerotop, but still helps on a hard-roofed car. The top nuts on the suspension are only supposed to be tightened to about 27 lbft, so the brace is never going to be clamped hard to the chassis. Oh, and the Carbing brake stopper just butts up against the cylinder, it doesn't bolt on so that can't be considered to triangulate the brace against the chassis for extra strength.

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O.K. the job is jobbed.

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=104673&d=1265221403

 

Putting it on the correct (TRD badge backwards) way around helps :)

 

With one spacer each side, and the "tweak it down over a piece of wood" trick, achieves a knockless fit.

 

Problem is, the bonnet was still hard on it, it would close, but had to bend to do so. :(

 

Decided to work some off the manifold to achieve a spacerless fit.

Maxed the groove to achieved a knockless fit, but only just. :cool:

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=104669&d=1265220536

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=104672&d=1265220536

 

It was touching the front of throttle body, so took some off there too.

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=104668&d=1265220536

 

Again, the bonnet still touches, but only gently now.

I think the only way to achieve total clearance with either an N/A or TT, would be to remove the fibreglass lining, or maybe fit a TRD bonnet?

Or 'donk it' in the middle with a club hammer.

 

I didn't want to do either, so piped the edge of the modified snorkel with small bore rubber pipe.

Sooner have metal to rubber, than metal to metal contact.

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=104671&d=1265220536

 

The car seems happy with this brace to bonnet light contact, no rattles or buzzes.

 

Haven't been for a B road blast yet, but on my way to Tesco's, it was noticably less twitchy over single potholes. :)

js800_bar_fit_002.jpg

js800_bar_fit_004.jpg

js800_bar_fit_011.jpg

js800_bar_fit_005.jpg

js800_bar_fit_013.jpg

Edited by David P (see edit history)
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I've had both the Carbing and the TRD braces and they do make a difference. It's especially noticeable on a floppy aerotop, but still helps on a hard-roofed car. The top nuts on the suspension are only supposed to be tightened to about 27 lbft, so the brace is never going to be clamped hard to the chassis. Oh, and the Carbing brake stopper just butts up against the cylinder, it doesn't bolt on so that can't be considered to triangulate the brace against the chassis for extra strength.

 

As i said earlier the TRD is probly about the only 1 with a chance of doing whats it said to do as its a steel and fairly stronger than the carbing but still im not convinced at all by these 'bling bars'.

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