https://www.thirdgen.org/rearframebrace

Saw this post in the tech board and thought it was interesting. I was going to attempt it but before I do I want to see if anyone else has tried this yet? I have over shoulder seat belts and was thinking of getting a steel rod and flatten the ends and bolt them in and maybe put like rollcage foam around the rod. But like i said just seeing if anyone else has attempted or tried this. would like your input and how it worked out for you.

Thanks,
Timinsk

 

No pics on that page so I can't see it in my head, I did a rear STB if you follow my sig link.

 

I did the same thing but it was alittle more suttle and prob stronger.

I installed a 8pt roll bar, ppl weld in a bar from the 2 rear bars that go to the rear shock towers. I didnt want that as i would have had major issues getting the carpet back in, not to mention i didnt want a bar there for looks. I had the gas tank removed to do the roll bar installed so i welded in a peice of 1"x1"x.120 square tubing on the underside of the floor board and welded it to both sides of the rear subframe. Then i knotched the floor boards and tacked it to the floor board (top part of rear cargo area). Then when the gas tank was installed it is completely hidden and it should work the same.

pic is from the underside of the car and you see the supports for the gas tank.

 

I would think if you were looking for chassis strength, going right to the frame would be best.

I like customblackbird's method. I definately need to do something like this on my RS. That thing flexes when it launches!

 

customblackbird i like that alot but dont have the pockets to ask someone to weld something in for me.. to have them lift it and drop everything then weld it up would cost me a bit..

but did the article really mean under-neath? or was it actually inside on top just bolting a bar from pt a to b from the mounting spots for the seat belts?

 

Well welding it shouldnt cost u more than 25$, 50$ max. As they shouldnt spend more than 10min welding it in. If you cut the floor pan at the knotches and grind off all the paint it should be like 1-2-3 with a mig welder. The steel isnt thick so even a small mig welder like 130amp should be more than fine ( i just wouldnt use flux core). Something that comes to mind would be taking it to a muffler place where they could weld it really fast.

The thread your referring to with the rear frame brace is suppose to be bolted on the inside of the car. As you can not get access to the seat belt holes from the underside of the car.

 

Also there is another kind of rear frame brace... which im going to do as well. Since the rear frame brace i have doesnt actually tie the ends of the rear subframe together, kind of like how a wonderbar ties the front subframe together. Some one on this forum posted a pic of this and i will do it since I have to take my rear bumper off.

Just another idea as well. As putting the angle steel on the inside by the rear seats can cause the carpet to bulge not to mention it wont be as effective since its bolted in vs being welded to the floor/subframes.

 

nice thanks for the tips and info.

 

I'd bet that either doesn't add as much stiffness as they add weight... pretty much a worthless idea in both cases. If you want to stiffen up the 3rd gen rear suspension mount points then braces coming off a roll bar to the suspension pickup points make more sense, or even bracing the panhard rod mounts better would have a MUCH bigger affect on handling/stiffness.