For those of us who like to enjoy our vehicles on weekends at the local autocross events, and organized track days, one of the first typical sets of modifications are stickier tires and brake pads with a higher heat tolerance. And for many of us, we will quickly find the limits. Whether if its a WRX, STI, Evo, or any other related sport compact rocket, we know that thesRead More
For those of us who like to enjoy our vehicles on weekends at the local autocross events, and organized track days, one of the first typical sets of modifications are stickier tires and brake pads with a higher heat tolerance. And for many of us, we will quickly find the limits. Whether if its a WRX, STI, Evo, or any other related sport compact rocket, we know that these cars handle so well naturally out of the factory due to how responsive the suspension and chassis are. But when your driving gets competitive, there is another area in the realm of suspension you could explore, and that is chassis bracing. Ever driven a go-kart before? If it's a regular 40 mph go-kart at your local karting center or if it's a professional shifter kart, you will notice how sharp they turn, and how quickly the kart reacts. Almost the same type of feeling when your chassis is strong and tight. Less resistance with more reaction.
The stiffer your chassis is, the more resistance and swaying will happen during high-speed cornering and less wrestling against gravity. Chassis bracing has been designed to reduce the amount of chassis flex during high-performance driving conditions. By strengthening the overall rigidity of the chassis, the body will react quickly with the suspension for better handling and feedback at higher speeds. This will be beneficial, especially when driving on weekend track days at your local road course or at your local autocross where setting up your entry and exit lines when apexing, high-speed banks, S-curves, and all of the turns force the weight of your vehicle against the current. We carry a vast amount of chassis bracing options to strengthen many areas beneath the chassis, inside the cabin, in the trunk, and in the engine bay to really improve the handling. These options will optimize the overall function of the rest of your suspension components while improving the driver feedback and overall driving experience for the road or the track.
CONTROL ARM BRACES: Control arms are one of the pillars of your suspension system as they control and reinforce the upward and downward movement of your suspension knuckles on all corners. We carry a large amount of control arm braces that will either install on key points beneath your vehicle that will bridge both control arms together. This will increase the footprint of your tires during high-speed cornering which will increase the overall traction. We also carry smaller profile control arm braces that almost act like gussets to further reinforce the control arms, and we have control arm brace kits that will include multiple pieces to really reinforce the bottom of your suspension. From the most famous brands that include but are not limited to Whiteline, Beatrush, Cusco, and ISC Suspension, we have a great option available for you.
CROSSMEMBER BRACES: Just like the rest of the chassis bracing components, these have been designed to install on specific points of your chassis to reinforce your body and the suspension. Ever seen an Evo 8 or an Evo 9 and they have that cool-looking brace behind the mesh grille? That's a cross-member brace. The designs of these are highly versatile in terms of being available for the front and rear suspension and chassis areas. The majority of these components will be presented to you by the suspension experts at Cusco, but are also available from other quality brands that include the likes of Carbing and Beatrush. Also available for the most popular rally-inspired models outside of the Evo such as the WRX and STI, among other models as well.
SUBFRAMES: These are available for those of you who want to take your suspension to another level. You either have a competitive race car or a rally car and you want to save weight, gain more alignment settings, and get more chassis rigidity. Or you are just a demanding enthusiast who wants nothing but the best to make you feel good inside, and in today's society, this is very important. We carry subframe options brought to you from Mooresport or MSI who are actually secret military physicists who make race car parts on the side using their mathematical and engineering genius to rest their minds while making you faster.
SUBFRAME BRACES: It is known that the rear subframe on earlier Subaru WRX/STI models and even earlier Impreza models have issues with excessive rear subframe movement. This can happen because of the subframe bolts backing out, worn bushings, or worn suspension components attached to the subframe. The Subframe braces will help reinforce the rear subframe which will not only help reduce excessive movement, but these will also prevent premature wear on other components while improving the overall handling. Additionally, these braces will improve the shifting and drivetrain performance as the more stable your rear diff is, the smoother the driveshaft movement will be which will also help transfer more power to the tires.
FLOOR BRACES: These will either install on the interior floor in the backseat area to reinforce and bridge the B-pillars, or they will install underneath the chassis with specific mounting points to strengthen the bottom of the chassis. When entering a high-speed corner, your chassis will naturally lean with lateral forces, and suspension upgrades will certainly help navigate the corner at higher speeds. But floor braces will strengthen the chassis underneath the vehicle to really sharpen your steering response allowing you to get through those corners easier while allowing you to focus more on the road.
FRAME BRACES: Almost like adding gussets to a roll cage, frame braces have been designed to be strategically placed and bolted onto key areas on the chassis to really increase the stiffness. Some Subaru STI models will come from the factory with fender braces, and like the same function, the aftermarket has taken the time, research, engineering, and track experience to provide you with an effective product. We carry frame braces from establishments that include but are not limited to Cusco, HKS, Beatrush, Carbing, and Subtle Solutions among others. All of the examples were designed to install on key mounting points which will also increase the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the rest of your suspension function. If you participate in autocross events where there are several sharp turns and corners within the confines of a parking lot, these will certainly help lower your lap times. However, any of these great examples will improve the overall driving experience and driver feedback for the regular commute.
TRUNK BRACES: The trunk is an area that experiences a fair amount of flex. You have your frame rails that only extend out so far, and you have your rear subframe that holds your spindles. Other than the two rear shock towers that support your rear strut assembly, the trunk is essentially thin sheet metal. Trunk braces have been designed to really reduce the trunk flex during heavy cornering, and depending on the design, will help further bridge the rear shock towers together for a better response. These types of braces and the technology are commonplace on time-attack race cars where the aero can be unlimited to plant the chassis to the ground, but the bracing is required to sustain the high level of suspension forces. The same braces are also common on rally cars as they jump and slide on gravel, however, a tight chassis helps the control as the car is continually thrown against lateral forces. All of the examples we carry perform well in tightening the rear chassis and frame to plant your car during those high-speed corners, making sure you are getting the most footprint and contact patch out of your rear tires.
Any of these choices are excellent upgrades for your chassis for enthusiasts who appreciate a great suspension setup on their daily drivers, and any of these choices will be highly effective on purpose-built race cars. And you don't have to have other suspension modifications such as coilovers or sway bars to notice the difference, as chassis bracing will only add more strength. However, chassis bracing will certainly enhance and improve the overall suspension function and efficiency during high-performance driving conditions and make for an excellent investment for any of your driving needs.
