Thermal R&D exhaust while auto-x or tracking? Questions about their replacement chassis brace

[The_Ryan]

I'm having a hard time trusting an aftermarket exhaust company's design decisions when it comes to chassis structure. Has anyone with this exhaust notice more creaks, rattles, or more chassis flex after installing and driving at auto-x/track?

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[TyphoonFiST]

NOPE.

 

[JDG]

I'm having a hard time trusting an aftermarket exhaust company's design decisions when it comes to chassis structure. Has anyone with this exhaust notice more creaks, rattles, or more chassis flex after installing and driving at auto-x/track?

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks,

I was thinking about this myself since I just picked up this exhaust used and do some amateur motorsport stuff. I will keep you posted. Was thinking about building my own brace after trying out the Thermal one. It just needs to incorporate a bolt hole for the hanger that they incorporate into the crossmember. While the thermal crossmember design isn't ideal for strength, it is very thick so it may be sufficient. I also think this area of the chassis is strong to begin with. The fiesta R2 doesn't even use a brace here (granted it is seem welded).

 

[The_Ryan]

I was thinking about this myself since I just picked up this exhaust used and do some amateur motorsport stuff. I will keep you posted. Was thinking about building my own brace after trying out the Thermal one. It just needs to incorporate a bolt hole for the hanger that they incorporate into the crossmember. While the thermal crossmember design isn't ideal for strength, it is very thick so it may be sufficient. I also think this area of the chassis is strong to begin with. The fiesta R2 doesn't even use a brace here (granted it is seem welded).

View attachment 26512

Glad to see I'm not the only one that's had a concern about this. I may be a bit paranoid, but I've just seen a lot of aftermarket "engineering" and "r&d" (aka fitment testing) and been on the bottom end of design decisions that clearly weren't thought all the way through. I'm just looking to avoid that all together

Looking forward to hearing back

 

[PunkST]

Get a mishimoto trunk brace as well and there should be No issues.

 

[The_Ryan]

Get a mishimoto trunk brace as well and there should be No issues.

That's not in the same spot though?

 

[TyphoonFiST]

That's not in the same spot though?

Do you have a trunk brace? If not Get one is what PunkST is saying!

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

 

[The_Ryan]

But I'd still have the same problem.

 

[MagnetiseST]

But I'd still have the same problem.

My roommates 2nd FiST is his track car. He has no mid-ship brace since his 2J exhaust mounts to the same studs. He noticed no difference in the way it drives.

 

[PunkST]

Trust me. Most of the twist is between the upper rear shock towers on a hatch. Its not as bad on a 5 door. (Yay for all the door frame reinforcements) but still there. Its worse on a 3 door ( using my old focus as a measuring stick) the back seats dont really do squat. And the trunk brace does actually help.

Best would be a 1 piece brace that ties the upper shock mounts to the spots where the trunk brace bolts up.. But thats gonna kill use of the hatch.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I was thinking about this myself since I just picked up this exhaust used and do some amateur motorsport stuff. I will keep you posted. Was thinking about building my own brace after trying out the Thermal one. It just needs to incorporate a bolt hole for the hanger that they incorporate into the crossmember. While the thermal crossmember design isn't ideal for strength, it is very thick so it may be sufficient. I also think this area of the chassis is strong to begin with. The fiesta R2 doesn't even use a brace here (granted it is seem welded).

View attachment 26512

That poor little rally car.

It's obviously in tarmac spec, given those tires, and the lack of a skid plate (unless one was installed anyway, and he tore it off in that off/roll).

Again, the whole full FIA spec cage is tied into the unibody everywhere (on TOP of all of the seam/stitch welding you've mentioned), so that negates the need of that center 'brace', in a rally application.

BTW; that pic above is a good depiction of the M-Sport kevlar under-body protection.

 

[PunkST]

^ that lower radiator support though......

 

[AZSP33D]

The nice thing about the Thermal system is that it's heavy/beefy weighs almost 50lbs, and it's very low on the car, and this should benefit the traction limited lightweight fiesta compared to a lightweight system I got for the first Fiesta ST for example... The OEM brace and the Thermal thick aluminum plate would be equivalents... I believe they use this part to install a rubber dampener to eliminate the knocking noise/interference with many big (unnecessarily big short of 400+ HP) 3" exhausts. If you're in SCCA H Street/Stock you cannot replace the stock piece BTW so it's a moot point.

 

[M-Sport fan]

^ that lower radiator support though......

That also serves as a strong front attachment point for the skid plate.

 

[kivnul]

The studs on the car for the mid brace are pretty small. My son snapped one changing out exhausts once and has not noticed it being gone during auto cross. I also have a thermal and do not notice any behavior change due to the brace being different.

 

[Clint Beastwood]

I was thinking about this myself since I just picked up this exhaust used and do some amateur motorsport stuff. I will keep you posted. Was thinking about building my own brace after trying out the Thermal one. It just needs to incorporate a bolt hole for the hanger that they incorporate into the crossmember. While the thermal crossmember design isn't ideal for strength, it is very thick so it may be sufficient. I also think this area of the chassis is strong to begin with. The fiesta R2 doesn't even use a brace here (granted it is seem welded).

View attachment 26512

this pic had me laughing so hard lol - "want to see my new chassis brace?" "sure!" "ok lemme flip 'er over real quick..."