What is this, a Fiesta RST? TB Traction/Torsion bars installed.

[Rejeme]

Torsion rear, traction goes up front.

 

[Kip2MyLou]

Oh okay, but the 2pt brace from Pierce is the same as the traction bar, correct?

 

[iso100]

Oh okay, but the 2pt brace from Pierce is the same as the traction bar, correct?

Yes, similar in function but different in how they mount and how they're constructed.

Pierce requires removing the bolts. TB just requires loosening.

 

[Kip2MyLou]

Yes, similar in function but different in how they mount and how they're constructed.

Pierce requires removing the bolts. TB just requires loosening.

Okay. I have the Pierce brace, I was just wondering if I was missing out on something. Thanks!

 

[Hypntick]

So I got mine in the mail today...purple?

 

[k757]

So I got mine in the mail today...purple?

At least it's not pink. Default color used to be black

 

[Hypntick]

Yeah I just went ahead and did a quick dip job on it, black now lol.

 

[k757]

Maybe just rattle can job would work too

 

[Hypntick]

Oh I'm sure, just used what I had on hand at the time. Anyone with any install advice? Lift required or will jack stands do?

 

[no-pistons]

Just out of curiosity, what made you guys choose that front brace over the Pierce unit?

 

[rodmoe]

Oh I'm sure, just used what I had on hand at the time. Anyone with any install advice? Lift required or will jack stands do?

Left would make it easier than jack stands as the bolts are in very tight and you need to put weight on the a arm when you torque it back in The book says lower the car 5mm or 1/2 inch on to the springs so the a arm has weight on it. (I just used a floor jack to lift the a arm that much then torque it home) Since you won't need to remove the bolts it should be a quick job for ya then..

 

[RAAMaudio]

I love modding cars as much or more than most anybody and have done it for decades.

The Ford race shop manager at MMP, in charge of dozens of race cars and some really nuts custom builds as well as the Octane cars had a good look at my two point brace/rear undertray mount/inverted wickerbill and love it. I asked him what he thought about 4 and 6 point braces and he said not needed which I agreed upon as had not made one.

Even though I had expert advice far beyond all of us here I know the only way to really prove it would be serious testing which I doubt will ever happen. I prefer to take real world advice, my own and especially somebody like him over somebody wanting to sell me a product.

No offense meant in the least, some very nice things being made for this car.

Rick

 

[praecurvo]

Update.

I have ordered and will be installing TB's Trunk Brace to add more oversteer (on Danny @TB's suggestion). It seems the more I toss the car around (with TB's front 2 point and rear torsion brace), the less she rotates compared to stock. Don't get me wrong, the car feels so much more stable at speed, competent, and predictable. On the other hand, I really enjoy the rotation from my older FoST and would like very much to introduce it to the FiST.

Stay tuned...

 

[Rhinopolis]

Update.

I have ordered and will be installing TB's Trunk Brace to add more oversteer (on Danny @TB's suggestion). It seems the more I toss the car around (with TB's front 2 point and rear torsion brace), the less she rotates compared to stock. Don't get me wrong, the car feels so much more stable at speed, competent, and predictable. On the other hand, I really enjoy the rotation from my older FoST and would like very much to introduce it to the FiST.

Stay tuned...

This is what I am trying to decide on right now too. I am in the process of building my car up for track days starting around Oct., and currently I have a Cobb rear sway bar plus Pierce FSTB as my only additional bracing.

I noticed with the rear sway that the car felt more composed and taught from the rear, but it still is obvious that it's a FWD when I feel it pushing in to corners. I want to find the sweet spot between control and a playful nature.

I am trying to decide between the TB and Pierce braces, and more specifically the TB trunk brace. I came out of a mx5 into the FiST, and I had a rear shock tower brace plus thicker rear sway on that car, and I had no problems controlling the rear with that setup going in to and exiting out of corners at any speed.

What I want to avoid is snap oversteer, and from what it sounds like, praecurvo is being instructed by TB to add the trunk brace plus torsion bar. I imagine that the combo of a rear sway plus trunk brace wouldn't be any more extreme than a trunk brace plus torsion bar?

 

[praecurvo]

This is what I am trying to decide on right now too. I am in the process of building my car up for track days starting around Oct., and currently I have a Cobb rear sway bar plus Pierce FSTB as my only additional bracing.

I noticed with the rear sway that the car felt more composed and taught from the rear, but it still is obvious that it's a FWD when I feel it pushing in to corners. I want to find the sweet spot between control and a playful nature.

I am trying to decide between the TB and Pierce braces, and more specifically the TB trunk brace. I came out of a mx5 into the FiST, and I had a rear shock tower brace plus thicker rear sway on that car, and I had no problems controlling the rear with that setup going in to and exiting out of corners at any speed.

What I want to avoid is snap oversteer, and from what it sounds like, praecurvo is being instructed by TB to add the trunk brace plus torsion bar. I imagine that the combo of a rear sway plus trunk brace wouldn't be any more extreme than a trunk brace plus torsion bar?

This will be seen once I receive and install the trunk brace. You and I can be the tests for differences between a RSB and torsion brace with the rest being similar.

Excited!

 

[Rhinopolis]

I have some questions that I would like to ask TB 1st and before I make any purchases, but I agree that it's exciting to test new parts combos on our cars, and I look forward to sharing the info that we learn

 

[Rhinopolis]

I purchased a Pierce mid brace plus their 4 point chassis brace (20% off July 4th promo) and I am going to remove my rear seats as well. Once I test out the handling of the car with the new bracing minus the weight of the rear seats (my spare tire etc was taken out the 1st day I bought the car), I will decide if I want the TB "trunk brace" in addition to my rear sway.

I plan to add a upgraded radiator / oil cooler once a system becomes available, and I've already upgraded the FMIC. More weight being added to nose with an ever increasingly lightened rear end and more taught chassis, should make for an interesting point and shoot platform. I'm looking forward to seeing what effects all of this has on the car

 

[praecurvo]

Very interesting indeed.

 

[RAAMaudio]

I would test in stages if you have the time, brace then seat or seat out then brace.

If tracking the car I found with my 225 race tires and BBK's I could brake very late at 130 MPH but the rear of the car became unsettled a bit unless I had the tank at least 5/8 full, the lower it got the more the rear loosened up.

Rear seat, spare, trim out of the car, 8lb battery in the back, all the excess weight I could find to take out under the hood, oil cooler and J-Line IC.
With the DHM bumber beam and IC it will help as it took quite a bit more weight off the front as only 4lbs heavier than the stock IC and bumper!



I get the idea of point and shoot, I have done that in FWD autocrossing using a bit of Scandinavian flick even on higher speed layouts, much fun
Be careful as the stock alignment is setup for over steer and you could lose it if to aggressive working up to higher speeds.

 

[Rhinopolis]

Yeah, high speed stability is what I am going to monitor most closely. I've yet to have the car over 120 (no reason just not interested) and I've not been on a road course yet either. There are some nice "twisties" not too far from the house that allow me to test the car out in low speed (60 to under 30 mph) corners and sweepers, and then there's a section too where I take left and right hand long sweepers at 75-80. Once I add these braces, I will test how the car behaves and modify.

I realize that high speed braking is a totally different setup, and one that I have never adjusted before. Perhaps adding a custom sprung coil over setup with unique calibrations might do well for this? Stiffer and lower rear with a mildly more loose front? I'm probably way off base as like I said, uncharted territory for me.