[wnta1ss]

Originally Posted by Arex

So is that why people are getting tower braces?

The SS coupe already has braces from the strut towers to the firewall in stock form. Does adding another brace mean anything on this car, I don't know.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Arex

So is that why people are getting tower braces? I read that double wishbone is a better design for performance since mcphersons causes tires to have less surface contact? How do tower braces affect daily drivability though? Does it make bumps more harsh?

Tower braces aren't too expensive, easy to install, and on earlier MacStrut cars that weren't all that rigid they would have helped more. On newer cars, they're more of a mod for NVH improvement - which maybe shouldn't be discounted because a car that "feels" more rigid (because it's not vibrating as much) may allow the driver to feel more comfortable himself about driving it harder than he might otherwise. After all, improved handling is part car development and part "driver mod".

Strut suspensions don't have very good camber recovery in roll (i.e. cornering), and a tower brace ties the two strut tops together. The idea being to make the strut tower on the inside of the corner help out the more heavily loaded outboard tower. Tower displacement - the amount it moves under load - is what a tower brace is intended to equalize, as this helps the more important outboard tire more than it hurts the less important inboard one.

Chances are you'd notice a slightly smoother or solid-feeling ride, mostly because adding this brace changes the vibration characteristics of the car - at least the front end of it. There are many different structural vibration modes in a car's structure, at all different frequencies, and a properly designed brace will chase some of the more annoying ones off to higher frequencies and different locations where they aren't as noticeable.


Norm

[PolynesianPowerhouse]

Originally Posted by Akura

Anyone is using the ducts for his DD use?

I'm in the process of purchasing the ducts. Apparently the plastic ducts are mounted to the rails already. So they are in use at all times. The funnel air through the fender liners and are of plastic.

The metal scoops are the part that add on to deflect air and scoop from underneath.

I can't speak on if anyone uses em for a dd.

[PolynesianPowerhouse]

Originally Posted by wnta1ss

I opened up the kit that came with my SS and the following will be the numbers that are printed on the parts:

Instruction sheet Part No. 23385148
small splash shield (side??) 23385146
small splash shield (side??) 23385147
tall deflector (RH) 23508023
tall deflector (LH) 23508022

These are all of the items that were in the kit. The 'small splash shield' is a metal piece that seems to replace the backing plate, and the 'tall deflector' is plastic and seems to mount to the lower control arm. There were no fasteners in this kit, so it appears that either you just reuse the stock ones, or they fell out of the hole in the bag.

Highly appreciate that...just saw this!

[PolynesianPowerhouse]

Slowly getting there....

Waiting for the ducts that go through the fender liners now

[locktyght]

I have the optional 6 pistons on my car, does anyone know if this changes the on spindle part of the air deflectors use? Are they to be used, or is this only for standard optioned brakes?

[2SSRS@Gen5diy]

Yes they work, too good, after a good track day you need to spend 1 hr to pull all the rubber of your rimes, lol and we have them on the the 2SS all the time car is stock height and we have not scrape on speed bumps or dips.

[Mountain]

Originally Posted by NCSD

For the people who just leave the ducts on all the time for DD. Do they ever scrape on speed bumps or dips? I haven't even jacked up my car yet to look at it yet, But,are they a problem if you leave them on 100% of the time? When would it be an issue?

The only thing that's happened to me is a stray shopping bag got caught on the lower portion of the control arm deflector

[Hooves]

Originally Posted by NCSD

For the people who just leave the ducts on all the time for DD. Do they ever scrape on speed bumps or dips? I haven't even jacked up my car yet to look at it yet, But,are they a problem if you leave them on 100% of the time? When would it be an issue?

I've got speed "humps" in my neighborhood. If I try to drive over the center they'll scrape. No big deal though, because they aren't structural and certainly aren't designed to be. These will definitely snap back if you hit anything of substance.

You won't scrape on speed bumps since the whole car is being lifted up. These will only scrape or hit things you drive over that are between your tires.

[Boilermaker128]

What about all the added dirt, road debris, water, etc being funnelled into your brakes? I think that's why they're only for track use.

[MatthewAMEL]

Originally Posted by Boilermaker128

What about all the added dirt, road debris, water, etc being funnelled into your brakes? I think that's why they're only for track use.

:whs:

The worst possible scenario is some spirited canyon or mountain driving and then running through some standing water/runoff from a golf course, shopping mall, etc...

Instant rotor warp. (Ask me how I know)