Well after several months, $ and patience they are done. Brad has a set - hopefully he will post some better pics of the layout. Please see http://engmanparts.com for details

Another....

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Packaged!

Mark,
Is this the "U" bracing Brad recommended in one of the cage threads? Was this reinforcement tested before and after installation? I recall Brad saying the boxing of rear arms is not necessary yet many do it...
Felix

Dude!
those look sweet!!!

These are 16g BTW. Today I performed some measurements on stiffness - Car is supported on 4 jackstands at the ends of the rear of each long. Long kit (old one witout the top pieces is installed on the drivers side only) Remove the drivers side jackstand and place wife on passenger rear corner (I will not say what she weights but this is done to keep the car in the rear on the jackstands). Me sits on the drivers side corner above the wheel ( I wieght too much - about 220) measure the amount of movement. Repeat for passenger side.

Results

Passenger side deflection - 1/4"
Drivers side deflection - 1/8"

Now this is not real scientific- my son read the deflection - even accounting for possible errors this is at least a 1/16" improvement. The passenger long above the battery has been repaired - cut out and welded new metal in so I do not think that that was an impact. And the rear connection piece had not been installed. Hope this helps.

M

I may be wrong here, but I think I remember Brad talking about this rather emphatically when he was in Indy last fall. What Brad was saying is that the current chassis stiffening kits available are welded onto the outside and bottom of the longs, but that the inside of the long is where the real structural intergrity needed to be augmented. The longs, from the factory, are "C" shaped with the outside piece welded on, but that outside piece only handles a fraction of the torsional and/or structural rigidity.

I think what he was getting at is that it would take less material more strategically placed to get better results.

I *THINK* this is exactly what Mark addresses with his setup.

Am I making any sense here? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

This looks cool..... but does it work? Has it been tested for any amount of time? If the longs don't give... what will?? Just curious.

Hopefully nothing.

I love the feel of a stiff ride. My 04 Durango is awesomely stiff for such a big vehicle.

So do you have to tack all those holes? Just checking to see if that's how they attach. Kindda like the GT kits for the rear wheel well. I like how all of this design will be covered by interior bits, all stock looking.

Perhaps post a link on the main site to see if this is in fact the kit that Brad was talking about. Looks cool, when I get into my bodywork etc I'll probably go for something like this!

If you are installing a roll cage would these be necessary? I'm thinking that a properly designed cage would take care of the flex.

Yes this was developed based upon Brads input - He has one of these now. I am sure that a roll cage helps but this goes to the source of the flex. Static testing that I have done show a nice improvement. If you want ask Brad in the main forum - I am sure he will comment.


M

Mark nailed this kit EXACTLY like I envisioned. I first did a crude stiffening like this in one of the first 9146 conversion cars I built back in 1995. It totally changed the dynamics of the car with the 6 in it. When you get on the gas in a 2.7 and up 9146 you can feel the chassis twist up like a loaded spring. With my crude kit in place the car didnt have that feeling. It also helped slow down the top squeek and made the windows fit better...LOL

I'll have install pics and a write up for the main BBS late Monday night. The kit Mark shipped to me is ready for install on Monday.

As far as not needing a cage... the cage is for safety. Strength is a by product of what gets built for safety. I honestly believe that this will be stronger than a production type cage where you are limited to a certain number of pickup points. This covers a lot of real estate along the frame rails.

Great job Mark. Cant wait to start selling them.


B

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Mark,

Does your kit interfere with the reinstallation of the speaker grills?

-Rusty (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smoke.gif)

Nope - hole is in it for the screw on the long.

M

Do you recommend installing these plates with the car on the ground or on jack stands to take the stess off the longs?

Does it matter?