Rear seat braces

[IrvJr]

I put the rear seat braces in today. I did the do it yourself style with the 3/4" conduit. It was a PITA, but hopefully it will be worth it. I only got a small test run in afterwards. Im hoping to improve my short times. I have dual airbags, poly lower bushings and a pinion snubber. Even with the Nittos i can only manage a best of 1.99 60'.
What are some of your guys real world improvements with just the rear seat braces?

Scott

 

[ALBERTAN]

The car will feel a bit tighter (front triangulating braces are better), but I doubt it'll do a whole lot for your 60's. Losing the snubber would probably help more. BTW I am guessing you have a peg leg. If not try actually launching with some boost. That's the quickest cure to poor 60's.

 

[Sinful6]

Well, it helped my car with T-Tops from rattling... but I don't see(and didn't receive) any 60' benefit. I don't see how it could ever help 60' times, but whatever floats your boat I guess...

BTW, if you want to better your short times, lose the snubber...


-DC


P.S. I suggest some John Force-type burnouts with the nittos(read:LONG). Just my experience.

 

[J Banning]

I'd expect NO improvements in my 60' times with the braces.

I'll be doing the braces myself, just to help tighten the car up and reduce any squeaks/rattles (every little bit helps!). What lengths of conduit did you use? Where'd you get the instructions/plans?

One other question regarding the rear braces. Everyone says to do it so that you don't get cracks around the rear windows. Has ANYONE ever seen this happen? I haven't, and I'm curious.

Thanks,
-Banning.

 

[IrvJr]

I do have posi. The best 60 was with a long burnout.

I got the plans form this site doing a search.

And i have cracks at the A pillar and B pillar on both sides of the car.

Does the snubber really hurt the 60's, if so its gone.

Scott

 

[Sinful6]

My T-Top car was cracking above the rear quarter windows, after I installed the braces, the cracking no longer persisted, and I lost a few squeaks. I've seen a few other GN's with the cracking, some people suggest a torque strap has a big impact on it.

Banning, I've been thinking about fabricating some of these braces myself, from what I gather, use 4 pieces of 3/4in. thin-wall electrical conduit, 24"(2ct) 26"(2ct), smash the ends in a vice, etc... for hardware use 3/8" bolts with nylon washers. Let me know when you take this task on as we may be able to help eachother.


Irv- You will definitely pick up at least .2 on your 60'
with no other changes, just curious, but what psi. are you leaving with?



-DC

 

[GrndNatnl]

I've been interested in making the rear seat braces myself also. I just wrote down those materials, and I'm going to stop in Home Depot tomorrow and see what they have.

What do you mean in your measurements by "2ct" ? You mean two 24" lengths, and two 26" lengths? Which lengths go where?

I want to test my fabrication skills. Banning, let me know if you work on this any time soon, I can come by, or we could work on it here. Should have all the tools here.

 

[IrvJr]

I have left with as much as 5 psi. I know some cars can hook and some cant. I always assumed mine was one of the latter. But i have a set of rear control arms coming and im going to box all four and replace the rest of he bushings with poly.

Scott

 

[Vendor Defendor]

does anyone have a picture of this? because if it does really help with up to .2 off of the 60ft time i wil do it, but im a little confused as to where these bolt up to. and do you bolt them up or weld them up?

you know what would be nice, and its probably there i just missed it, for this to be in the how to section of gnttype.org

-neil

 

[Sinful6]

The .2 reduction was meant for the removal of the snubber.

As for the braces, this is the best picture I could find of what they'll look like, and where to drill.

Yes, by (2ct) I meant 2 lengths of each size.

I'm interested in your guys' project if you decide to work it together.

-DC

 

[GrndNatnl]

Sinful6, where about are you located? Are you nearby us?

(Also, if so, you know of the club?)

 

[Sinful6]

No, I'm way down in the Sunshine State

 

[GrndNatnl]

Ooh, you lucky bastard. I'll be living there someday... some... day..

 

[snistrgn]

I wanna know how the removal of the snubber helps 60'. I thought the prevention of axle wrap was a good thing.

 

[ALBERTAN]

As soon as your suspension hits the snubber everything get's unloaded. That would be a bad thing.

 

[snistrgn]

Thank you for shedding some light on the subject. I guess with two airbags the snubber is obsolete anway.

 

[Vendor Defendor]

hey snistrgn heres an old thread i started about the pinion snubber topic, maybe it will help out...

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=64040

-neil

 

[IrvJr]

I put mine on the inside of the seat because of the stereo. And is it necessary to have the center bolts share a hole with both sides? I will post the pics as soon i get them back.

Scott

 

[Ken Cunningham]

Originally posted by J Banning
One other question regarding the rear braces. Everyone says to do it so that you don't get cracks around the rear windows. Has ANYONE ever seen this happen? I haven't, and I'm curious.

Thanks,
-Banning.

I am driving my 3rd TR. The first two had cracks at the 'a' and the 'b' pillars. My current T is the fastest of the lot and does not have the cracks. Just lucky, I guess.

 

[snistrgn]

Do you have to remove the backrest to run the bolts through? My car is alllll the way downstairs in the garage and I'm too lazy to go look. (Monster Garage is on too!!!)