crossbars, braces....worth it?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: victorville ca
crossbars, braces....worth it?
I have seen different methods to increase rigidityof car...crossbar, brace...one goes under the car...another in the engine compartment...another behind the seats...which one is best and are they worth it?..i am just an every day driver...'88 L98..i need the room in the back for my wheelchair wheels so dont want to take up much room there...thanks
Elite Torch Red Member
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
Cental/South NJ Events Coordinator
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
All three serve the same general purpose and the ultimate would be to have all three. If I had to choose just one, probably the Cross Frame that's under the car would be the first choice. The Cross Bar that goes behind the seat doesn't interfere too much with the hatch area.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 302
Likes: 0
From: South Haven Michigan
I would do the camber brace first, I noticed a big difference. I have a convertible, so I already had a cross brace under the car. I did put a cross bar on, but didn't notice all that much of a difference.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 641
Likes: 16
From: O'Fallon MO
You're on the right track, Major Improvement, the Cross Bar is the least intrusive in the back. Give Dave Cooper At R-DRacing a call, he'll give you real good turn around on your order.
Last edited by hardlight; Feb 11, 2006 at 09:53 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,036
Likes: 13
From: Edmonton AB
I have and like all three. Cross-Bar came first, followed by the Camber-Brace
and then the Cross-Frame.
How do you place the W/C wheels into the rear compartment? The
C-Bar is 2x2 IIRC and runs across horizontally at about upper chest
or shoulder height. I'd say you should probably provide more info about
needs/constraints and maybe get detailed measurements and photos
before deciding on the C-Bar.
.
and then the Cross-Frame.
How do you place the W/C wheels into the rear compartment? The
C-Bar is 2x2 IIRC and runs across horizontally at about upper chest
or shoulder height. I'd say you should probably provide more info about
needs/constraints and maybe get detailed measurements and photos
before deciding on the C-Bar.
.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: victorville ca
I sit sideways in the drivers seat, legs outside, and slide the wheelchair wheels over the drivers eat into the back so I would need enough clearnance to get them back there...I then sit in the drivers seat and fold my wheelchair and pull it across my body and place in passenger seat..i do bump a couple things as i do this...mainly i hit the rearview mirror.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,036
Likes: 13
From: Edmonton AB
Is the pass seat still in place?
I've seen the hoists guys use to load the chair into the bed of pickups
but short of having someone else load it through the hatch, I'm at a
loss to figure how you could put it anywhere other than the p-side
in a 'Vette. If I'm right, then the p-seat is just dead weight and an
obstacle - lose it, get a bracket to secure the chair and no longer
worry about having it land in your lap at an untimely moment during
a maneuver.
.
I've seen the hoists guys use to load the chair into the bed of pickups
but short of having someone else load it through the hatch, I'm at a
loss to figure how you could put it anywhere other than the p-side
in a 'Vette. If I'm right, then the p-seat is just dead weight and an
obstacle - lose it, get a bracket to secure the chair and no longer
worry about having it land in your lap at an untimely moment during
a maneuver.
.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,592
Likes: 13
From: USA
Originally Posted by JB666
Dave @ RD makes some GREAT products...
I installed a camber brace over a year ago and can highly recommend one. It eliminated tracking on worn pavement, just as Dave said it would.
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 65,811
Likes: 71
From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by Slalom4me
I have and like all three. Cross-Bar came first, followed by the Camber-Brace
and then the Cross-Frame.
How do you place the W/C wheels into the rear compartment? The
C-Bar is 2x2 IIRC and runs across horizontally at about upper chest
or shoulder height. I'd say you should probably provide more info about
needs/constraints and maybe get detailed measurements and photos
before deciding on the C-Bar.
.
and then the Cross-Frame.
How do you place the W/C wheels into the rear compartment? The
C-Bar is 2x2 IIRC and runs across horizontally at about upper chest
or shoulder height. I'd say you should probably provide more info about
needs/constraints and maybe get detailed measurements and photos
before deciding on the C-Bar.
.
I also had all three but have now replaced the Cross Bar with the S/T Frame Support which is a 4 point roll bar. Obviously that wouldn't work for you. I installed the Cross Bar first and noticed quite a bit more precision in cornering. Ditto when I next installed R-D's camber brace. The Cross Frame was a great addition too but may not be for everyone depending on how much ground clearance you need. It's no problem in normal driving but if you go in and out of convoluted driveways or such, it will scrape occasionally. And if you want to lower the car very much, it becomes worse of course. All three of these products are well designed and it shows in the ease of installation. Even the roll bar only took me a few hours to install. And I'm very meticulous in everything I do on this car. This was not my reason for responding to this thread, but if you decide the Cross Bar would work for you, mine's for sale and fits mid '90 to '96 coupes. Anything that stiffens these cars is an asset in my opinion. Aside from better and more predictable handling, it's got to be a benefit to the car as a whole too, by my way of thinking, by reducing body and chassis flex.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: victorville ca
the passenger seat is still there...if i do have a passenger they can put the chair and wheels in the back for me..it all fits...thanks for all the responses..i am going to start with the camber brace i the engine compartment and go from there