Pic of C4 frame brace stiffness demo
04-09-2012, 11:01 AM
#22
Tech Contributor
04-09-2012, 01:47 PM
#23
Max G’s
I change a lot of tires as well and jack mine up in the center. The reason for this is it will teeter on the jack if the jack is placed too far forward or too far back. And when I get the car up on jack stands I just jack up one side place both jacks, fore and aft, and then the other side the same way. I just had my car up swapping tires Fri night and thought about a thread similar to this one that was around a few months ago. I should have got my camera.
04-09-2012, 06:52 PM
#24
Safety Car
93Rubie. I hope to be at Corvettes at Carlisle in August. Having eye surgery in July which I hope goes OK so cannot be 100% sure I will be there. You can drive my car and see how it feels if I can make it there.
Jason of Vette2Vette has become a friend of mine through me buying parts from him and from writing the magazine article. He says that Gordon treats him as the son he never had. He says Gordon offered this idea to the Corvette plant while he was working there but the engineers turned it down (don't remember the reason). Gordon gave him the plans for this technology as a gift and said he could use it.
Have you ever priced Heim joints? Not cheap and there are 4 of them. The cost of liability insurance almost brought this project to a halt. The factory that makes the kit is well respected in the Corvette resto rod business and has been featured in many magazines. I am not allowed to give out their name though.
Once again - I have no financial interest in the sales of this kit. Just trying to get the word out to those who hate the way their C4s flex and want a solution that still offers easy access to the undercarriage.
I'm not sure what kind of engineering test could be performed to prove they work. Maybe run a car on an autocross course with and without them installed. How could you make sure the driver was not prejudiced and was consistent with his or her runs?
I attended a C4 class put on by Chris Petris at a Chevy dealer in St Charles, IL. We had one of the attendee's C4s on a rack and the owner asked what Chris would recommend to help the car handle better on a road course. He showed us how a convertible X brace could easily be fitted to the car and felt this was the best way to go (think this was in 2005). But he warned that any time the owner wanted to do exhaust, tranny, driveline work or change out a starter or fuel filter that the brace would have to be removed or it would cause you to do a lot of contortionist tricks for some of those jobs.
Gordon Killebrew is a smart man with an uncanny memory and lots of horse savvy. He was an integral part of the factory team that built the ZR-1. If you attend one of his seminars this summer maybe you can ask him about this product.
Jason of Vette2Vette has become a friend of mine through me buying parts from him and from writing the magazine article. He says that Gordon treats him as the son he never had. He says Gordon offered this idea to the Corvette plant while he was working there but the engineers turned it down (don't remember the reason). Gordon gave him the plans for this technology as a gift and said he could use it.
Have you ever priced Heim joints? Not cheap and there are 4 of them. The cost of liability insurance almost brought this project to a halt. The factory that makes the kit is well respected in the Corvette resto rod business and has been featured in many magazines. I am not allowed to give out their name though.
Once again - I have no financial interest in the sales of this kit. Just trying to get the word out to those who hate the way their C4s flex and want a solution that still offers easy access to the undercarriage.
I'm not sure what kind of engineering test could be performed to prove they work. Maybe run a car on an autocross course with and without them installed. How could you make sure the driver was not prejudiced and was consistent with his or her runs?
I attended a C4 class put on by Chris Petris at a Chevy dealer in St Charles, IL. We had one of the attendee's C4s on a rack and the owner asked what Chris would recommend to help the car handle better on a road course. He showed us how a convertible X brace could easily be fitted to the car and felt this was the best way to go (think this was in 2005). But he warned that any time the owner wanted to do exhaust, tranny, driveline work or change out a starter or fuel filter that the brace would have to be removed or it would cause you to do a lot of contortionist tricks for some of those jobs.
Gordon Killebrew is a smart man with an uncanny memory and lots of horse savvy. He was an integral part of the factory team that built the ZR-1. If you attend one of his seminars this summer maybe you can ask him about this product.
Yeah, I guess when one thinks about it 525 inst too bad.
My point still stands until I have some solid evidence, detailed pics, data, driving experience, etc...hard for me to shell out the bucks for it.
Needless to say however, if this device does in deed work and is proven too. It will be a welcome addition to any C4. Should at the very least help with the squeaks and rattles.
04-09-2012, 10:34 PM
#25
Le Mans Master
Even a test of jacking at the same point with and without the bar connected to a set height and then measuring the distance at a select point on the front would be interesting to see if there was a detectable difference.
I'm curious as to why they chose actual rod ends as opposed to solid rod ends. (After thinking about this, I think the rod ends are probably there to account for variance in the brackets/mountings so things will line up.)
I'm curious as to why they chose actual rod ends as opposed to solid rod ends. (After thinking about this, I think the rod ends are probably there to account for variance in the brackets/mountings so things will line up.)
Last edited by USAsOnlyWay; 04-11-2012 at 04:10 PM.
04-12-2012, 09:50 PM
#26
I just finished installing the vette2vette frame brace today. The difference in the feel of tbe car is very noticable, all the creaking and popping of the top is gone and the car feels more solid. I think ypu guys are looking at this all wrong. You are looking at what you are getting for $500 instead of what it does. You pay a $1000 a year for a cell phone for what it does, not what it is. If someone took your car and kept it for a few days and when you got it back you could tell this much difference in it, you would think $500 was a bargin.
04-12-2012, 11:22 PM
#28
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
You've got something like 8" of suspension travel here. trying to measure the amount of frame flex with wheel travel in the equation...it won't work that way.
Put something solid under the rear of the frame. Get the jack under the front of the frame (where you have it in your pic). See how far you can jack your frame before the rear fits off the solid object.
04-13-2012, 10:03 AM
#29
Burning Brakes
I see no reason NOT to do this mod to my Z.
04-13-2012, 11:44 AM
#30
Le Mans Master
If you don't want to do the mod, then don't. Not sure why you're concerned with what I do???????
Last edited by Vette Daddy; 04-13-2012 at 11:49 AM.
04-13-2012, 12:28 PM
#31
Burning Brakes
If you don't want to do the mod, then don't. Not sure why you're concerned with what I do???????
There's no reason for me NOT to spend all my savings on the lottery, is there? After all, some people win. But that's not a good enough reason to get me to do it.
04-13-2012, 12:38 PM
#32
Le Mans Master
Well, there's no strange logic behind my decision. The mod works. I've experienced the difference between having it or NOT having it on a C4.
If you couldn't care less, then why even make the smartazz comment?
If you couldn't care less, then why even make the smartazz comment?
04-13-2012, 12:52 PM
#33
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St. Jude Donor '05
People will pay $525 because its easy. Worth it to some complete ripoff in others eyes.
If you have any fab/welding skills at all $20 worth of steel and $10 in hardware can build something a hell of a lot more stout.
If you have any fab/welding skills at all $20 worth of steel and $10 in hardware can build something a hell of a lot more stout.
04-13-2012, 01:08 PM
#34
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If I had $525 to invest on frame rigidness I would buy and install roll cage. The stock set up plus the camber brace is great for what I do.
I wonder how many people bought this tube, installed it, drove around the block then parked the Vette in a garage for the rest of the year.
04-13-2012, 01:35 PM
#35
Race Director
I'm guessing about 85%... roughly the same percentage as those who do brake upgrades, add power, and install coil overs but don't drive them because they are scared of rock chips.
04-13-2012, 01:36 PM
#36
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St. Jude Donor '05
pete
04-13-2012, 01:44 PM
#37
Le Mans Master
Well what else are you going to brag about at a car show. Saying you only have 11,000 miles on the car only goes so far.
04-13-2012, 01:45 PM
#38
Here Here - You are so correct
I just finished installing the vette2vette frame brace today. The difference in the feel of tbe car is very noticable, all the creaking and popping of the top is gone and the car feels more solid. I think ypu guys are looking at this all wrong. You are looking at what you are getting for $500 instead of what it does. You pay a $1000 a year for a cell phone for what it does, not what it is. If someone took your car and kept it for a few days and when you got it back you could tell this much difference in it, you would think $500 was a bargin.
"Many know the price of everything but the value of nothing."
04-13-2012, 01:56 PM
#39
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St. Jude Donor '10
$500 isn't a lot of money to some people, it is to others.... Certainly not in the same price category as the suggested titanium frame.
Everyone Ive talked to really has enjoyed it on their cars.
Last edited by SurfnSun; 04-13-2012 at 01:59 PM.
04-13-2012, 02:03 PM
#40
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Co-winner 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
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