Anyone have this? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

monte1214 · 03-21-2016, 08:36 PM

My car is lowered with the 3" exhaust, but I still have the stock "plates".
Does anyone have this, and can comment?

http://www.phastekperformance.com/20...moly-brace.htm

dbauer · 03-23-2016, 11:52 AM

I've got one, had it on about two years. It will definitely give you more room for your exhaust, which is why I purchased it. It is also more rigid than the two steel plates that it replaces. My only issue was that I had to modify it a bit to get it to fit. I had to have a couple of the holes widened about 1/2" so that I could get the bolts through all of the holes. Was it worth $500? Not if you are going to modify and upgrade your suspension as well, but I knew I wouldn't be doing that for several summers anyway.

monte1214 · 03-23-2016, 12:39 PM

I'm lowered and have the 3" LG Motorsports Exhaust.
I'd like to gain some clearance with the brace but not sure it'll help?

2012LS3VERT · 03-23-2016, 01:08 PM

It will reduce your ground clearance slightly, if that is what you are asking.

monte1214 · 03-23-2016, 07:20 PM

Oh, ok...I was wondering if it'd give me a little more clearance than I have already.
With the lowered Vert and those plates, I rub alot.

bsimms89 · 03-24-2016, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbauer

I've got one, had it on about two years. It will definitely give you more room for your exhaust, which is why I purchased it. It is also more rigid than the two steel plates that it replaces. My only issue was that I had to modify it a bit to get it to fit. I had to have a couple of the holes widened about 1/2" so that I could get the bolts through all of the holes. Was it worth $500? Not if you are going to modify and upgrade your suspension as well, but I knew I wouldn't be doing that for several summers anyway.

I've got one too and its exactly like he said, I needed to open a couple of the holes a little to get it to line up too. And yes you will lose a little clearance, its to give you more room between the tunnel and the brace so you can fit a bigger exhaust without hitting the brace.

monte1214 · 03-24-2016, 09:40 AM

So...the Brace is "thicker" than the plates then, making the car sit lower?

dbauer · 03-24-2016, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monte1214

So...the Brace is "thicker" than the plates then, making the car sit lower?

The brace is tubular steel, and will hang lower to the ground, allowing for more space between the bottom of the car and the brace, making room for bigger exhaust. The steel plates it replaces lay straight across, where this brace gives more space.
The car itself doesn't sit lower, but the brace hangs down lower than the steel plates it replaces.

2011WhiteSS · 03-27-2016, 05:31 PM

I have a 2014 SS A6 Convertible. I installed TSP 2" Headers/TSP 3" Exhaust.

After the install of the full TSP exhaust none of the factory crossmember plates or braces wouldn't even come close to bolting back into place. There is 3 OEM flat plates. Front/middle/tunnel. Along with that there is 2 metal strips that tie at 3 points into the corner of the rocker panel and the front cradle bolt and the rear convertible trunk well.

I bought the Hotchkis Chassis Brace thinking this would be perfect to solve my issues.

I even bought and installed the optional 1/2" spacer to give it better clearance for the 3" exhaust and it STILL rubs on the tunnel plate.

Even though it is pushing the X-pipe up and is laying on the center section of the Hotchkis brace, it helped tighten the chassis up but only in the rear. The front seems as if it's loose and twisting. I see and feel ALOT of cowl/windshield shake.

I was able to machine some spacers 1.125" to use on the rear most mounting bolts for the convert strips mentioned above. And just that was noticeable difference in tightening the rear feel of the car. (I prob push the car to its limits more than most so I do feel the small differences that these changes make.)

So I'm thinking this ARH brace would give the needed clearance at the tunnel and take care of the middle brace that's missing and if I remove the middle section of the Hotchkis Kit I could keep the trianglated left/right pieces. Then either space the last front crossmember or get a front subframe/cradle brace or both. Lol

Is it possible to brace and stiffen a chassis TOO MUCH??

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03-21-2016, 08:36 PM	#1
monte1214 Drives: 2013 Camaro SS Convertible Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Bowmanville, ON Posts: 295 View My Garage	Anyone have this? My car is lowered with the 3" exhaust, but I still have the stock "plates". Does anyone have this, and can comment? http://www.phastekperformance.com/20...moly-brace.htm

03-27-2016, 05:31 PM	#9
2011WhiteSS Drives: 2011 White 2SS Join Date: May 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 408	Anyone have this? I have a 2014 SS A6 Convertible. I installed TSP 2" Headers/TSP 3" Exhaust. After the install of the full TSP exhaust none of the factory crossmember plates or braces wouldn't even come close to bolting back into place. There is 3 OEM flat plates. Front/middle/tunnel. Along with that there is 2 metal strips that tie at 3 points into the corner of the rocker panel and the front cradle bolt and the rear convertible trunk well. I bought the Hotchkis Chassis Brace thinking this would be perfect to solve my issues. I even bought and installed the optional 1/2" spacer to give it better clearance for the 3" exhaust and it STILL rubs on the tunnel plate. Even though it is pushing the X-pipe up and is laying on the center section of the Hotchkis brace, it helped tighten the chassis up but only in the rear. The front seems as if it's loose and twisting. I see and feel ALOT of cowl/windshield shake. I was able to machine some spacers 1.125" to use on the rear most mounting bolts for the convert strips mentioned above. And just that was noticeable difference in tightening the rear feel of the car. (I prob push the car to its limits more than most so I do feel the small differences that these changes make.) So I'm thinking this ARH brace would give the needed clearance at the tunnel and take care of the middle brace that's missing and if I remove the middle section of the Hotchkis Kit I could keep the trianglated left/right pieces. Then either space the last front crossmember or get a front subframe/cradle brace or both. Lol Is it possible to brace and stiffen a chassis TOO MUCH?? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03-23-2016, 11:52 AM	#2
dbauer Drives: '11 2SS/RS LS3 M6 Convertible Join Date: May 2011 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 37	I've got one, had it on about two years. It will definitely give you more room for your exhaust, which is why I purchased it. It is also more rigid than the two steel plates that it replaces. My only issue was that I had to modify it a bit to get it to fit. I had to have a couple of the holes widened about 1/2" so that I could get the bolts through all of the holes. Was it worth $500? Not if you are going to modify and upgrade your suspension as well, but I knew I wouldn't be doing that for several summers anyway.

03-23-2016, 12:39 PM	#3
monte1214 Drives: 2013 Camaro SS Convertible Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Bowmanville, ON Posts: 295 View My Garage	I'm lowered and have the 3" LG Motorsports Exhaust. I'd like to gain some clearance with the brace but not sure it'll help?

03-23-2016, 01:08 PM	#4
2012LS3VERT Drives: 2012 2SSRS Vert, Black w/M6 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Montgomery, AL Posts: 1,265	It will reduce your ground clearance slightly, if that is what you are asking.

03-23-2016, 07:20 PM	#5
monte1214 Drives: 2013 Camaro SS Convertible Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Bowmanville, ON Posts: 295 View My Garage	Oh, ok...I was wondering if it'd give me a little more clearance than I have already. With the lowered Vert and those plates, I rub alot.

03-24-2016, 09:40 AM	#7
monte1214 Drives: 2013 Camaro SS Convertible Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Bowmanville, ON Posts: 295 View My Garage	So...the Brace is "thicker" than the plates then, making the car sit lower?