Tunnel Brace Effectiveness

[Wicked 3800 V6]

I've been contemplating removing the factory tunnel brace. It recently started (i think) banging against the I-pipe. Now, I have a 6-pt welded roll bar in the car, a STB, and NO SFCs. I'm wondering if anything would suffer if I removed the brace. My guess -- no. For a while I was going to get a BMR / Spohn / etc unit, but I figure, why waste the $90. Too bad Spectacle Solutions doesn't make one (and they raised the prices on their SFCs! like $65+).
Thoughts? I'm thinking -- weight reduction.
-Rob

[ March 12, 2003: Message edited by: Wicked 3800 V6 ]</p>

[black98V6]

I would bet you could have one made up at a machine shop for less than $50 that would do just as good as BMR..

yeah spectacle raised the price to cover the cost of powdercoating their sfc's

[ March 12, 2003: Message edited by: black98V6 ]</p>

[Dominic]

While the brace is strong, there is not much structural loading in that area at all and I have heard most people claim "it didn't help a bit"

You're better off spending a few more dollars for subframes, however since you have a cage I don't know if they will be quite as helpful as they might on a non caged car. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Wicked 3800 V6]

So it's no prob. if I remove the thing and put nothing in it's place, eh? Maybe a DS Loop when I run 11's ... riiiiight.
-Rob

[CamaroRob97]

ya that thing hits against my i-pipe also. I bent it down some but still hits if braking to hard or bumps. I was thinking of taking it off myself,

[Dominic]

Yeah removing the stock one will cause no issues. Many people do it for dual exhaust as it is. ;)

[Silver2000V6]

Mine has been off for about a year no with no problems. I haven't noticed any difference at all.

[chas]

while the tunnel brace doesnt provide much in the way of bracing it does act as a driveshaft safety loop. if the driveshaft breaks, can you say pole vault?

[viper98885]

I guess I will be the oddball on this one and say that I did tell a difference between NO tunnel brace and my BMR one. Not a lot of difference, but you can tell.

[Wicked 3800 V6]

!tunnel brace over here, now. Noticed no difference, except, of course, no more banging. The idea that it's in fact a safety item, and not a suspension bracing piece just hit me, so I'll keep in mind a DS loop, btu for now, hooray, a lil' weight reduction, rattle reduction.
BTW, the underside of my car was dirty as a mofo. Over spring break I guess I'll scrub the thing.
-Rob

[12secondv6]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by chas:
while the tunnel brace doesnt provide much in the way of bracing it does act as a driveshaft safety loop. if the driveshaft breaks, can you say pole vault?<hr></blockquote>

Pole vault OR it comes straight through the floor and F's up the occupants!!

Keep it in, or if you ditch it get a d/s safety loop instead!

[RamAir95TA]

You can remove it with no problems. The g-load brace doesn't do much to begin with, although a driveshaft safety loop is a good investment. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[AllTheGoodNamesAreGone]

Find a friend w/a welder and a drill press.. and fab up your own.. I will be doing it as soon as I get the time.. dont risk it..

~Billy

[JAM]

James is right, use it, replace it, or get a drive shaft saftely loop if you get rid of yours. ;)