Cusco Underbody Brace

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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 05:50 PM
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Cusco Underbody Brace

Does anybody have this installed on the car with pics of how it looks like?



Also, does it make a noticeable difference.

http://www.heeltoeauto.com/Cusco-Fro...-pr-53087.html
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 06:02 PM
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i did.

i didn't feel THAT big of a difference.

i don't have pictures anymore.. =\
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 06:09 PM
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I also saw on Ebay one for the front (or does the one showed above go in the front)

I know the sway bar makes a difference. I'm thinking of getting the F2 Type 1's in March, along with a Cusco Strut bar, sway bar and possibly this brace.

We'll see how it handles after all the upgrades lol
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 06:11 PM
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that goes on the front right under the flex pipe.. or close to it.
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 06:12 PM
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jk, i found it..



mine got all beaten up.. lol
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 06:35 PM
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^the cost of riding low.
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 06:44 PM
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that might just be the last thing I'll end up doing then. Thanks for the info.
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 07:20 PM
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better then scraping your exhaust though, think of it as a sort of skid plate if you will
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 07:20 PM
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I remember like a 1-2 years ago someones cusco under brace on here got ripped off, shit was crazy.....
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 07:22 PM
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but i can definetly see how it could stiffen up the front end some, if it did not have those pivots
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 07:51 PM
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I put it on before i lowered the car...felt a pretty big difference actually. Car felt like it stayed flat in turns. Good $80 spent imo.
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 08:05 PM
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idk....i feel like this will get knocked off ugly by a manhole stickin up...i hate those shyts....what would happen if it gets ripped off...jus the nuts n bolts break or do you also ruin other car parts
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 08:22 PM
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i think it's brackets would rip off first, or it would pull the eyelets out from the bar itself (especially considering it looks to be aluminuim)
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 08:30 PM
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Couple other members have had them ripped off. The bracket tears and thats about the extent of the damage, nothing to the car.
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 08:45 PM
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have it on my cl. its scratched up but still their. the only way to rip it off is to hit a man hole that is sticking above the pavement. i just dont drive where the road isnt finished.
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 09:15 PM
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I have had one for a solid year and I have my suspension all done and I felt a nice difference. Biggest difference was taking it off and driving for a week and then putting it back on. It definitely gives you more cornering stability and an overall tighter chassis feel. It's not major, but noticeable and for $81.00 you can't go wrong. It will inevitably get nicked up pretty good, but whatever it's under your car and not many people will ever see it.
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 09:53 PM
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my 01 got the Cusco lower bar as its first mod- does a good job stiffening the lower chasis and suspension mounts at the point the frame rails go from straight to a cradle for the engine and trans
Should be on every TL IMO
Smog test guys asked me about both bars and drooled slightly

Makes lanes changes a flat quick change, flick of the wheel and back- and it eliminates the opposite direction roll that passenger feels entering a freeway on-ramp loop

Does get beat by curbs to street with large angles and such, IF you are lowered, which I am now~
BUT
It saves the cat convertor from that same damage crossing things improperly or just no choice-
bar cheap- cat expensive!

Pretty easy to avoid things like raised manholes during street paving
If not- thats why you carry comp insurance

The upper bar helps too- the stock bar locates the firewall/body panels as much as tie the suspension points together-
the extra bar uses the remaining open bolts on the strut tower to go directly to the other strut tower-
Again- keeping the suspension where its set at alignment really shows in corners, and straight line it reduces wander from flexing

ck heeltoes threads in Off Topic- Sponsored Sales
He puts a discount code in his signature, used to be `azinerocks` check it out
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 11:10 PM
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makes me more careful of the road ahead
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Old Jan 13, 2010 | 01:31 AM
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nice oil drain thingy-ma-bober
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Old Jan 13, 2010 | 11:26 AM
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I would like to get one of these
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Old Jan 13, 2010 | 12:38 PM
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x2
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Old Jan 13, 2010 | 02:18 PM
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ck Off Topc links- Sponsored Sales and MrHeelToe threads- there is one on the bar- his sig may contain a discount code so look for it~
the website www.heeltoeauto.com has a way to check if a part is `in stock` in the warehouse--in his hands- before ordering
sometimes he runs out
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Old Jan 13, 2010 | 02:26 PM
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Originally Posted by 01tl4tl
ck Off Topc links- Sponsored Sales and MrHeelToe threads- there is one on the bar- his sig may contain a discount code so look for it~
the website www.heeltoeauto.com has a way to check if a part is `in stock` in the warehouse--in his hands- before ordering
sometimes he runs out
an even better link
http://www.heeltoeauto.com/Cusco-Fro...-pr-53087.html

but yeah it says to call him to check on the stock levels
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 11:43 AM
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So when you change your oil, does the used oil get all over the end of the bar?
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 11:46 AM
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havent had a problem with changing oil with the brace.
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 11:52 AM
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I don't understand how a brace that flexes "stiffens up" your car, NOR do I understand how you even noticed it.
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 12:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Rajca
havent had a problem with changing oil with the brace.
let alone when you pull off the filter, it gets all over the crossmember and that already has to be cleaned off

Originally Posted by Ep3moschini
I don't understand how a brace that flexes "stiffens up" your car, NOR do I understand how you even noticed it.
because the bar still flexes less then the stock cross member, cause the stock cross member is like a huge upside down U, and you are closing in the U, so it is an O which is going to be stiffer then a open ended U
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 12:10 PM
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you gain lateral stabilty along the frame rails- that in turn keeps the lower suspension mounts more stable so the alignment isnt changing as you turn

Why do you think it flexes the bar? Once mounted to the 2 big bolts in subframe you tighten the end links of the bar and its solid

The upper cusco bar accents the stock bar which must divide its duties- it locates the firewall in position as well as tieing the stut towers together

You really cant believe how much it helps until you get one, or if you have one and another TL owner without the bar rides with you,,,they are blown away by the differance
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 12:14 PM
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never had any problem with oil on lower crossbar over 3 years now, it has its share of scrape marks on a lowered car but it has protected the cat convertor from that same damage--paid for itself


And a rag on the control arm during filter change takes care of that mess
Or slip a large ziplock bag over the filter after its initial loosening- spin filter off and zip bag closed- no fuss no mess- ready to transport to recycling
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 12:22 PM
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Originally Posted by 01tl4tl
never had any problem with oil on lower crossbar over 3 years now, it has its share of scrape marks on a lowered car but it has protected the cat convertor from that same damage--paid for itself


And a rag on the control arm during filter change takes care of that mess
Or slip a large ziplock bag over the filter after its initial loosening- spin filter off and zip bag closed- no fuss no mess- ready to transport to recycling
or just wipe it down and spray with brake clean afterwards
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 12:37 PM
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Originally Posted by friesm2000

because the bar still flexes less then the stock cross member, cause the stock cross member is like a huge upside down U, and you are closing in the U, so it is an O which is going to be stiffer then a open ended U
why not use a solid bar? the strut bars they make are the same way. . . If your going to spend money on bars that do noting buy ones that are solid and wont flex
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 12:42 PM
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They probably need to have some flex in them.
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 12:59 PM
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Originally Posted by ANC297
They probably need to have some flex in them.
nope, it will not change anything from being solid or flexible
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 01:02 PM
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i got the stock strut bar and the neuspeed strut bar. no flex point at all.
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 01:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Ep3moschini
why not use a solid bar? the strut bars they make are the same way. . . If your going to spend money on bars that do noting buy ones that are solid and wont flex
tubes are actually stiffer then a solid bar (for flexing), but if you mean one without the pivots, then yes it would be alot better, but nobody makes one, so it has to be custom
but a member did make a custom one , and i did ask for pictures of it but no response yet (it was yesterday that i ask though; on another thread) (also cusco is the only ones that make it for our cars too, so not many options there )

Originally Posted by ANC297
They probably need to have some flex in them.
not really, but they are going to flex anyways a little bit just from the stress itself
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Rajca
i got the stock strut bar and the neuspeed strut bar. no flex point at all.
also why i got the comptech strut bar for mine, no flex points, plus it is purttier... (sp?) then the stock one with the machined aluminuim, but it won't let me do the MDX intke spacer mod easyilaly
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 01:17 PM
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^sacrifices.
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 01:23 PM
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Originally Posted by friesm2000
tubes are actually stiffer then a solid bar (for flexing), but if you mean one without the pivots, then yes it would be alot better, but nobody makes one, so it has to be custom
but a member did make a custom one , and i did ask for pictures of it but no response yet (it was yesterday that i ask though; on another thread) (also cusco is the only ones that make it for our cars too, so not many options there )

I figured no one made one, id either make one, or well up the cusco
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 01:42 PM
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^^^ so yeah the cusco is the only option, unless you go custom; but also considering the fact that the cusco one is only $90 or so, it is actually not too bad of a deal (be paying more for a custom one, if you could not do it yourself [aka: paying a shop])
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Old Jan 17, 2010 | 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by friesm2000
^^^ so yeah the cusco is the only option, unless you go custom; but also considering the fact that the cusco one is only $90 or so, it is actually not too bad of a deal (be paying more for a custom one, if you could not do it yourself [aka: paying a shop])
I can fab one up for less than $40.00 in materials I should build them and flip them lol
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