ThreePointTwoTeeEl

iTrader: (1)

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

jjashaa

iTrader: (23)

i did.

i didn't feel THAT big of a difference.

i don't have pictures anymore.. =\

ThreePointTwoTeeEl

iTrader: (1)

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

jjashaa

iTrader: (23)

that goes on the front right under the flex pipe.. or close to it.

jjashaa

iTrader: (23)

jk, i found it..



mine got all beaten up.. lol

It's Clutch

iTrader: (6)

^the cost of riding low.

ThreePointTwoTeeEl

iTrader: (1)

that might just be the last thing I'll end up doing then. Thanks for the info.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

better then scraping your exhaust though, think of it as a sort of skid plate if you will

JDM Inspired

I remember like a 1-2 years ago someones cusco under brace on here got ripped off, shit was crazy.....

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

but i can definetly see how it could stiffen up the front end some, if it did not have those pivots

Srb

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.

JterrorC

iTrader: (1)

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

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

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)

fsttyms1

Couple other members have had them ripped off. The bracket tears and thats about the extent of the damage, nothing to the car.

Rajca

iTrader: (8)

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.

sbuswell

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.

01tl4tl

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

ecaf005

iTrader: (5)

makes me more careful of the road ahead

jjashaa

iTrader: (23)

nice oil drain thingy-ma-bober

02type-s

I would like to get one of these

ANC297

iTrader: (2)

x2

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

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

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

TL Type S fan

So when you change your oil, does the used oil get all over the end of the bar?

Rajca

iTrader: (8)

havent had a problem with changing oil with the brace.

Ep3moschini

I don't understand how a brace that flexes "stiffens up" your car, NOR do I understand how you even noticed it.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

let alone when you pull off the filter, it gets all over the crossmember and that already has to be cleaned off

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

01tl4tl

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

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

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

or just wipe it down and spray with brake clean afterwards

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

ANC297

iTrader: (2)

They probably need to have some flex in them.

Ep3moschini

nope, it will not change anything from being solid or flexible

Rajca

iTrader: (8)

i got the stock strut bar and the neuspeed strut bar. no flex point at all.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

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 )

not really, but they are going to flex anyways a little bit just from the stress itself

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

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

Rajca

iTrader: (8)

^sacrifices.

Ep3moschini

I figured no one made one, id either make one, or well up the cusco

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

^^^ 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])

Ep3moschini

I can fab one up for less than $40.00 in materials I should build them and flip them lol