Power brace: Which is better? Nismo or Kazama (Nukabe)?

[xagna]

I'm thinking about putting a power brace for front subframe. I have SPL t/c rod there which has been great. Hope things would get better.
Now, I see Nismo power brace is basically the stock tension rod brocket which Kazama and Nukabe makes adjoustable power brace (http://www.napsusa.com/cgi-bin/napsusa/220-485-A.html?id=2SYc88RD).

My question is will adjoustable one provide as much rigidity as Nismo one or even more? Which would you recommand?

[Dousan_PG]

the kazama one isnt it just a bar that connects the tc rod bolts
i had the cusco one i think its the same
its junk

get the nismo.
dont waste your money on anything else

or dont waste it at all, weld up your own. its not rocketscience.

[drifter808]

i welded my own and was all free. noticed a difference to.

[brainfood]

I put mine on 2 days ago and didnt notice a difference
The only reason I got it was because my stock brackets were a little bent up from off track excursions. The only thing that might be better the car might be a little more stable under braking but no real difference. But I havnt driven super hard yet.

[xagna]

the kazama one isnt it just a bar that connects the tc rod bolts
i had the cusco one i think its the same
its junk

get the nismo.
dont waste your money on anything else

or dont waste it at all, weld up your own. its not rocketscience.


Dousan,
Thanks a lot for your advice.
I know welding on my own is not nuclear physics. Just don't have an access to any welding equipments.

[xagna]

Drifter and Brian,
Have you both driven your cars to the edge of the envelope of the tire grip?
If you both reply, this would help a lot of people who have power brace in their minds a lot.

[KA24DESOneThree]

I went to the track without a Nismo power brace.

I went to the track with a Nismo power brace.

The power brace helped turn-in. It's that simple.

It's a very worthwhile mod, as is anything that stiffens the chassis. The Kazama/Cusco/Tanabe pieces don't box the brackets or put gussets between the cross bar and the brackets, both of which are necessary in my opinion. Sure, the competitors are cheap... but they're also flexy.

If you can make it, make it EXACTLY like Nismo does (or better). Don't skimp.

[vutony]

nismo all the way

[!Zar!]

Why don't you just use both?

[andrewmp6]

projectnissan has one too but the nismo looks better built

[Bryants95240sx]

Yep Nismo is awsome. I feel a night and day diffrenece with it on. Sure the other ones are a 1/4 of the price. But like they said the other ones dont box in the tension rod brackets so.Well worth every penny.

[Dousan_PG]

Why don't you just use both?

iirc from where the nismo one is (bar across) the other wont fit.

[1Via!]

Nismo PB helped high speed turn in, stability along with braking noticably for me and my floppy s13.


Building your own is simple with basic welding skillz. Box the TC rob brackets, and a bar between the brackets.

The other braces all look kind of flimsy to me. Who gives a fuck if some are adjustable. If I wanted something like that I would go with a Yashio pillow tension brace, which you can used with the nismo pb, same principal, better mounting locations.

[xagna]

Thanks for your opinions, guys.
I have one more question though. I already have Tein t/c rod installed and will I notice more improvements with this PB or not?

[KA24DESOneThree]

Tein tension rods don't increase stiffness between their own mounting points.

No matter what tension rods you're running you will notice the improvement.

[xagna]

Good, if you are talking about the improvement in steering response! I was worried because this tein t/c rod gave me so much more teering sharpness.

[andrewmp6]

see the brace stops the tension rod brackets from moving a lil or flexing under hard cornering its well worth the money

[!Zar!]

iirc from where the nismo one is (bar across) the other wont fit.
I thought so for the longest also untill I had seen it done on FRpilots car.

[Jeff240sx]

Use the '97-98 stock brackets if you're making your own. Those years aren't swiss-cheese style like early s14s. Then box it up, add a bar. If you can't weld, take it to any shop and tell them to do it, probably cost you $100-150 in welding.
-Jeff

[Bryants95240sx]

Use the '97-98 stock brackets if you're making your own. Those years aren't swiss-cheese style like early s14s. Then box it up, add a bar. If you can't weld, take it to any shop and tell them to do it, probably cost you $100-150 in welding.
-Jeff


Yeah i believe you can get the nismo for 147. So if you cant weld mine as well get the nismo.

[SochBAT]

DIY welding = 50-60bucks for materials.
Nismo PB = 150ish

Chris made his own (Flybert) and it was damn impressive. 15bucks works a hell alot of magic. And i bet he notices a difference on the track. DO IT!

[FaLKoN240]

I thought so for the longest also untill I had seen it done on FRpilots car.

FRpilot has the Nismo Brace, and the Cusco Tension rod brace as well. I've seen it in person.

[mmtmatrix]

any one have pictures of ones that they have welded them selves??

mmtmatrix

[xagna]

http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerofile/20087/DSCF0018.JPG

From 240sx.org.

[Flybert]

DIY welding = 50-60bucks for materials.
Nismo PB = 150ish

Chris made his own (Flybert) and it was damn impressive. 15bucks works a hell alot of magic. And i bet he notices a difference on the track. DO IT!

Heck yes.

I noticed a big difference when I first fabbed this one up with my dad. We put a flange on the end of the pipe to distribute the force on the tension bracket. We then boxed the bracket to give it more strength like the nismo bracket. We also used a fat pipe to increase stiffness. So far this thing has worked for 2 years and sees tons of track duty. If you could have one made like this I would highly recomend it. Turn in response is where you feel the results.

http://www.team-legacy.org/PowerbraceSPL_2.jpg
http://www.team-legacy.org/PowerbraceSPL_1.jpg
http://www.team-legacy.org/PowerbraceSPL_3.jpg

[1Via!]

FRpilot has the Nismo Brace, and the Cusco Tension rod brace as well. I've seen it in person.
What advantage does this provide over just the power brace? Is there much of a noticable difference? Like I mentioned earlier, instead of going this route, the yashio factory tc rod braces seem like a more complimentary addition in comparison to another brace between the tc brackets.

[Jonnie Fraz]

I built mine like the Nismo was'nt hard and I built a jig so I can do it again. Another thing I noticed about the Nismo style, if you take a curb head on it acts like a skid plate. Don't ask how I know this. Also if you are pulling the oil pan it makes it way harder.
I noticed allot better turn in with the brace, front end did not feel as slushie if you get my drift.

[sncs14]

get the nismo PB. it really isn't that expensive and it does improve the turn in. i've got it now, and would get it again.

[m0rex]

I built mine like the Nismo was'nt hard and I built a jig so I can do it again. Another thing I noticed about the Nismo style, if you take a curb head on it acts like a skid plate. Don't ask how I know this. Also if you are pulling the oil pan it makes it way harder.
I noticed allot better turn in with the brace, front end did not feel as slushie if you get my drift.


No shit dude. I had to replace my stock ones with the nismo one because i had hit a curb and since my car is freaking low it usally took something out when i hit a curb when i had the stock tc brace. Now everytime i hit something with my nismo it usally just slides on to the rest of it.

I noticed it when it started getting a bit of surface rust. The first time i hit a curb with it i thought something broke for sure. Fuking brace is beefy as a mofo also works as a slide plate. Get it! :bigok:

[!Zar!]

I put the nismo power brace to the test a few times. And it didn't deform at all. I did have the surface rust problem; after a few curbings. All I did was sand the rust off and shot it with primer.

[ryangreg]

Nobody said anything about what type of driving they were into. Take a look at any japanese drift car...they dont run power braces. Yea their chassis are stiff as shit, but they even take front sway bars OUT for some of the higher speed courses. I put an ebay bolt on adjustable piece in, but never got around to some back to back testing with and without.

[!Zar!]

Imo most all driving styles need a stiff car for consistency. I drive both grip and drift, and have done so with and without diffrent levels of stiffining. It isn't a MUST to, but a nicely stiffened car will allow the tires to grip propperly and you will use the full surface of the tire. I could care less what people in japan are doing. The reason you take the front sway out is so you can get more turn in. It's a cheap way to feel as if you had a stiffer rear sway.

[SoSideways]

Imo most all driving styles need a stiff car for consistency. I drive both grip and drift, and have done so with and without diffrent levels of stiffining. It isn't a MUST to, but a nicely stiffened car will allow the tires to grip propperly and you will use the full surface of the tire. I could care less what people in japan are doing. The reason you take the front sway out is so you can get more turn in. It's a cheap way to feel as if you had a stiffer rear sway.

Taking the sway bars out would allow your wheels to load/unload independently, thus enabling them to achieve more grip when you are in a lot of transitions, like in a tight auto-x, no?

I'm trying to see if all the things I've learned in the past few years are on the right track or not...

[phreze]

I would get the nismo if I had to do it over again(i have the tanabe same thing as kazama but grey instead of red. I think the nismo one is only $80 more these days so just go with that.

[HyperTek]

heres something.. dont hit curbs!!! lol..

i need to do this tho lol..

[ryangreg]

Imo most all driving styles need a stiff car for consistency. I drive both grip and drift, and have done so with and without diffrent levels of stiffining. It isn't a MUST to, but a nicely stiffened car will allow the tires to grip propperly and you will use the full surface of the tire. I could care less what people in japan are doing. The reason you take the front sway out is so you can get more turn in. It's a cheap way to feel as if you had a stiffer rear sway.

Fine, you dont care what they do to their cars.... but I do because I realize they know the most about them and how to effectivley tune them. Dont even try to tell me you never look at their setups to learn a thing or two?



[QUOTE=SoSideways]Taking the sway bars out would allow your wheels to load/unload independently, thus enabling them to achieve more grip when you are in a lot of transitions, like in a tight auto-x, no?


Yea, no sway bar up front would allow each wheel to do its own thing more independently....thats what I got from it anway. Not sure if that has anything to do with more turn in though.

[!Zar!]

Fine, you dont care what they do to their cars.... but I do because I realize they know the most about them and how to effectivley tune them. Dont even try to tell me you never look at their setups to learn a thing or two?



[QUOTE=SoSideways]Taking the sway bars out would allow your wheels to load/unload independently, thus enabling them to achieve more grip when you are in a lot of transitions, like in a tight auto-x, no?


Yea, no sway bar up front would allow each wheel to do its own thing more independently....thats what I got from it anway. Not sure if that has anything to do with more turn in though.
Weird last I checked europe was still ages ahead of japan in suspension. I guess I don't read enough super street or something. So that nullifies everything I know about suspension. I repeat. Taking the front sway bar out allows your front to flex, thus giving it more turn in. But that only works for so long. Because when your car is diving like that the front inside tire is doing alot less work than it would be if it had a sway pushing it down. So if you take out the front sway you are actualy slowing your car down more than if you had the propper swaybar setup. Simply because your would be reducing the contact patch.

[Dousan_PG]

ugh
he's talking about drifting
japan is ahead of the world as far as setups and skill goes.
so drop it who cares
do what you want
drive the hell out of the car

[EchoOfSilence]

This is all relative. Inside wheel would have less weight on it if the effective spring rate on the outside wheel isn't stiff enough, in which case the sway bar would do wonders. Transition turn-in might be better if the spring rates are up to it, however. But, if continuous force on the outside wheel (ie long sweeper) persists, sway bar will be needed. It all depends on what you want to be happening in whatever you're doing.

EDIT: Take Dousan's advice.

[SoSideways]

I was actually talking about not having a sway bar in the rear, which would help the wheels load/unload during quick transitions like found in small, tight, auto-x events usually designed for FF cars. I think I even said that in my last post here.

But yeah, for actual road course and drifting and such, sway bars would definitely help.

And yes, just go out and drive, if you don't, how would you know if you like your setup or not?

[[email protected]]

Nismo Power Brace is a very nice unit! Perfect direct fit... Get a nifty NISMO sticker too.. hah...

Its re-enforced everywhere...

Alot of people just weld a bar into the tension rod brackets, the previous poster in this thread did like the NISMO Power Brace and re-enforced them... Good job...

Here are some close up pictures of the S13 power brace, The only real difference between S13 and S14 power brace is the S14 is re-enforced on both sides of the bar...

Turn in is alot better...

At the same time I installed Kazama Tension rods along with the power brace... Much better response out of the car...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/PerformanceNISMO/eBay/s13powerbrace0.jpg

S14 has this on both sides...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/PerformanceNISMO/eBay/s13powerbrace2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/PerformanceNISMO/eBay/s13powerbrace3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/PerformanceNISMO/eBay/s13powerbrace4.jpg

[ryangreg]

[QUOTE=Dousan_PG]ugh
he's talking about drifting
japan is ahead of the world as far as setups and skill goes.
so drop it who cares



You got that right bub! How do some people not understand.....just look at the shit they do. Art in mothafuckin' motion.....the cars they drive, and the skills they hone.

[Jonnie Fraz]

Jason- I have seen those pics, they helped me build my brace. One reason i built mine is that my welds look nicer...lol

[[email protected]]

Jason- I have seen those pics, they helped me build my brace. One reason i built mine is that my welds look nicer...lol


:) Yeah looks is what matters under the car :P

Some people dont have access to that, and buying it ensures perfect fit...

I have my stock parts for sale if anyone wants to use them to weld anything out of :D (Shamless plug)

[mmtmatrix]

Hey, this is probably a rather dumb question(s), but when you built your braces did you take the measurements of the angles and lengths for the car, but them, and then take the brackets off the car and weld them on then re install, or did you weld the bar with the brackts on the car. If so, did you do it it the suspension loaded, cars weight on wheels or up in the air?

There would be potential differences in preload/tension right?

Thanks -- talk to you soon,
Malcolm

[Dousan_PG]

i cant see a different in tension at all
only because they are bolted in front and rear
there is no tension imo

the support on under each bracket can be done off the car
the center bar is done on the car.

[WILDACEX187]

Turn in is alot better...

At the same time I installed Kazama Tension rods along with the power brace... Much better response out of the car...
]

can u post a picture of this. i have the tanabe bar (same as kazama) and would like to add a power brace if possible.

[SoSideways]

So if the only difference between S13 and S14 Nismo powerbrace is that the S14 one has the support triangle on both sides of the bar, does that mean that the S14 brace will bolt onto an S13?

I mean, if they are interchangable, why not get the more "stout" version?

[mmtmatrix]

Dousan_PG:

I guess since each side is bolted to the frame that there would be little to no change in tension, but wouldn't slightly different length of a bar (smaller or longer) pull or push on the mounting sides a bit, creating some tension, or would you say that there is not enough deflection in the mounting points to allow for a slightly longer or smaller bar to be bolted up? Does that make any sense?


So your saying, box the brackets of the car, and measure and weld the bar to the brackets with them on the car? And when you do this it doesn't matter if the car is on the suspension or not...?

Thanks,
mmtmatrix

[mmtmatrix]

double post ooppssssss

[!Zar!]

can u post a picture of this. i have the tanabe bar (same as kazama) and would like to add a power brace if possible.
It is possible, as I stated. Frpilot has them both on his car as I have seen it. I don't have a picture of his car but use your imagination with my great photoshopping skills.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/TurboDrifterZar/s13powerbraceRmx.jpg

[[email protected]]

umm.. no... thats not what I have...

TENSION Rods:
http://performancenissanparts.com/catalog/images/KazamaPillow.jpg

That then bolt to the power brace...

Ill go out side and get a pic...

[[email protected]]

please excuse the nasty warped oil soaked lower engine cover...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/PerformanceNISMO/JasonS14/PBs14b.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/PerformanceNISMO/JasonS14/PBs14a.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/PerformanceNISMO/JasonS14/PBs14c.jpg

[Brian]

I got my power brace from Performance Nissan... Sorry jason but Andy sold it to me. haha.

Anyways, you CAN CAN CAN CAN CAN use the nismo one and the cusco one at the same time. i had it for a while... but its pointless reallly.

i like the power brace a lot