F41 and aftermarket bracing diagrams (MORE pics added)

SRD art

G-Body Guru
Jun 16, 2011
550
442
63
St. George, UT
Unfortunately the Speedtech brace is on hold for a while and may not get reproduced. It's a pretty beefy piece, perhaps the strongest one out there, and as a result costly to build. To be competitive with other brand braces it had a really low price and it would take selling a lot to make producing them a good move for the company. Right now the demand isn't there, so we're going to wait it out to see if the G body sales pick up.
 

Clone TIE Pilot

Comic Book Super Hero
Aug 14, 2011
3,827
2,565
113
Galaxy far far away
It looks like GNS now sells rear frame brackets you weld to a square tubing to make a brace. The brackets would allow your homemade brace to to use all 6 bumper support bolts but they are expensive at $82 for a pair.
 

GT_80

Greasemonkey
Apr 23, 2013
240
7
18
Massachusetts
I did a few home brew braces to my car- I want to get the control arm braces, and I still need to make a rear frame brace as well.

These are my back seat braces- used 3/4" wide x 3/16" galvanized steel flat stock
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These are my radiator support cross braces - used 3/4" wide x 3/16" galvanized steel flat stock and front frame brace is 1/2" or 3/4" black steel water pipe with ends flattened
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My core support to fender braces are the factory 5/16" or 1/4" (whatever is) round rod style, not the tubular ones- I need to make some new ones.

I am not sure of the effectiveness of the flat stock as bracing, but my thought on it is that it will keep the core support and back seat from pulling diagonally, but it is not resistant to being pushed- if that makes sense. Since it is diagnoally, one brace will be pulled at all time, so the pushing force isn't as important.

I still need to make a rear frame brace, and I want to weld another bar into the jounce bars in the front as well.

Most of my body mounts are hockey pucks from previous owner and several of them sre severely cracked.
 

MrLightning

Master Mechanic
Sep 10, 2011
281
1
16
northeast,Ohio
Ive always found it interesting, so many people spend time making these aftermarket X braces and putting them in places (behind back seat, radiator support, monte carlo area) and find it as not being much more than somebody who is reinforcing areas that are not overly prone to flexing with respect to noticeable need to do so. Im only stating this as an observation that quite a few people have done. Ive not heard much as to its overall positive affects in changing much, unless its clearly obvious that your engine size and related torque produced is significantly bigger than even mildly built engines, so as to make the argument that the BIG HP, TORQUE motors are flexing areas on the car enough to warrant a need for bracing. Am I just seeing this all wrong, or is it that some people just like to do it for the sake of doing it? Just my observation, and no other reason for my post.
 

GT_80

Greasemonkey
Apr 23, 2013
240
7
18
Massachusetts
MrLightning said:
Ive always found it interesting, so many people spend time making these aftermarket X braces and putting them in places (behind back seat, radiator support, monte carlo area) and find it as not being much more than somebody who is reinforcing areas that are not overly prone to flexing with respect to noticeable need to do so. Im only stating this as an observation that quite a few people have done. Ive not heard much as to its overall positive affects in changing much, unless its clearly obvious that your engine size and related torque produced is significantly bigger than even mildly built engines, so as to make the argument that the BIG HP, TORQUE motors are flexing areas on the car enough to warrant a need for bracing. Am I just seeing this all wrong, or is it that some people just like to do it for the sake of doing it? Just my observation, and no other reason for my post.

I have a friend that has a very built Grand national that slowly did all these mods, and said he had good results as far as cornering and launching. Most of the mods I did because they were cheap, easy, and can't hurt. If they help improve the handling at all, they are worth it IMO- most of us can't afford all new suspensions, and bigger sway bars, so whatever little mods we can do by ourselves and cheap, why not?
 
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SRD art

G-Body Guru
Jun 16, 2011
550
442
63
St. George, UT
I've done quite a bit of bracing on my wagon and if I position one floor jack in the right spot near one of the tires (not in the middle of the frame) I can lift 3 tires off the ground at the same time. On a stock chassis it flexes to the point that typically only one comes off the ground.

Chassis flex translates to time spent moving the car around itself rather than the track. Less flex equals harder launches or more responsive cornering, I did mine for the latter. As the chassis flexes in say an autocross situation it actually changes the suspension geometry and can throw handling all out of whack. On the other hand, in a basic street driven G body the flex probably produces a more comfortable ride.
 
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GT_80

Greasemonkey
Apr 23, 2013
240
7
18
Massachusetts
does anyone have a good close up picture of how these bars mount to the firewall? I can't figure it out-
 

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MrLightning

Master Mechanic
Sep 10, 2011
281
1
16
northeast,Ohio
they don't actually mount to the firewall, they mount to the radiator support and over to a screw that comes in sideways on the fender just above the fender well
 

GT_80

Greasemonkey
Apr 23, 2013
240
7
18
Massachusetts
MrLightning said:
they don't actually mount to the firewall, they mount to the radiator support and over to a screw that comes in sideways on the fender just above the fender well
look at the red circles in the pic I posted- that is the firewall... or the wiper cowl...
 

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