Homemade Bracing

[ElkySS89]

So I'm debating on making my own under hood braces and while researching it, I found a popular mod is to add a brace or trailer hitch to the rear bumper mounts. Why is this necessary? Wouldn't the bumper act as a brace already? What am I missing here?

Also, instead of using factory under hood bracing as a templet, are there any better designs?

 

[Longroof79]

Making your own bracing shouldn't be too difficult. A few members have made their own with good results using electrical conduit.

The trailer hitch does add additional bracing in the rear in addition to the rear bumper brace.

 

[565bbchevy]

Also, instead of using factory under hood bracing as a templet, are there any better designs?

I made all of the braces on my Monte and the fender to core support, GP bar and rear brace for the Regal.
The fender to core support braces I used 3/4" EMT and made a crimper for my press to make a nice end on it.
The jounce and GP bars I made out of Rigid 3/4" EMT which is about twice as thick as the factory bars and I bent those in my HF tubing bender and also crimped the ends.
And for the rear bars I used 1-3/4" roll bar tubing with my Monte's being welded in and my Regal's I made as a bolt in.

 

[ElkySS89]

I made all of the braces on my Monte and the fender to core support, GP bar and rear brace for the Regal.
The fender to core support braces I used 3/4" EMT and made a crimper for my press to make a nice end on it.
The jounce and GP bars I made out of Rigid 3/4" EMT which is about twice as thick as the factory bars and I bent those in my HF tubing bender and also crimped the ends.
And for the rear bars I used 1-3/4" roll bar tubing with my Monte's being welded in and my Regal's I made as a bolt in.View attachment 243979

Yours look way better than mine are gonna.

 

[melloelky]

His looks way better than all of ours..

fixed it for ya😉

 

[melloelky]

So I'm debating on making my own under hood braces and while researching it, I found a popular mod is to add a brace or trailer hitch to the rear bumper mounts. Why is this necessary? Wouldn't the bumper act as a brace already? What am I missing here?

Also, instead of using factory under hood bracing as a templet, are there any better designs?

does the bumper act AS a brace?not really.the rear bumper mounts are shocks actually so it kinda floats there it's not a rigid entity per say.the idea of tying the rear rails together where these mounts attach does add some rigidity.there's a few different ways to go about doing it.

 

[ElkySS89]

does the bumper act AS a brace?not really.the rear bumper mounts are shocks actually so it kinda floats there it's not a rigid entity per say.the idea of tying the rear rails together where these mounts attach does add some rigidity.there's a few different ways to go about doing it.

So would switching to solid bumper mounts effectively turn the bumpers into braces?

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

So would switching to solid bumper mounts effectively turn the bumpers into braces?

It would, but it also means you have no crash protection and that minor accidents are more likely to bend your frame rails. Solid bumper mounts are best left to dedicated track cars.

 

[1KWIKSIX]

Scot W @ GNS Performance offers a kit for a rear frame rail brace
I’ve had mine installed for quite some time & can vouche for how it keeps those rails from flexing….really helps to tighten up the back end of these cars

 

[abbey castro]

i made my own rear horn brace out of square tubing.