CR Body Stiffness
03-16-2013, 01:33 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
CR Body Stiffness
For those who've driven or had base S2000's, how do you feel about the stiffeners added to the CR? Our car has an OEM hardtop mounted semi-permanently and I'm really considering gutting the soft-top to install the CR cross-bar stiffener (can't remember what it's actually called). Is there a noticeable difference in rattles, etc.?
On a semi-related note, how are the sound levels without a soft-top to dampen the noise from the trunk area?
On a semi-related note, how are the sound levels without a soft-top to dampen the noise from the trunk area?
03-16-2013, 02:39 PM
#2
Moderator
Howdy 
I'll do my best to answer the questions you brought up. The sound noise from the trunk I feel is actually less than with a base (+soft top). The plastic tray that the soft top sits on is relatively thin and when the top is up, there isn't much to deaden the sound travel. With the CR tonneau (roll-bar cowlings as they are referred to) are quite thick and it does a good job keeping the rear end noise out of the cabin.
Anyone, correct me if I'm wrong, but initially driving the CR, coming from my 2006, I noticed the car felt a lot more "solid" which for me was due to the stiffer suspension and stickier tires. The rear body brace seems to be more noticeable around curves at speed.
What I remember from my previous s2000, and friends who have opted to replace the soft top, many of the cars interior rattles stemmed from the soft top. Whether it be the latches (which can rattle with the oem hardtop) the soft top frame coming into contact with plastic, the package tray pieces etc it has seemed to help. Obviously if you remove that and don't add the CR tonneau there will be a LOT of noise coming up through that open area.
Hope that helped a little!
-Ira
I'll do my best to answer the questions you brought up. The sound noise from the trunk I feel is actually less than with a base (+soft top). The plastic tray that the soft top sits on is relatively thin and when the top is up, there isn't much to deaden the sound travel. With the CR tonneau (roll-bar cowlings as they are referred to) are quite thick and it does a good job keeping the rear end noise out of the cabin.
Anyone, correct me if I'm wrong, but initially driving the CR, coming from my 2006, I noticed the car felt a lot more "solid" which for me was due to the stiffer suspension and stickier tires. The rear body brace seems to be more noticeable around curves at speed.
What I remember from my previous s2000, and friends who have opted to replace the soft top, many of the cars interior rattles stemmed from the soft top. Whether it be the latches (which can rattle with the oem hardtop) the soft top frame coming into contact with plastic, the package tray pieces etc it has seemed to help. Obviously if you remove that and don't add the CR tonneau there will be a LOT of noise coming up through that open area.
Hope that helped a little!
-Ira
03-16-2013, 04:56 PM
#3
I don't think our MY are compatible with the CR bars if you do a softtop delete. I inquired about this a while back and remember someone telling me that.
That being said I don't think the bar is that big of a deal. Plenty people drive without it and have softtop deletes and from what I've seen no disadvantage to not having it. If you're that worried about bracing get a rollbar and call it a day.
That being said I don't think the bar is that big of a deal. Plenty people drive without it and have softtop deletes and from what I've seen no disadvantage to not having it. If you're that worried about bracing get a rollbar and call it a day.
03-16-2013, 09:54 PM
#4
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Professor Touge Emeritus
Posts: 8,570
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes
on
8 Posts
I went from having CR suspension without chassis stiffening, to having all of the following stiffeners:
- Whiteline X-brace
- Cusco U-brace
- Gladman Strut tower bar
- Gladman Rear lower tie bar
- Exedium differential collars
All I felt individually make a difference without any compromises. The union of all the parts together is heaven. I drive in the mountains on rough roads, and I suspect the style of driving on the roads I'm on allow me to feel the differences more than the average consumer of what some would consider "bling". Everything listed above was pure function for me.
Most recent install was the rear lower tie bar. Prior, I was running the X-brace and U-brace and STB all up front, and it seemed like the rear was missing something (it was). The car was a bit under-steery (which I enjoy), and took some getting used to with the super-front-stiff approach. Though the function and feel of the rear tie bar upgrade is debatable, I can 100% say that I felt a difference in unison with the front stiffeners. It does make a difference. I even experimented with a nearly-new OEM rear tie bar for a week, after removing a mangled one, before swapping to aftermarket.
- Whiteline X-brace
- Cusco U-brace
- Gladman Strut tower bar
- Gladman Rear lower tie bar
- Exedium differential collars
All I felt individually make a difference without any compromises. The union of all the parts together is heaven. I drive in the mountains on rough roads, and I suspect the style of driving on the roads I'm on allow me to feel the differences more than the average consumer of what some would consider "bling". Everything listed above was pure function for me.
Most recent install was the rear lower tie bar. Prior, I was running the X-brace and U-brace and STB all up front, and it seemed like the rear was missing something (it was). The car was a bit under-steery (which I enjoy), and took some getting used to with the super-front-stiff approach. Though the function and feel of the rear tie bar upgrade is debatable, I can 100% say that I felt a difference in unison with the front stiffeners. It does make a difference. I even experimented with a nearly-new OEM rear tie bar for a week, after removing a mangled one, before swapping to aftermarket.
03-17-2013, 09:55 AM
#5
Moderator
I def feel that my CR is significantly stiffer than my 04 was. I think that is attributed to the stiffer roll bars and the rear chassis brace. I had Tein RS coilovers on my last car so yes the CR dampers/springs are stiff, but that is not what I feel makes the CR feel more solid. Its the roll bars and bracing. The rear of the CR feels much stiffer to me and when driving a non CR and a CR back to back the CR just feels much more solid and stiff.
From the Honda brochure:
"A unique rear body brace located behihind the roll-bar cowlings increases the vehicle’s rear suspension lateral rigidity by 18% and vertical rigidity by 94%."
Those are some seriously large numbers! I am not a big fan of quoted numbers and things I read, but those are hard numbers to ignore imo.
From the Honda brochure:
"A unique rear body brace located behihind the roll-bar cowlings increases the vehicle’s rear suspension lateral rigidity by 18% and vertical rigidity by 94%."
Those are some seriously large numbers! I am not a big fan of quoted numbers and things I read, but those are hard numbers to ignore imo.
03-18-2013, 01:33 PM
#6
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Professor Touge Emeritus
Posts: 8,570
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes
on
8 Posts
From the Honda brochure:
"A unique rear body brace located behihind the roll-bar cowlings increases the vehicle’s rear suspension lateral rigidity by 18% and vertical rigidity by 94%."
Those are some seriously large numbers! I am not a big fan of quoted numbers and things I read, but those are hard numbers to ignore imo.
"A unique rear body brace located behihind the roll-bar cowlings increases the vehicle’s rear suspension lateral rigidity by 18% and vertical rigidity by 94%."
Those are some seriously large numbers! I am not a big fan of quoted numbers and things I read, but those are hard numbers to ignore imo.
03-18-2013, 01:35 PM
#7
Moderator
Originally Posted by adrs2k' timestamp='1363542916' post='22409418
From the Honda brochure:
"A unique rear body brace located behihind the roll-bar cowlings increases the vehicle’s rear suspension lateral rigidity by 18% and vertical rigidity by 94%."
Those are some seriously large numbers! I am not a big fan of quoted numbers and things I read, but those are hard numbers to ignore imo.
Trending Topics
03-18-2013, 01:38 PM
#8
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I read in this forum that the brace does not actually interfere with the soft top. It does interfere with the tray below the soft top, but I thought the tray could either be trimmed or removed. I thought there were a few CR owners that added the soft top this way.
03-18-2013, 01:41 PM
#9
Moderator
I do remember reading about a CR owner that installed a softtop in their car. They had to trim the rear tray where the rear brace interfered and the soft top ended up sitting 2 inches higher then normal because it ends up resting on top of the brace. So yes I believe you can run the brace and the softop.
