Anyway... I was doing searches to see which which of the X-Braces people use the most and I noticed a lot of people use the Muz X-Brace. But here's the thing I noticed. The X-Brace designed by them, if you notice is pretty much a square, meaning it can be considered a 4-bar linkage. Now I don't know how of you out there have taken a course in kinematics and statics, but 4-bar linkages are very unstable at it's joints (welds) when loads are applied to them. The most stable linkage, when forces are applied at it's points are triangles... that is why it is called an "X" Brace because an "X" is made up of 4 triangles. So I really don't see a benefit at all in buying the Muz X-Brace, for the purpose of it is to avoid twisting of the chassis, and that is totally the wrong design for it.

I saw the Rick's X-Brace, and that thing is heavily reinforced... very good design.

Andre

 

Are you an engineering major? I took statics a while back and I just took design of machinery last semester and we did 4-bar linkages. Crank-Rocker! I noticed that about the Muz brace as well. I was in between the Ricks and Comptech braces myself.

 

Yeah... Mechanical Engineer... just graduated actually... lol. The headaches are over!!!! Just in time now for more headaches... at work... lol. Yeah, I was looking at that and it really doesn't look like it would give much support.

Don't forget the Slider-Crank... lol.

Andre

 

I'm a mechanical engineering major, too I'm graduating next year. I'm taking Aerodynamics for one of my electives this upcoming semester. Should be a lot more fun than crappy statics was . How is it in the industry?

Back to the topic at hand, I'm probably going to get the Ricks X-Brace and see how the car feels after that. Everyone knows how craptacular the roads are here in Vegas and maybe this will help

 

How about the three pint cusco brace...

 

I think by Cusco you mean the U-Shaped "X-Brace". Honestly... lol... just by looking at it in terms of the name... it's suppose to be an X-Brace, not a U-Brace... lol. In terms of putting a force on the two tips of the Cusco piece, which for a fact there is going to be forces because it is bolted down by the two tips, to me it looks a lot worse than the Muz piece because the amount of stresses created on the round part of the U-Shaped is probably incredible, meaning that there is going to be more flex as compared to an X-Shaped piece.

A brief explanation is this... for parts that are made using the basic shape of a triangle, no matter in what direction a load is placed on the points of connection, the load is ALWAYS going to be transmitted ALONG the member, meaning there isn't going to be any moments created (bending action). Any other shape, for example a U-Shape, if a load is applied to a point of connection, the force will NOT be transmitted along a member but instead perpendicular to the members, which creates a moment (bending action).

If I could draw you guys pictures, it would make things a lot more clearer.

Andre

 

I just installed Rick's Cross Brace. This is a real nice unit. It is very stiff, as I could not get it to flex like the others I looked at. The difference in the car after the install is amazing. The Muz and Comptech braces are both nicely made pieces. Ricks combines the structural integrity of both of those and is one solid piece, not welded. Oil changes won't be a problem. The install took 15 minutes. It took more time to jack the car up. It is amazing how much you can feel the difference in a car that is as stiff as it is from the factory.

 

Yeah... I think I'm going to end up getting the Rick's as well.

Andre

 

Interesting. I was actually set on getting the Muz before reading this thread. If it's not too much of a hassle, could you please draw out a picture? I don't want to make the mistake of buying the Muz brace if it really isn't going to help.

 

If you are looking from the front of the car, there are really only two directions of forces, both in the i and j planes. The forces in the j plane really has no solution with the x-brace because the forces will be greater than the thin amount of metal will have strength for. So the only main force that can be countered would be in the i direction to prevent a moment about the k.

The U shape of the cusco bar is useless because there really are no forces that it is designed for which would be a moment around the i. Basically the cusco bar is mainly to prevent flexing of the chassis front to back and back to front (acceleration and deceleration). However, that's not where a majority of the forces or weakness is in the chassis. You need to keep the twisting down on the passender to drive side. The design of the cusco cannot do much of anything for that. The U shape of it would really only be beneficial if you are making gobbs of horsepower where you're about to do a wheelie or if you are in a frontal car crash.