Thank you Rick Hesel & Co.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 8,754
Likes: 0
From: Anaheim, Orange County
Thank you Rick Hesel & Co.
In early 2002 I picked up an anodized X-brace from Rick's Accessories. At that time, James Mullins and Rick Hesel (and more recently Jeff Shahan) were the first to offer these billet braces on s2ki.
I have seen the Spoon design braces get crumpled from hitting debris...more on this later.
Since then, the Rick's design has improved to make the brace stiffer. While the debate over the functional nature of this brace making the car stiffer still lingers, I can tell you I have kept the brace for two main reasons.
1) In conjunction with the Comptech shock bar, it was noticeable to me.
2) My oil pan has now been saved FOUR times from sudden death.
I drove through a landslide two days ago and hit a rock the size of a large head of lettuce. The x-brace took the abuse suffering from only scratches.
None of the undercarriage was damaged and I feel very fortunate to have escaped so lightly.
Thank you Rick, James and Jeff
I have seen the Spoon design braces get crumpled from hitting debris...more on this later.
Since then, the Rick's design has improved to make the brace stiffer. While the debate over the functional nature of this brace making the car stiffer still lingers, I can tell you I have kept the brace for two main reasons.
1) In conjunction with the Comptech shock bar, it was noticeable to me.
2) My oil pan has now been saved FOUR times from sudden death.
I drove through a landslide two days ago and hit a rock the size of a large head of lettuce. The x-brace took the abuse suffering from only scratches.
None of the undercarriage was damaged and I feel very fortunate to have escaped so lightly.
Thank you Rick, James and Jeff
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 8,754
Likes: 0
From: Anaheim, Orange County
Originally Posted by steve c,Jan 3 2006, 06:29 PM
Stop driving off road and you won't need anything ....
Stratocaster, yes I recently rebuilt my motor and this would have been horrible timing.
Trending Topics
Administrator
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 17,004
Likes: 7
From: Santa Cruz, CA, US
livin' la vida placebo.
the x brace does nothing to improve the handling of the car. I've run back to back laps w/o it. it does nothing to change laptimes or stability of the car. Tho it does make the nose heavier and your wallet lighter!
and while it -might- save an oil pan, you can buy 2-3 oil pans for the cost of 1 of these x braces. furthermore, the oil pan doesn't hang low enuf to really be at risk of being hit -and- you hit something with enuf force to damage the pan it's going to tear the xbrace out of the subframe. That's gonna cost more than an oil pan too.
the x brace does nothing to improve the handling of the car. I've run back to back laps w/o it. it does nothing to change laptimes or stability of the car. Tho it does make the nose heavier and your wallet lighter!
and while it -might- save an oil pan, you can buy 2-3 oil pans for the cost of 1 of these x braces. furthermore, the oil pan doesn't hang low enuf to really be at risk of being hit -and- you hit something with enuf force to damage the pan it's going to tear the xbrace out of the subframe. That's gonna cost more than an oil pan too.