Topic: DDMWorks Cross Bay Brace

[TomatoSoup]

So, mine has arrived and is waiting for me at home while I'm sitting here in my hotel room on the other side of the country (San Jose)

I haven't seen anything here about the PS resevoir move.  Anyone done that and have photos and/or tips?  (This is what I'm most worried about for my install.)

[DRM]

DRM, the DDMWorks Cross Bay Brace looks awesome!  Thanks for the picture!  Our red one has shipped and will be here friday, can't wait!!!

GXPinKC, Thanks....enjoy installing it...It looks awesome when done.  I'm glad I got it.  I had a strut brace for my BMW Z3 and was wondering when someone would make something like it for our Solstices.

Just don't do what I did and end up in the Emergency room having your thumb glued back together because your Dremel with the saw blade attachment got away from you when cutting the wheel well liner. lol

I took the advice of Helios and used a box cutter the next night to trim the wheel wells and finish the job.

Also I had a very hard time screwing down the passenger side tower brace.  The nut toward the front of the car seemed almost impossible to get to.

[Dave@DDMworks]

So, mine has arrived and is waiting for me at home while I'm sitting here in my hotel room on the other side of the country (San Jose)

I haven't seen anything here about the PS resevoir move.  Anyone done that and have photos and/or tips?  (This is what I'm most worried about for my install.)

Moving the power steering reservoir is pretty straight forward. It is the same kit we have been using on the superchargers for almost 3 years now. The trickiest part is getting the hoses routed and trimmed to length for your car, and that is not hard, just takes a little time

Hope that helps,
Dave

[Critterman]

So how'd you resolve the problem? Modified the brace you have? I'd hate to think I can't upgrade to Stage 3 on 10/23 because I installed the brace. Obviously if this becomes a problem for me, the brace will have to go.  devil

Joey,

He had one of the early prototype braces, not the same one that you have and that we are shipping now. The new braces fit Stage 1-3 Superchargers Smile

Dave

What he said, we took it off and Dave and company went back to the drawing boards.  The fix is in Dave's hands.  I will probably not get it until the next Mod meet, that way Dave can check the fitment.

[Critterman]

GXPinKC, Thanks....enjoy installing it...It looks awesome when done.  I'm glad I got it.  I had a strut brace for my BMW Z3 and was wondering when someone would make something like it for our Solstices.

Just don't do what I did and end up in the Emergency room having your thumb glued back together because your Dremel with the saw blade attachment got away from you when cutting the wheel well liner. lol

I took the advice of Helios and used a box cutter the next night to trim the wheel wells and finish the job.

Also I had a very hard time screwing down the passenger side tower brace.  The nut toward the front of the car seemed almost impossible to get to.

No job is complete without a little blood spill, but you don't need to take it to extremes.

[DRM]

LOL...my wife was kind enough to clean the blood out of my engine bay without me even asking....What a woman...

Sorry if this is off subject...

[Critterman]

Nice, at least you missed the nail.

[Treeman]

Owww!!!!

[DRM]

Nice, at least you missed the nail.

Exactly.....

[GXPinKC]

LOL...my wife was kind enough to clean the blood out of my engine bay without me even asking....What a woman...

Sorry if this is off subject...

(Image removed from quote.)

Wow DRM, you are indeed a very lucky man!  After I saw your posted picture of your sliced and blood soaked finger, got to feeling kind of queasy.  You are indeed lucky to have a mate so caring and just jumps in and takes care of the problem.  Life is good!!!  You and your lovely wife just rejoice in life and don't look back, because you guy's have owned two great vehicles, your 2007 Deep Pontiac Solstice GXP and that BMW Z3.  How sweet does life get!!! 

[snaponbob]

Ron, let me know when your stuff arrives. I am ready for a blood free install.

[hammy221]

what dont kill you only makes you stronger DRM  :-) well if that statement were true i would be a super hero

[Sol Asylum]

Jeez DRM don't you ever clean under your finger nails?

[DRM]

Jeez DRM don't you ever clean under your finger nails?

Alright you got me...Thats what I was really trying to do....lol

[smartin]

Thanks for sharing, Derek!

[GXPinKC]

Ron, let me know when your stuff arrives. I am ready for a blood free install.

Bob, the DDMWorks Red Cross Bay Brace arrived UPS Ground twenty minutes ago! 

[TomatoSoup]

Bob, the DDMWorks Red Cross Bay Brace arrived UPS Ground twenty minutes ago! 

So yours is already red, perfect for spilling blood!

[snaponbob]

Bob, the DDMWorks Red Cross Bay Brace arrived UPS Ground twenty minutes ago! 

Contact me earlier next week. We'll "get-r-done".

[TomatoSoup]

So, just to add a quick review of the installed brace...

I put mine in on Saturday morning.  Worst parts of the install were removing the PS fluid hose and draining without trying to get fluid all over the chassis (I failed).  Then routing the longer hoses while keeping them away from the turbo was a struggle.  As for the brace itself, cutting the liners was the worst part, closely followed by trying to tighten the front passenger side tower nut.  TIP: to save you time, the only way to tighten that nut is to use an open-ended wrench from inside the wheel liner (over the tire).  Other tower nuts work with a socket+extension.

OK, onto driving.  I did a fair bit of street driving to try it out.  I did feel a bit more directness in the steering - though I have to admit I'm not sure if that's "emperor's new clothes" syndrome or not.  One thing that was obvious though was the reduction in cowl shake.  Now the Kappa is pretty stiff for a 'vert and it takes a decent pothole to set up a quiver, but this brace makes it noticeably better.  More solid feeling, less rattle.  Recommended if only for that!

EDIT: One other thing I forgot to mention, there seems to be a tad more oversteer - certainly on sharp turns - with the brace in place.  Nothing startling, mind, but interesting.

Thanks DDM!

[DeepBlueGXP]

TS, thanks for taking time to post pictures with your write up

[TomatoSoup]

TS, thanks for taking time to post pictures with your write up

ppppppthpthpt!  :p

[kennysabarese]

I'm installing my new shocks and springs soon, should I put this off until then?

[TomatoSoup]

I'm installing my new shocks and springs soon, should I put this off until then?

The two are largely independent - with the exception of removing/replacing the four top tower nuts.  It might save a little time to do them together.  You could still prepare the wheel liner cutting in advance.

If you are going to move the PS reservoir (and haven't already) then you should do that in advance too.

[kennysabarese]

Cool thanks. I got the relocation kit to so I'll do that first, not looking forward to it after your description of the process though !

[Critterman]

Hey if you let Dave and Randy do it, they don't spill a drop.