Topic: LatinVenom Front Chassis Brace project

[LatinVenom]

I want for people to feel satisfied with this product.
I can have another batch made anytime, but really would like to see all those other folks that purchase 1st give us a review.
Someone needs to go to some good twisty road and take it for a good test drive.
You can even go on an empty parking lot and do some testing.
Take some 90 degree turns and if you have a chance to AutoX, then try that as well.
I know what it can do, but since I am the one offering this simple but functional design you should not take my word for it, rather let's see if others agree.  

[Sly Bob]

No one else has a review of the brace to post here? LV, the folks that ordered them must be satisfied because you surely would have heard from them if they weren't.  

[DRM]

I am satisified with this product.  I have taken the car on some twisties and the car feels amazing.  I don't feel any flex at all...the car turnes on a dime...really...

For me definitely worth the money. 

[LatinVenom]

OK.
So is the consensus of ALL the ones that are on the next list to go ahead and have a new batch made.
Please respond!!!!
Thank you

[HAMMER DOWN]

 

[Sly Bob]

   +1

[DirtyMike]

Yeap

[S.P.]

I really hate to be the odd man out so far. I've had the brace installed since Saturday, and I truly cannot tell a difference. The handling feels the same when going over railroad tracks and taking sharp turns. The same ol' rattle and squeaks from the front end are still there. I'm not saying the brace itself is useless- Marvic and DRM have clearly noticed improvements. It just hasn't produced a night and day change for me that I was expecting.

[gmtech16450yz]

I really hate to be the odd man out so far. I've had the brace installed since Saturday, and I truly cannot tell a difference. The handling feels the same when going over railroad tracks and taking sharp turns. The same ol' rattle and squeaks from the front end are still there. I'm not saying the brace itself is useless- Marvic and DRM have clearly noticed improvements. It just hasn't produced a night and day change for me that I was expecting.

Things like this will never give you a "night and day" difference, no matter what anyone says. It can't hurt, and probably does help. This is more of a cumulative type of thing, add a brace here, a backbone there, change some sway bar, suspension or chassis bushings and then all the sudden you have a car that handles like a solid unit.

LV, get that next batch made or I'm making my own! I've got a car with the front end off of it and it's going together this weekend or next week. It would be a lot easier to put in a brace while I have everything off.

[S.P.]

Things like this will never give you a "night and day" difference, no matter what anyone says. It can't hurt, and probably does help. This is more of a cumulative type of thing, add a brace here, a backbone there, change some sway bar, suspension or chassis bushings and then all the sudden you have a car that handles like a solid unit.

I agree the brace most likely does help. It's just that I was expecting a similar improvement that the backbone and rebar gave me when they were installed. Unfortunately, because I drive fairly conservatively small changes in my car's setup could be easily overlooked.

[MARVIC 1]

I really hate to be the odd man out so far. I've had the brace installed since Saturday, and I truly cannot tell a difference. The handling feels the same when going over railroad tracks and taking sharp turns. The same ol' rattle and squeaks from the front end are still there. I'm not saying the brace itself is useless- Marvic and DRM have clearly noticed improvements. It just hasn't produced a night and day change for me that I was expecting.

S.P. - I felt the same way with the DDM Works Pro-beam, I was thinking "their is no improvement to the car with the pro-beam", but really their is an improvement  but I was not feeling it at that moment (The way S.P. feels now).....
As for the LV Chassis Brace, I felt it right away from the first sharp turn to going over the railroad crossing.. The car is stiff and feels very solid, it could be from the combination of all things that I have install on my car and the LV Brace just brought it all together.....

[snaponbob]

Things like this will never give you a "night and day" difference, no matter what anyone says. It can't hurt, and probably does help. This is more of a cumulative type of thing, add a brace here, a backbone there, change some sway bar, suspension or chassis bushings and then all the sudden you have a car that handles like a solid unit.

LV, get that next batch made or I'm making my own! I've got a car with the front end off of it and it's going together this weekend or next week. It would be a lot easier to put in a brace while I have everything off.

REALLY ????????????? When I installed the DDM ProBeam, the difference was apparent ON STREET TIRES withing 75' of my driveway. With Hoosiers, the car was handling better in every situation. Night and day? No, but based on my relative positioning at Solo events against consistent drivers, my times had measurably improved , and in racing that IS night and day. I have installed a prototype DDM brace (back in mid August), and while the feel was more subtle it was clearly handling better as I again made a move up in times. These things DO work - period.

I have read these sorts of negative statements about chassis add ons on the BB's. Even Steve Padilla was skeptical about tunes, poly bushings, and the DDM BackBone ubtil he tried them !!!!!!! Proof that a rear brace works? GMPP and Pontiac developed the GXP/Z0K rear cross member because the Kappa platform is NOT as stiff as some had hoped for.

[DRM]

For me, with every brace addition I could feel the car getting tighter and tighter.  My setup is the ZOK bars on the front and the rear...The DDMWorks ProBeam, Backbone, Front shock brace, and now the LV Front CB.  I also have the GMPP tune.  

[DeepBlueGXP]

I have finally had the oportunity to open it up and see what the brace has done to improve handling

I took an alternate road home with a traffic circle and hard S turn and merge and a few very hard accelerations.  The car is turns noticibly more flat, less lean and when I'm into WOT hard there is a lot less flex.  Basically while looking out over the car's hood, the front end comes up flat or evenly when I hit WOT hard.  I had less tire squeal on the traffic circle and S turn as the tires seemed to be planted better now. 

Thanks LV

[DRM]

  I had less tire squeal on the traffic circle and S turn as the tires seemed to be planted better now. 

Noticed that as well.

[Brad Kenny]

Thanks all for the informative feedback, both good and bad.

[kennysabarese]

REALLY ????????????? When I installed the DDM ProBeam, the difference was apparent ON STREET TIRES withing 75' of my driveway.

You're years of AX experience will make you more sensitive to these types of changes. When I get in the car with an instructor on a circuit he is feeling things I can't feel.

[snaponbob]

You're years of AX experience will make you more sensitive to these types of changes. When I get in the car with an instructor on a circuit he is feeling things I can't feel.

I like to think that I am a bit more aware of changes, because I need to be. I only wish I had the "touch" that the really quick drivers do. That said, when I installed the ProBeam the change was VERY apparent. Much more subtle after the DDM brace, but the car is more manageable. IF I could legally install the LV brace as well, I would.

[LatinVenom]

OK, Folks I will ask the Fabricator to make a batch of 10 more.

[LatinVenom]

I agree the brace most likely does help. It's just that I was expecting a similar improvement that the backbone and rebar gave me when they were installed. Unfortunately, because I drive fairly conservatively small changes in my car's setup could be easily overlooked.

Is it possible that because you have a NA car the feeling is much harder to perceive?.

[S.P.]

Perhaps, but I won't throw blame on the car. If one of the other buyers were to drive my car pre and post brace install they would probably notice a difference. I just wish I could have.

[Brad Kenny]

Thanks LV!!! Will Paypal as soon as possible.

[JoshMcMadMac]

LV, you can take me off of your list and give the slot to someone else...but I am still getting one. 

http://www.kappaperformance.com/forum/index.php?topic=5593

[LatinVenom]

Perhaps, but I won't throw blame on the car. If one of the other buyers were to drive my car pre and post brace install they would probably notice a difference. I just wish I could have.

S.P.
The only reason I mentioned it is because I never tested the designed on a 2.4 NA.
You already have a BackBone on this car, so there maybe very little flex to the chassis coming from the lower output of the 2.4.
Thank you for your review.

[DeepBlueGXP]

The thread is getting long so I split it for the second order.

http://www.kappaperformance.com/forum/index.php?topic=5602.0