Diff braces and gearbox braces

[leefitz]

Hey, im in the process of sourcing these parts for my fd drifter but was wondering what your experiences with fitting them were? Draw backs felt and recommendations? Iv also see that there is a combined gearbox/diff brace piece that can be got. Any information on them? Good or bad or would I just be better pickin up the indevidual dedicated braces?
 Cheers lee

[Nik da Greek]

I have a Dragon diff brace and it didn\'t make any negative effect on the car really. Just felt a bit more together on hard launches (in the traffic light Grand Prix lol) and slightly less wayward at the back end. I\'ve heard quite a few people say they found a gearbox brace too much for the road, transferring loads of vibration and harshness into the car, but I\'ve never had one personally so can\'t say one way or t\'other.

Piece of proverbial to fit a diff brace though, even without a ramp, it\'s like four bolts that hold existing components on (a little piddly cross-brace) and two that hold the diff to the PPF. Only chore is loosening them off if they\'r erusted soldi, but a couple of days squirting WD40 on them before trying should help

[Ricco_04]

Dragon diff brace on mine, only difference was that it sounded louder when  starter motor in use - I expected some diff noise at the least but none I can hear anyway. :Thumbs-up

[leefitz]

Sounds good, thankfully noise transfare will be the least of my worrys mid drift anyone see or use the the diff/gearbox combined brace?

[rx7boy]

Hey dude, I have a purpose built drift FD, which has both the diff and gearbox brace from dragon performance,

both keep the transmission from moving about especially during heavy man foot times :3gears-lh

Just make sure your engine mounts are nice and solid/poly/nylon.

The only issue I had with the gearbox brace is that it tore straight off the mount points from the bottom of the car, as it uses the 4 x M8 bolt holes form the standard tunnel brace, which are no where near strong enough for prolonged drift abuse :driving

One reason I may have accelerated the breakage of the brace from the car was that I was using stock engine mounts which move about way to much. I then moved to using the nylon/poly engine mounts that DM motorsport supplied to ensure the engine was not causing the movement.  

I then drilled through the the original mount points into the cabin and used high tensile M10 bolts with a welded plate the other-side, lets just say that nothing is moving around now and the gear changes are spot on with no transmission judder.

Noise !! well that\'s another story, my car is striped with a cage so i could not give you an accurate change in noise but you could use some rubber washers to dampen the vibration

HTH

[leefitz]

Hey man, just gave me my favourite quote of the month lol

Cheers for that info man, especially on the gearbox mount.  I\'m in the process of getting all new bushings for the new bits when I find them. And as iv the car striped with cage too,noise is the least of my worrys   Alot more noise when the interior is out. Do you have a brace between the gearbox and diff? Or just the 2 independent braces? Or do ya think the linking brace is even needed?

[shaunwil]

I originally had the Dragon one but swapped over to a copy of the KG-Parts one (thought it was original when I bought it). Also got the Autoexec Under car braces for the front and rear that help. Had a knackered Engine mount without realising, the KG mount disguised this more !

Just swapped to Hockey Pucks for the engine mounts too. I\'ve got Poly bushes waiting for the diff carrier too !

Shaun

[leefitz]

Well iv been shopping, dragon diff brace, dragon gearbox brace, solid engine mounts and solid diff mounts. No more movement me hopes. Do do you recon I should still strengthen up the gearbox brace mounts even though I\'m going with solid engine mounts or would it he fine?