Racing beat torque brace install
03-18-08, 10:21 PM
#1
King of the Loop
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Racing beat torque brace install
Does anyone know where I can find a writeup on the Rb torque brace installation? I know there was a good one on fc3s.org but the site is gone. I had one on my old fc but we couldnt figure out how it attached to the fender wall and could not remove it so Im not sure how I would install it on another car.
03-18-08, 10:29 PM
#2
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I'm not 100% sure but I think you have to remove the driverside fender, drill a hole in the driverside of the engine bay just above the clutch master, put the brace throught the hole and put a nut on the other side, then attach to the engine and put your fender back on. I know you have to drill your own hole and I don't see how you would get anything on the other side without removing the fender.
03-18-08, 10:38 PM
#3
I knw wht u did last sumr
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**** Racing Beat Engine Brace **** Saved from FC3S.org
I'm getting ready to do mine as well.
The instructions from FC3S.org are almost identical to RB's instructions but with picutres. Here ya go!
Parts list:
#1 Racing Beat Engine Brace Kit ($65.00)
#2 14mm Socket (deep and standard)
#3 10mm Socket (standard)
#4 Ratchet
#5 Drill
#6 3/8" Drill bit
The Racing Beat Engine Brace substantially reduces or eliminates the shuddering experienced by many RX-7 owners when engaging the clutch in either first or reverse rear. It does this by basicly making the slack between the motor and the engine bay nill. Usually when you rev your motor, you will see it torque in the engine bay. With this addon, you won't see that as much.
Here is the Racing Beat kit layed out on top of my hood. There are a total of 4 nuts, 1 flat washer, 1 lock washer, 2 rubber bushings, the main brace, the arm for the brace, and the nut tack welded to the end of an extension.
Before you begin, make sure that your wheels are turned as far to the right as you can. It is also a good idea to do this with the engine cool, as you will be working right behind the motor.
The first step is to make a mark 2" from the firewall and 9/16" down from the underside of the triangular corner brace that is right in front of the drivers side windshield (refer to pic below) This area is reinforced by 3 layers of sheet metal and will support the loads of the engine against it. Once the spot is marked, drill a 3/8" hole in the inside fender. Racing Beat persists to NOT MAKE THE HOLE BIGGER THAN 3/8"!
(Note: If you have a TII, remove the intercooler for easier access to the following steps)
Now reach down between the engine and master brake cylinder to remove the 14mm bolt just underneath the oil filter. It should have the main engine ground attached to it. If it is, when you replace the bolt later, make sure that the ground is touching the engine, and not on the outside of the brace.
Next stick the long brace rod through the hole using the short set of threads. Now you need to remove the 6 small screws that hold up the inside plastic wheel well liner. Move the liner out of the way. You should now be able to look up under the fender and see where your rod is coming out through the fender. Take the nut that is tack welded to the piece of metal, and thread the rod into it. Once you have it started, you can use a set of vicegrips or the like to tighten it. Make sure to use a rag or cloth in the jaws to prevent scoring the rod. Below is what it should look like.
Now you can install the first set of stuff on the rod. Install it in this order. 1 Jam nut, 1 regular nut, 1 cup washer, and 1 rubber bushing. The larger nipple on the bushing should face the cup washer. Now slip the rod into the hole at the top of the engine brace. Now push the brace assembly down so that you can line up the blank bolt on the passenger side and the bolt on the driver side under the oil filter that you removed earlier. Thread the bolt first a few turns to align it. Then place the 14mm nut onto the bolt end that sticks out right next to the engine hoist location. Tighten both sides down. Now you can install the last bushing and cup washer, and secure them on with the 14mm nut.
Now that the whole assembly is tightened up, you can replace the fender liner, and check the rest of your bolts and nuts to make sure that they are tight.
Now that you are ready to go, you need to adjust the tightness of the brace. Racing Beat says that there is a "4 turn method" to ensure best stiffness with least ammount of vibration in the cockpit. This technique is to tighten both regular nuts so that the cup washers are just pushing the bushings against the brace. Once that is done, tighten the regular nuts 4 complete turns. Then tighten the lock nut and you are all set. I went 6 turns as I like a little stiffer feel than the 4 turns gave me. The feel of the brace is great. The car feels very stiff now and dosen't rock under reving the throttle.
The instructions from FC3S.org are almost identical to RB's instructions but with picutres. Here ya go!
Parts list:
#1 Racing Beat Engine Brace Kit ($65.00)
#2 14mm Socket (deep and standard)
#3 10mm Socket (standard)
#4 Ratchet
#5 Drill
#6 3/8" Drill bit
The Racing Beat Engine Brace substantially reduces or eliminates the shuddering experienced by many RX-7 owners when engaging the clutch in either first or reverse rear. It does this by basicly making the slack between the motor and the engine bay nill. Usually when you rev your motor, you will see it torque in the engine bay. With this addon, you won't see that as much.
Here is the Racing Beat kit layed out on top of my hood. There are a total of 4 nuts, 1 flat washer, 1 lock washer, 2 rubber bushings, the main brace, the arm for the brace, and the nut tack welded to the end of an extension.
Before you begin, make sure that your wheels are turned as far to the right as you can. It is also a good idea to do this with the engine cool, as you will be working right behind the motor.
The first step is to make a mark 2" from the firewall and 9/16" down from the underside of the triangular corner brace that is right in front of the drivers side windshield (refer to pic below) This area is reinforced by 3 layers of sheet metal and will support the loads of the engine against it. Once the spot is marked, drill a 3/8" hole in the inside fender. Racing Beat persists to NOT MAKE THE HOLE BIGGER THAN 3/8"!
(Note: If you have a TII, remove the intercooler for easier access to the following steps)
Now reach down between the engine and master brake cylinder to remove the 14mm bolt just underneath the oil filter. It should have the main engine ground attached to it. If it is, when you replace the bolt later, make sure that the ground is touching the engine, and not on the outside of the brace.
Next stick the long brace rod through the hole using the short set of threads. Now you need to remove the 6 small screws that hold up the inside plastic wheel well liner. Move the liner out of the way. You should now be able to look up under the fender and see where your rod is coming out through the fender. Take the nut that is tack welded to the piece of metal, and thread the rod into it. Once you have it started, you can use a set of vicegrips or the like to tighten it. Make sure to use a rag or cloth in the jaws to prevent scoring the rod. Below is what it should look like.
Now you can install the first set of stuff on the rod. Install it in this order. 1 Jam nut, 1 regular nut, 1 cup washer, and 1 rubber bushing. The larger nipple on the bushing should face the cup washer. Now slip the rod into the hole at the top of the engine brace. Now push the brace assembly down so that you can line up the blank bolt on the passenger side and the bolt on the driver side under the oil filter that you removed earlier. Thread the bolt first a few turns to align it. Then place the 14mm nut onto the bolt end that sticks out right next to the engine hoist location. Tighten both sides down. Now you can install the last bushing and cup washer, and secure them on with the 14mm nut.
Now that the whole assembly is tightened up, you can replace the fender liner, and check the rest of your bolts and nuts to make sure that they are tight.
Now that you are ready to go, you need to adjust the tightness of the brace. Racing Beat says that there is a "4 turn method" to ensure best stiffness with least ammount of vibration in the cockpit. This technique is to tighten both regular nuts so that the cup washers are just pushing the bushings against the brace. Once that is done, tighten the regular nuts 4 complete turns. Then tighten the lock nut and you are all set. I went 6 turns as I like a little stiffer feel than the 4 turns gave me. The feel of the brace is great. The car feels very stiff now and dosen't rock under reving the throttle.
03-19-08, 01:06 AM
#5
King of the Loop
Thread Starter
Thanks for the writeup Soma.
