A-Spec Transmission Brace Installed
08-09-05, 02:42 AM
#1
A-Spec Transmission Brace Installed
So, on my track car I have my urethane motormounts (nice and stiff) and a engine torque brace. So I get almost no rotational movement in the engine/drivetrain.
However, I still noticed that my shifter would bounce all over the place during shifts or changes in accel/decel...et,et. I though 'how the heck can it be moving'? But it turned out that it was moving front to back, not side to side. Side to side would be caused from engine rotation, eliminated on my car from stiffer motor mounts and an ETB.
So I decided to ty a-specs Transmission Brace and I really like the way it felt. It did remove my front-to-back shifter play and really tightened it up. It does add some noise to the car since the vibration of teh trans/engine is directly transmitted to the car frame, but its a non issue in my tack car. For a street car i recommend making 'bushings' for it to dampen the vibration.
Install was pretty easy, just remove your old stock brace and install this one. It took me a few times to get its orientation right since its angled sides have to go a certain way to fit right.
I noticed once design flaw that bummed me a bit, look at the pic below. Notice how the welded connection is done in such a way that dosnt allow it to seat right. However, after you tightent he bolts down it smashes the flange to the car body, but its not ideal.
Once issue I had was that it hit the ex-pipe as show in this pic:
To keep it from hitting the ex-pipe, I cut a shape out so that the pipe had plenty of room to bounce around and not hit the brace. I dont think it hindered the brace overall structure much.
Overall its a great mod for track or semi-track cars. Might be too much for a street car with a 'I-dont-want-noise-or-any-vibration' kinda driver.
However, I still noticed that my shifter would bounce all over the place during shifts or changes in accel/decel...et,et. I though 'how the heck can it be moving'? But it turned out that it was moving front to back, not side to side. Side to side would be caused from engine rotation, eliminated on my car from stiffer motor mounts and an ETB.
So I decided to ty a-specs Transmission Brace and I really like the way it felt. It did remove my front-to-back shifter play and really tightened it up. It does add some noise to the car since the vibration of teh trans/engine is directly transmitted to the car frame, but its a non issue in my tack car. For a street car i recommend making 'bushings' for it to dampen the vibration.
Install was pretty easy, just remove your old stock brace and install this one. It took me a few times to get its orientation right since its angled sides have to go a certain way to fit right.
I noticed once design flaw that bummed me a bit, look at the pic below. Notice how the welded connection is done in such a way that dosnt allow it to seat right. However, after you tightent he bolts down it smashes the flange to the car body, but its not ideal.
Once issue I had was that it hit the ex-pipe as show in this pic:
To keep it from hitting the ex-pipe, I cut a shape out so that the pipe had plenty of room to bounce around and not hit the brace. I dont think it hindered the brace overall structure much.
Overall its a great mod for track or semi-track cars. Might be too much for a street car with a 'I-dont-want-noise-or-any-vibration' kinda driver.
08-09-05, 05:10 AM
#2
Planning my come back
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 3,393
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have it on my car, I love how it holds everything in place and the shifting is so much better. I did hate the noice but after a few weeks you get used to it.
Trending Topics
08-09-05, 06:22 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Monterey
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I installed mine today also. Fitment was terrible however as I had to bend it substantially to make it fit and I still havnt been able to put all of the screws into the chassis as the holes do not line up perfectly. Despite all of that, I did manage to put it on so that it is functional and I love the way it tightens up the the drive line. Just throwing in my experience, Damian...
08-09-05, 08:56 PM
#10
Question Damian my in your first pic I see you have it bolt'd to the chassis on set of bolts to the right of your exhaust. Do have to use that side or can the other side be used as well? I ask because my exhaust completely covers the holes on that side, will it hender the brace in anyway if I cut that side off?
08-09-05, 09:06 PM
#11
Originally Posted by BenzaLee
I installed mine today also. Fitment was terrible however as I had to bend it substantially to make it fit and I still havnt been able to put all of the screws into the chassis as the holes do not line up perfectly. Despite all of that, I did manage to put it on so that it is functional and I love the way it tightens up the the drive line. Just throwing in my experience, Damian...
08-10-05, 01:20 AM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Monterey
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by eyecandy
I had the same problem, fitment was horrible, they could have made a betetr jig. I could only get two holes to match up at a time. I ended up drilling the other holes to fit, and it seems liek even those the hole were enlarged significatly it still functions.
08-10-05, 01:45 AM
#13
Originally Posted by BenzaLee
I installed mine today also. Fitment was terrible however as I had to bend it substantially to make it fit and I still havnt been able to put all of the screws into the chassis as the holes do not line up perfectly. Despite all of that, I did manage to put it on so that it is functional and I love the way it tightens up the the drive line. Just throwing in my experience, Damian...
hmmm, i did not have to bend mine and the holes did line up, are you sure you had it the right way?
08-10-05, 01:47 AM
#14
Originally Posted by 20B 3rd Gen
Question Damian my in your first pic I see you have it bolt'd to the chassis on set of bolts to the right of your exhaust. Do have to use that side or can the other side be used as well? I ask because my exhaust completely covers the holes on that side, will it hender the brace in anyway if I cut that side off?
08-10-05, 08:33 AM
#16
I am becoming...
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Montgomery, AL
Posts: 1,507
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had the same problem, you'd be surprised how big of a difference it makes when you make sure the car is lifted level. If you're using jackstands and the front or back is lifted a bit more than the other it screws up the alignment badly. After I readjusted my jackstands it went on like butter
-Nic
-Nic
08-10-05, 11:51 AM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Monterey
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Broken09
I had the same problem, you'd be surprised how big of a difference it makes when you make sure the car is lifted level. If you're using jackstands and the front or back is lifted a bit more than the other it screws up the alignment badly. After I readjusted my jackstands it went on like butter
-Nic
-Nic
Thanks
Ben
08-10-05, 03:49 PM
#20
Vagina Junction
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 1,838
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No issues requiring bending or cutting on mine, and that "design flaw" wasn't on mine. Maybe they made a new jig or something, as mine was from the very first batch.
08-10-05, 08:44 PM
#21
Rotary Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: In the Sky
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
guys the key to installing the transmission brace is to have all 4 wheels off the ground. if you try to install the brace with one side jacked up it wont fit cause the car is flexing. i have no problems installing mine
