...why hasn't anyone made one yet?

I mean, we have replacement bushings and stuff for the crossmember now, and the STI tranny mount... Plus there are several companies making under-body braces...

Why hasnt anyone designed an aftermarket transmission crossmember??? :confused:

(I'm thinking of designs for it right now, but i'm not an engineer and I dont have any way of fabricating it, but I really want to get the idea out there so someone can do something with it...)

What do you want it to do that it doesn't currently do? Just mo'stiffer?

cheers

garrett

Stiffer, lighter, better, stronger :p

Basically, I mean replace the entire unit (the 3 piece crossmember and seperate tranny mount) with one assembly that is better designed with better materials (IE not made out of thin stamped steel pieces) and potentially lighter as well.

Plus, considering the mounting points are the same on the GC and GD chassis (even some of the Legacy chassis too I believe, along with the forester) it might be something that would actually be marketable as well.

But like I said, I got the idea after seeing how several new underbody braces are coming out ( http://www.napsusa.com/ ) and I was like "why not actually replace something with an improved design instead of adding more negligably useful stuff?"

It looks like most WRC cars and rally/tarmac cars built by Vermont Sports car still retain the OEM crossmembers and subframe. I would think that if these pieces had serious design flaws or had much room for improvement they would not be used in serious competition. The Prodrive WRC car does look like it uses a custom crossmember, but it uses custom everything and might just be easier for them to fab a whole new piece vs trying to use the OEM parts.

cheers

garrett

The WRC car just has a titanium or some other expensive material simple bar for support.

I guess there isnt any interest in this then...

I think there would be interest tho. It would just have to have a purpose. If it saved 5 lbs i dunno that it would sell. But if it saved some weight and improved turn in or chassis strength so that it was noticeable then it would def do some good and have serious interest.

cheers

garrett

I figure it would do the same thing that a sti tranny mount + carrier bushings, along with saving the weight... Who knows about chassis regidity, well unless it were designed to use some of those other bolt holes like on that Cusco underbody brace.

I think the only way it would be of interest would be if it made the chassis noticeably stronger. The stamped OEM one really isn't that heavy. If you made a tubular one it would still be made of steel right? I don't think it would be worth the money/time unless it had suspension benefits. Good idea tho.

cheers

garrett

This is an open invitation for anyone other than me or Kosta to post in this thread. Come one come all.

cheers

garrett

This is an open invitation for anyone other than me or Kosta to post in this thread. Come one come all.

cheers

garrett
I know, I feel like the roten step child having posted this thread :(


Anyway, it could forseably be made out of cromoly or titanium, if you wanted to spend extra $$$

ive had this subbed lurking for conversation here.

while i did the kartboy transmission bushings and even with the kb rear shifter bushing i had to pull it. i definitely wasnt impressed with the construction, and i was surprised that there wasnt a aftermarket "upgrade"/replacement.

John.

Well, im thinking of two designs right now... One that would bolt directly to the transmission and possibly be two pieces (one for each side), and another that would use the stock transmission mount (which would be easier probably to design and still provide some bushing material for NVH)

All those designs look nice, but I'd say it's probably hard to quantify how much they actually help. Some of them look like they just add weight. Also, it would be fairly easy to fab those up at home using non-exotic 4130.

I havent posted any designs :confused:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a383/Kostamojen/tmount1.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a383/Kostamojen/tmount2.jpg

Note: Some of my measurements are off. The last two I dont indicate clearance either, but I tried to diagram that a little in the first design (IE how it needs to clear the exhaust)

Yes, these measurements came from a '95. There are 4 bolt holes (the ones near the tranny bolt locations) that arent on the newer cars. However, the rest of the bolt locactions/sizes are identicle throughout the years.

The first one is the most feasable IMHO. It could be made with a flat metal and cut and bent to specifications, and its only one piece. It uses the stock tranny mount too, instead of bolting straight to the transmission.

Test fit pics:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a383/Kostamojen/testfitting.jpg

Damn...I think that would remove ANY, and I mean ANY drivetrain slack!

If those bolted directly to the trans w/o any bushings that is. Hmmm...I dunno, what is the downside to having the trans directly bolted to the frame?

The first one uses the stock tranny mount, so it will still have that mount there to reduce NVH. As for the other two... Ya they bolt straight to the transmission :p Of course none of this is set in stone. Anyone can use those measurements I made now and come up with a funky design of their own.

The first one is the most feasable IMHO. It could be made with a flat metal and cut and bent to specifications, and its only one piece. It uses the stock tranny mount too, instead of bolting straight to the transmission.
While I concur that the first one would be the easiest and probably the most realistic (solid mount tranny on a street car = bad idea), you can't just make that part out of "flat metal" and expect it to do its job. Even 3/8" thick steel would just sag in the middle. You need either flat tubing (which is what your blue bracing in the pictures is made of), or some vertical reinforcement.

Pat

Actually, I WAS originally thinking two bent tubes + a piece of metal to connect them for that design... Might work better.

And here you go:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a383/Kostamojen/kosttmount.jpg

^^sweet I'd be down........

although perrin has probably already copied your design and started getting quotes for production from their manufacturers...

although perrin has probably already copied your design and started getting quotes for production from their manufacturers...
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I honestly wouldnt care if someone copied it, but only if my name was on it :p

call it the "k-brace" short for kostamojen.

the pic that you drew does look like a "k" on its side :)

call it the "k-brace" short for kostamojen.

the pic that you drew does look like a "k" on its side :)
Didnt notice that, LOL! I like it :)

not bad.. id be interested in a k-brace :D

John.