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Old 02-21-2009, 04:31 PM   #276
silver-duck
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Where is this product now?
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Old 02-23-2009, 01:55 AM   #277
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I have 4 plates still available. silver-duck - I PM'd you.

The bad news is that due to recent economy-related happenings at my primary job, I will have to take on a lot of added responsibilities and that will make for some very long work days. Unfortunately, this means Nighthawk will continue on, but only focusing on a simplified product line-up that is not as intensive on fabrication work. With the added work-load, I'm not so sure that I will be able to maintain a steady level of production on the braces, but I'm still working on solid shifter bushings and since I already have a source on bolts, I'll still keep a full class 10.9 bolt kit available for the Subaru 5mt which would be a great option for folks who are rebuilding a 5mt and want better hardware to keep everything clamped together.

The good news: I just took delivery of a rather nice new Miller plasma-cutter, as well as a very handy mill/lathe combo machine that I'm planning on converting to full CNC operation, so I'm not giving up on the business that easy.

This is not necessarily the end of the 5mt reinforcements, but I won't be able to produce them quite as quickly as I had originally planned until the economy recovers a bit and I'm a relieved of some of my interim duties at work. Though I will still be producing them slowly and in small numbers to sell them as I have free time to make them available.

The plan: I have put together a list of potential customers by order in which they requested pricing/availability either through this thread, through PMs or through e-mails to my Nighthawk e-mail address. I will be going down the list and contacting these customers (in this same order) to give interested parties first dibbs on the 4 plates that I currently have left based on how early on they contacted me. That seems to be the most fair way in which to go about things. I really apologize for inconveniencing or disappointing anybody, but the current state of the economy is actually starting to really hit home.

As I produce more reinforcements in smaller lots, subsequent orders will still likely be handled through DS1.

Last edited by jhargis; 02-23-2009 at 11:21 AM.
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Old 02-25-2009, 11:17 AM   #278
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Can I buy one of these yet? You sold me on the second page
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Old 02-27-2009, 03:58 PM   #279
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me too
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Old 03-01-2009, 12:51 PM   #280
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also interested
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Old 03-01-2009, 01:35 PM   #281
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How complicated will these be to install?
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Old 03-03-2009, 12:57 AM   #282
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vlad View Post
me too
Quote:
Originally Posted by thereplacement View Post
also interested
Noted... I'm in the process of going back through my various PMs and e-mails, as well as folks who have posted their interest on this thread. I'm compiling a "waiting list" of sorts...

I can only pump out about 2 plates and 2 diff braces or so per week tops right now, so I'll still be making them (just made 2 more diff braces tonight, in fact), but it'll be slow. Once I get a little free time to do some negotiation, I'm interested in finding a 3rd party fabricator to relieve me of some of the work as well, so that could speed things up a bit.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Daggah View Post
How complicated will these be to install?
The diff brace will be pretty easy, maybe about an hour or so with the trans in the car for any mechanically inclined person (It's in a pretty accessible spot). Loosen 2 nuts/bolts, thread an already factory-drilled hole in the trans with a cheap 8mm/1.25 tap found at your local autoparts store, slap the brace on and re-torque the nut and bolts.

The plate is very easy with the trans out of the car. But it's pretty tight with the trans in the car. If you remove the driveshaft, shift linkage, and trans cross-member, you *MIGHT* be able to drop the trans down a little bit and get enough space for the top bolts to clear the trans tunnel, but I'm not sure on that one... It's tight in there and the top rear bolt with the plate is 200mm long. I'd recommend doing the job with the transmission out of the car... A clutch change or other repair that requires the tranmission to come out would be a great opporunity to install that reinforcement plate as a "while-yer-in-there" item.

Last edited by jhargis; 03-03-2009 at 10:54 AM.
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Old 03-06-2009, 02:43 AM   #283
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Rectangular supports are not going to provide significant reinforcement on a case constructed as is. When proper gears fix the inherent problem, this leads most to believe that the problem was in fact the gears, not a flexing case. Notice how most gears shear: at the base of the tooth. If the teeth were actually separating a significant amount, the shear stress on the tooth would rise significantly at the point of contact as it moved away from the base of the gear tooth. The bending moment on the tooth would go down as the teeth moved further apart if the case was actually flexing.


How about someone's opinion on case flex who has inside out and upside down with these these boxes?

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtop...+flex&start=25
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Old 03-06-2009, 08:27 AM   #284
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that guy already has several things wrong....so I won't be listening to that link. I also from a personal opinion this is designed nor will it be the end all of breaking 5-spd trannies...they will still fail but I think at a higher level. You can almost reason that having no case flex will put more direct load (force spike) on the gears and cause a quicker failure as the case no longer flexes as a dampner to the force seen by the gear.

Think progressive spring vs linear spring.
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Old 03-06-2009, 12:39 PM   #285
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im interested in this, the thread has been a good read so far

i've torn these 5mts apart many times, but since theyre all customer jobs here i've never looked into reinforcements or case flex. thanks for all the good info
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Old 03-06-2009, 01:06 PM   #286
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Quote:
Originally Posted by piddster View Post
Rectangular supports are not going to provide significant reinforcement on a case constructed as is. When proper gears fix the inherent problem, this leads most to believe that the problem was in fact the gears, not a flexing case. Notice how most gears shear: at the base of the tooth. If the teeth were actually separating a significant amount, the shear stress on the tooth would rise significantly at the point of contact as it moved away from the base of the gear tooth. The bending moment on the tooth would go down as the teeth moved further apart if the case was actually flexing.


How about someone's opinion on case flex who has inside out and upside down with these these boxes?

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtop...+flex&start=25
Hey, you're definitely entitled to your own opinion. Remember however, that gear teeth are not a perfect triangle... They are machined with a rounded profile, so actually the heaviest load is usually placed somewhere near the middle of the tooth... As a gear seperates and you move that load out toward the tip of the tooth, the drive tooth has a larger leverage advantage on the root of the driven tooth. That's also why gear teeth tend to pop off at their base when you rebuild a transmission and set the gear lash too wide. That posts also doubts shaft flex. My product does little to prevent flex in the long portion of the input shaft ahead of the front input shaft bearing, but I can tell you that the input shaft is FAR more flexible than one would think, and I'd bet input shaft flex is the biggest problem of all in the equation.

A)In regards to the plate. My experience shows that the case flexes torsionally in that area. But I guess Subaru spent a good bit of money changing the case castings for no reason ... I suppose they found no flex in that area of the case, but decided "Hey, let's stregnthen up the top and bottom of the case, and get longer more expensive bolts in there for the heck of it." That was a stop-gap fix for a weak transmission case on Subaru's part, the point of my plate is to further reinforce that part of the transmission. Ever tried to twist a 4.75" wide 1/4" thick cold-rolled steel plate? It takes some effort, quite a few tons in a press-brake. I can put a 1" thick piece of cast aluminum in a press-brake on the same die and tear it into 2 pieces at the same tonnage.

B)And as for the diff brace, I'd say there's some flex, Look below:




Quote:
Originally Posted by Homemade WRX View Post
that guy already has several things wrong....so I won't be listening to that link. I also from a personal opinion this is designed nor will it be the end all of breaking 5-spd trannies...they will still fail but I think at a higher level. You can almost reason that having no case flex will put more direct load (force spike) on the gears and cause a quicker failure as the case no longer flexes as a dampner to the force seen by the gear.

Think progressive spring vs linear spring.
I agree completey that my braces are not anywhere near being the end-all for 5mt failure. I do think the diff brace helps prevent the problems pictured above in higher hp cars. They just provide a better foundation. There is flex in the case, no doubt, and it can't be good. I'd think that minimizing gear speration and preserving gear alignment during heavy load would be far more advantageous than allowing the flexible case to absorb shock in the procees of allowing the gears to seperate so much.

Last edited by jhargis; 03-06-2009 at 06:46 PM.
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Old 03-06-2009, 01:12 PM   #287
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On another note, I will be suspending production for about a month. Just got a deal I couldn't refuse on some more sq. footage for my shop through a family member, so I will be moving tools/machinery over there in the next couple of weeks. Got the new monthly forecasts at the day job, and let's just say it looks like I'll have more free time in the next couple of months, so I should be able to find much more time for my own business (mixed blessing, I guess?).
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Old 03-13-2009, 02:53 PM   #288
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Very interesting info here. I've been thinking of doing something similar but never got around to it due to lack of time.
You can put me on that waiting list as well please.

Thanks,

Alex...
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Old 03-19-2009, 05:01 PM   #289
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+1 Ill wait.
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Old 04-22-2009, 11:05 PM   #290
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So how well is your part working now? I am considering this or a 6mt. As I am told that my case may have caused the 2nd gear sound and damage I am experiencing on my ppg gears.
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Old 05-10-2009, 09:39 PM   #291
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Any news on that brace?? And how is it helping your RA gears?

Regards
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Old 05-11-2009, 08:14 AM   #292
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Damn.. I just cracked my trans.... Apparently I caused enough distortion to lock up the trans, and cause a nice crack in the case...
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Old 05-11-2009, 11:03 AM   #293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 05Scooby View Post
Damn.. I just cracked my trans.... Apparently I caused enough distortion to lock up the trans, and cause a nice crack in the case...
That sucks! I realy want to know if that brace can help... We don't get STI trannys around here... I need any other option to help my tranny...
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Old 05-14-2009, 06:22 PM   #294
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Sorry for the delay guys, I was hoping to have the shop together in the new location by mid april, but I suppose I underestimated the amount of work needed. The new place is now completely re-wired from the ground up, even got myself some air conditioning for the hot weather!

Most of my machines are set up, and the newest additions (plasma cutter & bigger metal lathe) are tested and running flawlessly, so I'm hoping to be back in business in the next couple of weeks.
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Old 05-17-2009, 01:25 PM   #295
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PM me when u have a few of these things sitting on the shelf.. money in hand waiting to buy...
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Old 05-18-2009, 04:16 AM   #296
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 05Scooby View Post
Damn.. I just cracked my trans.... Apparently I caused enough distortion to lock up the trans, and cause a nice crack in the case...
But according to BAC5.2 case flex is a myth!!??? huh, thats weird!
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Old 05-20-2009, 12:06 AM   #297
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DO WANT!!! PM me with a price and an expected date for manufacturing.
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Old 05-20-2009, 04:06 PM   #298
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interested let me know a price please
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Old 05-20-2009, 06:23 PM   #299
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 05Scooby View Post
Damn.. I just cracked my trans.... Apparently I caused enough distortion to lock up the trans, and cause a nice crack in the case...
Out of curiosity, where on the case did a crack appear?

Quote:
Originally Posted by slo07wrx View Post
PM me when u have a few of these things sitting on the shelf.. money in hand waiting to buy...
Quote:
Originally Posted by 06Limited View Post
DO WANT!!! PM me with a price and an expected date for manufacturing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thom View Post
interested let me know a price please
The shop is pretty much done and ready to go. I'm buying materials for the next run this Sat. so I should have some ready to go, I'll say within a couple of weeks roughly. Business is pretty slow for my bolt supplier so they're a bit sluggish these days, last time I ordered bolts, it took almost 2 weeks for them to come in, so that may be my biggest limiting factor. Overtime at the day job is pretty much grinding to a halt as well, so I'm finding myself with a lot more free time to get this stuff done!

As a note: I'll be deleting the cross bracing on the plate in subsequent runs. The plate itself is pretty strong, and based on some testing done in solid works by Dylan & Jeff a while back, it's kind of overkill. That will speed up production time, and lower cost a bit, so I'll be re-working the price of the plate a bit (lower). The diff brace will remain pretty much the same for the time being.

BTW, sorry my PM box is full, I'm trying to hold on to messages from nasioc folks that contacted me earlier on in the design process so I can be as fair as possible for the first-come-first-serve crowd. As soon as I get some free time, I'll archive those messages to free up my inbox.

Also, again, I really apologize for the huge delay in moving the shop... It's been quite a set-back and a heck of a project, but it will definitely pay off in the long run on all counts. It's just easier to built things for a reasonable price, at a better level of quality, and more quickly when I have room to move around with a better layout for all of my machines/tools . I wanted to get Nighthawk Autmotive set up the right way, and having the appropriate sq. footage makes things much much easier. And thanks again to all of you for your support and interest.
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Old 06-17-2009, 12:31 AM   #300
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So are there any parts for sale?
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