Chassis brace advice

[sneakypete]

Hi all, I have the opportunity to buy a bunch of used GTSpec chassis bracing parts for reasonably cheap, but I want to get some experience (informed opinions please, not just bench racing) before I make the investment. I drive a 2002 P5 with some mild suspension mods (Tein S-Techs, Stagg SHS struts, Racing Beat rear sway bar, rear clunk fix brackets with urethane bushings, 16x8 FD rims, 225/45 Falken FK452 tires, and a GTSpec rear strut tower bar).

I drive my car in a spirited fashion on the roads, nothing crazy, and I would like to start competing in autocross in 2014.

In your experience, are the other GTSpec components (and chassis braces in general) worth it? Specifically, I have the opportunity to get a front lower tie bar, a front 4-point ladder brace, a rear link reinforcement panel, and a rear v-brace. Are they all worth it if I can get them for less than $200+shipping? Are some worth it and some not worth it? Am I wasting my time altogether with chassis bracing? Any experience would be appreciated.

 

[Brian_K]

It won't be a night and day difference like switching out the rear swaybar, but it will definitely tighten up the way your car handles. if you can get multiple parts for that kind of price i'd say get them. If you're not satisfied with the performance increase you can always sell them for profit.

 

[bikingpro5]

what Brian said, buy them and see how they feel to you. I have all the pieces installed and noticed a difference but i also did coils almost at the same time. If you dont notice a difference you an easily sell some of the pieces for $200+ each, these are pieces that are no longer made and people are always looking for the vbrace panel and arms. Lower tie bar will make the most difference IMO.

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

I have gtspec ladder brace, trailing arms, reinforcement panel, front stb & rr stb and would certainly give you 100 for those v-brace arms if they are the bluish ones...........even if they are the orange ones in decent shape. There's half of your cash back just on those..........lemme know. As was stated, the lower tie brace made almost no difference but the rest were all noticeable improvements. And yes, a rr sway is a big deal. Just put my oem back on until getting new brackets for my progress and that is big difference.

 

[JaLMP5]

No they are terrible items, just go ahead and give me the guys info and I'll buy them and dispose of them properly. (2thumbs)

 

[sneakypete]

No they are terrible items, just go ahead and give me the guys info and I'll buy them and dispose of them properly. (2thumbs)

Thanks for helping me dodge a bullet! I appreciate that kind of selfless generosity here at M247.

 

[JaLMP5]

Thanks for helping me dodge a bullet! I appreciate that kind of selfless generosity here at M247.

That's what I'm here for, but in all honesty even if you don't find them to make all that much of a difference you can still make back your money easily on those items depending on condition. They are definitely hard pieces to find in a dying market.

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

sell me the vbrace arms after you get them...........................please.

 

[Tarmac Terrorist]

sell me the vbrace arms after you get them...........................please.

ROFL!
Seeing how I am the seller here, I like to praise the benefits of these chassis bracing parts when all done together! They are all the Blueish powder coated ones, I wish I saved the trailing arms when I sold my car, but I did not have the stock trailing arms to replace them with...
I don't think you will notice a huge improvement in day to day driving, but when you start cornering hard you will for sure! With the Front and rear sway bars done on my car, and the Coilovers, with urethane bushings everywhere that could be done it was an awesome setup! Plus with the P5 you have the Advantage to already having the front Strut bar, and rear strut tower bar installed as well!

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

ROFL!
Seeing how I am the seller here, I like to praise the benefits of these chassis bracing parts when all done together! They are all the Blueish powder coated ones, I wish I saved the trailing arms when I sold my car, but I did not have the stock trailing arms to replace them with...
I don't think you will notice a huge improvement in day to day driving, but when you start cornering hard you will for sure! With the Front and rear sway bars done on my car, and the Coilovers, with urethane bushings everywhere that could be done it was an awesome setup! Plus with the P5 you have the Advantage to already having the front Strut bar, and rear strut tower bar installed as well!

Yes, that is why I want the vbrace bars to complete my setup, not doing trunk brace but have the rest.