What distributor do I have? Replacement suggestions?
01-06-2010, 03:27 PM
#11
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: NC
Posts: 307
I would strongly recommend using a stock type export brace. The one you have now is worse than the lame stock braces. The single piece stamped heavy steel piece forms a large solid triangle in the compartment, especially when used with a Mote Carlo bar. The piece you have now has Heim joints which allow free movement at exactly the wrong place to stiffen the compartment. Don't get the cheapie, get the deeply stamped heavy gauge brace.
I have never understood the popularity of using Heim joints in a chassis stiffener. It's just dumb. Of course, the manufacturers advertise heavily in the magazines, so they have a vested interest in praising them.
I have never understood the popularity of using Heim joints in a chassis stiffener. It's just dumb. Of course, the manufacturers advertise heavily in the magazines, so they have a vested interest in praising them.
also:
01-06-2010, 04:45 PM
#12
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Cork, Ireland
Posts: 6,417
Actually, that TCP unit is very stiff IF you have the ENTIRE setup installed. It triangulates from several different locations to prevent anything from moving...basic principles of structural engineering. But, without the entire setup, then yeah, it allows for quite a bit of movement. The only real advantage to that setup is better distributor clearance(maybe) and it's easier to take apart if you pull the engine frequently(race cars). Otherwise the heavy stamped steel brace with a straight Monte Carlo bar is just as stiff(perhaps even more so) and WAAAYY cheaper.
I'm running the heavy stamped brace and a straight Monte bar, and I jack the car up under 1 control arm on one side....and the entire car comes straight up. The front end is VERY stiff. It's just a bit of a pain to get at the distributor, and I have the small Crane unit(which they don't make...for now, till S&S Cycle gets them up and produced again). Otherwise try a small Mallory or MSD unit, I'd recommend something that has electronically controlled timing curves, and not the mechanical weights and springs.
I'm running the heavy stamped brace and a straight Monte bar, and I jack the car up under 1 control arm on one side....and the entire car comes straight up. The front end is VERY stiff. It's just a bit of a pain to get at the distributor, and I have the small Crane unit(which they don't make...for now, till S&S Cycle gets them up and produced again). Otherwise try a small Mallory or MSD unit, I'd recommend something that has electronically controlled timing curves, and not the mechanical weights and springs.
I was trying to the the crane distri from summit, but they keep postponing the estimated date, although I was talking to Crane directly around SEMA and they said they should have them that week.
I'll have to give them another call to see what the story is. That thingy was on my give to myself for xmas list, especially since I have the box from em as well
01-06-2010, 05:53 PM
#13
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: California
Posts: 10,468
Crane is probably having delays getting some stuff up and running again, now that S&S is restarting their operations.
And as far as the heim joint setup, the problem with not using the entire unit, is that the joints allow the braces to travel throughout an arc as it pivots at each end. With the "export brace" portion it will increase stiffness from side to side on the car, but will still allow the front frame rails to flex upward and downward. The Monte Carlo bar is there to keep the distance between the shock towers the same, which helps increase lateral stiffness as well as reducing the up and down movement of the frame rails(since when that happens the distance between shock towers changes). Triangulation works by effectively causing a binding situation no matter which direction something tries to move in. The complete TCP setup works because the links are different lengths, so when anything tries to move the links travel in different arcs and create a bind, but without the entire unit installed there are no additional points to create the bind, so you end up with something that's only partially effective. When a Classic Mustang corners one of the biggest problems is that the frame rails move up/down relative to each other(as weight transfers), which causes the entire car to twist and screws up the alignment. Using only a portion of the TCP setup creates problems because the joints allow movement, and the shock towers DO move since the car is unibody...they flex forward and backward and in and out. The joints allow for some movement as the sheet metal flexes, and without the entire unit to create a single rigid piece you still get flexing.
And as far as the heim joint setup, the problem with not using the entire unit, is that the joints allow the braces to travel throughout an arc as it pivots at each end. With the "export brace" portion it will increase stiffness from side to side on the car, but will still allow the front frame rails to flex upward and downward. The Monte Carlo bar is there to keep the distance between the shock towers the same, which helps increase lateral stiffness as well as reducing the up and down movement of the frame rails(since when that happens the distance between shock towers changes). Triangulation works by effectively causing a binding situation no matter which direction something tries to move in. The complete TCP setup works because the links are different lengths, so when anything tries to move the links travel in different arcs and create a bind, but without the entire unit installed there are no additional points to create the bind, so you end up with something that's only partially effective. When a Classic Mustang corners one of the biggest problems is that the frame rails move up/down relative to each other(as weight transfers), which causes the entire car to twist and screws up the alignment. Using only a portion of the TCP setup creates problems because the joints allow movement, and the shock towers DO move since the car is unibody...they flex forward and backward and in and out. The joints allow for some movement as the sheet metal flexes, and without the entire unit to create a single rigid piece you still get flexing.
01-06-2010, 06:50 PM
#15
6th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 5,232
can you elaborate a bit? the only thing i see with the heim joints is that they would allow the shock tower to rotate a bit. lateral stiffness should be on par with the stock brace. the export brace is probably a bit stiffer since it strengthens the cowl quite a bit.
also:
also:
Last edited by 2+2GT; 01-06-2010 at 06:55 PM.
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