Okuyama R32/GTI Chassis Bracing

[Justin Fox]

Just ran into these bracing products from Okuyama/Carbing to stiffen up the chassis on the MKV R32/GTI.

Carbing braces are one of the more respected braces in JDM tuning culture. They're pretty damn expensive and they make solid quality gear:

http://carbing.ddo.jp/photo/7300/6807300_1.jpg

http://carbing.ddo.jp/photo/7230/6727230_2.jpg

http://carview-img02.bmcdn.jp/minkara/parts/000/002/748/026/2748026/p1.jpg
You guys already have these two but these are a lot stronger than the OEM ones.

http://carbing.ddo.jp/photo/7300/6117300_0.jpg

http://carbing.ddo.jp/photo/7300/6957300_0.jpg

http://carbing.ddo.jp/photo/7230/6727230_1.jpg

http://carbing.ddo.jp/photo/7230/4757231_1.jpg
These are meant to go directly on the floor under the carpet on stripped out race cars.

Can't be sure on the pricing/shipping on these though. Just thought I'd post them up in any case.

[Frenchie]

Umm interesting...

[Big Yellow]

Umm interesting...

very interesting!! :P

[Justin Fox]

I had a lot of braces under my MX-5 and I'd basically smash the fark out of them on ripple strips on the track. My MX-5 was so low though that I couldn't clear a Coke can on it's side.

I've got heaps of these braces on the GT-R, no problems with scraping (in your case Frenchie they will save your exhaust!) but to be honest the difference in stiffness wasn't as radical a change as my full roll cage. I felt the difference of the roll cage instantly, like night and day when it comes to stiffening up the chassis.

[JoeStivo]

That last under body brace looks pretty damn hardcore!

[Pharkus]

Very very interesting....

[R32Perth]

Did someone say group buy??

[Justin Fox]

I'll look into pricing but I'm pretty sure this stuff is going to be ridiculously overpriced!

[10d]

Justin, I will be interested as well

[AP]

yes please.. justin

[Justin Fox]

OK I will contact the guys at JDMyard today.

[Justin Fox]

OK guys I have some pricing:

http://carbing.ddo.jp/photo/7300/6117300_0.jpg
The front strut brace in aluminium is $495

http://carbing.ddo.jp/photo/7300/6807300_1.jpg
The lower arm bar is $270

http://carview-img02.bmcdn.jp/minkara/parts/000/002/748/026/2748026/p1.jpg
Chasis brace kit is $310

Items include shipping to Sydney. Add freight and handling to interstate.

PS: I did not get a price for the large under body brace. Yonas at JDMyard says it's too large, shipping will cost heaps and it'll have to come in by sea which could take 8 weeks.

[AP]

Lets get it.. I am in

[10d]

Me 2

[Justin Fox]

I am sure Suga would be in too. That makes 3 of you ballers.

So the lot? All 3 parts (technically 4 parts as the chassis bracing comes with 2 parts). Looking at these bits I'd say everything is a direct bolt on except for the front strut brace. It looks like they have removed a plastic trim piece in that photo which covers all that stuff above the brace up to the bottom of the front windscreen. I've seen other people managed to modify that trim pice in order to re-fit it around the front strut brace though. I am sure it can be done.

I'll wait for Suga to get home to confirm her order, maybe we can all discuss it tonight at the meet?

[10d]

Yup yup

[Frenchie]

I had a lot of braces under my MX-5 and I'd basically smash the fark out of them on ripple strips on the track. My MX-5 was so low though that I couldn't clear a Coke can on it's side.

I've got heaps of these braces on the GT-R, no problems with scraping (in your case Frenchie they will save your exhaust!) but to be honest the difference in stiffness wasn't as radical a change as my full roll cage. I felt the difference of the roll cage instantly, like night and day when it comes to stiffening up the chassis.

Possibly 4 Justin..

My concern is, will it be a snug fit with the mid section of my Capristo ?? can you have a look at my install pic and let me know..Thanks J

[bigwill]

can anyone explain to me the difference between these chasis braces and sways? :/

[Justin Fox]

Frenchie the chassis braces just replace one of the stock ones and it adds another. If you're still using the stock on then it should be fine.

Will, the sways are suspension related. These braces are chassis related and are designed to stiffen up the chassis (much like a roll cage does).

PS: Suga is out of the group buy and going to buy a wing instead.

PPS: The prices above are for between 1-5 orders so there's no need to fill out the group buy, if more than 5 are ordered the price can come down. If you guys are ready simply call Yonas or David at JDMyard and pay over the phone with your credit card or you can also direct deposit into their account. All the info you need to get the order happening is here:
http://www.jdmyard.com/contact-us/

[Frenchie]

Thanks J...

Let me do a little more homework..

[Justin Fox]

PS: Yonas is happy to deal with more enquiries over email too:
yonasATjdmyard.com

[10d]

Ok, bite the bullet and put the order through.

[Justin Fox]

Nice work Tendy.

[Tim]

Not trying to run this deal off the rails but the mk5 has a pretty stiff body even in stock guise. On the street I doubt you guys would see much benefit from any of this bracing. Maybe if youre running 500hp it could be worthwhile?

Front strut tower brace is the one that worries me the most. They usually require trimming of the firewall to be installed. And given the towers are built into the firewall unlike most older generation cars it doesnt seem overly necessary.

[10d]

Thanks for the tip, Tim. That's also the reason I didn't order the top front strut bars. Only the lower ones.

[G-rig]

I agree Tim probably an unecessary mod H&R Sway bars are probably the most you'd need. Strut braces also aren't required but JTW got one i believe.

And these aren't really the lightest or fastest cars on the track either.

[Justin Fox]

Depends on your values. In this case, perhaps comfort over handling feel.

I'm always a huge sucker for stiffening a chassis if I am after handling nirvana.

With my V35 Skyline it's auto and I want it to be comfy so I run my coilovers soft and I can't be stuffed to get bracing for it, most other cars though I've gone for the works. I know for a fact it's made a lot of difference in older cars (I had a lot of bracing just recently whacked on an ED Civic and boy did it make a difference, on my GT-R the full cage made a world of difference as soon as I drove it out of the workshop driveway.

Adding braces isn't going to hurt your car so much in weight (well at least not as much as a full roll cage) and it will reduce flex and make your suspension work better. You might not feel it that much but then again you might not feel an intake so much either, nor would you feel much difference in the lighter weight from a carbon bonnet, or lips and wings.

Again, it all depends on what you're trying to achieve with your car.

I personally love a car built for the track and I love these cars on the street (yes, if I had the cash I'd be driving a legal GT3 with full weld in cage as a daily driver). You can see VW have very weak looking braces under the car, the fact that they are there at all means that VW knew there was some flex there. Replacing them with these thicker ones will no doubt make the chassis stiffer than the original VW stock brace/s.

[10d]

^Like he said. >D
I also don't want to go over the top with a full cage and it is also highly illegal.

[Justin Fox]

I've tried to engineer the full cage in my GT-R, no go. I've ripped it out and might try to go for a half cage, with rear seats out, and RTA registered as a 2 seater. We'll see.

[10d]

Good luck!! For real!

[G-rig]

Depends on your values. In this case, perhaps comfort over handling feel.


I agree, depends what your objectives are I was just saying that unless you track it competitively then it may be a bit over the top for the street, where you want some comfort as well. The MK5 chassis is fairly good already (the MK6 even stiffer).

But if your're used to driving a track car with roll cage then it could be for you :).

[stephen8512]

Hey justin,

Would you know if these would fit the MK5 jetta?

[Justin Fox]

No idea man sorry, but today I took these pics:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4464210410_88bff40f84_o.jpg
Whilst I was under the car I thought I'd take the chance to inspect the OEM bracing and as you can see it's thin and very weak, it's so weak in fact you can move it with your hands and you can literally see it rippling on the edges from chassis flex.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4464210472_7e32ac820f_o.jpg
Just a little bit further up you can see how there is no brace at all but there are bolts there ready for a brace of exactly the same dimensions, strange huh?

[Pharkus]

Now you are tempting me Justin with those shots. Sure people are saying that the stock ones are more than sufficient, but it would look nice to have the Okuyuma ones installed. And only $315 for the both! Have to think over it this weekend.

[Tinto]

Is there any evidence that these actually work? Independent testing or whatever to show the issue that they are dealing with?
It seems like adding parts for the sake of it. The main goal being driver placebo (not for improved aesthetics or an obvious performance gain on an already stiff chassis).
I can imagine seeing this stuff on rsphil's race car and not batting an eyelid (He's even got a front strut tower brace, which surprised), but these seems a strange addition to anything but a fairly regularly abused road/track car.

But I guess plenty of people (me included) wear Nike Air Max without running a step each day.

There's a glut of Japanese gear (only just realising this because of the Nissan) that seems to exist purely to allow guys to show they have the most aftermarket parts.
This sort of bracing makes sense if your chassis is as rigid as cream cheese, but I don't think the same rules apply for all vehicles when the baseline rigidity is already set so high.

Happy to be set straight on this if there's some more info on it. CUZ I LOVE LEARNIN.

[Pharkus]

If no benefit then purely aesthetics even though it's located below the vehicle.

[Justin Fox]

Tinto you're spot on...








...about wearing Nike Airs!

Placebo counts for a lot (to some) and knowing your car is stiffer is similar to knowing your car can out brake and corner on Pirelli's better than nankangs (which are fine, and do the job apparently).

I've posted the above image to show everyone that there IS flex, so much so that the stock brace under there is rippling along the edges. That's proof enough for me, but will you feel the difference? I'd say definitely not, even if you are a track whore.

PS: Yes there are data loggers for chassis rigidity and yes all these different types of bracing do make the chassis stiffer.

[VTECMACHINE]

If I had a Golf already, I would have been in too JF.
Who makes rear sways bars - ie: Cusco equvilant for Euro's?

Wow I feel like such a nub. It's fun learning a new car.

[GBJ-R32]

there are a few different manufacuters
H&R, Whiteline, Neuspeed, hotchkis and im sure there are a few more

[VTECMACHINE]

Chassis bracing is very important for performance. You won't notice on the street though, unless it's a roll cage of some sort. You will notice is on the twisties or race track. My DC2R is very responsive to chassis bracing, but it is based off a very old Civic EG chassis. So ofcourse, it's going to make much more of a difference than a new MKV GTI. A bar placed in the wrong place would either make you slower by a second, or a bar in the right place could make the car 0.2 seconds faster.

[10d]

Still waiting for mine.

[jdmyard]

As soon as Carbing have them for us , will get it send here asap on express.
Usually they are quite precise with ETA. They are being abit slow on this order.
We are still waiting for alot of honda bars too.


Note : Every VW Okuyama/Carbing bars gotta be hand made to orders. We normally dealt with Honda bars and they usually have most of them in stock

[10d]

Thanks for the update, Yonas

[Justin Fox]

http://carview-img02.bmcdn.jp/minkara/parts/000/002/843/622/2843622/p1.jpg

http://carview-img02.bmcdn.jp/minkara/note/000/001/086/287/1086287/p2.jpg

http://www.fob-schrank.net/data/fob-schrank/product/f492480463.jpg

http://www.fob-schrank.net/data/fob-schrank/product/e3a2cd390d.jpg

More here:
http://blog.livedoor.jp/fob_staff/tag/CPM

[Frenchie]

Clean ! I like.

[MasterKevin]

oh i like that one !

[MasterKevin]

I wonder if these fit on the mk6 O_o

[G-rig]

How much weight did that add?
Just kidding, looks cleaan!

[AP]

They are hot Justin!!!

[bigwill]

looks damn good

[S&H]

How much weight did that add?
Just kidding, looks cleaan!

Looks like they are made out of Aluminium - if so, it won't be very much.

[Bizi]

That's under-bling. :p

[R32Perth]

Looks Great Justin, how much are they?

Was going to say, a good machinist could make them out of ally .....