DDMW Rear Brace Install and Review
- Thread starter Preloader
- Start date
GunBlade
New member
This style was chosen because a full bar set up for this car particularly is overkill. The choice of this design gives you the full effect for less money.
Thaifight-R
Pika Pii!!!
firstorbit84
New member
nice! i knew this bar would be effective. the rear torsion beam braces for VW's are amazing for the money. I can't wait to get this and some eibachs.
...now if there were only an adjustable shock available.
...now if there were only an adjustable shock available.
sonic24740
Zippy
just installed mine.. haven't taken it for a drive yet.. maybe later tonight.. 
install was pretty simple just follow preloaders instructions and you will be great..
Awesome right up...
just watch out for the hot shaving.. they will burn your arms all to hell
install was pretty simple just follow preloaders instructions and you will be great..
Awesome right up...
just watch out for the hot shaving.. they will burn your arms all to hell
Last edited:
sonic24740
Zippy
yea i was thinking the same thing..
SO.. took it for a spin WOW... What a difference...
i need to stiffen up my coil overs and i will be pretty set for the track
Just need a front one now..
rdss
Junior Member
I was going to get the front bar installed tomorrow but found out with the cut backs to the military the hobby shop isn't open on Sundays anymore (gotta love sequestration!)..... I am going to see if I can get it in with jack stands and a floor jack tomorrow. If not it might be two weekends from now unless I can cut out of work early one day and get it done this week.
Preloader
The M32 Martyr
IMO, most lowering kits and Aftermarket Coilover spring rates cause understeer.
The rear brace helps cure it...... A LOT. Im gonna leave the front alone. A tighter front sway will put me right back into understeer.
And unless I plan to have my wife or my Mother in the car, my rebound dampening is set to full stiffness in the front and 75% in back.
The rear brace helps cure it...... A LOT. Im gonna leave the front alone. A tighter front sway will put me right back into understeer.
And unless I plan to have my wife or my Mother in the car, my rebound dampening is set to full stiffness in the front and 75% in back.
sonic24740
Zippy
o don't take that as me trying to rush you.
sonic24740
Zippy
yea i mite try that.. right now i have more sway up front and the rear stays put..but they are set equally right now. will do some adjusting next weekend maybe..
rdss
Junior Member
I know you're not, I need to get it taken car of sooner than later though. Just talking out loud about what's holding me up. I'd be more than happy if I could fish it through without dropping the cross member but I don't think that's going to be the case.
sx sonic
New member
Installed my rear brace today!
Thanks for the great write up Pre, it saved me a few trips under the car (I usually forget something). Complete install from getting the car into the garage to getting the tools put away took about 1.5 hours, Most of which was drilling; I could have gone a lot faster if I wasn't trying to make these bits last or if I had a really good drill bits.
Overall It's an easy job following Pre's instructions, the only deviation I made was instead of center punching the 2nd hole I just drilled a decent section out with the final dia drill bit (bolted up brace and ran the bit thru the brace bolt hole), since my punch was too fat..... worked really well.
My initial impression is that the rear end follows the front of the car much better now. This is noticeable midway thru the turn and also if swerving back and forth down a straight road like a mad drunk.
Turn in also feels improved and of course body roll is minimized.
note: This is with Eibach lowering coils, results should be pretty close if not better on stock suspension but I feel it is still worth mentioning.
Bottom line, I'm effing happy with my purchase!
Thanks for the great write up Pre, it saved me a few trips under the car (I usually forget something). Complete install from getting the car into the garage to getting the tools put away took about 1.5 hours, Most of which was drilling; I could have gone a lot faster if I wasn't trying to make these bits last or if I had a really good drill bits.
Overall It's an easy job following Pre's instructions, the only deviation I made was instead of center punching the 2nd hole I just drilled a decent section out with the final dia drill bit (bolted up brace and ran the bit thru the brace bolt hole), since my punch was too fat..... worked really well.
My initial impression is that the rear end follows the front of the car much better now. This is noticeable midway thru the turn and also if swerving back and forth down a straight road like a mad drunk.
Turn in also feels improved and of course body roll is minimized.
note: This is with Eibach lowering coils, results should be pretty close if not better on stock suspension but I feel it is still worth mentioning.
Bottom line, I'm effing happy with my purchase!
ecohauler
New member
I did this install today and took a bit longer with the drilling than you guys. Hopefully some future modders will be able to learn from my mistakes.
Make sure you have the right tools. Preloader used titanium coated drill bits, which may be the best choice. Cobalt bits work about as well. I had clearance issues and couldn't use a really long bit, so the only 1/2" bit I was able to find was neither of these (but was rated for drilling steel/iron), and it took for-freaking-ever.
As a result of my inadequate drill bit, I ended up applying too much pressure toward the end of drilling the first hole, at the same time the battery on my cordless drill started dying. This caused the drill to punch through too quickly. leaving me with the task of twisting and filing away some gnarly burs. I learned my lesson on the second hole and used a fully-charged battery with light pressure at the end. This worked much better, but was still a slow process because of the crappy drill bit.
Thanks for the writeup, Pre. Despite my install taking a long time, this thread likely saved me a lot of prep time.
I took the car for a quick spin after installation, and the difference is immediately noticeable. I'm on stock springs, and this brace drastically reduces body roll. After tossing the car through a few corners, I am now acutely aware of how bad the stock tires are, so I guess I have to figure out what to do about that next. This mod is easily the best way to spend $110 on a treat for the Sonic.
Make sure you have the right tools. Preloader used titanium coated drill bits, which may be the best choice. Cobalt bits work about as well. I had clearance issues and couldn't use a really long bit, so the only 1/2" bit I was able to find was neither of these (but was rated for drilling steel/iron), and it took for-freaking-ever.
As a result of my inadequate drill bit, I ended up applying too much pressure toward the end of drilling the first hole, at the same time the battery on my cordless drill started dying. This caused the drill to punch through too quickly. leaving me with the task of twisting and filing away some gnarly burs. I learned my lesson on the second hole and used a fully-charged battery with light pressure at the end. This worked much better, but was still a slow process because of the crappy drill bit.
Thanks for the writeup, Pre. Despite my install taking a long time, this thread likely saved me a lot of prep time.
I took the car for a quick spin after installation, and the difference is immediately noticeable. I'm on stock springs, and this brace drastically reduces body roll. After tossing the car through a few corners, I am now acutely aware of how bad the stock tires are, so I guess I have to figure out what to do about that next
. This mod is easily the best way to spend $110 on a treat for the Sonic.