Anyone interested in an "improved" and less expensicer version of the TUB153F 2 point front brace?

Re: Anyone interested in an "improved" and less expensicer version of the TUB153F 2 point front brac

Andy,

The bar installs right at the two points, where the two black triangular braces that tie the engine cradle to the rocker area and the bottom of the two exhaust system tunnel raials at the point where the catalytic converter connects to the "exhaust gas control actuator. I have attached a photo so you can identify the area.

Due to rain and bad weather here, I have not been able to take photos of the bar mounted on my car. I will do so, when the rain clears.

Yes, the two bolts included will replace the two OEM bolts, since my system needs bolts that are about 25mm longer than they are.

I got the bolts from a local distributor that supplies parts to BMW, since their North American Manufacturing and Distribution Headquarters are here in my town. They are about 5 miles from my house, and many of my neighbors work for them and their suppliers.

Again, I appreciate your support, since your participation and the proceeds from my sales support my finances to develop new ideas for Prius owners.

Irv (Rude person's)

 

Re: Anyone interested in an "improved" and less expensicer version of the TUB153F 2 point front brac

You're right. Image sells. Mine would have been how Toyota did it, if it was supplied with the car.

Tanabe had to put "lipstick of a pig," so thay can charge what they do for waht they are selling.

If you look at waht Toyota charges for replacement parts, you'll see that what I'm asking for a "custom" made set is what Toyota sells "cookie cutter" die cut and stamped steel parts for.

I you have any experience in machining and aerospace manufactiring, you'd understand how much works goes into making such simple parts as mine. A couple of thousanths of an inch off means that they part will not fit.

In Tanabe's design, the friction of the mounting bolts and washers are the only things keeping their bar from shifting. Their holes are at least clost to 3/32 inch oversize times two. Mine "locks" down to full "no movement" rigidty, when installed.

What's more important to you? Obviously it's looks, not function.

Tanabe's design would never has passed inspection, if it was a piece made to take loading on an aicraft or a spacecraft.

 

Re: Anyone interested in an "improved" and less expensicer version of the TUB153F 2 point front brac

For those, who are NOT educated in the fabrication and assembly of aircraft parts, I'll provide some information.

While automobiles and most static steel structures like skyscraper frames are very strong, they have the luxury of parts that can be fitted loose and retained by the friction of heavy bolts and washers. Aircraft and spacecraft assembly has no such luxury. Everything has to be critically "close fitted: with no stress added to the joint by "nudging it" into place with tapered "spud" bars.

To make a close fitting part, a special set of "transfer screws" have to be made. In the case of the 2 poing bar, these screws must be M14x1.25 thread pitch. The heads are drilled and tapped to take "cone pointed" set screws threaded in from the other end. These special transfer screws are screwed into the chassis holes with the points sticking out of their heads. In the particular case of the 2 point custom bar, I two foot long "vernier caliper must be used, since the OEM bolts, when correctly torqued, are recessed into the flanges of the "triangular" braces. If you use a ruler to measure the spread after removing the triangular plates, you have the problem that the "points" might have nmoved, because the triangular plates are not "loaded."

The distance on each "eye" bar made is checked again and again using the 2 ft long vernier caliper in every step of the manufacturing process to assure that the holes are correctly located.

To assure that each of the bushings are losely fitted, the holes are "drilled" with precision on a lathe in 6 steps with each step using a larger diameter precision " cobalt" drill bit. The same technique is used for every hole at the end of each eye bar.

The cost of the material is the least expense. Precision work requires more skilled labor than many, here, ever imagind.

Tanabe just drills larger holes to make fitting easy. The bolts and the washers hold their bar in position.

Hope this "splains it" to all.

I am retired and do this to keep busy. If you were to have these made at an aircraft fabrication shop, the hourly labor charge would be $80-$120 an hour.

 

Re: Anyone interested in an "improved" and less expensicer version of the TUB153F 2 point front brac

Go back to post #13 in this thread. I explained how and why this bar works.

The "structure" is the bottom rails of the exhaust system tunnel. As is, the "tie in" support is with the engine cradle, about 9 inches forward of the end of the rails of the exhaust tunnel. On the newer Prius "c," i's much closer; about three inches.

So, such a bar might not be helpful on the "c," but it definitely helps on the GenIII's and the "v."

 

Re: Anyone interested in an "improved" and less expensicer version of the TUB153F 2 point front brac

I have "only" two available for immediate shipment. Any more might take another two weeks. It depends on getting the materials and especially the hard to get bolts. In the US, M12x1.25x 50mm long cap screws are very hard to find. I got 12mm screws from my supplier but could not use them, because they were a very "sloppy" fit To get the fit that I wanted, I had to use a smaller throughly "case hardened" washer and bored them out on a lathe the ones that I wanted with colbalt drills for a very close fit. Please PM me, if you want one.

Toyota, realizing that this area needed extra stiffness, upgraded the three point "L" shaped braces in this area to "trianglar" braces with the 2012 model year, including the "v." Basic mechanical reasoning will obviously show that a closed "triange" is much stronger and stiffer than the open arms of an "L" shaped angle.

 

Re: Anyone interested in an "improved" and less expensicer version of the TUB153F 2 point front brac

Thanks to ALL of the Priuschat owners, posters and readers, who purchased ALL eight of these sets that I custom made. Fortunately, I was able to use some materlils "on hand" and purchased additional parts to complete these at, what I believe was a very good delivered price. I hope that all who bought and installed it will agree with me.

I am posting a photo of an "experimental" Version 3, that I just installed on my own Prius"v."

I will not make any "less that positive" comments on the original Tanabe, but I, too, am enthuastically pleased with the results. I have to give Tanabe the credit for coming up with the idea in the first place.

Rude person's

 

Re: Anyone interested in an "improved" and less expensicer version of the TUB153F 2 point front brac

No, not very likely, since the holding bolts impinging on the whole assembly applies an enormous fouce of nearly a ton holding the "L" vracket to the frame.

The 1/8 inch clearance between the top edge of the "L" bracket and the bar is much more than necessary, even if the bar bends upward in the middle. The car would have to be squeezed together from both sides for the bar to bend up and hit the exahust system. If that should happen, the car would be totalled, and there would be no need to worry about the stabilizer bar.

If there was "zero" clearance and contact with the "L" bracket, it would not matter either. All it would do would be to bend the thin angular edge of the "L" bracket. Little or no weakening of the "L" bracket would result anyway.

Hope this 'splains it.

 

I worked hard for the last four days and have a small number of the Version 3 completed. I will post new pictures and more details later.

For all those who expressed interest, please PM me, since there are too many to sort through, and I am not that familiar with the new system.

I have modified the wide section of the Tanabe and made it slimmer but thicker to compensate. The bushings are wider to spread out the force and stress on the chassis. Unlike the thin 1/16 inch thick aluminum that the Tanabe uses, my bar and bushings use a minimum of 3/8 inch plus thickness billet aluminum. This effectively means that the Version 3 will have an "infinite stress free design life." It only adds less than three ounces to the 1 lb 2 oz Tanabe bar.

Thanks to all who have contributed and their interest.

Rude person's

 

No, that's NOT what I was saying. I firsted ordered the blue Cusco "full" front underbrace for over $250. Then, I discovered that Toyota "improved" the side "L" braces to "triangular" ones. That made the "full" Cusco brace not as necessary ad before, since the two point Tanabe "Sustec" TUB153F would do the same thing, when used with the two "triangles."

After I instabe, I was not that satisfied with the design, it that it "hung down" more that I wanted. And, it was very thin material with "designed in" stress points and welds that might lead it to eventual failure.

The next step was to design a brace that eliminates the stress points with an "infinite" stress free service life. I used the dimensions as a model. To my surprise, it added only 3 ounces to the 1 lb 6 oz Tanabe.

The current Version 3 is designed with a somewat slimmer and a little stiffer "form factor" and still has an "infininite" stresss free service life. Still, it adds only 3 ounces to the Tanabe, has an infinite stress free design life, and "hangs down" less than the Tanabe. I've achieve all of my design and functional goals. I see no further need for development.