Cusco Center Power Brace and Strut Brace

I really like that 4 point brace. I wonder how much more stiff the chassis is with it over the 2 point.

 

I actually have the Cusco 4 point brace on order in addition to the Tanabe 2 point brace. The Tanabe unit is installed further up towards the front of the car so both can be installed at the same time.

I figured I can install both of these on my own, and aside from replacing the stock brace with the Cusco unit, nothing else needs to be removed (ie: underbody shroud).

Once the Tanabe Strut Tower Brace for US Market is available to be sold here, I'm placing my order as well. As stated in the other Cusco thread, it's expected to be available by summer.

 

creaky, let us know when you get these parts going. I'd love to see em both on

 

Can you share information on the Tanabe 2 point brace- vendor/website? Thanks!

 

Thank you for sharing this! I will followup.

 

I ordered the Sustec two point under brace and will install it and the Cusco 4 point brace when it arrives.

 

You can put both on the 2 point and 4 point ? That'd be interesting to see.

 

I will try to take pictures and post after I get them installed. See Creaky's post prior.

 

Re: Tanabe 2-point brace

Well, finally got the Tanabe 2-point brace and I just installed it. Took perhaps including getting the jack, stands and ratchet out of the basement, all told about 20 minutes. It was almost as easy as replacing my Halogens with HIDS.

In another two weeks I should have the Cusco 4-pointer in and installed.

It's funny, I was looking over the pictures of the C-One braces and if I'm correct, I believe the Tanabe 2-point brace can fit into the two center holes of the second forward 4-point brace from C-One. Anyway, I'll have to ask sc24vr6 if he can get an inside diameter of those holes the next time he has his car up on a lift.

Back to the Tanabe unit. Subjectively, I can feel a difference in driving feel now that I have the 2-point brace on. Mind you, this is with the stock 15" rims and Continental ContiContact or ContiSport tires on. (I forgot which; I tossed the stock tires Bridgestone Ecopia's a long time ago when I got these tires.)

Let's just say that the steering is much more responsive. I think the word that came to mind while I was driving down some switchbacks earlier was 'sharper'. Personally, I never thought there was anything wrong with my steering previously, but now that I have this brace on, I would describe the steering action prior to have been a tad sloppy, which I guess was from the body flexing.

We'll see if the Mrs. notices the difference in steering/handling when she next drives the car.

I'll next install my Cusco 4-point brace (Center Power Brace) when it comes in. I'll take pictures then. Afterwards, I'll toss back on my 17" rims and see how the whole thing jives together. The last add-on in mind for the year will be the Tanabe Strut Tower Brace once they release it here in the US. I think someone mentioned Tanabe is slated to release the STB this summer.

 

Hopefully my Cusco 4pt CBrace will ship this week from
Auto & truck performance parts & aftermarket car parts from HorsepowerFreaks
and we'll have another (subjective ) data point...from a Pri V

When they ship, I'm going to order the Tanabe 2pt for the front..........

 

I find it weird... the 2 point on that brace is bolted where the Tanabe originally had it. But the other two is bolted to those brackets. Maybe it's just me but it seems like those two brackets doesn't seem like a good strong point.

Shouldn't the last two mounted more on the chasis rather than those two brackets? it seems like it's useless for the most part.

 

Stupid question...would installing this brace somehow affect how the car structure responds in a crash (crush zones, etc.)?? This brace does not seem overly complex nor expensive that Toyota engineers would skip on this IF it made this much of a difference, esp. given how much engineering and computer wizardry that goes into designing these cars.

 

Should've gotten my Cusco unit today, but I didn't hear the UPS guy at the door. Anyways, I'm uploading a picture depicting what it would look like once I have this piece in along with my Tanabe unit.

Thanks to the original poster of this picture. I think it was Paradox who originally upped it. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

To respond to your inquiry about the braces in question interfering with the crush zones in the event of an accident, IMHO I would say I don't think so. Primarily, if you're referring to the front and rear crush zones, the position of the braces would negate any immediate interference as the Tanabe unit is behind the front tires and the Cusco unit is ahead of the rear tires. Look at the picture in post #17 and see for yourself.

As to your second comment, I believe it boils down to cost. These cars are all engineered with the masses in mind. Take for example the stock 2-point brace installed that came with the car. if it costs Toyota $1 to make, for the past years run of 200,000 Prii, that cost them $200k approximately. Looking at the brace, a piece of cheap stamped metal, I can easily imagine it only cost $1 each. In comparing the OEM brace to the two aftermarket units, it's like comparing a Bic ballpoint to a Mont Blanc fountain pen; they all can get the job done, just one better than the other. Back to cost - Now let's say the Tanabe 2-point brace and the Cusco Center Power Brace total cost $6 (for simplicity's sake), that would be another $1 million they'd have spent on last years run. And to the majority of drivers, they wouldn't have noticed the difference, meaning the value added wouldn't have made a difference.

Besides, a Prius wasn't built with handling prowess as a priority. These are merely my opinions, yours may differ...

 

Deltron, Just tossed on the Cusco Brace and took the car for a spin. Definitely more planted feel. Almost no body creaks from chassis flex coming from the back anymore. The fun factor has definitely been upped incrementally. Now all I need is a Strut Tower Brace and I'll be done. On the drive into work later, we'll see how the car handles on choppy and rutted roads with the occasional pothole or two. When I can get the car up on a lift, i'll take pics. Otherwise it looks exactly like the modified pic I posted in post #17. Oh, and you can feel the suspension working even more since the body doesn't take up any slack due to lack of body flex.

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On my way into work tonite, I found that the rough sections of the drive didn't make the car feel like a rattle bucket anylonger. To the ears, it's no longer painful. And tracking remained neutral even on rough sweepers which would normally have the car squirming in the back. I'm quite pleased so far with the subtle changes in driving characteristics.