Cusco Center Power Brace and Strut Brace

Just want to point out to everyone that getting good alignment can also result in huge improvement in handling too.

 

Do the Cusco four point under brace and Tanabe two point under brace replace existing braces that are on the vehicle or is it an add-on?

 

In the past I've had a few sports cars including two Vette's, a CTS-V, and a Subaru STi all of which were eventually modified and I do enjoy spirited driving and handling. It's hard not to mess with this little Prius but reading about all these easy bolt on suspension mods has me quite tempted. Just when I thought I finally grew up....

Is there a cheap place to get all of this? It looks like rear sway, cusco from and back brace, and strut tower brace is $1k. This stuff starts adding up quickly. Next I guess wheels and tires. I don't suppose there is a battery and elec motor upgrade? LMAO!!!

 

The Cusco brace replaces a much smaller connector plate across the vehicle bottom. The Tanabe brace is new.

 

If you do one at a time and space the purchases out, it isn't as big a hit. New wheels & tires would be a much bigger impact on the wallet, but they aren't really necessary to get significantly better handling performance. Doing all the installs rather than having a shop do them saves a lot of $$ as well.

 

Almost went crazy but considering my car only has 600 miles on it, I'll keep it tame at this time. Just ordered the TRD sway bar for now. I was thinking what's the dealer going to think when I take it in for the first maintenance and it's outfitted with aftermarket suspension?

I think I'll do a little more research before the next bolt on but I'd like to find something that makes the car a little more stable to the cross winds at freeway speeds. I suppose lowering springs would be the best bet but that's not an option.

 

I waited too long with my Integra to do suspension upgrades that really increased the driving enjoyment. I started modifying my Prius much sooner.

Don't worry about what the service dept will think. I've had mine in, and the 20-something tech who test drove it after an alignment thought it was "stiff" LOL No one said anything else.

 

Thread Ressurection: I just put the Cusco center chassis brace on
BEFORE:

AFTER:

NEXT: Cusco Rear (add-on) sway bar....maybe tomorrow. Waiting on FedEx.
THEN: Aug 3rd-ish, The Tein Htechs and in 8-10wks, more Cusco bits up front.

 

I did a complete study of the front and mid chassis braces over the past 4 months.

Unlike the original BT Plate, which I discovered, might put excessive stress and strain on the rail mouting bolts that may result in "metal fatigue" failure, the Cusco is a good improvement, but very costly.

Mine is based on the new Toyota design installed on ALL new Prius models since March 2012.

Here is just one of the links of that discussion;

For Sale - Custom "Tricked Out" Lightweight Prius"v" or gen III "box beam" mid-chassis brace | PriusChat

Mine is "one piece," with no weak welds to break, weighs within two ounces of the thin OEM brace and does everything that the new 2 -1/2 pound Toyota brace with 5 pieces and 7 welds.

 

Wow-- You picked up the Cusco rear sway bar?! Please post pics once you get it in with a review!

 

I'd rather get the Toyota TRD rear sway bar. Although, the Cusco might be good.

As far as the Cusco center brace is concerned, I would have installed it with the syspension loaded onto the four wheels, either on a lift or on ramps.

From a study of the new Totota OEM brace, I doubt the need for the two trailing arms mounted to the bolts that hold the retaining clips for the "parking brake" cables.

Toyota designed theirs to "twist" imdependently between the right lateral and the left lateral half of the car's body. Stiffness is only needed to keep the two bottom rails of the exhaust system tunnel from spreading or compressing together.

 

horrible picture but it's all i could get for now. As promised, Cusco rear sway bar:

 

Don't know if you saw this thread, but here is an option for a front sway bar upgrade:

Inexpensive front sway bar upgrade | PriusChat

 

hi Guy

I did it and this what look like, the handle is very good, I also got a set TRD spring, but not install yet, because heard good and bad review.

V/r

Khoi Nguyen

 

Guys,
How about a reality check ?
I have been looking at threads where someone buys every last brace that Cusco has to offer.
And there is all this talk about "Feelings". Girl friends like it when you talk about that....

But how do you measure chassis stiffeners? The Cusco site has some info: they put ty-rap on a strut tube and showed a 6mm difference, they measure the upper strut brace bar deflecting 4 mm. WTH , over????

It looks to me like Cusco gets a car on a lift and spots every last threaded hole.
Then they make something,, knowing "people will buy it". Those long V's on their center brace,, if you left one loose, you could flex that arm easily.

Adding sway bars and wider sticky tires is a very measurable upgrade.

There needs to be a Myth Busters, Blind Test, A-B and A-B-C, etc. testing done for this expensive crapitycrap.
Kind of like the "behind the curtain" testing for DIY speaker builders, wine tasters, etc....

I'm just trying to save some people $$$ and be the 'Voice of Reason'.

So, at the next Get Together, someone sets up an autocross track, identical cars except for the crazy BLUE Gee Gaas.
Could anyone (The Stig?) tell which car has $$$$ of chassis stiffeners and which car has just springs, sway bars, tires, etc?????

 

While by no means scientific, here's my observations:
There's 25mph interchange going from 215W to I-15S. Prior to installing the Tanabe STB, Cusco center brace, and rear sway bar I could take that sharp turn about 38-40 before the tires started screeching. Now, I can comfortably cruise around it at 45, and don't get tire screech till after 50. Plus I love the looks of the surprised people when they see a Prius come out of a turn with some exit speed. =)

 

Vega, That was from the Rear Sway Bar ,, alone.

I'm proposing the "4mm of deflection" (that these expensive bolt-on-stiffeners claim) is a waste of money.

Just trying to save some people some money.

But if it's a Style Thang,,, carry on,,, and chrome plate it too.