Hi Everyone, I installed the BT Stiffening Plate tonight. First off, it was a lot easier than installing the XM Radio and success was accomplished in about 15 minutes. Installation was a breeze. I was able to remove the existing plate without raising the car off the ground. Reached under the car on one side taking 2 bolts out and went around to the other side to finish the removal of the remaining two bolts. The new plate was installed by setting the new plate on a cardboard box that was a little lower than the car. The cardboard box made it so I did not need someone elses help holding the plate while putting in the first two bolts. It sounds much more complicated when typing, but in reality the whole process took less than 15 minutes to complete. I tighted the new bolts with the rented torgue wrench ($8 for 4 hours) as suggested by BT. Thanks BT, after taking an evening drive I love the new plate and I wanted to share my experience with everyone. Waiting for the weather to get warming to install new speakers & sub-woofer.
Why would you want that stiffening plate? Does it make the car ride stiffer? When you drive it, what is it that you notice as an improvement, a reason for getting the stiffening plate?
Good to hear! Would you mind posting your review in the PriusChat Shop? http://www.priuschat.com/shop/product_revi.../products_id/21
When turning corners the rear end seems to roll. After installing the BT Stiffening on corners the car appears to stay flatter to the road. Be honest, I thought I might be wasting my money, but the after installation cornering has a noticeable difference and I just love my Prius. Hi Danny, I'd be glad to post in the other PriusChat Shop.
Our stiffening plate removes the flex in the chassis that is present with the stock plate in place. Increasing the stiffness in the chassis does NOT make the ride stiffer but better controlled and results in a much more solid "feel" to the car. I am sure that others will chime in here to give you their impressions of our stiffeing plate. I have atached a picture showing a comparison between our BT Tech stiffening plate and the stock plate. (Please click on the images below for full size) Thanks!! Brian BT Technologies, Inc 305-652-3115
Too much to type it all again... here are my two recent raves on the plate. http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=1...22&#entry217222 Start at post #61 http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=1...27&#entry217927
My stiffy, uh. . . stiffening plate, took some time coming. And then some more time before I could get around installing it. Installation is simple. Others have noted that before me. No need to jack up the vehicle. After installing this plate I cannot help but feel a little mad at Toyota for not having (had) a recall on Priuses installed with the flimsy cheap steel brace. You do wonder where and how the manufacturer cuts corners to save pennies on a hi-tech car with the price tag it carries. And then we are talking about the wealthiest car manufacturer in the world. Shame. The difference after installing the plate is clear immediately, instantly. Driving bumpy, winding roads is what I do almost daily. The chassis is MUCH better behaved and my body does not get jolted around as before. I think someone said this before too: 'The car now does what you want it to do', in corners and on rough surfaces. This is definitely a vast improvement and I hope Brian is making some money on it. In a few days I am taking the car on the express way and am very much looking forward to it. I just KNOW it is going to be an enlightening experience. Thanks a million Brian. It was worth the wait.
Toyota will finally figure it out and there will be no more bucks to be made by third party, but I agree, I too am amazed Toyota let this one slip. Its kinda funny, the engineers acknowledged an issue, or they wouldn't have put a plate there at all, but they didn't give much credence for the up and down movements that would take a thick plate to correct, only the side to side movements. Anyone not happy with the ride "and I was fine with it" should get the plate. I still feel bumps on the pavement like the separations in the cement, but thats because I have 42psi in front and 40 in rear tires.
Thanks guys for your kind words about our BT Tech stiffening plate!! We have a large number of plates that are currently shipping to those of you that have placed your order. Hopefully some of you will post your results as well. Thanks!! Brian BT Tech 305-652-3115
Hi All, I just installed the BTtech plate (and mudflaps & coastal ev mod) last Saturday. The biggest difference I notice is the car is much more solid when being passed by large trucks at freeway speeds. Before, the body twisting would force me to steer left to stay in my lane as I was being passed on the left. Now, I barely feel large trucks passing. It also cut down on the "roll" felt when cornering. I had to scrounge around and ended up borrowing a 6mm hex drive to mate to my 3/8ths torque wrench(I instisted on torquing to specs). If I were to change anything with the plate, I would have used a more common fastener with a metric head that fits a metric socket wrench. If your not concerned with exact torque, a metric hex key will work. As a side note, I was very satisfied with Danny's customer service and prompt replies to my e-mails. I would highly recommend purchasing from the Prius accessory shop!
I did not notice any improvement in regular street cornering. Perhaps I don't corner fast enough! However, on typically underbanked freeway connectors, I can tell. What used to be a white knuckle experience is now taken without a thought.
After gathering the tolls needed, and the ramps, this install was a piece of cake and took approximately 15minutes. (I was meticulous about the torque). Backed the Prius up on the ramps, removed the stock plate, cleaned off the area with soap/water (lots of salt up here in New Hampshire), and then installed the new plate... Have driven with the new plate approx. 10 miles. I do notice a difference, an improvement. The vehicle seems more stable, and seems to provide a more comfortable ride. Tommorrow I'll be driving approx 250 miles and will have a more confident evaluation. So far so good.
Waiting for the weather to get warming to install new speakers & sub-woofer. [snapback]216288[/snapback][/quote] Hmm, intrest peaked again.. Speakers? Sub woofer? Where would you mount the sub and what kind? I was thinking of replacing the stock speakers..
Very intersting. Then there's no problem with removing the old plate. I mean, the car doesn't stretch so you can't put the new plate in? That was my big worry.
If you want to know if it works or not. I can out corner a Stock Scion tC. The plate deffintly helped.
I didn't do any tests before I swapped out the stock piece for the plate, but I can tell you that the car certainly feels much more stable. It also feels better cornering, but the tires are the limiting factor, not the shimmy I used to feel in the chassis. I was the winner of the Holiday Give-away, but knowing what I know now, I'd certainly have ponied up the money for this long ago. Should have done it when it was first released. This helps the feel of the car quite a bit. Oddly, I left the original piece sitting on my garage. When my father saw it on one of his visits, he was amazed at how small it was, as well as the fact it was slightly bent/twisted. There's not much chance that will happen with the BT plate, unless I get in an accident. Bruce 2005 Silver Series 9
I"m not sure what your askng, but when I twisted one off and had to go to my mechanic that was about a 8 mile drive through the mountains.... Then after getting the bad on out, I drove it back home.... nothing had changed.. the new plate installed perfectly.
