BT Plate

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(peanutmac @ Apr 30 2007, 09:14 PM) [snapback]433047[/snapback]</div>

You have now begun the next marathon thread in a series of marathon threads!

As fars as I can tell, nobody knows why the plate works. My recommendation is to be happy with the benefit it offers, and don't ask too many questions. Of course that's too late for you! Good luck, and may the force be with you.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ May 1 2007, 12:22 AM) [snapback]433057[/snapback]</div>

It's not actually the BT Plate that works, It's the anodizing chemical residue that induces a form of delusion in everybody who touches it. Check with your mechanic that installed the plate. Ask him how his personal car is handling lately. He will admit that for some unknown reason, his car's handling is better. Brian, what are you going to do now that you've been exposed?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(syclone @ May 1 2007, 06:16 AM) [snapback]433156[/snapback]</div>

Yes. He has been exposed to that chemical more than any of us. He doesn't just believe the plate works, he KNOWS it does. I only believe it does. Next time I get under the car, I'll have to fondle the plate some for stronger re-enforcement. I think Windstrings must have handled his plate a lot before putting it on the car. He is definitely a very strong believer.

Dave M.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dmckinstry @ May 1 2007, 12:31 PM) [snapback]433284[/snapback]</div>

As opposed to what the non-believers have been handling! B)

 

well, not sure why i am trying to explain this... after all, i am no engineer, i have only a vague notion of the forces involved...so i can only look at it in a way that makes sense to me. (not to mention the 2,000 plus posts arguing this point already posted here)


most of us have heard of A frame construction... right. that extra crossbar used to greatly enhance the strength of a structure.

as i understand it, the Prius frame construction is like a U with the open end pointing to the back. this implies a situation where vibration will be greatest at the end of the open U or towards the rear. so the brace is added to reduce the possibilities of of having unbalanced vibration. (situations when one side is bouncing out of time with the other side). granted some independence from one side to the other is needed simply because road conditions are too variable. (this allows decent traction should one wheel go into the ditch, weight is still maintained on the wheel opposite and so on)

so a stiffer bar (a Toyota engineer may say it doesnt work, but Toyota thought well enough of the idea to put one there themselves) would imm, reduce vibration in the rear.

now, i guess we need to look at what Toyota put there. is it all that is needed?? as far as suspension goes, it ANY suspension or stablyzer bar that is stock all that is needed?? might have to dispute that since there are many many aftermarket companies making a mint enhancing the stock frames.

so i would have to say that in most situations, what Toyota put there, is good enough for the average road conditions with a bit of fudge factor that all good companies engineer into their products. that i truly believe.

BUT add

1)piss poor road conditions, yes i know of a few places like that around here

2)severe weather conditions...being just off Puget Sound is nice because we are in a protected harbor where most of the severe weather coming from the west is hampered by the Olympic Mountain Range. but there are occasions where weather comes from the north and a funnel effect of the Olympics to the west and the Cascades to the east does tend to create a breeze... trying crossing some of our bridges during those times...

3)speed. more so now than ever in my life, i now obey the speed limit to the letter most of the time. be it being older and wiser, a new baby on board, or simply trying to get another tenth of a mpg...doesnt matter, its all good.... but sometimes, other factors contribute... and pushing the limit happens... it just does...that lessens that engineered fudge factor

4) and the biggest reason....YOU PEOPLE lets face it...some of you need your licenses revoked. having been in 3 accidents (NONE my fault) in the past 3 years... i sometimes feel like a target

so it boils down to driving with acceptable equipment or spending $120 (or whatever it was) to get just a little more peace of mind for the safety of my family....PRICELESS

 

<_< I believe it's pretty easy to "see" why the BT Plate works. There was a post a few weeks back where the Prius owner had installed the plate and taken the original plate in hand and was able to twist it manually. The OEM plate being 'twistable' would allow the Prius to flex a bit while the cast BT plate would not twist at all.

I don't have a BT plate, and have no plans to install one, but my logic tells me why it can work.

 

LOL
Been out of the country for 10 days and this is STILL going.
Carl

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malibucarl @ May 1 2007, 12:53 PM) [snapback]433428[/snapback]</div>

But the question is whether this thread will get to 600 posts or not....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(apriusfan @ May 1 2007, 01:57 PM) [snapback]433434[/snapback]</div>

Yeah I see 600 plus in the future LOL

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ May 1 2007, 03:47 PM) [snapback]433419[/snapback]</div>

The plate is not in a position or mounted in a manner where twist is an issue, only tension, for which the OEM plate is plenty strong. We need a good double blind study to eliminate the halo effect from reviews. There was a single point blind test done a year ago, and in that one the halo effect completely dominated the reviewer. Anyone want to do a true double blind test? From an engineer's prospective, the BT plate shouldn't be any better than the OEM plate, but I'd like to see it tested in a scientific manner.

Tom

 

I am a Mechanical Engineer. I do not own the BT Plate. I am undecided on whether to purchase one; I am going to have alignment checked at the first service and see how it goes before deciding on the plate.

[speculation]

The main difference that I see between the original brace and the BT Plate is that the the BT plate is probably more torsionally rigid (more resistant to twist along the long axis of the brace). This may or may not help handling depending upon what the other forces are on the body of the car.

It seems to me by the design of the original brace and the location and spacing of the mounting bolts, that the original intent of the brace was to limit opening (or closing) of the top of the "U" shape. In other words the part seems like it is designed for tension loads along the long axis. The bolt pattern should be wider if the intent was to use the torsional resistance to stiffen the body.

So, maybe it works because it is stiffer torsionally and the original design wasn't intended to resist torsional loading. Or maybe it doesn't work at all.

[/speculation]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(peanutmac @ Apr 30 2007, 11:14 PM) [snapback]433047[/snapback]</div>

I was wondering about that. On the page in the PC Store, it says 24 ft/pounds of torque. I had to rush and install it before I had to go to class and did not have time to find the definite answer so I tightened them to 20 ft/lb. I hope this is was not a bad temporary decision until I can find the correct amount of torque...

 

Oh no!!! Not another BT Plate thread!!!

We will have to see if this one makes it past 500!!

20 ft/lbs of torque is perfect for attaching our BT plate to the Prius.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AJMasterson @ May 1 2007, 06:16 PM) [snapback]433537[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BT Tech @ May 1 2007, 03:41 PM) [snapback]433558[/snapback]</div>

Only 486 posts remaining....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dogfriend @ May 1 2007, 04:22 PM) [snapback]433451[/snapback]</div>

Exactly my assessment of the bolt spacing.

Tom

 

Now wait just one darn minute here! How is the other BT Tech Plate ever going to make it to 50 plus pages if you all start posting here! Where have your sensabilities gone?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NoMoShocks @ May 1 2007, 08:51 PM) [snapback]433732[/snapback]</div>

Well, it might be shifting from the other thread to this thread.... Think of the opportunity to re-argue all of what was argued in the earlier thread....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NoMoShocks @ May 1 2007, 08:51 PM) [snapback]433732[/snapback]</div>

I have a BT plate coming in tomorrow, but today I had a new set of scion tc rims installed with Maxxis tires and I still can't believe what a difference it made!! Absolutely NO more wind buffeting going 85mph on the freeway with many large trucks, and believe it or not, it is actually smoother riding! We'll see if the plate makes an even bigger difference, but this was an amazing mod that seriously works!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rvancil @ May 1 2007, 09:16 PM) [snapback]433748[/snapback]</div>

I got the same improvement when I installed my mud flaps.