Prius Chassic Stiffening Plate Installation

Great pictures Cairo.. Very neat and clean install...


Thanks for posting them!!


Brian
BT Tech
305-652-3115

 

The bigger question is, do you notice a difference? I am considering doing this as it DOES look easy. If the differences are negligible, I may reconsider. TIA.

 

Thanks! For the price I think you are right and it does look quite beefy. Let us know your results. Good luck!!

 

I just installed mine this afternoon at my Dad's house.

I did notice a difference on the way back, albeit it was subtle, so your mileage may vary.

It could have been my imagination but I thought the car was ever so slightly more quiet.

I have a slight uphill "S" on the way home. Car seemed to handle that much better.

There is an intersection right before I turn down the alley to my garage where the water crews dug it up and repaired it very badly. The car used to really bounce around no matter how slow I went. That patch is much improved now.

Tomorrow I'll be driving back to my parents' house to pick up my Dad for a drive to L.A. to see the Tut exhibit.

There is a 270 degree uphill right loop to get off the freeway and heading toward their house. I always had to take that *really* slow because the car just seemed to lean. I'll found out tomorrow how that "feels".

And I'll be driving 127 miles to the LACMA tomorrow so I'll be able to judge how it handles on the freeway. I've driven this route already once in the Prius in June. Hopefully I'll be able to tell if there's a difference.

So to answer your question, yes it's worth the money. Yes it does make a difference. Does it make enough of a difference to *you* to spend that amount of money?

I don't know.

It was worth it to me and I'm glad I did it.

And I can't wait for the new aerodynamic thingie.

 

The OE part sufficiently accomplishes the objective it was designed for - why is this after-market item necessary?

 

You can drive a Yugo or you can drive a Mercedes.

Both will take you where you want to go.

 

[font=Comic Sans MS:e7fd32684b]For you, Joel, it isn't. This isn't a part for everyone. A discriminating person who loves driving their Prius may find it gives their ride the exact right feel. It isn't for you.

The OE tires get you down the road. Lots of discerning drivers have switched for better handling and a quieter ride. No, Joel, you don't need these.

The Prius is a great car, just as you drive it off the dealer's lot. But is there anything in this world that can't be improved? Enjoy your car.[/font:e7fd32684b]

 

Definitely agree. Anything that makes an improvement I am for. I changed the tires on my Prius because the OEMs are CRAP. Joel probably has the OEM tires on his car. Everyone has their own opinions. I intend to do this MOD very soon. I emailed BT this morning and awaiting his reply.

 

I was actually one of the first to use after market 17 inch wheels and Falken Ziex-512s on my Prius.

My question is, why does this part do that the OE part is deficient at? You guys aren't trying to tell me that you're getting too much chassis flex in the turns with your Prius, are you? Somebody autocrossing their Prius?

 

WOW 17" wheels. How much of a hit to the mileage? If you read through the thread you'll see why people have an interest in the brace mod. Look at the pics and compare the two. I doubt there is a significant difference, but some people claim they DO feel a difference. It is not too expensive so I am thinking of doing it. I'd never will do 17" wheels where I live. I value my kidneys and teeth. If/when I move to Florida, I'll definitely consider it.

 

:roll: Joel stated: The OE part sufficiently accomplishes the objective it was designed for - why is this after-market item necessary?

and Multiple people have responded: :guns: "NO Joel, this part is not for you. "

But I noticed that nobody bothered to answer his question, so I will attempt a shot at it...

Joel, the OE part does not sufficiently accomplish the objective in 2004 & early 2005 Prius. The need for this upgrade would seem to have been acknowledged by Toyota, which allegedly upgraded the brace during the 2005 model year run.

Of course, answering Joel's question also raises others:

1 - Exactly when did Toyota do the upgrade, so I can determine whether "my" 2005 is the old model needing an upgrade or the new model which may or may not need a further upgrade. If I can't tell by manufacture date, is there an easy way to tell just by looking at the brace currently installed?

2 - Is the new and improved Toyota OE brace good enough to move it off the "if you could only make one improvement" category of desirable performance upgrades.

3 - Assuming the new OE brace is adequate for the job, would buying a replacement sheet steel brace from Toyota be a low cost alternative for this classy milled aluminum brace?

Let's be realistic. There are a large number of automotive "improvements" marketed that are sheer bunkum, so a little skepticism towards a $150 piece of aluminum to replace a $5 piece of steel is not unwarranted. I'm still waiting for some concrete verification that this upgrade has handling benefits beyond the placebo effect.
--
Vince

 

If Toyota did indeed upgrade the brace, it begs the question, why not get the modified piece from Toyota? I would like to see the comparison between the new Toyota brace and the one from BT.

 

Has it been shown the OE brace even flexes to begin with?

I want to know if the new plate really is making a difference, or it's just a placebo effect. Some blind, or double-blind testing would be nice as anecdotal stories don't really convince me.

What happened to the person that was going to test it on some grand prix?

 

I bought one today. Placebo or not, I think I'll know the difference from the seat of my pants. Once installed, I'll report back.

 

I don't know about that brace being upgraded for the US market but Toyota has made changes for their "other" markets that seem to appreciate handling more, like Europe and Australia. I've heard the chassis has been stiffened (could mean a new brace) and added a strut tower brace too. At least that's the opinion of the US Toyota marketing department that we in the US don't give damn about handling. And they've announced improvements is the feel of the electronic PS (recalibrate dynamics, etc), which I'd love to get my hands on!!!

 

I would LOVE a heavier weighted steering. For the brief period I owned an 05 Mini Cooper Convertible the steering in that car was excellent. I don't expect Mini handling, but PLEASE Toyota... give us a little more feeling in the steering.