[freedomgli]

Nielex Steering Rack Brace

What's the verdict on this thing? How beneficial is it? It appears to fit both PS and manual racks. Is this just bling or is it the last piece of the puzzle for achieving steering nirvana?

 

[Mr.Woolery]

Hmmm...never seen it before.

 

[Caldera]

I can't really see how it'd help... it mounts to the same places as before. Looks like all it does is brace the rack itself... against itself... except that it's already tubular.

Color me skeptical.

 

[MiataRoadster]

I've had my eye on this for a couple of years. (Damn, Mr. Woolery, you need to buy R&S once in a while!)

After burning myself a few times ordering expensive JDM parts that turned out to not fit RHD cars, I've been waiting for someone else to get one of these and confirm:

1) If this will even fit LHD cars;
2) If it makes any difference in steering feel or handling

I hope this thread brings someone out of the woodwork who can answer those questions.

BTW, I like how they improved the design over their original one, making the cross-brace out of extruded L-shaped stock and overlapping it with the ends to reduce flexing. The added drain holes at the bottoms of the countersunk holes are smart too.

Bill

 

[ExHondaMan]

The question is, Does it do anything?

Let's see:

Wheel spindle assembly is conected by the upper and lower A-arms.

A-arms are bolted to the car.

Tie end rods connected to steering rack.

It seems to me that all the stress would be put on the upper and lower A-arms. The tie rods would serve one purpose, to steer the wheels. I think if the engineers would want to "stiffen" anything, it would be the skinny tie-ends.

Correct me if I'm wrong in my logic.

 

[MiataRoadster]

Correct me if I'm wrong in my logic.

Wha-? Did you say something, Tam? I was looking at your avatar...

 

[y8s]

As a engineer of things that aren't roadsters... what about something like the honda guys have.. the Korbach Frame Locks.

http://www.korbachperformance.com/framelocks.htm

They're supposed to really tighten up the chassis and improve steering feel. which on a civic is a big deal because they have about .0003 degrees of caster.

do we have a similar weak joint at the front corners?

 

[MiataRoadster]

do we have a similar weak joint at the front corners?

No.

With its PPF, the Miata chassis has a strong skeleton down the center of the car vs. the Honda being like box with 4 floppy corners. Plus, being FF, all the torque in the Honda is in the front of the chassis. The FR Miata spreads the torque throughout the chassis.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[MiataRoadster]

The question is, Does it do anything?

I assume...
Protects the rack from road debris (if you're not running the plastic tray).
Lowers the center of gravity (by adding more weight at a low point).
Lightens wallet (which ironically raises the center of gravity back up again).

 

[Mr.Woolery]

The question is, Does it do anything?

Lowers the center of gravity.
Protects the rack from road debris.
Lightens wallet.

SWEET! I'm ordering one right away! =D>

 

[Bryan]

I doubt that it'd protect the rack from anything...there's not any kind of shield on it. Of course, if you're running the undertray, it's a non-issue, anyway.

 

[VtecMX5]

Looks like a peice of jewlery for your engine bay. I can't imagine it doing anything for your driving experience. Protect the rack from what? A boulder???

 

[MiataRoadster]

Protect the rack from what? A boulder???

I WAS KIDDING!

:lol:

 

[VtecMX5]

haha.. I thought you were reading from the site

 

[MiataRoadster]

haha.. I thought you were reading from the site

I don't read J.

 

[Bryan]

Protect the rack from what? A boulder???

I WAS KIDDING!

:lol:

I'm sure it will protect the rack from low-flying metal beavers and rabid Race Queens... =D>

 

[raen419]

looks like a waste of $$$.
urethane bushings for the steering rack would do the same thing....and i can't see that being beneficial unless the old rubber bushings are shot.

 

[firedog25]

I was about to type something about this.

I have some urethane bushings to replace the old rubber units on my WRX which are prone to early death. I'm one of the lucky guys who hasn't needed it yet, probably because I put about 6K miles on the car per year average.

 

[Okibi]

Google-san says

"It eases the input from the road surface by improving steering wheel rack support rigidity, the steering wheel vibration is lightened, actualizes the linear steering wheel."

:?

 

[Caldera]

I was about to type something about this.

I have some urethane bushings to replace the old rubber units on my WRX which are prone to early death. I'm one of the lucky guys who hasn't needed it yet, probably because I put about 6K miles on the car per year average.

Mine weren't dead on my WRX, but i went to the whiteline urethane rack bushings regardless. I felt a difference. . . my roommate swears he doesn't though (yet I can when i drive his). It's only a moderate pain in the ass, I'd reccomend doing it whenever you have a weekend free.

I wish someone made poly rack bushings for the Miata. . .