braces. Do people notice a difference before and after installation?

[texasterror]

I was looking at purchasing some braces to stiffen up the car but do they actually make a difference? Also between the GNX style rear seat brace and the other type that looks like its made up of 4 metal bars (both are sold on kirbans sight and I think g body's (brains) sight) which is better?

 

[626gn]

I have a hardtop with Kirban braces front and rear and they did make a difference. If you have a t-top I would think the difference would be even more noticeable. The GNX style brace would be better than the tubular ones.

 

[jemook]

I've installed the X style brace in my T-type. It wasn't too bad, had to take out the back seat, but it came out looking pretty good and it definitely helped stiffen the car.. I've been wondering how much more difficult the GNX brace would be, since I need to put one in the GN.
John

 

[texasterror]

I've installed the X style brace in my T-type. It wasn't too bad, had to take out the back seat, but it came out looking pretty good and it definitely helped stiffen the car.. I've been wondering how much more difficult the GNX brace would be, since I need to put one in the GN.
John

Thanks for your input. lets see if someone installed the GNX type seat brace.

 

[theCATman]

It's a matter of welding vs bolt on. I considered the plate brace, but didn't like the idea of welding inside my car. Fire/sparks & cloth are a bad combo.

I also installed the under hood braces. Between the two, it really helped. As did the RJC engine brace. Keeps the car from twisting quite well.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[pkschul]

I have an 86 GN with t-top. I've been looking in to buying the whole assortment of braces from Kirbans. I was also wondering if heavy duty sway bars would stiffen the car any more?

 

[O SO LO]

I have the braces in a hardtop GN, and I noticed it stiffened the car up.

additional info-
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/stiffening-the-car.329331/#post-2596615

 

[mikestertwo]

I have the GNX body brace and the front braces under the nose. Made a big difference in the feel of the car.....for the better

 

[GNICETRY]

Kirban's rear GNX type brace, front triangular braces and Energy suspension poly body bushings all made a noticeable differance. People who are very familiar with Turbo Buicks say that my car rides pretty tight.
I also have a rear horn frame brace (can't comment if it makes a differance though).

 

[v6turbo87]

Sway bars are part of the suspension and won't do anything to stiffen the body.

 

[VtheGNMan]

I have purchased and am installing different braces one set at a time. I ve been working on a write up of my impressions on each set I install. I am installing 1 set, driving and then removing for powder coating and then installing the next set while I wait to get them back. I have the underhood kitty corner braces, front underside frame kitty corner braces, front under side straight bar, and the kirban rear seat brace. I ll post the write up as soon as its done. So far the results have been impressive, to me at least. I bought them all used from guys here on the site too. After that I ll put on the bigger sway bars for the final touch.

 

[vacuum 6]

Solid roof car and didn't make much of difference.


Walter

 

[BRAD_PADGETT]

I was looking at purchasing some braces to stiffen up the car but do they actually make a difference? Also between the GNX style rear seat brace and the other type that looks like its made up of 4 metal bars (both are sold on kirbans sight and I think g body's (brains) sight) which is better?

Yes. Get the two front braces and the cross in the trunk. The front fender ones are useless. After that replace all the body bushings with poly.
Your car will be really stiff and not flex at all. Brad P.S. It will ride like a truck.

 

[pkschul]

Where do you guys get the poly body bushings? I was going to order the bushings from Kirbans but it doesn't say if they are poly or not... http://www.kirbanperformance.com/pr...WER+BODY+BUSHINGS+CUSHIONS+(6)+KIT+#7307.html

 

[v6turbo87]

http://m.summitracing.com/parts/ens-3-4141g

 

[6APPEAL]

GNX body brace (bolted in), GNX body bushings and the front triangular braces under the nose. Made a very noticeable difference in the feel of the car even though I already had a set of Eibach Pro-Kit Lowering Springs, KYB shocks and GTA wheels on the car. Really showed that the KYB's were not the shock for the setup. Swapped to a Bilstein shock. I want to add the rear frame horn frame brace and the front fender braces. I have the PST Polygraphite Body Mount Kit and complete Suspension Bushing Kit , but I am hesitant to install since I don't want a squeaky car.

 

[VtheGNMan]

For me the front underhood kitty corner braces stiffened up the front end of the body. Afterwards the hood didn't have the usual shake and movement going down the road and it stopped the little body shutter when I hit bumps at speed. It all probably really varies from car to car though.
I had this old thread bookmarked. Very similar to this one.
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/your-car-needs-braces-best-mod-ever.310063/

 

[mikestertwo]

GM didn't put the nose braces on for nothing. All the Oldsmobile Cutlass G-bodies came with the nose braces both top and bottom.

 

[we4Mateo]

Sway bars are part of the suspension and won't do anything to stiffen the body.

Aftermarket rear sway bars attach the body to the rear axle and do stiffen the car up quite a bit.