jeffguynyc

Hey fellas, just installed the TRD underbrace bar. Been driving around for a week and have noticed that when I go over bumps I hear a slight banging noise coming from the rear lower section of the car. Since the installation I have rechecked the bolts and its all very tight. My cousin thinks the banging is coming from the bar flexing and hitting the bottom of the car. Can any of you guys help? I know that not that many people have this installed but I would appreciate any ideas. Thanks.

Jeff

chadfo

Can you describe the underbrace. I haven't been able to find one on the Net. I found a couple of tuner stores that have braces that replace some piece in the front but nothing in the rear.

squirrel

Is it the rear brace that was originally made for the Echo/Vitz? If so, it may be the exhaust pipe banging on the corss bar.

I'm not an expert but I slept at a Holiday Inn last night.

chadfo

This is definitely the man to listen to then!!!

SciFly

Yeah, I slept on a sofa in the lobby of the Bates Motel. Top that


OK! W.T.hEil are these underbrace kits? This is all new to me. What do they do?
Why are they valuable to you who want them?

I'm doin': Van's camber plates, Tein Basics, toe out wanted, a Tanabe truss for the shock towers because it's a -dynamic tension pre-load design-. SO! I'm ripe for getting more junk on the car but I need to be sold.

Some one please sell us/me on the science of underbraces

tanks, Shermans

Dewmerz

This thread has some pictures if it is the same brace Toy xBox is running.

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=32483

chucksu

The bar normaly is mounted to a area of high flex. The bar then acts like a sway bar style thing, so when the body trys to flex, it cant. Normaly the most flex is found in the middle of the car & at the areas of suspension. So there are flex bars for the front, middle & rear of the xB. Its like a strut tower bar for the underside of your car. Hope this helps a little.

jct

well when i installed mine last night outside no less in the dark well it was 630pm-815pm

took it out for a nice drive on the clover leafs ramps on the highway and then onto the country roads (which those are chock full off imperfect roads with dips pot hole every where well some roads...

and when i was on the back roads i heard nothing of that sort my radio was off!!!

mikochu

With any chassis-stiffening mods, you'll hear more creaking and noise. That just means the mods are "working."

After I installed the bar, it felt as if something was cracking every time I ran over a lane reflector on the road. I got used to it.

jeffguynyc

hey fellas thanks for all the suggestions. It doesn't appear to happen on every bump, but it happen frequeent enough to get me worried. I was trying to come up with any idea to use some type of cushioning method but nothing comes to mind.

I live in NYC and the roads are horrible. The bar does seem to be working as I seem to be working as I feel less understeer. Then again it I also have the progress sway bar so the underbrace bar is probably helping.

Lately I've seen a post for Tanabe underbrace bar. It seems to be a more solid piece although it does not seem to have as many connecting points. Any of you guys have any thoughts on that?

squirrel

Have you checked the mounting point by the rear axle beam mounting point? If its not the exhaust hitting the cross brace, then something is still loose underneath.

Toy_xbox

Just a thought did you make sure to properly align the brake cable spacer to extend away frrom the frame brace like below? it could be the brake cable making the noise...

jeffguynyc

toyxbox, thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely check it out. It just seems so strange since I haven't really heard anyone else with this problem. It really does make me wonder if I did something wrong. Its been 3 weeks since I've installed the bar and it seems like I hear all kind of noises and squeeking and creaking when I go over uneven roads. Perhaps I need to tighten things up. I've also been considering just uninstall and checking out the tanabe bar

Toy_xbox

Yeah especially in the Bronx the roads can be like "land mines" unless the roads have changed alot since I was there back in 89-90 man my low rider Toyota hilux was battle scared when I left to come back to Cali...

Good luck, hope you find the problem

dgHotLava

i have this on my xB and travel the bronx a few times a week...
never had one single noise from it...ever.

GrantR

Where does a person go to buy one of these? I've been looking but can't locate one (probably don't know the exactly correct name to search for, etc).

Toy_xbox

Check out this post...
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...483&highlight=
I got mine at Cabe Toyota in Long Beach CA ask for Roger or Wes and tell em Dave "Toy xBox" sent ya they will hook you up I think they have 15 of these kits left...