Does anyone know if the '04-'06 Ralliart came with fender braces like the Evo? (credit for this pic to AMSperformance from another thread, hope this is okay).

 

Yes sir. if you look at my build thread in show and shine near end were I pull chasis to scrap yard you can see my 05' chasis does.

 

Just out of curiosity, what would you say the odds are that something like that could detach or break.. ?

edit - only asking to see if this could explain some front end noises I've been having near my strut mounts...

 

is it welded on or bolted on?

 

Thank you kayouu! We won't bother with an aftermarket or homemade one, then.

btw, in more clear pictures it looks welded, and the welds should not break until the front end crumples in an accident.

 

Ah... mine has one front end accident in it's history, damage cost doesn't look like it was a big one but it makes me wonder...

 

What I am interested in is the front brace like this



There are things that make me think it would work but there are things that make we think it won't.....

 

I'm having a close look at the bare chassis in kayouu's thread: https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/04...-update-4.html

The RA chassis appears to be boxed-in adequately at the front. Still, the only way to really know if that aftermarket tie brace makes a difference is to try it. I used to design and analyze structural things for a living, and this is all simply too complicated to "see" in my mind. I couldn't begin to visualize all the forces at work and the chassis' complicated response to those loads.

And yeah, I agree, the first impression is that somehow this brace seems useful. I wouldn't want to diss it without testing one. More stuff to do to my RA

btw, I'm still trying to figure out a rear strut brace for those of us with the factory sub-woofer in the trunk directly over the passenger side strut top, hmmm...

 

Check this out to rid yourself of the "rear strut bar and oem sub dilemma"

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/6295152-post5.html

 

IMO That movement of the Sub is not pretty. That front brace would be way nice if it could take a beating.

 

Well the strut bars that I have seen that accommodate the sub are , well for lack of a better word, "fugly".....I'll see if I can dig a pic up of the old rdd sub strut bars......

 

Good find and hey, no kidding, I came to the same result while playing earlier this afternoon! - the sub can move to a corner of the trunk and the lid closes okay so an aftermarket bar can be used. It's the only sensible solution for a basic rear strut bar.



However. The RA's rear strut top is located flush with the trunk floor. The floor acts like a strut bar. Good job Mitsu.



I dunno, maybe the basic straight strut brace helps there, but I think more effective bracing would be triangulated bars to connect each strut area diagonally to a far top corner of the back seat opening, like a big 'X'. This would resist the top of the shock bending the frame upward which I think is the only loading scenario that needs tending to (but geez it's all so robust that even that might not be happening). I'll work to design and make set, and try for a quick-disconnect system so the bars can be easily taken out in case the rear seat pass-through is needed in a hurry.

The closer I look, the more I appreciate the design of the stock RA chassis.

 

amen!

 

Here is the sub friendly strut bar




And here is a rear bar that I am planning on making with some 1/8" angle iron

 

i didn't believe you, but it is kinda ugly...i like RalliartN's X-bar idea...