I live 3 miles from the track and I'm going this Saturday. Is there any harm in removing it for the track? I want it light as possible. I've seen people do this I was just curious

 

No.

 

Awesome

 

What your opinion of the rear crash beam? Front was gone when I purchased it. Aside from insurance isn't it only rated to 5mph?

 

Physics will always win.

Removing pieces for the track is no big deal. Many people do it, and in fact that's the theory behind most racing cars. The physics of acceleration of course means that lighter is quicker.

Removing pieces on a car that is street driven isn't exactly as straight forward.

The crash beam has a speed rating (heck if I know what it is off the top of my head, but 5mph is probably realistic). That means that at 5 mph, the car SHOULDN'T incur any damage. However... this beam at 25mph is still going to provide more (much more) energy absorption than not having it there.

My point is simply to be cautious when stripping every functional piece from your car. You're talking such miniscule amounts of weight (which do add up I must admit) that you're likely better off improving technique.

 

When you say "Track Day" is that drag or road course?

 

Also, the front crash beam is there for your safety. It helps keep the front for the car together in a crash, otherwise it peels apart easier. You insurance/medical claims could be denied if you get in a wreak and its found you don't have the beam.....so take your chances. Ok enough of my rant

 

Actually.........USDM EVO's are the only EVO's that use the front/rear crash beams. We've bought quite a few wrecked EVO's and there is no way I'd keep that beam on any EVO I own. I've seen what should have been fairly minor hits **** up the opposite side frame rail because of that beam being bolted in there.

I also don't foresee an insurance claim having a problem with them in, at least I haven't seen or heard of one.

 

Yeah I've read up on it alot lately and just don't want to compromise the car in a crash. But given the rating of the beam and how it bolts up I think it would just crumple up and cause more of a folding to the trunk than without. But that's just me. I'm not buying a front one and going through the trouble. But I will likely remove it just because it isn't difficult and is substantial weight. I was just seeing other opinions on the matter. I appreciate the replies. I don't think insurance would argue over the beam. They insured the car without verifying it do how would they know it was there when I purchased?

 

DB made some good points, but just to clarify the incorrect assumptions you're making.

Insurance is not a proactive thing, it's retroactive. That means, that if you hit someone, and the crash beam is noticed to be missing (not sure how this would happen, but in our litigious society, I wouldn't assume that it WOULDN'T be noticed... So should someone notice that you're missing one, and it is required as standard equipment to be registered in the US (for safety), and you don't have it... the other insurance company would absolutely sue, and likely stand a good chance at winning the claim against you.

Bottom line... they aren't going to pay for something that they don't have to.

In a fender bender, it may be a couple thousand, and not worth it for them to investigate. But God forbid anyone get seriously injured, they have a significant reason to go in and investigate in order to limit their liability.

I'm not saying don't take it out, and I'm not saying that taking it out isn't better. I'm simply saying that it MAY lead you down a road that you never intended it to.

 

Doesn't matter that it wasn't there when you bought it, it matters when you crash and they investigate. It's your responsibility to make sure you car is safe and legal.

Having a safety feature removed like the crash beam is just like removing the airbag or the side impact beams. Think the insurance company would care if you crashed and had major medical because the airbag was missing? They do everything they could to deny claims, they'd find that missing crash beam and poss deny you. Remember insurance companies are for profit. Minor fender benders it might go unnoticed, but if major crash, you could get denied and most of us cant pay for major medical or property damage (other peoples) out of pocket, especially with how much ER bills are these days

And yes the opposite side of impact does get damaged because of the beam, but thats what it's designed to do - help absorb and distribute the impact force. We have a lot more safety features in USDM Evo's than the rest of the world. I attribute that to the US's generally poor driving abilities...instead of teaching better driving they give us rubber suits.

To each his own, but you could save more weight with wheels, rotors, mustache bar, and be nice and safe (and legal).

So anyhow back on topic, is this strut bar removal just for drag? I dont see any suspension listed in your sig, so I assume it's drag. I'd say it's ok to remove for drag, but for road course it must be installed, it's there to stop chassis flex.

 

Yes it's 1/4 drag. I plan to do light rotors soon along with some wheels if I can afford to do so. I appreciate the info on the insurance I never thought about it like that

 

Db never runs a strut bar and he does more then just drag. so you really dont need to put it back on.
As for the crash beam, i think a lot of the evos here dont run them. if you get a jdm bumper i think you have to take it off

 

Yes. To answer the questions, there are of course no ill effects in removing the strut tower bars.

For the JDM rear bumper, the stock crash beam DOES need to be removed, but there are crash beams available that will fit right in. So you don't really "have" to run without one.