Tremec TKX first cuts

jcolman said

I don't want to hijack this thread but I thought that I would offer up my thoughts about losing the top of the cross member. I've put about 200 miles on my car since I had the TKX installed. I did not reinforce the cross member except for the lower brace that comes with the TKX kit. I did have the shop install subframe connectors to help stiffen up the body. I can honestly say that I can't tell any difference in handling except that the car is a bit stiffer. I don't thing cutting the cross brace had any impact whatsoever.

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I wouldn't expect you to feel a difference from the lack of the upper crossmember part, it's not a handling enhancer, it's a structural part that has more to do with safety than anything else imo. After I've seen how thin our floors are, I've decided I'm gonna fab something in its place. I also wouldn't expect your *** to suddenly fall through the floor in 200 miles. But I would be scared of hitting, say... an ondulation on the highway at speed, or maybe coming down from a wheelie at the strip. That's when your seat cushions meat the floor. Having that section triangulated is super important, and the frame connectors do not help with that either. They'll make the chassis stiffer, but they won't help the crossmember from tugging down on the floorboard when the suspension compresses and the t bars rotate. It's hard to explain in words, I hope this makes sense.