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My iM with TB Performance Chassis Bracing

3285 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  davect01
Hey guys, here's a video of my iM with chassis bracing, and other various mods. :D
I took it to PV roads in Southern California to test it out. Check it out. Thanks!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl-v3fu5GeI
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Nice video! Can you provide a direct link to the mid chassis brace please? I am wondering if it is compatible with the Australian version. Working under the Australian version I see there is a dinky little brace on the mid chassis which looks quite pathetic to me - I'm not even sure if it is really designed as a chassis brace and it is described in the workshop manual as an underfloor brace - it only has two mounting bolts though and it's roughly midway along the car.


Does the bracing noticeably reduce twist in the body at slow speeds on crappy roads since this is always a problem - especially here in Australia with our bad roads and with hatchbacks that are spot-welded. For instance too, our driveways here in Australia by law now have to have extremely steep lips at the roadside (to prevent flooding and to make sure storm water makes it quickly to the drainage on the road) and whenever we back out of these, we can really feel the chassis twist quite noticeably as the front is about 4 inches higher than the rear. This is something I'd like to reduce but as I say, it is characteristic of most stock cars I have driven bar a few overtly sporty types such as the Focus RS.




EDIT: Oh bummer. Found the part you used. I think the US version is different. 4 mounting holes instead of 2. I am under the car in a few weeks and I will double check to see what is currently there. It might be a different brace altogether or it might be closer to the independent rear suspension in which case then no way since unfortunately we are stuck with torsion beams here (except for Hybrid version).
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Nice video! Can you provide a direct link to the mid chassis brace please? I am wondering if it is compatible with the Australian version. Working under the Australian version I see there is a dinky little brace on the mid chassis which looks quite pathetic to me - I'm not even sure if it is really designed as a chassis brace and it is described in the workshop manual as an underfloor brace - it only has two mounting bolts though and it's roughly midway along the car.


Does the bracing noticeably reduce twist in the body at slow speeds on crappy roads since this is always a problem - especially here in Australia with our bad roads and with hatchbacks that are spot-welded. For instance too, our driveways here in Australia by law now have to have extremely steep lips at the roadside (to prevent flooding and to make sure storm water makes it quickly to the drainage on the road) and whenever we back out of these, we can really feel the chassis twist quite noticeably as the front is about 4 inches higher than the rear. This is something I'd like to reduce but as I say, it is characteristic of most stock cars I have driven bar a few overtly sporty types such as the Focus RS.




EDIT: Oh bummer. Found the part you used. I think the US version is different. 4 mounting holes instead of 2. I am under the car in a few weeks and I will double check to see what is currently there. It might be a different brace altogether or it might be closer to the independent rear suspension in which case then no way since unfortunately we are stuck with torsion beams here (except for Hybrid version).
I think you can find them braces on link here..
http://www.tbperformanceproducts.com/scion-im.php
Oops was too late.. But link still good for others! I'll post for the Aus if I come across it.

~OP good vid!
Yes thanks. That red trunk / boot brace looks very interesting. That one would actually likely reduce rear compartment flexing at slow speeds on bad roads quite a lot. And now I see another difference between my 2014 version and the facelifted version - there are access ports to the tops of the rear shocks in the rear trim. Believe it or not, up until the 2015 version, they did not exist - you have to remove a whole heap of stuff to get at the shock mounts - rear seats, interior trim, heaps of stuff - a real nightmare. Toyota obviously realised this was completely nuts and fixed it from 2015 onwards. So you guys are lucky the Scion IM did not come onto the market till it was effectively the facelifted 2015 Corolla / Auris.
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Yes thanks. That red trunk / boot brace looks very interesting. That one would actually likely reduce rear compartment flexing at slow speeds on bad roads quite a lot. And now I see another difference between my 2014 version and the facelifted version - there are access ports to the tops of the rear shocks in the rear trim. Believe it or not, up until the 2015 version, they did not exist - you have to remove a whole heap of stuff to get at the shock mounts - rear seats, interior trim, heaps of stuff - a real nightmare. Toyota obviously realised this was completely nuts and fixed it from 2015 onwards. So you guys are lucky the Scion IM did not come onto the market till it was effectively the facelifted 2015 Corolla / Auris.
Hey friend thanks for enjoying the video. In my humble opinion, I think the rear of the car is the best part of the car, and the front is what needs most work. So, perhaps a front strut, with chassis bracing is the best option for our cars? At most, a traction bar, or anti-roll bar? Not too sure.
Hey friend thanks for enjoying the video. In my humble opinion, I think the rear of the car is the best part of the car, and the front is what needs most work. So, perhaps a front strut, with chassis bracing is the best option for our cars? At most, a traction bar, or anti-roll bar? Not too sure.
Try this front strut bar

http://www.tanabe-usa.com/rnd/category/Scion-iM.aspx
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