C-Beam Plates - Do I Want Them?

[Erik]

Seeing as how my ZR-1 is basically stock, will for the time being stay that way, and is only street driven, are C-Beam plates something I want to invest in now? How big a difference will they make for me?

[sleazy rider]

the biggest improvement is the fact that i can place a beam plate on top of the beam and thread the bolts without using a wrench to keep the nuts in place and not turning while tightening.

[Paul Workman]

Yes! I highly recommend them.

And, being a steel plate, the force is spread across a much wider area and with a little BLUE LockTite on the surface too, there will be pretty much zero chance of the "cold flow" that aluminum will do under extreme pressure - causing loosening. (Otherwise, the C-beam holes get wallowed out as the aluminum beam shifts around under stress.)

And, as mentioned, beam plates (from Bill) capture the nuts so you don't need to get a wrench (or fat hands, in my case) up in there with a wrench to hold the nuts. The plates make removal and re-installation afriggin BREEZE!

Worth every penny, IMO.

[1991 Corvette ZR-1]

Another vote for the beam plates. I have them on the 91 and the ease of reinstalling the beam with them alone is worth the price. Should have been a factory part.

[Erik]

Thanks, guys.
The plan is to have everything apart to swap every bushing in there, including the bat wing, so while we do all that stuff, might as well do the C-Beam plates too. Should make it a whole new car.

[sleazy rider]

i bought my beam plates for my 89 6-speed, then transferred them to my 94 automatic, then transferred them to my 96 6-speed and finally put them on my 91 z. these fit all c4's.

[AndrewL]

I had a set on my old 90 base model. I drove that car hard and the beam plates did help the car point straight on hard up shifts. I will be getting a set for my 91Z.