V2V frame stiffener install tips please?

[RussMcB]

Originally Posted by billschroeder5842

<snip> I read the instructions ... <snip>

Are those instructions available online? Or (if easy), can you post them? Thank you.

[billschroeder5842]

Originally Posted by RussMcB

Are those instructions available online? Or (if easy), can you post them? Thank you.

See post #2 for an old thread. This helped a lot.

[RussMcB]

Originally Posted by billschroeder5842

See post #2 for an old thread. This helped a lot.

Thanks. I agree.

I was just surprised it didn't come with instructions.

My brackets are in.. Will do the measurements and adjustments next/soon (this weekend?).

[billschroeder5842]

I spoke to the V2V guys today. I asked about adjusting and they said; 1) you can't over tighten them, 2) it is really a lot of trial and error, 3) every car is way different due to mileage, condition, etc.

So YMMV....

[XfireZ51]

Bill,

The process they described to me was to take the targa roof off and measure the distance between the windshield header and the rear hoop. Then continue to tighten the bar until that distance does not change if u jack the vehicle from the rear.
=Jeff= can also provide additional info since he was one of the early beta testers for the frame stiffener.

[RussMcB]

Originally Posted by XfireZ51

<snip>Then continue to tighten the bar until that distance does not change if u jack the vehicle from the rear.

Oh. I read "jack it up" in one of these threads and I assumed it meant putting a floor jack under the door (not jacking up the back/differential).

Hmm.

Maybe it doesn't matter. If the distance stays the same no matter how you jack it, that's perfect. :-)

[-=Jeff=-]

I can’t really help. Jason and his crew installed my bars (they were the first pair)

[billschroeder5842]

I jumped into adjusting the system this morning after reading the instructions.

I removed the acrylic top and measured from the center of the mounting points fore and aft at the halo. I then jacked up the car on each side using the V2V bracket as a lift point-- it is very sturdy. I came up with a 2mm "gap" on the passenger side and the drivers side both registered 61.5mm both up and down. I fooled around with the bar (You have to figure which direction loosening and tightening is) and after half a dozen got each side to measure .05MM off (passenger side) when raised and lowered. I think that I'm not going to get much closer. So both up and down, the driver side measured 61.5 and the passenger side measure 61.55.

I did notice that the car was quieter when I test drove it. My top "pops and crackles" like many do but that noise was cut down significantly.I have an inclined drive way that requires a sharp turn at the bottom and the car was more solid with that maneuver. Still a few pops but the top is unforgiving.

During the drive, it felt like the car was more solid and "flatter" but that could be me looking too hard for things.

I'll put 100 miles on the car and remeasure.

[XfireZ51]

I went over a RxR crossing that I have been over numerous times. I immediately noticed what I DID NOT hear. It was just the tires crossing the tracks and then nothing. No secondary resonance, no flexing. The windshield header will still shake side to side but much less so with the targa removed.
And yes the car feels better planted and flatter in the turns.
Wonder if there's such a thing as too stiff in a C4 chassis?