Chassis Bracing: what options after the CTR OEM chassis brace?

bdsport said:

Ultra Racing has a bunch of offerings for front and rear bracing. Unity Performance (aka aegeanbluesi on instagram) carries the whole lineup I think. Also, Whiteline suspension is a good brand to check too.

Link: https://unity-performance.com/collections/2017-civic-si

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CanadiaegeanBlue said:

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CanadiaegeanBlue said:

Thanks for the mention brother!

Yeah, after testing on road and track I brought in both brands to my site because my Si feels a whole lot more communicative than it was stock!

@cammyfive tires were a great first move, and feel free to have a look at my site (link above). I do a ton of research online first, then test all the brands on my car, and when satisfied that I've matched the online research with my own findings I bring the brands to my store - hence you'll find one for each category rather than 10 different choices. Currently I have the Whiteline rear sway bar, Whiteline motor mount, Ultra Racing strut bar, and Ultra Racing trunk brace. Next week however, after a long dreary winter I will be installing all remaining Whiteline and Ultra Racing items, and take a trip down to Tail of the Dragon first week of April to put everything to the test

My store's part list is growing steadily, and I feel that taking more of a consultant's one-on-one approach with the way I retail parts is more favorable for the involved enthusiast. Thanks!

Humza

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CanadiaegeanBlue said:

Thanks for the mention brother!

Yeah, after testing on road and track I brought in both brands to my site because my Si feels a whole lot more communicative than it was stock!

cammyfive tires were a great first move, and feel free to have a look at my site (link above). I do a ton of research online first, then test all the brands on my car, and when satisfied that I've matched the online research with my own findings I bring the brands to my store - hence you'll find one for each category rather than 10 different choices. Currently I have the Whiteline rear sway bar, Whiteline motor mount, Ultra Racing strut bar, and Ultra Racing trunk brace. Next week however, after a long dreary winter I will be installing all remaining Whiteline and Ultra Racing items, and take a trip down to Tail of the Dragon first week of April to put everything to the test

My store's part list is growing steadily, and I feel that taking more of a consultant's one-on-one approach with the way I retail parts is more favorable for the involved enthusiast. Thanks!

Humza

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Tw1tcHy said:

I think this is a fantastic and often overlooked business model. Personalized consultation with someone who has both extensively used and put the parts to the test while also dealing them because they believe in the parts to such a degree.

I took a look at your site and I'm impressed with the layout and the simplicity. Would you mind doing a review of your thoughts on the rest of the Ultra Racing components when you have them installed? One suggestion I would like to make is that for each of your individual product listings, it might really benefit to put your own thoughts and experience below the part description. It's a big selling point to the user to know for sure what they are buying, what it affects and how "worth it" it would be for them to purchase. I like how you did it with the Strut Tower Brace listing: https://unity-performance.com/produ...brace-2016-honda-civic?variant=31107228008538

Something similar for the additional Ultra Racing components that all stiffen the chassis would go a long way. As a whole, the parts are actually fairly reasonable to purchase. The entire Ultra Racing component system in addition to the Whiteline sway bar kit is right @ $1300 which is a damn bargain coming from the world of GM performance items (Camaros, Corvettes etc...). My biggest hesitation in pulling the trigger is not having a clear indication of how much that would affect my experience (i.e. Is it too overkill for general daily driving with some spirited driving conditions every once in awhile, will it help the every day, non-racing condition feel of the car around twists and turns, etc).

Just my suggestion, I apologize in advance because I know you didn't ask for it, but I like what you're doing and hope you continue to find success with it! I have a penchant for rooting for the "little guy" doing it on his own vs a full shop or company with entire sales teams and whatnot

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CanadiaegeanBlue said:

Love this, and tremendously appreciate your input! Just wanted to quickly respond to say Thank You before getting to sit down later tonight and properly respond

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Tw1tcHy said:

I think this is a fantastic and often overlooked business model. Personalized consultation with someone who has both extensively used and put the parts to the test while also dealing them because they believe in the parts to such a degree.

I took a look at your site and I'm impressed with the layout and the simplicity. Would you mind doing a review of your thoughts on the rest of the Ultra Racing components when you have them installed? One suggestion I would like to make is that for each of your individual product listings, it might really benefit to put your own thoughts and experience below the part description. It's a big selling point to the user to know for sure what they are buying, what it affects and how "worth it" it would be for them to purchase. I like how you did it with the Strut Tower Brace listing: https://unity-performance.com/produ...brace-2016-honda-civic?variant=31107228008538

Something similar for the additional Ultra Racing components that all stiffen the chassis would go a long way. As a whole, the parts are actually fairly reasonable to purchase. The entire Ultra Racing component system in addition to the Whiteline sway bar kit is right @ $1300 which is a damn bargain coming from the world of GM performance items (Camaros, Corvettes etc...). My biggest hesitation in pulling the trigger is not having a clear indication of how much that would affect my experience (i.e. Is it too overkill for general daily driving with some spirited driving conditions every once in awhile, will it help the every day, non-racing condition feel of the car around twists and turns, etc).

Just my suggestion, I apologize in advance because I know you didn't ask for it, but I like what you're doing and hope you continue to find success with it! I have a penchant for rooting for the "little guy" doing it on his own vs a full shop or company with entire sales teams and whatnot

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cammyfive said:

Checked out your site and it's pretty much all the cool stuff I've been looking for. Haha. I do have one question: I've ordered the OEM CTR chassis brace that works on the Si and it's currently in the mail from a Honda dealer, so which one of your chassis braces does that mean I no longer need? I've noticed you have 3 or 4 separate underbody chassis, so I don't want to buy the one that the CTR brace already would be used in.

Thanks!

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cammyfive said:

I'm in the process of doing some simple non-warranty voiding mods to my 2020 Si sedan. So far I've installed the Michelin PS4S tires on the OEM wheels (they are awesome!) and ordered the $25 CTR chassis brace. Next I plan to order the 27WON Front Strut Tower Bar when it's in stock. What other chassis bracing is out there? I 100% will not replace the OEM springs/suspension as it feels fine to me, but I would like to do some key chassis bracing to help the OEM suspension perform it's best. Yes, I do realize that the current platform Civic chassis is pretty darn stiff, but any little bit helps.

Thanks!

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CanadiaegeanBlue said:

Apologies for the later response, it's been quite a crazy time getting orders out as mail service at least for me for Outbound hasn't been interrupted...yet. Hope everyone is staying safe, and doing their part to minimize spread and maximize awareness!

I really do feel that the personal touch is missed in the interactions we have when ordering parts, and from hundreds (if not over thousand) of hours spent on the forum, social media, in-person discussions, and eventually testing brands prior to sale has helped me create that and improve over time as my experience and the brand grows

Thank you for noticing that! The site is laid out as simple and easy to navigate, with improvements over time so one can filter through and find the products with ease. As the selection grows I'll continue to make it easy for one to find what they are looking for. 100% I would love to add all the pictures, and personal references because it does more for those looking vs. a product description, so look forward to that soon! Almost all UR and Whiteline items compatible will be installed and reviewed on my build thread, and website.

I've made my business model work along with competitive pricing so I really hope people see the value that they are getting goes beyond just a price point - you have direct access to the person testing them, to the owner/operator, and well if anyone wants to check my posting history then you can confirm I'm always doing my best to contribute to the forum for everyone's insight. I agree, some parts may not have as crazy an impact as others, but I believe the sum of everything combined will result in a vehicle that I will thoroughly enjoy driving without much compromise - that's the other thing, I don't want a full race application because I use this car all year round, and I still want all the amenities, and a comfortable ride. My experience with chassis bracing has been very positive as there's no added NVH, just a more communicative feeling. With regards to suspension, I know my K-tuned Coilovers aren't as smooth as OE Dampers and OE Dampers w/Lowering Springs, so I'm thinking of reverting to OE Dampers + Whiteline Springs.

Tremendously appreciate you taking the time to share your input, I'm all ears, and want to keep on improving for the community! I'm sure we will chatting frequently

Regards,

Humza



Hey, great question! That would be this one: https://unity-performance.com/colle...-lower-cross-member-3-points-2016-honda-civic

The other mid-brace has no Honda-equivalent: https://unity-performance.com/colle...mber-2-points-2016-honda-civic-fc-coupe-sedan

This one's an interesting brace as Si's don't come with the holes drilled through, however the indents are there for the 4 holes. Early FC sedans did come with the hole, FC coupe I don't have full confirmation yet, but I have confirmed fit on Hatch and CTR. Same as responding to @Tw1tcHy earlier, mid-braces may not be as effective as a sway bar but all tied up together I believe the package will be terrific. I remember my first drive with the Strut Bar and Trunk Brace, noticed immediately that I could feel the front turn-in more eagerly, and the rear also more connected to my inputs rather than just dragging along. The best rear suspension mod however was certainly the Whiteline sway bar which I added a few months later


Hope this is all very helpful, thank you gents!

Cheers,

Humza

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Fit2Hatch said:

Agree OEM platform is pretty darn stiff. Also you are using the excellent PS4S on your already nicely equipped SI.

Although not another brace, and not cheap, especially the better quality brand, but reasonably aggressive offset, light wheels, combining with the PS4S will certainly enhance transitional and acceleration feel.

On my Hatch, already using the excellent SI RSB and SI springs and CTR cross brace. The only combo changed was 13mm additional offset using Rays 57CR 18x8.5 +37 and stock size PS4S to avoid side wall flex. Both transitional and acceleration put a smile on my face.

Comparing OEM wheel + tire weights at 51 lbs. and 57CR + PS4S weights at 42 lbs. New combo saved 9 lbs of rotational mass.

So, the additional offset provide 13mm wider track, plus 9 lbs lighter and the PS4S combo gave me my money's worth.

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CanadiaegeanBlue said:

Very true, before anything it's wheels and tires. I ran 18x8.5 ET35 Konig Freeform weighing 19.5lbs with 245/35ZR18 Contintental ExtremeContact Sport tires last year, and loved them on every road and track condition. This year the same tires will be going on my BBS Forged RG406 18x8.5 ET38 that are 18.5lbs.

Yesterday I drove a Coupe Si, and oddly it felt more solid than my sedan. Is there any information available that states Coupes are more rigid than the Sedan?

Gathering all the parts for install, can't wait to have it on along with the summer wheels and enjoy the empty roads a bit!

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