Matt-brace vs Corky's breastplate

[househead]

So, which is the best? Looking for people who have tried both.

Also, can they be fitted together with each other? I've found conflicting information on that.

Heart tells me that Mattbrace will have a greater effect due to coverage area.

[shnazzle]

Seeing as Matt's is a TTE brace, therefore designed by Toyota, makes me think that the TTE brace is better. 
But, Corky's breastplate has been a staple for years in thr US

[Carolyn]

I was, initially, sceptical about the mattbrace.  I found a rusty, but solid, one at Rutland MR2, which I bought for a tenner.

I cleaned it up and painted it and installed it just to see for myself.

Massive improvement to scuttle-shake and to the way the car took the bumps.

As it's quite flexible when it's not mounted, I reckon it works under tension by tying the diagonals together.

Matt no longer makes them.  He didn't charge enough to make them commercially viable.

I've considered fabricating a few, but not at his price (£120). Other brace fabricators have also gone out of business.  Just shows where 'cheap' gets you!

Be good to see what interest there is.

[Petrus]

Heart tells me that Mattbrace will have a greater effect due to coverage area.

Geometric stiffness indeed. There is little doubt it will do more.

I went Snelbaard because it is a simple, light, neat looking stiffer version of the OEM braces costing no ground clearance whatsover.
With Dev´s spacer fitted tight, it suits my purpose.

Beyond the initial reduction of shake, rattle and roll ;-) stiffening does come with downsides; comfort/compliance decrease.
Choose your poison

[househead]

Very true @Petrus, since adding bracing I do have a good few more rattles in the cabin! Price worth paying so far though.

[Petrus]

Very true @Petrus, since adding bracing I do have a good few more rattles in the cabin! Price worth paying so far though.

The other is compliance.
On a smooth race track surface you want all the stiffness you can get; stiffer/shorter sidewall to the tyres even, for directional control/response.
On road surface, like IoM, Touge, B-roads, you want more compliance to have the rubber maintain contact with the surface despite bumps, ruts, holes, roughness et al.
Hárd braking on uneven, worn smooth cobblestones will illustrate the principle easily enough; pump the tyres .2 bar up, then let them .4 down (so .2 from spec).

[Carolyn]

I must say that none of the bracing I've added has negatively affected compliance.

I think a PFL one of these can use a lot of help with stiffening up (it is a convertible after all) before the negatives creep in. 

I found mine all round smoother to drive on the streets.

[Petrus]

I must say that none of the bracing I've added has negatively affected compliance.

I think a PFL one of these can use a lot of help with stiffening up (it is a convertible after all) before the negatives creep in. 

I found mine all round smoother to drive on the streets.

True; even stiffened up to the hilt it is still a roofless tub. That established, it must also be noted that it is a relatively stiff one.
With its low cog and matched roll centre the MR behavesway better than many a closed box.

And then there is personal preference. I don´t mind a bit of body roll nor wallow, the car moving about a bit, as long as the rubber stays on the ground. If anything it insprires confidence instead of unsettles me. The logic being that the rubber, thus the road, is still pushing the car around = enough grip... :-)

[househead]

Every time I've added bracing the ride has improved, and trust me, in South London there is plenty of uncompliant roads!

I'm sure there is a limit to it though!

[Petrus]

I'm sure there is a limit to it though!

Well no, not a real limit. Even the measurable; the max average over a particular stretch or lap time is for one not a given as drivers are not alike and on the road there is the subjective of comfort.
Bottom line is that the ´limit´, the point where loss in compliance outweighs increase in stability, is soft even on track and in the real world subjective.

I have my road car under 900 kilos now and that too shifts ... wel, all, as with less weight, the forces decrease to the square root of that*.
* All is constantly subjected to constant accelleration/decelleration; either speed or direction.
In other words; the same (model of) car made lighter becomes in effect stiffer. Lóvely ;-)

[The Other Stu]

Why not both? I thought that was the whole point of the design

[househead]

Why not both? I thought that was the whole point of the design

Are they fully compatible with each other then?

If so I'll have my cake *and* eat it!

[househead]

@Petrus it was more of a personal limit I was referring to, which probably isn't measurable at all because it would be based only on "feel" and heavily influenced by placebo!

[househead]

@Carolyn Mattbrace for a tenner ... that has to be a deal of the century contender. Well bloody played!

[Petrus]

Why not both? I thought that was the whole point of the design

They will reinforce eachother.

Same thing the Toms´combi Snelbaard is fabricating.

It is very much the chain and weakest link though with every brace chasing the next weak link adding kilos in the process.

The bottom line you draw yourself.
For me, my skills, my driving, my use, it´s:
  The best tyres for the circumstances.
  OEM rear -, Speedline front-, Snelbaard bottom - and Dev´s door brace.
  Lightening up the lot.
  Matching the OEM springs.
  Adapting my driving to the car
and there´s way more to be gained in the latter than in braces. Or added horses I will say; no use to have more power when still pushing the limits. Well, ok, in accelerating and straight line speed but that is no skill; heck, americans can do thát ;-)
The weight reduction help me push the limits with less effort, less risc, less load on the car and...
éver the most important..
more...


FÚN!!!! :-)

[jvanzyl]

Why not both? I thought that was the whole point of the design

Are they fully compatible with each other then?

If so I'll have my cake *and* eat it!

I have both installed on mine - it's honestly excellent.

[Petrus]

Bedankt Jan!

Thanks Jan!

Gracias Jan!

Not seen a photo showing how they work together.
No doubt a worthwhile bracing indeed.
 

[Snelbaard]

Yeah I can't lag behind and I'll make a matt-like brace that will bolt onto my TRD front brace. Like with Jvanzyl it'll go right over my breastplate. This one will be just for me though