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- Evan
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Brace yourselves....or rather, your diff!
Introducing: The Rapid Designs A90 Supra Differential Brace
Introducing: The Rapid Designs A90 Supra Differential Brace
What is it and why should I care?
Unfortunately, the differential bushings (particularly the rear-most one) have a tendency to tear after sustained high loads from track driving and launching. Additionally, these bushings are quite soft which leads to a fair amount of deflection when coming on power, in other words they induce a lot of "drivetrain slop". A differential brace helps solve both of these issues by supporting the OEM bushings by way of connecting the differential housing to the subframe.
There are already a few on the market, what makes yours different?
Most of the braces on the market come with some inherent trade-offs such as blocking the drain/fill ports on the diff. For a track driven car or one that sees the drag strip, this blockage is a pain as the differential oil will need to be changed much more often than your typical street car. Additionally, some of the other braces on the market require drilling into the subframe to mount it. While its a hole no one will ever see, the idea of drilling into a structural component when there are already 2 very easily accessible holes in the subframe from the factory led to this design. The Rapid Designs differential brace allows full access to the fill/drain plugs as well as negating the need for any drilling! In essence, this design takes any of the pain points derived from the others on the market and solves them, all while giving the end customer options like colors!
What are the differences between the 4 - Bolt Version and the 3 - Bolt Version?
4 - Bolt Standard Version:
Original design meant to preserve OEM differential bushings by connecting the differential to the subframe via a rigid mounting strategy. Uses x4 M10 bolts connecting the brace to the differential housing.
NOTE: the term "diff cooler" refers to a typical multi-row oil cooler style cooler, NOT the Verus Engineering Diif scoop. The Verus engineering Diff scoop should fit with either brace with some trimming (see below).
What's included?
- 1x - Differential Brace
- 1x - Subframe insert
- 2x - M8 × 25mm bolts
- 3x to x4 (version specific) - M10 × 85mm bolts
- 2x - M8 wedgelock washers
- 3x to 4x (version specific) - M10 wedgelock washers
- Online install guide (see here: Click here)
What colors are available?
- Blue
- Black
- Grey
- Gold
- Red
Has this been tested yet?
Yes! I have the gold prototype on my car currently and have driven with it on for numerous track events as well as ~1000 street miles. I have seen zero issues personally. I have noticed a reduction in drivetrain slop/increase in throttle response. Although not an objective measure, I can subjectively say power to the wheels feels more immediate. Additionally, >80 units have sold during the first group buy with numerous responses describing similar things I have experienced!
Additionally, a close friend sent before and after pictures after installing his brace showing just how far the differential can sag with the worn bushing. His car has ~30k and is pretty much a full track car (cage, >500whp, aero, etc) so it's seen a fair amount of abuse, however you can clearly see ~1/2" to 3/8" of sag due to the ragged bushing in the rear!
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Will this rattle my teeth out with a ton of NVH?
Unless you're solid mounted with everything I can't imagine it would get to that point. My car is more of a track car at this point with full spherical bushings for the front suspension, coilovers, powerflex transmission bushings, a bucket seat, and a rollbar. With this current setup I can only hear a slight bit of gear whine when getting on power hard or under decel at >60mph. But even then a normal conversation or even very low music volume will drown it out. I imagine without the transmission bushings and/or cage there would be absolutely zero NVH increase.
Can I order one without the logo?
While I can understand wanting one without a logo on it, unfortunately all braces will come with a logo laser engraved on it. As a VERY small "business" (I still hate to even call it that), brand recognition and making sure a logo is on product is paramount.
Does it work with the Verus Engineering Diff Scoop?
With a tad bit of dremeling, YES! A customer submitted the following pictures showing a small notch in the left side of the brace to fit around the bottom left bolt. note that for the 4-bolt version that same notch will need to be replicated on the other side.
How does the Group-buy work?
During the group buy period the differential brace will be shown as "IN STOCK" on my website. I will be collecting orders during this period. After which, an order will be placed to my manufacturer. As of now, I have an estimated turnaround time of ~15 days for production of 30 kits. They will be shipped to me where I will QC check, package, and fulfill each order as soon as I can. Please keep this in mind when placing an order as production time may go up based on the number of orders along with the fact that I am just one guy with a busy holiday schedule
. That being said, I will be as transparent as possible throughout the whole process!
TL;DR
- Effectively limits differential movement, reducing wheel hop, potential drivetrain damage, and prolongs life of bushings
- Cost effective while not skimping on material quality
- Allows access to the differential drain plug AND sensor
- Utilizes the holes already present in the subframe such that the installation can be reversed at any time
- Blocks a minimal amount of cooling fin surface area to allow the differential to maintain optimal cooling.
- Minimal if any increase to NVH
- Multiple colors
- Two main versions for those running traditional plate and fin style differential coolers
I'm sold, how much and where can I buy one?!
Awesome! Pricing for the group buy will be $300 USD + shipping. You can order at the link below:
Sponsored
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