Mid-Chassis Brace

[twolf]

So I'm sure many of us are intimately familiar with the mid chassis/midship brace and aftermarket exhausts...

Whatever the heck I do I can NOT get my exhaust to stop hitting on the brace, short of adding spacers to the brace which I haven't tried yet. However, my brother is a certified welder and I'm fairly sure the two of us could make up a brace that would add more clearance but still serve the same purpose.

I know Pierce sells one, but I'm not even convinced the brace is necessary? I took it off and noticed ZERO difference, other than my exhaust clearance issues being solved, of course.

Anyone run without it?

 

[frankiefiesta]

I've been running without my brace for about a year now. Keep meaning to buy spacers and put it back on but always seem to forget

I don't notice a difference either

 

[Hijinx]

So I'm sure many of us are intimately familiar with the mid chassis/midship brace and aftermarket exhausts...

Whatever the heck I do I can NOT get my exhaust to stop hitting on the brace, short of adding spacers to the brace which I haven't tried yet. However, my brother is a certified welder and I'm fairly sure the two of us could make up a brace that would add more clearance but still serve the same purpose.

I know Pierce sells one, but I'm not even convinced the brace is necessary? I took it off and noticed ZERO difference, other than my exhaust clearance issues being solved, of course.

Anyone run without it?

Honestly... I sent my brace out to Jim so he could develop his mid-ship brace. During those couple months or so I noticed there isn't much of a difference between having the stock brace or not. I vaguely recount noticing a difference when I got PMs brace on, though. Unfortunately, it was too long ago to describe with any accuracy. I may or may not have written about it in my build thread. IIRC, PM doesn't advertise it as a performance upgrade, anyway; simply a way to keep bracing and add clearance for the exhaust piping.

 

[twolf]

I'm keeping mine off then. No matter what I do to adjust my MBRP it starts hitting again weeks/months later.

 

[XuperXero]

My friend got the cusco brace and had this issue. He solved it by getting shorter and stiffer exhaust hangers.

 

[DaveG99]

I'm keeping mine off then. No matter what I do to adjust my MBRP it starts hitting again weeks/months later.

I have a mbrp and have zero issues with touching the brace. My exhaust came with stiffer hangers though. I know some guys mbrp's didn't come with hangers. If youre on stock hangers change them out.

 

[twolf]

I have a mbrp and have zero issues with touching the brace. My exhaust came with stiffer hangers though. I know some guys mbrp's didn't come with hangers. If youre on stock hangers change them out.

Mine came with stiffer hangers. My exhaust has had fitment issues from day one, I guess it had to have been made on a Monday/Friday... lol.

I can get it to fit without rubbing for a while, and then the slip joints will slip in/out or rotate a little bit, and throw everything out of whack. And yes... the clamps are torqued properly.

 

[DaveG99]

Hmm. That sucks. I would rig it with a wire or something before I took out a brace.

 

[2Cool]

On my MBRP I tossed the clamps provided and used strap clamps. I then used the MBRP hangers but put a hose clamp on each to let me adjust the height of the exhaust and better center it in the opening. I have had no rattles or pipe contacting anything.

Strap clamps:


Example of hoseclamp on exhaust hanger:

 

[twolf]

I tried metal zip ties on the exhaust hangers. My problem is 100% solved by removing that brace so I'm just gonna roll with it.

 

[Young L]

Eh, I just threw a couple of washers I had laying around on it. That part of the body doesn't need anything like an "upgraded brace"

 

[twolf]

Eh, I just threw a couple of washers I had laying around on it. That part of the body doesn't need anything like an "upgraded brace"

My thoughts. I only considered going after market for the clearance. Actually, only considered it because I have the tubing and plate sitting at my house... haha.

 

[Young L]

My thoughts. I only considered going after market for the clearance. Actually, only considered it because I have the tubing and plate sitting at my house... haha.

guess i forgot to mention i have a MBRP also. yea fuck it, if you can and dont have anything else to do especially if you have pipe layin around.

 

[VAFiST]

On my MBRP I tossed the clamps provided and used strap clamps. I then used the MBRP hangers but put a hose clamp on each to let me adjust the height of the exhaust and better center it in the opening. I have had no rattles or pipe contacting anything.

Strap clamps:
View attachment 9619

Example of hoseclamp on exhaust hanger:
View attachment 9620

I did the same thing as the senior, but with zip ties. Some washers between the brace and the frame for a little extra wiggle room. I ended up swapping since I didn't love the sound but it did work for me.

 

[FORZDA 2]

Sounds to me like you guys need to tweak the angle of the exhaust pipe welded-on hanger attachments to position the pipe better. also, if the pipes are rotating in the slip joints during use, then the junctions obviously aren't secure enough. A last resort before removing the chassis bracing would be to drill a hole through the pipe junction and install a short stainless screw to prevent rotation. In many cases, the bracing isn't an immediate flexing concern, but rather a long-term structural brace to reduce cracking and deformation of the floor structure.

 

[twolf]

Sounds to me like you guys need to tweak the angle of the exhaust pipe welded-on hanger attachments to position the pipe better. also, if the pipes are rotating in the slip joints during use, then the junctions obviously aren't secure enough. A last resort before removing the chassis bracing would be to drill a hole through the pipe junction and install a short stainless screw to prevent rotation. In many cases, the bracing isn't an immediate flexing concern, but rather a long-term structural brace to reduce cracking and deformation of the floor structure.

Thanks for the input

 

[Zissou]

I'm having the same issue with my newly installed MAP exhaust. And that's only a 2.5". I have Cobbs hangers. I tried doing washers as a spacer and it's still not enough clearance


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[redsilvy]

I had an issue with my exhaust sliding in the hangers so we tacked on some washers to keep it from sliding. It's worked well so far.

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[frankiefiesta]

I had an issue with my exhaust sliding in the hangers so we tacked on some washers to keep it from sliding. It's worked well so far.

Good idea. I used an ordinary hose clamp tightened on the hanger and it hasn't slid over since


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[redsilvy]

Yeah it works nice. The washer sits up against the hanger normally. Pushed it over to cool off.


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