CHE K Member Brace w/Torque Limiters installed...

DarkFireGT · Apr 16, 2008

1 car down, 1 to go. Installation was pretty straight forward. The CHE directions on their site are pretty good. I ended up using the inside holes. I first tried the outside, but that pulled the limiter too far away from the bell housing. Installation took about an hour and a half, but I took my time. I'm confident I can get the next one in in under an hour. I got the orange one for my '07 because I figured I'd be doing a write-up and I wanted it to be easy to see. But the CHE directions were more than sufficient.

Haven't driven it yet, but I plan on getting to the track this weekend. I did rev it up a few times, though. You can really feel and see the car tilt when you rev it. Feels like a big block

gashog · Apr 16, 2008

Looks fantastic Dark!

You did this in your driveway with jacks and stands? Looks like a pretty easy install, what part took the longest?

highvolts · Apr 16, 2008

Looks Nice! Looks like this would compliment any suspension upgrade! I don't think I have this brace on my 07.. I might just have to get that.. might help a little before going with springs and dampeners (Which will happen soon).

Let us know how it handles.

DarkFireGT · Apr 16, 2008

Yep. Pretty easy. Just jacked the front end up in the garage and went to work. Honestly, nothing really took all that long. The hardest part was breaking the nuts loose on the a arm bolts. After a few minutes struggling and thinking, I grabbed another combo wrench and put the closed end over the open end of the other wrench, to act as a breaker bar, and shot some PB Blaster on them.

walter · Apr 16, 2008

very nice, I got the steeda g-trac brace that's been collecting dust that I really would like to get on there but can't because apparently my 2007 has... A: something like that from the factory that's in the way and B: the bolts mounted up not down so I can't break them loose without some 5ft long extension.

DarkFireGT · Apr 16, 2008

The bolts are installed correctly. The bolt should face up. The nut is on top. Use a combo wrench with the closed end, so that the wrench angles down. Then use another wrench as a breaker, as shown in this picture. To help matters, squirt the nut with PB Blaster 5 minutes before working on the nuts. Should come off with little effort. Took me a good 10 minutes to decide to try that.

Hoboattacker · Apr 16, 2008

highvolts said:
Looks Nice! Looks like this would compliment any suspension upgrade! I don't think I have this brace on my 07.. I might just have to get that.. might help a little before going with springs and dampeners (Which will happen soon).

Let us know how it handles.

Doesn't help your car handle all that much better if at all. It helps keep you from punching a hole in your radio when you go for third.

Edit: I haven't been under my car since it was installed, but how much room is there to get a socket or ratchet wrench for the oil drain plug? Or would you have to remove the entire brace?

gashog · Apr 16, 2008

Hoboattacker said:
Edit: I haven't been under my car since it was installed, but how much room is there to get a socket or ratchet wrench for the oil drain plug? Or would you have to remove the entire brace?

LAZY!

Put an open end on there and be done with it.

DarkFireGT · Apr 16, 2008

That was my question when installing it. Socket won't fit, I can tell you that. You'll have to use a wrench. But it looks like it should come out without issue. You'll just have to clean the bit of oil off the brace after you put the plug back in. Little price to pay for having a stiffer chassis and better shifts.

Hoboattacker · Apr 16, 2008

gashog said:
LAZY!

Put an open end on there and be done with it.

yeah yeah yeah...ratchet wrenches are God's gift the automotive industry. If an open ended can get in there I'm sure a ratchet can

Now the question is where do I put the catch pan haha. I'm sure it's going to hit that brace and just go everywhere LOL

DarkFireGT · Apr 16, 2008

If it'll fit without hitting the bar, I think I'm going to buy one of these. Then you just throw a hose on it and the oil will go exactly where you want.

http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=F106N

69mach1-409 · Apr 17, 2008

Changing the oil can be done. Just make sure you have a big catch pan and racheting wrench.

DarkFireGT · Apr 17, 2008

Got the other car done in well under an hour. Much quicker when you know what you're doing. No struggle with the a arm bolt using the wrench as a breaker bar. Put the torque limiters in the same hole as the other car and it went very quickly.

Tools needed:

21MM combo wrench
22MM combo wrench (can substitute for socket if you like)
17MM combo wrench
17MM socket
15MM socket or wrench
13MM socket or wrench

I think that's it.

kooldawg6 · Apr 18, 2008

Damnit man, how will I ever save money?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Looks good under there and I can see the benefit of having this during hard acceleration, esp from a dead stop Other than breaking stuff loose, it does look like an easy install(even easier if you have access to a lift).

DarkFireGT · Apr 18, 2008

lol gotta pay to play

SlideWRX · Apr 18, 2008

http://www.modularfords.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107197

Someone who had an issue with the CHE limiters. Rather, likely with a weak stock block at that bolt location. Not a common problem apparently, but something to pay attention to.

Tom

highvolts · Apr 18, 2008

SlideWRX said:
http://www.modularfords.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107197

Someone who had an issue with the CHE limiters. Rather, likely with a weak stock block at that bolt location. Not a common problem apparently, but something to pay attention to.

Tom

Holy Smokes!

DarkFireGT · Apr 18, 2008

Yeah, I've been following that. It's the only case I've heard of, and quite a few people have done this mod. I would say they over-tightened the bolts.

RKNMACH · Apr 22, 2008

makes you wonder About the mod. A few negative comments were made about the strength of the block and the amount of strain put on that area the TL bolt into. Haven't heard of anyone else with that problem.

o0Dan0o · Apr 22, 2008

Probably a good idea to do motor mounts with the limiters, try and keep the limiters from doing all the work.
Dan

CHE K Member Brace w/Torque Limiters installed...

DarkFireGT

Playing with my wife's really makes me want one.

gashog

Member

highvolts

DarkFireGT

Playing with my wife's really makes me want one.

walter

DarkFireGT

Playing with my wife's really makes me want one.

Hoboattacker

New Member

gashog

Member

DarkFireGT

Playing with my wife's really makes me want one.

Hoboattacker

New Member

DarkFireGT

Playing with my wife's really makes me want one.

69mach1-409

Member

DarkFireGT

Playing with my wife's really makes me want one.

kooldawg6

mine works really well and can take a fair amount

DarkFireGT

Playing with my wife's really makes me want one.

SlideWRX

Member

highvolts

DarkFireGT

Playing with my wife's really makes me want one.

RKNMACH

New Member

o0Dan0o

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