Well I bought the STMPO bumper beam to save like 8 pounds over my stock aluminum rear bumper beam. I sold my beautiful GT1 valve controlled exhaust, the only one in the country, to get a titanium exhaust. A little here, a little there, I am down to 2950 already and can easily go to 2850 with full interior and options. I care about weight. I can easily feel the difference in the car on the track with a 160 pound passenger. Everyone always says "whats 5 pounds" but they add up. You need less brakes, less tire, less engine when you are lighter. Everything works better. Anyway not meaning to hijack the thread. I've bought from STMPO before and like the stuff. I'm sure this is a fantastic bar.
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STMPO NA2 RSTB - Fits all CTSC and SOS SC NSX's
- Thread starter StmpoRaceProducts
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Well I bought the STMPO bumper beam to save like 8 pounds over my stock aluminum rear bumper beam. I sold my beautiful GT1 valve controlled exhaust, the only one in the country, to get a titanium exhaust. A little here, a little there, I am down to 2950 already and can easily go to 2850 with full interior and options. I care about weight. I can easily feel the difference in the car on the track with a 160 pound passenger. Everyone always says "whats 5 pounds" but they add up. You need less brakes, less tire, less engine when you are lighter. Everything works better. Anyway not meaning to hijack the thread. I've bought from STMPO before and like the stuff. I'm sure this is a fantastic bar.
^^^^I would go for bar as it is great addition. We installed ours the same day Perry (Wingz) came over and we installed his as well and he loves it. If he can slap it on his car I know you can b/c he is determined to make his car as light as he can. :biggrin:
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TURBO2GO,
You are a good customer of STMPO's and so is TXvsLV and DrVolk. Thanks to everyone for their time to comment here.
so to bring this back to the correct direction... You are 100% correct about weight and a goal to reduce that weight has justification.
My opinion is that weight reduction is only 1 variable in a long performance equation. Attention should be paid to the other variable's to complement it though.
A good example would be adding a turbo to increase power... a turbo only increases the air entering the combustion chamber... one must upgrade the fuel system to maximize the turbo.
Let's use this same example based on what we know about the NSX (in layman’s terms)
The NSX unibody is a superior design for production based cars. That doesn’t make it perfect though. In examining the chassis alone... one would conclude that the center of the car has large "unsupported" voids in it (the gas tank and the engine bay)
At the top of those voids you have
1) the glass hatch - not providing anything
2) The RSTB - Honda engineered for weight saving and a secondary purpose of chassis support
3) the roof... which is a key factor
When the roof is removed... all NA2 NSX owners notice a substantial loss in rigidity and experience a cowl shake.
This rigidity was the fixed by our RSTB when the roof is removed. The benefit also exists when the roof in on the car.
Shaving weight and sacrificing performance would go against your ending goal. But when the entire performance equation is factored in... rigidity will only complement your weight loss.
BTW - the bar is only a few pounds over the OEM setup... with the location of the RSTB...those few pounds are added to the center of the car. Additional weight at the farthest front or rear location would be an exponential increase compared to the center.
Thanks to everyone following this thread ... The benefits of this product are real... ask anyone who ever installed it.
Regards
Ross of course, I am not disagreeing with anything you are saying. I have the STMPO front chassis bar and I think the 1 or 2 pounds of weight gain was worth it. I was just trying to see HOW MUCH I am gaining if I change out the CT bar. That's all. It is in the center of the car, so I am less concerned with it.
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2-3 lbs man... we use the same OEM brackets to weld to.. the same brackets the CT bar bolts up to... so when you add them to the CT bar.. it's 2-3 lbs.
Regards
OK but if its .1 over I will give you a bad vendor rating, start screaming for a refund, then start a new post about how you are a liar and you cheat your customers. :biggrin:
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lol... I have a better one for you...
The Comptech Bar retailed for 1200.00
Why not sell it for more money than the STMPO RSTB costs... I priced the bar so that NSX owners would actually buy it.
also... when determinimg what to do about the same void in the chassis on the FXMD RTA NSX... we actually welded 1/4 plate to spread the load from the lower rear suspension to the rear firewall. The pic included shows how it will work.
Race car application only...lol
Regards
Attachments
Dude did you ever re-weigh your car? The STMPO brace really is worth it and the feel is great. I've even stopped thinking about picking up a Zanardi since putting in his brace.
It even comes in b*tchstone gray to match your b*tchstone exterior:biggrin:
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STMPO makes the best value parts period!!!
Yeah but you went from the weak factory bar to the STMPO. I have the Comptech bar, it is I am assuming way better than the factory weakling. I am not sure how much more I will see with the STMPO bar. I am not doubting STMPO bar quality.
Also, I just got a cage... I have to figure out what I am going to do with that before I make more moves. Good to hear that you really like it. I trust advice coming from guys that run on the track a lot more than others (even though you drive like a girl).
I had the comptech bar as well... and I can feel a difference. My car doesn't creak as much, that's for sure. You'll be happy with it.... If you're worried about weight, you should probably install it before you install the cage and see if you can live without the cage.
After seeing the STMPO in person both the factory and Comptech look like dental floss. I'm now pretty comfortable with a the idea of getting a supercharger after I'm done with all my weight savings.
I agree and it would be most beneficial to put the STMPO in before the cage and track it. Cage is pretty serious interior modification.
Dave you just have the STMPO bumper bar or do you have the front brace? I have both front and rear braces. Plus he's working on a front STB that I'll be adding as well.
Yes but he's currently almost finished with a piece that will allow us to still have use of the windshield wipers.
Did you notice a big difference with the beams as I'm considering those next?
Did you notice a big difference with the beams as I'm considering those next?
Don't do it Perry! Stay NA! :biggrin:
LOL No worries I say it every winter then forget in the Spring after driving her in the Spring:biggrin:
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The bar that fits the ctsc and sos sc application is in stock
colors are red and black on the shelf...
Regards
colors are red and black on the shelf...
Regards
Gas weighs 6lbs a gallon. So are you going out for your 20 min sessions with the gas light just flickering? I don't. Come on Dave, learn to drive the car and stop worrying about weight savings. I added the RSTB and will just take a leak before every session and it will even out. :tongue:
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Since this thread left on such an off topic....:wink:
These RSTB's are in stock...
If you have a SC'er... laminova TOO
This bar WILL stiffin your targa or your money back... shipping both ways paid by us...
I would also like to add... if your on the fence on this one... pm anyone who posted they owned it...
Every single person has called or emailed after purchase and instll... there are very few parts made by ANYONE that has had 100% estatic customer feedback.
Thanks for considering
Regards
These RSTB's are in stock...
If you have a SC'er... laminova TOO
This bar WILL stiffin your targa or your money back... shipping both ways paid by us...
I would also like to add... if your on the fence on this one... pm anyone who posted they owned it...
Every single person has called or emailed after purchase and instll... there are very few parts made by ANYONE that has had 100% estatic customer feedback.
Thanks for considering
Regards
I don't doubt the quality of the STMPO brace, however why is it so noticable stiffer than the CT brace, just because of the material or also because it is welded?
I have the CT brace and like that look better.
Am wondering if welding the CT brace bolted connections will make the brace stiffer and if so, how much...
I have the CT brace and like that look better.
Am wondering if welding the CT brace bolted connections will make the brace stiffer and if so, how much...
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Good question....... Why is it better... material or welded?
It's actually the total design that is better... ... and the design is welded with a much stronger and lighter material....
If the comptech bar was one solid piece of billet... it would perform better than the bar you have... it would cost a lot to make it so they would have to sell it for over a grand... wait.. they made it the cheaper way and did that....
The MAIN benefit is the one piece.. if it were steel/aluminum/ect and only one piece.. the strength comes from the fact it is one solid...
If we were to measure the difference between a one solid piece of aluminum to our one piece chromoly.. then the stress measurement equals the load the material can handle. The question then would be which is the stronger material... even though billet is solid... in the diameter the CT bar is in.. it would loose that battle as well based on material load... chromoly trumps it even though it is hollow on the inside. But the billet bar would out load a hollow aluminum bar... (carbing)
Do what we did... your bar is installed right now... It will seem ridged if you grab on it... now take it off.... shake it... there are 14 bolts holding it together... they WILL BE LOOSE... but they will appear tight under load (installed)
so 1 piece made with stronger material will solidify your car exponentially to say 20 different pieces working together (bolts and bars)...
Were not kidding and maybe other bar owners will jump in here... IT WILL COMPLETELY CHANGE THE RIGIDITY of your Targa!
Fact... money back if you don’t see it how everyone else did.
Last point to make here.. I have been an NSX owner for 8 years.. Honda sold OEM clutches for 2200-3200.. allowing AM manufactures to "redeem higher profits"
The best clutches on the market sold for more than OEM.. they were the best.. they should sell for more.
There isnt a better option anywhere for an RSTB on a Targa.. we are it.. and we didn’t price gauge the part... we sold it for half of the "less functional replacement"
Most owners in your situation make money upgrading (selling your CT for more than 575.00
Your last question of welding it... the brackets the CT bar bolts on to are steel.. so a welded bar is still a 3 piece.. A part designed to be bolted together would be made differently if it were intended to be welded together....
Regards
I'm not an engineer, even though I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night (literally) :biggrin:.
Here is my story. I had the Type R bars (top & bottom) and I noticed almost no difference, which really pissed me off because of all the reviews on Prime about people saying it made a DRAMATIC difference. Did it make a "slight" improvement? Maybe. But not enough to say "wow, it's much stiffer." In fact, I was really disappointed as it was one of those IN THEORY things that in REALITY wasn't noticeable.
So.... Ross tells me, install the STMPO front bar and if you don't like it, send it back no questions asked. Kind of hard to turn down that offer. So with the STMPO bar was it DRAMATICALLY different?
Well, with the STMPO bar in front installed I go for a quick test drive. My neighborhood has really bad streets and I noticed a slight improvement as the car rocked back and forth while going over the seams in the street. I also noticed the targa wasn't creaking. OK, so there was a small noticeable improvement. But still not a "WOW moment".
Driving around town I didn't really notice it all.
So I pull in to my driveway, and here I noticed a DRAMATIC change.... normally the car flexes as I have to pull in over a curb at a 45 angle as one wheel goes up and then the other. Even with the Type R bars the flex was very noticeable. With the STMPO front bar, the flex was almost non-existent. I can say without a doubt this was a DRAMATIC improvement over the Type R bars.
So Ross is telling me about his new rear strut bar and makes the same offer.... if you don't like it send it back. So I installed it. Off came the OEM Targa triangle brace and on went the STMPO rear bar.
First real test drive was at the track - Putnam Park. Ross knew I was heading out to the track, so his first question was "did you notice a difference at the track?" My response was "I was a little busy braking for Turn 1 from 130 down to 80 to even think about it." :wink: So I went out the next day and ran a couple of laps paying attention to the way the car felt. What I did notice was on Turn 4 at Putnam where you switch from a right hand turn to a left turn while the track goes off camber the car WAS stiffer and I could now throw the car into the left hand turn with out feeling like the car was shifting the weight from the left side to the right. Well obviously the car was shifting weight, but it felt much more precise as I could now throw it to the left. A year later, I am SMOKING through this turn and no longer braking before and can catch ANYONE here as they are tapping the brakes before turn in and I am much more aggressive now.
So.... would I recommend the STMPO bars? Yes. Is it going to knock 5 seconds off lap times, no. But there is a REAL improvement with the bars (and this isn't one of those psychosomatic PRIME butt dyno reviews that will piss you off when you chunk down the $$$ and think "what's the big deal?")
PS: "if you don't like it, send it back offer" --- really have nothing to loose (and shipping both ways? well I guess you really don't need to worry about the shipping back do you Ross? :wink: ).
Here is my story. I had the Type R bars (top & bottom) and I noticed almost no difference, which really pissed me off because of all the reviews on Prime about people saying it made a DRAMATIC difference. Did it make a "slight" improvement? Maybe. But not enough to say "wow, it's much stiffer." In fact, I was really disappointed as it was one of those IN THEORY things that in REALITY wasn't noticeable.
So.... Ross tells me, install the STMPO front bar and if you don't like it, send it back no questions asked. Kind of hard to turn down that offer. So with the STMPO bar was it DRAMATICALLY different?
Well, with the STMPO bar in front installed I go for a quick test drive. My neighborhood has really bad streets and I noticed a slight improvement as the car rocked back and forth while going over the seams in the street. I also noticed the targa wasn't creaking. OK, so there was a small noticeable improvement. But still not a "WOW moment".
Driving around town I didn't really notice it all.
So I pull in to my driveway, and here I noticed a DRAMATIC change.... normally the car flexes as I have to pull in over a curb at a 45 angle as one wheel goes up and then the other. Even with the Type R bars the flex was very noticeable. With the STMPO front bar, the flex was almost non-existent. I can say without a doubt this was a DRAMATIC improvement over the Type R bars.
So Ross is telling me about his new rear strut bar and makes the same offer.... if you don't like it send it back. So I installed it. Off came the OEM Targa triangle brace and on went the STMPO rear bar.
First real test drive was at the track - Putnam Park. Ross knew I was heading out to the track, so his first question was "did you notice a difference at the track?" My response was "I was a little busy braking for Turn 1 from 130 down to 80 to even think about it." :wink: So I went out the next day and ran a couple of laps paying attention to the way the car felt. What I did notice was on Turn 4 at Putnam where you switch from a right hand turn to a left turn while the track goes off camber the car WAS stiffer and I could now throw the car into the left hand turn with out feeling like the car was shifting the weight from the left side to the right. Well obviously the car was shifting weight, but it felt much more precise as I could now throw it to the left. A year later, I am SMOKING through this turn and no longer braking before and can catch ANYONE here as they are tapping the brakes before turn in and I am much more aggressive now.
So.... would I recommend the STMPO bars? Yes. Is it going to knock 5 seconds off lap times, no. But there is a REAL improvement with the bars (and this isn't one of those psychosomatic PRIME butt dyno reviews that will piss you off when you chunk down the $$$ and think "what's the big deal?")
PS: "if you don't like it, send it back offer" --- really have nothing to loose (and shipping both ways? well I guess you really don't need to worry about the shipping back do you Ross? :wink: ).
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