Ever heard of drop plates?

[dom]

Have a read of this then smart arse, they've been used in motorsport for decades.

http://clubgti.com/forum/showthread.php?t=223608

And if you took your head out of your arse and read the thread properly, you'd see that the Motorsport plates are fully braced...nut just a 10mm plate bolted on.
The comment stands...that thread also discusses fully braced rear beams - for stiffness. I'm fully aware of the thread...I have a fully braced rear beam on the back of such a thread.

Oh, well then! You must know what you're talking about! Just because its all braced in motorsport application doesn't mean it's necessary for road use. It's obviously gonna be under much higher stresses in motorsport. Have you ever felt a 10mm thick plate? There is NO way that it will bend lol. As for the bolts, how do you think stub axles are held on in the first place? It's no different! As long as they're the right tensile there's no reason it would be unsafe.

Besides, the plates that James has on his mk3 are a tried and tested product from a reputable company in the US.

There isn't a better way of keeping lots of suspension travel and being low, unless you get hold of some custom length strut bodies. Damping adjustable coilovers don't make a blind bit of difference when you're sat on the bumpstops, don't you thick race teams would have thought of that if it was the case?

Without wishing to come across as ignorant (I know nothing about drop plates btw), but why should anyone take a blind bit of notice of what your saying?

Most people who have spent time on this forum will know the extent of Glen's knowledge. This combined with the amount of time/money he has ploughed into his 16v experimenting and perfecting it makes me much more inclined to trust what he says.

Are you talking from experience or just from what you've heard or read on the internet? 

[Wayne]

Without wishing to come across as ignorant (I know nothing about drop plates btw), but why should anyone take a blind bit of notice of what your saying?

Most people who have spent time on this forum will know the extent of Glen's knowledge. This combined with the amount of time/money he has ploughed into his 16v experimenting and perfecting it makes me much more inclined to trust what he says.

Are you talking from experience or just from what you've heard or read on the internet? 

Spot on Dom Glen know's his stuff.

[Jack3559]

This happens every time I start a topic.

[thai-wronghorse]

Have a read of this then smart arse, they've been used in motorsport for decades.

http://clubgti.com/forum/showthread.php?t=223608

And if you took your head out of your arse and read the thread properly, you'd see that the Motorsport plates are fully braced...nut just a 10mm plate bolted on.
The comment stands...that thread also discusses fully braced rear beams - for stiffness. I'm fully aware of the thread...I have a fully braced rear beam on the back of such a thread.

Oh, well then! You must know what you're talking about! Just because its all braced in motorsport application doesn't mean it's necessary for road use. It's obviously gonna be under much higher stresses in motorsport. Have you ever felt a 10mm thick plate? There is NO way that it will bend lol. As for the bolts, how do you think stub axles are held on in the first place? It's no different! As long as they're the right tensile there's no reason it would be unsafe.

Besides, the plates that James has on his mk3 are a tried and tested product from a reputable company in the US.

There isn't a better way of keeping lots of suspension travel and being low, unless you get hold of some custom length strut bodies. Damping adjustable coilovers don't make a blind bit of difference when you're sat on the bumpstops, don't you thick race teams would have thought of that if it was the case?

Is this your highly experienced engineering background speaking or just oral diarrhea I hear because im going with the later option seeing as I bend 10mm plus thick steel on a daily basis.

The moment I laid eyes on the design of these plates i was wondering where all the gusseting and strengthening features were hiding.

[Phataz1]

Are you bending 10mm steel without massive amounts of heat or pressure? If not then I'd like to know how! Because it won't encounter either if being used as a drop plate!

Don't worry about my experience, I've done my fair share of stuff

[Ess_Three]

Are you bending 10mm steel without massive amounts of heat or pressure? If not then I'd like to know how! Because it won't encounter either if being used as a drop plate!

I'll say again...the rear beam flexes...it flexes enough to be unable to keep camber and toe angles constant through cornering...
Isn't a rear beam substantially sturdier than a piece of 10mm plate?
I think so...

Don't worry about my experience, I've done my fair share of stuff

Well that's alright then...you've done your fair share of 'stuff'.
Happy days.

[Ess_Three]

Oh, well then! You must know what you're talking about! Just because its all braced in motorsport application doesn't mean it's necessary for road use. It's obviously gonna be under much higher stresses in motorsport. Have you ever felt a 10mm thick plate? There is NO way that it will bend lol.

Of course there are higher stresses in motorsport...but fast road use isn't exactly stress free. Sure, if the car is a static show queen, it's unlikely to be a problem.
You could technically drive your car with only 2 wheel bolts holding the wheel on, as there aren't many stresses there when mooching off to the local Tescos...but would you?

10mm plate flexes...it doesn't have to flex much to throw the rear wheel alignment out, or to over stress the tightening torque on the bolts holding the drop plate to the rear beam leading to bolt failure.

As for the bolts, how do you think stub axles are held on in the first place? It's no different! As long as they're the right tensile there's no reason it would be unsafe.

The bolts are not the issue...it's the leverage on the bolts afforded by the 10mm plate.
Standard stub axles are bolted on with no leverage onto a fully braced section on the rear beam.

Besides, the plates that James has on his mk3 are a tried and tested product from a reputable company in the US.

Just because they are made by a US company, doesn't make them ideal.

There isn't a better way of keeping lots of suspension travel and being low, unless you get hold of some custom length strut bodies. Damping adjustable coilovers don't make a blind bit of difference when you're sat on the bumpstops, don't you thick race teams would have thought of that if it was the case?

I'm quite sure race team don't use standard dampers, or standard length coilovers...
In principle, the idea of re-locating the stub axle locating points is sound...however, it;s the method of simply bolting on a drop plate that is not so sound.
The pictures posted in the ClubGTI thread give examples of doing it properly, boxed and gussetted for strength...not just a 10mm plate bolted on.

[Dmonday]

Posted on edition along with "these are from a mk1 caddy though so i'd get the bolt hole sizes double checked"



i don't care if their safe or not, i'm not running them i'm just posting what was posted on edition for anyone that might want some making up or researching into them?

Dan

[Jack3559]

Yeah, I thought I'd start that thread on edition to see what their side of the story is.

It's funny how they seem to be saying the exact opposite of what's being said on here.

More research is needed before I make up my mind on these.

As said, concept is sound... application seems flimsy.

Maybe a super braced and welded drop plate would do the trick.

[Dmonday]

Yeah, I thought I'd start that thread on edition to see what their side of the story is.

It's funny how they seem to be saying the exact opposite of what's being said on here.

More research is needed before I make up my mind on these.

As said, concept is sound... application seems flimsy.

Maybe a super braced and welded drop plate would do the trick.

Yeah saw a similar username and thought it would of been you, i doubt as many people would use them if they were not safe we would hear alot more horror stories about them if they was that dangerous? i'm sure vortex will have alot more to say about them!

Edit:
there's so many on vortex that have been for sale and soo much talk about them, their not even going on about weather their safe or not as their such a common product!

Dan