C-Pillar Braces

[CadenceScion]

For those people considering getting a C-Pillar Brace for their Scion, be aware that some products will require you to either remove or install the brace where there rear passenger air bags are. Awhile back I bought a C-Pillar Brace from Megan Racing and found out that their product would require me to completely remove the rear passenger air bags in order to install their product. I was not too keen on this and neglected not to install the product. I have a family and I didn't want my precious cargo to be in any danger. I sent the product back and found that Ingalls, makes a brace that installs in the spare tire compartment and is outta site, outta mind. It works along the same idea as a rear strut bar, but allows for more suspension downforce and more use of the rear hatch area, possibly for cargo or a killer sound system.

[Redneck4csa]

Well, there's your problem! You bought Megan products. I have never used them but Navy has and he will curse Megan with every last breath in his body.

[navylife59]

Ah yes, Megan. Phonetically Me can speaky Chinese. Crap, just total crap.

A rear strut bar in a tC is just a total waste of money. Yes, I have one. Bought it w/o researching when the tC was new back in '05. The rear structure that the rear struts mounts to is extremely stout. It is actually 3 separate pieces of thick gauge formed sheetmetal. This is also the area that the rear cross-member directly bolts to.


You can see that the lower trunk pan and rear bumper structure could use some additional support to handle loads of extreme rear downforce. By extreme, I mean Christian Rado crazy extreme. A street car will never see that much downforce. The Ingals piece does not exactly support the sides and rear of the trunk area, more like just the floor pan.

The upper hatch structure is where body stiffening is needed. You will notice ripples in the body between the rear windows and the tail lights.
tC Body Panel Rolls.JPG
The rear hatch provides a minimal amount of structural support when it is closed/lock. Replacing it with a CF hatch lid will subtract what support from the OEM hatch there is. Unfortunately, there is nothing on the market that can support this structure w/o being obtrusive to the interior.

[Redneck4csa]

Navy, so what are you going to do when you put your carbon fiber hatch on?