BT Tech Stiffening Plate does not improve ride

While I can't comment on the test, I can say that in my own driving I've found the plate has made a positive improvement with handling. If my next Prius isn't so equipped, I'll get & install another.

 

Fascinating to read through the variety of opinions expressed here on PC regarding the merits (or lack thereof) of BT Tech's stiffener plate for the Prius.

While I personally am sceptical as to its alleged benefits, nowhere have I encountered anyone who has done what to me is obvious. If you really want to stiffen up the underframe, why not install BOTH the OEM plate and the BT Stiffener plate in combination.

That way, you get double the torsional stiffness and double the tensile strength, at least in that location; or at a minimum, a significant increase over and above the original level. Then go drive the car aggressively!!

Has anyone tried this solution?

Ron

 

This is interesting. The Volvo S60R had a similar bracket:



The first mod a new S60R owner would do was to remove this bracket completely. The particular bracket was mystery as to why Volvo installed it in the first place. Some said it was to keep the drive shaft from falling off (AWD car) or exhaust in case of catastrophic failure. Some say it was to facilitate the installation of the exhaust at the factory. The problem with this bracket was that it hung low to the ground. It was suceptible to bottoming out. When it did, the bracket would bend upward hitting the exhaust and then push the resonator into the driveshaft. The end result would be $2000 in damage (new exhaust system and new driveshaft). It happened to me.

S60R ownes would replace the bracket with a cable, thinking that would be enought to hold the exhaust or driveshaft in case of failure.

 

I guess what I am wondering is if the Prius's center bracing is similar to the Volvo's in that it is to keep the exhaust from falling to the ground in the event of failure.
Here is the bracket before bottoming out.


Here is the S60R bracket after bottoming out.

 

Maybe the center bracing doesn't do anything for stability at all? I don't know, just a thought.

 

Maybe. But I think the OEM and BT Tech plates look like stiffening plates:

PriusChat Shop : BT Tech Chassis Stiffening Plate - $195.00$165.00

While the Volvo plate looks like a curtain rod bracket.

In any event, IMO, the BT Tech Stiffening Plate definitely improves the car's handling and stability, most noticeably at highway speeds.

 

If the BT Plate uses the same holes, then all you would need are (possibly) longer bolts. But has anyone tried to combine them? Seems to me such a waste to simply toss the original.

1% additional stiffness? If that were true (which I don't believe), then the OEM plate was certainly not designed for torsional strength, but tensile strength in the horizontal plane. To which the BT plate adds little in the way of improvement. Not even 1%.


Bottom line is, BT Tech simply loves all of this publicity for their aftermarket add-ons, from which they make money and put bread on their table. If they have many satisfied customers, more power to them.

Just label me sceptical!

Ron

 

Exit subject stage left!

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

I *do* feel a difference. And it will be one of the first things I install in my next Prius.

 

Hi John
I will not insult nor defend the plate .I will ask one thing of you .Put your words into action put yours up for sale.It would sure make your position
and conviction more real .I respect the fact you voiced your feelings so well where so many have responded in a not such a nice fashion .Take the higher road .Now take the action to fix a negitive and be done with it .

 

Hi Group,

I didn't read all of the postings, instead jumped to the last page so this may have been covered already. If so I apologize for covering it again. When I got ready to install my plate, I noticed that the stainless washers were a little too big to slide down into the holes. We had to put them on a screwdriver shank and let them spin a little bit against a grinding wheel to slightly reduce their diameter. That could be the reason that two of the bolts are not in the recesses. If so, they are not properly torqued and may be the reason for the plate not doing it's job.

Both my wife and I enjoy the benefits of the improvement in cross-wind stability provided by the BT plate.

 

You should have read the thread, the bolts are loose on purpose to facilitate his test.

 

Sorry, guess I missed that one when I read all the posts on the first page then jumped to the last page. We really did have to shave down the washers that came with ours though.

 

Taken as a whole, this thread proves only that whether the chassis plate "works" or not is purely a matter of personal opinion.

Even if there were objective data on the behavior of the plate, it wouldn't put a stop to this unpleasantness.

What would it mean if the plate stopped 0.0003 in. of chassis flex? What about 0.003? 0.03? 0.3? In the absence of a universally accepted objective performance standard the argument would only shift to whether it was too much, or not enough, or the test was faulty, or the measurement itself was not correct, or as a last resort it cost too much.

On the road, whether the plate works is a matter of perception, not numbers. And perceptions are as varied as the background, experiences, and even expectations of the buyer.

Not only is there no one, correct answer, there never can be one. Simply put, "You pays your money and you takes your chances." Get over it, take three deep cleansing breaths, move on.

 

:amen:

 

Indeed, you may be right........

 

Excellent response -- I concur.

Perception does not necessarily equal reality