BT Tech Stiffening Plate does not improve ride

Hey guys... as has already been mentioned in this thread - the bolts in the picture were not tightened on purpose - to show that there is no gap in this area when the car is flexed. The bolts are fine, the washers are fine and the bore is fine. The bolts just aren't tightened - to make a point.

Yeah, it took me a second read to figure it out too - all it takes is an understanding of what he was trying to show.

Welcome to the very small club, John.

Can open. Worms all over the place.

 

this is why i mentioned i have an 04. when my plate came loose ( my fault.. i bent it ... don't ask...) it started to tap the underneath of my car. only around hard turns. it may still have shifted at lower speeds ( simply no gap only a slight flex back and forth).. but under harder turning, it was obvious

 

Thank you for your test... Strengthened my gut feel on the matter.

I instead spent my money on some 205/60R15 H touring tires... Now *there's* some handling improvement dollars ($300) well spent...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BT Tech @ Jun 2 2007, 03:32 PM) [snapback]454003[/snapback]</div>

:angry: Brian, I understand you manufacture and promote a good product, although many are discussing its "values" in recent forum posts, but aside from that (whether it works well or not) it really would be a simply WONDERFUL thing if when people (LIKE ME !!) order your product, you give some sort of confirmation that their order was shipped or soon will be. A PayPal "receipt" only means that you have properly received the payment ($165) for the BT PLATE from purchaser (ME !!) Even in today's busy, fast paced world, it is very easy to provide UPS TRACKING NUMBERS to customers.

By-the-way............ I ordered and PAID for mine on May 23rd......... just wondering IF it was even shipped out yet, waiting in some UPS depot, or where the heck it is ?? Again, UPS TRACKING NUMBER is a very RE-ASSURING and WONDERFUL thing..............

HOPING to receive my BT PLATE very soon ?????????

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(John in LB @ Jun 1 2007, 05:54 PM) [snapback]453562[/snapback]</div>

With any product, there will always be those that appreciate it and enjoy the benifits it gives and those that can't. Being in the engineering world for so long, I openly profess being the former. I am also suprised at the amount of time and bandwith given to this topic in general for such an inexpensive part that does so much for the Prius.


Best,

Ken Stewart

 

To each his own.

The plate did make a difference in my car. And I'll buy one for my next Prius as well. Or I'll keep this one and reinstall the original plate before I sell my car. Whatever. But my next Prius will have the BT plate.

 

Thank you, Ken. It's nice to hear some words of wisdom on this subject from someone who knows what they're talking about.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(John in LB @ Jun 2 2007, 04:58 PM) [snapback]454072[/snapback]</div>

Must havce pics of the wife jumping up and down for proof only, ....... waiting for F8L to comment on this one LOL :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

This could be very popular at the next Prius meet. I can see it now, willing participants jumping up and down in the back seat, measuring the...uh...deflection.

(If they both wore blindfolds, would that make it 'double blind?')

We could even offer full road tests and videotape the 'handling', before and after 'installation.' I hear the results can be felt more keenly if you drive aggressively.

Drivers wanted. Passengers, too. B)

 

Hello FloridaWen..... If you placed your order and paid via PayPal through the Prius Chat store then they are the ones that received your payment/order not us. We are soley the manufacturer and the orders are sent in several times a week from Prius Chat to us. As soon as we ship the orders, we email the UPS tracking information to the email address that the customer entered when they placed their order.

If you placed your order on 5/23, then your order should be shipping out to you this coming week. If you have any questions please feel free to email or contact me a the number below.




<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FloridaWen @ Jun 2 2007, 05:48 PM) [snapback]454052[/snapback]</div>

 

I can't tell who wrote this (from the quoted section in Ken Stewart's last post)...

...but I sure hope it wasn't engineer Ken! Flexing the plate has NOTHING to do with its tensile strength, of course. I have a motorcycle chain here that is REALLY easy to flex, and yet has astonishing tensile strength. Rope is another pretty good example! Common sense and being able to bend the thing has nothing to do with this. The tensile strength of either plate is likely beyond the shear strength of the mounting bolts.

Again... I can't tell from the post who said it. I'm just wondering what it could mean.

 

Darell, I think it was John in LB who said that first. Ken was disagreeing with him, so I think his engineering degree is safe for now.

 

Well, after I installed mine, I could tell a HUGE difference. Even my wife could tell the difference. I'm so confounded by the people who can not tell a difference at all....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BT Tech @ Jun 2 2007, 08:07 PM) [snapback]454114[/snapback]</div>

Brian, that is very good that you actually do send UPS TRACKING as a "confirmation", something I was NOT aware of. I am so used to ordering items (computer, automotive, electronic, tools, etc.) and having them shipped same day order is placed or very quickly thereafter and getting "confirmation" of order processing, THEN next, getting the UPS or FedEx Tracking Number, followed by receiving these items within two to three days after initial order.

My Wife and I are just VERY, VERY ANXIOUS to install your BT PLATE on our brand new 2007 Prius Touring, that's all....................

Then with all the "hype" I have been reading here (the "good" AND the "bad") makes me even MORE ANXIOUS to install the plate, as we are not extremely happy with the way the new Prius Touring handles in strong CROSSWINDS on the Interstate !!

I am only able to "work" on our home or our vehicles on the WEEKENDS and I was really hoping to have received the BT PLATE perhaps by this past Friday........... I am sure you understand !!

It seems, from what you are tellling me that 11 days have passed so far and MY BT Plate has NOT even been put into shipping yet...............

 

Abouy a month ago I installed the BT plate on our 2007 Prius. I said school is still out on whether it make any difference after around a 500 mile trip. I still do not notice any difference in the handling or ride.

Sorry to you you guys who state that it makes a difference but I do not see how you can notice such a huge improvement or any improvement at all.

I think I gave it a fair amount of time with all kinds of driving.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tom 6850 @ Jun 3 2007, 06:19 AM) [snapback]454305[/snapback]</div>

Tom6850, your results are the kind of "news" that really upsets me and makes me have "second thoughts" that the BT PLATE will not do anything significient for the handling of our new '07 Prius Touring.

I have to admit, being from the "old school of auto. mechanics" that when I first saw the BT PLATE (even weeks before we actually purchased our new Prius) I asked mysself how the heck can "handling" be improved by just adding a "stronger bracket" between the members of the underside of the unibody ???? I am used to making "real" SUSPENSION mods., such as heavier anti-sway bars, more solid rubber or neoprene suspension bushings, slightly heavier springs and HD shocks, wider tires, etc. which I have done with great success (greatly improved handling) to many vehicles in the past !!

What actually "swayed" (changed) my line of thinking was the oh-so-many POSITIVE "ratings and comments" about the wonderful BT PLATE and how much it has "transformed" a wobbly, squirrely Prius into a "tight", "road handling" machine, etc. Now that I think about it, the majority of these people that installed the BT Plate, put it on OLDER Prius models, most of which were NOT "stiffer suspension" '07 TOURING Prius vehicles........

To me (and most others) $165 is quite a bit of money to shell out for something that I now find "in question of it's performance increase"............ and what makes me even madder, is the fact I ordered and immediately paid for it a week and a half ago and it has NOT even been shipped out yet........ NOT even any sort of order confirmation on an approximate shipping date, just a "canned note" in PriusChat ACCESSORIES stating I will receive my product within ONE WEEK !! and that was 11 days ago (8 business days).................
:angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Platypus @ Jun 1 2007, 09:20 PM) [snapback]453688[/snapback]</div>

gotcha!! :lol:


P.S. you guys and ladies do realize that this entire thread should/could have been posted in our already "record setting" BT Plate thread that I believe is over 600 posts already. Thus keeping that thread alive, and lengthening an already long as hell thread !!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FloridaWen @ Jun 3 2007, 04:48 AM) [snapback]454311[/snapback]</div>

You just spent more than $25,000 for a car and you are whining about $165? No one made you buy the BT Plate. There are many satisfied customers and a handful of skeptics and detractors. Why don't you just call Brian, cancel your order and quit complaining.

Enough!!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Jun 3 2007, 09:51 AM) [snapback]454415[/snapback]</div>

If I am not mistaken, in this instance, Brian is acting as a fulfillment entity for the PC Accessory shop (the order was placed on the PC Accessory shop e-commerce site). Any cancellation would have to occur with the PC Accessory shop.