Review of DDMWorks Pro-Beam

[GreenRL]

Hey Everyone,

The how-to threads have always helped me a great deal so I figured I would contribute. To sum it all up the install wasn't to bad, It says 30 minutes for a pretty handy person. I feel I am pretty handy but it took me about an hour and 20. This was due to a few factors and I'm not including the trip to Lowe's when my drill took a dive (wanted a better one anyway).

Basically the instructions it comes with are ok at best. It does not tell you on which sides to mount the brackets to the main support nor does it have any illustrations, just 13 quick instructions. It also states that its best to center the main bar under the existing torsion arm and drill through the pre-existing-foam filled hole. then put a 110 mm bolt through it to hold it in place while you assemble the side pieces. This is pretty much the instructions, but after assembling everything and keepnig all bolts loose to manuever the 'beam' to where it needed to be it was off, so I had to disassemble half the unit to release some of the tension on the center bolt and take it out. Then I just alligned everything up the way I felt it was best (I'm anal so I even used a magnetic angle locator to make sure everything was square) Then after everything was tight I looked up through the center bolt hole and realized the original (foam filled) hole was off about 1/4" from the pre drilled hole in the beam (I didn't want to redrill the beam because the hole is centered and the supplied washers are the same width as the beam so it couldn't be moved or the washers wouldn''t work) so I then drilled the 2 outside holes after everything was tight and then re-drilled a new center hole and it went together at that point like pie. I have added some pictures for close ups, it's the best I could get under the car.

Also, as per my siganture I have the RPI exhaust and there are no clearence issues. I ran it hard after I tightened it all up and no rattle or anything and now my babies A$$ is tight as can be, there is no play and it does feel like there is better rear stabilization when I'm sliding through corners or launching from lights.

Couple of notes on the install, It may be hard to see in the pictures but the 3rd picture shows the way I mounted the side pieces to the beam itself, on the front (left side on picture) bracket assembly, I bolted the bracket to the outside of the beam, not the inside. The rear bracket (right side of picture) is bolted underneath the beam not over the top. I tried both variations and this one fell better into the allignment between the diff support and this new piece. Also, I ended up using 3 of the supplied washers between the beam and the diff support, the instructions do state you may not need any or you may need them all, I ended up with 3 extra I didn't use.

Hope this helps anyone with their install or clearence questions.

[kwayne]

So after reading the instructions I had questions.

1) there is a "up" etched in the metal-it is directions from the machineing process-flat side to the cross-member-

2) flared ends point to the front

3) it's ok to back car on ramps - only need enough room to get drill under car.

Can't wait to put it on-hopefully Thur. nite...

[GreenRL]

1) the "up" you speak of is visible I think this was for manufacturing because its upside down when installed.

2)Flared ends to the front of the car

3) I used a jack and stands, you are correct, you only need the room for the drill basically, just make sure the bits long enough...

[aggressiva]

can any one tell me what is this "Pro-Beam" and what does it do.

[GreenRL]

According to DDMWorks, the stock Differential cross member is decent at best, I have found that its a 1/16th inch thick piece of steel that is foam filled for vibrations coming from the differential and is only secured to the unibody of the car by a bolt on each side and then the diff bolts to the middle of it. Their Pro-Beam is supposed to take this pre-existing diff support and strengthen it to better solidify the torsion of the unibody construction of the rear end to not allow as much flex at the lower A-Arm and torsion bars supports as seen in the 3rd picture above. Long story short it better anchors the diff crossmember to the rest of the car for better rear handling.

[aggressiva]

Thanks. it makes sense now.

[Lil GTO]

is that similar to or completely different than the rebar from kappasphere for example? or could you have both?

[GreenRL]

Same concept but the Re-bar doesn't appear to be very functional unless you keep the stock style exhaust.

[JRinKY]

Lil GTO : is that similar to or completely different than the rebar from kappasphere for example? or could you have both?

Similar in function, quite different in form. One of the guys on the Sol forum was planning to install both. He said that some trimming was necessary, as they occupy some of the same real estate.

The rebar does have more potential for exhaust interference, but they have a list of those with which it has been tested. I think it includes most of the major offerings.