AtlantaDad
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- Cumming, GA
Happy Thanksgiving buddy! Just for you...
7
Sandman GTI MK7 PP DCC Lighting Pkg - The Journey begins!
- Thread starter Sandman GTI
- Start date
Sandman GTI
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- Tennessee USA
Happy Thanksgiving buddy! Just for you...
Perfect.
Sandman GTI
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- Tennessee USA
Ali-express experience.
I know many have posted bad experiences when ordering Ali-express but I have not had issues. I wish we produced all these items in USA and my purchases do not help the cause. Guilty!
I mainly buy items from them for my wife's 2016 Tucson.
Hyundai must sell a lot in China as they have many aftermarket items for this SUV.
Story:
A while back my Wife ran over something which ripped the under engine cover. When I checked the damage I learned the Tucson had a molded fabric under engine cover. Very thin and weak. I am sure light.
I found two on Ali-express. One was metal which if hit by a rock would scare my wife. The other was thick plastic and looked very nice. Two weeks later it arrived. Wow! Looked great. Textured surface on both sides. Molded well and looked great. Hardware included. But, would it fit?
Installed this weekend. Fit perfect. I reused most of the OE bolts but purchased SS washers to help hold. I used a few longer SS bolts and lock washers. The supplied hardware would have worked but was only zinc plated and someone might just look under here so why not make it look good. The fit was perfect but being rigid it took some care to get in place. I installed all the bolts and left loose. Moving it around it finally fell in place. I tightened down just like using a star pattern on a wheel.
It fits tighter to the underside and looks great. At least 1/4" thick or more.
Door for oil filter. Being rigid it holds the side fender and wheel well covers better in place. Wish my GTI cover was this nice.
Texted my wife pics of install. She was not as excited, not a car girl.
But she likes her Tucson!
Not going anywhere. 16 bolts hold it in.
OE cover
New cover.
Had to buy a slightly longer SS bolt for hole in Central front. Pic is before I finished install.
Look what I found on AliExpress
http://s.aliexpress.com/vYVnymAf
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I know many have posted bad experiences when ordering Ali-express but I have not had issues. I wish we produced all these items in USA and my purchases do not help the cause. Guilty!
I mainly buy items from them for my wife's 2016 Tucson.
Hyundai must sell a lot in China as they have many aftermarket items for this SUV.
Story:
A while back my Wife ran over something which ripped the under engine cover. When I checked the damage I learned the Tucson had a molded fabric under engine cover. Very thin and weak. I am sure light.
I found two on Ali-express. One was metal which if hit by a rock would scare my wife. The other was thick plastic and looked very nice. Two weeks later it arrived. Wow! Looked great. Textured surface on both sides. Molded well and looked great. Hardware included. But, would it fit?
Installed this weekend. Fit perfect. I reused most of the OE bolts but purchased SS washers to help hold. I used a few longer SS bolts and lock washers. The supplied hardware would have worked but was only zinc plated and someone might just look under here so why not make it look good. The fit was perfect but being rigid it took some care to get in place. I installed all the bolts and left loose. Moving it around it finally fell in place. I tightened down just like using a star pattern on a wheel.
It fits tighter to the underside and looks great. At least 1/4" thick or more.
Door for oil filter. Being rigid it holds the side fender and wheel well covers better in place. Wish my GTI cover was this nice.
Texted my wife pics of install. She was not as excited, not a car girl.
But she likes her Tucson!
Not going anywhere. 16 bolts hold it in.
OE cover
New cover.
Had to buy a slightly longer SS bolt for hole in Central front. Pic is before I finished install.
Look what I found on AliExpress
http://s.aliexpress.com/vYVnymAf
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Last edited:
Sandman GTI
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- Tennessee USA
Tucson engine underside cover - texture.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Sandman GTI
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- Tennessee USA
PM sent with info.
No pedal box.
Yes on ECS Tuning wheels pacers with Austin's.
Also ECS wheel lock bolt set. Flush looks good with no rub even with 1 inch drop.
Thanks for question.
How is school? Done and working?
sandmangti
Autocross Newbie
Man day today.
Had one vacation day left that I needed to fit in.
Tire sale going on for Bridgestone Employees in addition to normal discount so picked up some new summer tires to replace the RE-11's.
Wanted to try the Firestone Indy 500 tires so had them changed today but will not drive until early spring. Mounted on my OZ Leggera's 18x8. Went with 235/40R18 tires. Looking forward to them. Cleaned up and put up on rack.
Also had a local shop install my Unibrace UB.
Needs to be installed while car is flat so was easier for me to find someone with a lift. They did a good quick job. Forgot to get pictures as I was talking GTI's with a couple of the mechanics. A few pics from on line for info.
Have only driven 8 miles but so far no issues.
Feel? Sort of feel less movement over railroad tracks but will see. Not a critical mod so did more for fun and interest.
Pic of OE brackets. Comparison.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Had one vacation day left that I needed to fit in.
Tire sale going on for Bridgestone Employees in addition to normal discount so picked up some new summer tires to replace the RE-11's.
Wanted to try the Firestone Indy 500 tires so had them changed today but will not drive until early spring. Mounted on my OZ Leggera's 18x8. Went with 235/40R18 tires. Looking forward to them. Cleaned up and put up on rack.
Also had a local shop install my Unibrace UB.
Needs to be installed while car is flat so was easier for me to find someone with a lift. They did a good quick job. Forgot to get pictures as I was talking GTI's with a couple of the mechanics. A few pics from on line for info.
Have only driven 8 miles but so far no issues.
Feel? Sort of feel less movement over railroad tracks but will see. Not a critical mod so did more for fun and interest.
Pic of OE brackets. Comparison.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Last edited:
sandmangti
Autocross Newbie
PP Brake disc question.
Brake Pads/Rotors for PP
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sh...m/forums/showthread.php?p=122189&share_type=t
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Brake Pads/Rotors for PP
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sh...m/forums/showthread.php?p=122189&share_type=t
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Sandman GTI
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- Tennessee USA
Unibrace UB - Update
After driving a few days I wanted to update on the feel.
I wanted to buy a UB 2 years ago but decided I wanted my Eibach Pro-Kit springs. Last year it was CSS muffler and OZ wheels. When the group by occurred this year I almost missed it as it seemed to occur quickly.
For the record, I did not receive my UB as a gift. I did not get a special sale price. I purchased it like anyone else.
I have read much over the years how many feel this is a wasted mod. Looking at the OE brackets removed from the car it is easy to see that they do not do much. I could see there only benefit is helping to hold the stamped tunnel shape to keep from spreading open under loading. The back bracket is simply a stamped round pipe.
Edit: I do need to add that I installed the Unibrace XB a year ago also. So my results include the XB but was in place long before the UB. Not sure if this impacts any results but my info listed below was for the UB change alone and it's impact. The XB also seemed to stiffen the back end and also reduced the door seal creaking heard on uneven pavement and drive ways. Not 100% but was noticeably reduced. In road turns the XB gave the feeling of less cabin lean in the rear but after driving a while that feeling gets absorbed so hard to tell impact of XB in normal driving, but the door creaking improvement has stayed. The XB is a much harder install. The Nutserts must be placed almost perfect as the bolts fit in a taped hole so if one is off the fit gets tight. I also am not 100% sure I have mine in the right spot looking at other installs. But looking at the body frame and the location of the plastic piece which holds the lower hatch floor in place there is only one location for it to be mounted. That install is another story. But it is in.
Another place the car feels better is going over speed bumps. At work and my Wife's school these bumps always seem to upset the car even when taken at 1 mph. With the Unibrace in place the car body feels rigid and only the tires are now moving over the bumps. This more rigid body is also felt on uneven pavement and man hole cover bumps.
Sorry to say it but I like the addition.
The car did not feel like it had movement before but with the brace installed you can tell it had some as now it is gone. To me it was worth it and wish I had installed it 2 years ago. I will soon take my normal 3.5hr drive to Alabama so will see how it feel on higher speeds turns.
I know some will still not like this part but I can only report what I feel in driving. The true test will be long term and if it can maintain this support.
I suggest you use a lift or have someone with a lift install. This way the car is level when they bolt it up. I thought about putting on stands but felt if the car was on all 4 tires and level it might be best to bolt it up in a home position. I also had them use blue loctite to keep every thing in place. My shop completed the work in under 45min, from driving on the lift to pulling off plus some time for me to look under car and talk to the guys.
Edit:
After the 3.5hr drive tonight I like the brace even more.
At interstate speeds road hazards can lead to harder impacts on a lowered car, even with DCC on different modes. When these hazards are driven over, my wife always question the ride of my car. But tonight after driving over two rough spots she did not comment as the car handled them better. The brace acts like it helps each side of the car share the load when a wheel impacts a rough spot. It was an enjoyable ride even with traffic.
Stock Picture:
After driving a few days I wanted to update on the feel.
I wanted to buy a UB 2 years ago but decided I wanted my Eibach Pro-Kit springs. Last year it was CSS muffler and OZ wheels. When the group by occurred this year I almost missed it as it seemed to occur quickly.
For the record, I did not receive my UB as a gift. I did not get a special sale price. I purchased it like anyone else.
I have read much over the years how many feel this is a wasted mod. Looking at the OE brackets removed from the car it is easy to see that they do not do much. I could see there only benefit is helping to hold the stamped tunnel shape to keep from spreading open under loading. The back bracket is simply a stamped round pipe.
Edit: I do need to add that I installed the Unibrace XB a year ago also. So my results include the XB but was in place long before the UB. Not sure if this impacts any results but my info listed below was for the UB change alone and it's impact. The XB also seemed to stiffen the back end and also reduced the door seal creaking heard on uneven pavement and drive ways. Not 100% but was noticeably reduced. In road turns the XB gave the feeling of less cabin lean in the rear but after driving a while that feeling gets absorbed so hard to tell impact of XB in normal driving, but the door creaking improvement has stayed. The XB is a much harder install. The Nutserts must be placed almost perfect as the bolts fit in a taped hole so if one is off the fit gets tight. I also am not 100% sure I have mine in the right spot looking at other installs. But looking at the body frame and the location of the plastic piece which holds the lower hatch floor in place there is only one location for it to be mounted. That install is another story. But it is in.
Another place the car feels better is going over speed bumps. At work and my Wife's school these bumps always seem to upset the car even when taken at 1 mph. With the Unibrace in place the car body feels rigid and only the tires are now moving over the bumps. This more rigid body is also felt on uneven pavement and man hole cover bumps.
Sorry to say it but I like the addition.
The car did not feel like it had movement before but with the brace installed you can tell it had some as now it is gone. To me it was worth it and wish I had installed it 2 years ago. I will soon take my normal 3.5hr drive to Alabama so will see how it feel on higher speeds turns.
I know some will still not like this part but I can only report what I feel in driving. The true test will be long term and if it can maintain this support.
I suggest you use a lift or have someone with a lift install. This way the car is level when they bolt it up. I thought about putting on stands but felt if the car was on all 4 tires and level it might be best to bolt it up in a home position. I also had them use blue loctite to keep every thing in place. My shop completed the work in under 45min, from driving on the lift to pulling off plus some time for me to look under car and talk to the guys.
Edit:
After the 3.5hr drive tonight I like the brace even more.
At interstate speeds road hazards can lead to harder impacts on a lowered car, even with DCC on different modes. When these hazards are driven over, my wife always question the ride of my car. But tonight after driving over two rough spots she did not comment as the car handled them better. The brace acts like it helps each side of the car share the load when a wheel impacts a rough spot. It was an enjoyable ride even with traffic.
Stock Picture:
Last edited:
Sandman GTI
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- Tennessee USA
I guess I'll be adding one of these to my list of mods to buy
Hopefully you get the same feeling.
I am always surprised more buyers do not come back on and review.
I have never hear a lot of feed back.
There are the negative reviews but I never get the impression these peopleeven purchased the item. They review based on design concepts and perceived benefits.
sandmangti
Autocross Newbie
Snow!
Frosty night in Tennessee!
Went for a drive to show the 4x4 guys how a GTI does it.
The new Bridgestone RE980 AS tires did well in first snow.
They actually are better at braking than accelerating. Which is good on snow. Even went up a steep snow packed hill with traction off to see how they do. Non event.
Tonight it is 9F. Saturday is to be 59F.
Tennessee winter.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Frosty night in Tennessee!
Went for a drive to show the 4x4 guys how a GTI does it.
The new Bridgestone RE980 AS tires did well in first snow.
They actually are better at braking than accelerating. Which is good on snow. Even went up a steep snow packed hill with traction off to see how they do. Non event.
Tonight it is 9F. Saturday is to be 59F.
Tennessee winter.
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AtlantaDad
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- Cumming, GA
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dragonskiss
Ready to race!
- Location
- SoCal
LOL! Love that movie. "No one has ever seen an F5?"