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Fiberglass bumper beams

Joined
16 July 2008
Messages
3,002
Location
Noord Holland, The Netherlands
Hi,

For those seeking to reduce weight as much as possible fiber glass bumper beams,
These offer an alternative to the heavy steel OEM ones or the expensive NSX-R aluminum versions.
Front and rear available.

Pricing including shipping:
$550 USD per beam
€395 Euro per beam

$999 USD for the set
€775 Euro for the set


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How sturdy are these fiberglass bumper beams??? I'm curious if these were crash tested...
 
Not sure if they are the same, but Garage Kite is quoting ~2kg per beam

純正フロントホースメント      約8kg
        リヤホースメント       約10kg
    FRP製 ホースメント F/R 各 約2kg

Translation

original front hose placement about 8kg
        rear hose placement about 10kg
FRP hoses Instrument F / R each about 2kg 
 
Doesn't the NSX-T already come with an aluminum rear beam? I thought that only the coupes had a steel rear beam.
 
Doesn't the NSX-T already come with an aluminum rear beam? I thought that only the coupes had a steel rear beam.

you wont save too much weight on the rear if you have an aluminum beam but I think all years came with a steel beam for the front if Im not mistaken.
 
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all years=steel front beam. ..i believe u are correct. doesn't STMPO make aluminum beams? i wonder what the weight comparo is... steel vs alum vs 'glass.
 
Dang it something else I am going to have to buy..
 
If i'm reading this right, the fiberglass front beam weighs 2kg. That's just about 4 1/2 pounds. That is very light! And according to a previous post, the factory steel front beam weighs 8kg, or about 17 1/2 pounds. So switching the factory front beam over to fiberglass will save 6kg, or a little over 13 pounds. And switching out the rear will save an additional 17 1/2 pounds for a total reduction of 31 pounds. Mmmm I like the sound of that.
 
If i'm reading this right, the fiberglass front beam weighs 2kg. That's just about 4 1/2 pounds. That is very light! And according to a previous post, the factory steel front beam weighs 8kg, or about 17 1/2 pounds. So switching the factory front beam over to fiberglass will save 6kg, or a little over 13 pounds. And switching out the rear will save an additional 17 1/2 pounds for a total reduction of 31 pounds. Mmmm I like the sound of that.


I very much like the fact that I could save almost 6 Kg. Especially if you consider the fact that this weight is literally at the edge of your car and therefore will have more influence on your car's cornering behaviour than the same weight inside the cabin.
However, the steel front beam is also a major part of your crash protection. It connects the two front chassis bars together and in a frontal impact, it will divert the impact force onto those two beams.
There is definite REASON why this beam weighs that muchs !!

I am not convinced as of this moment that a fiberglass bar will not simply shatter and break into several parts in an frontal accident and will simply allow any smaller object (like a light post) to pass right through in between the chassis bars all the way up to the cabin.
 
...I am not convinced as of this moment that a fiberglass bar will not simply shatter and break into several parts in an frontal accident and will simply allow any smaller object (like a light post) to pass right through in between the chassis bars all the way up to the cabin.

I hear ya. It would be nice if there was an aluminum front beam available.
 
The fiberglass front beam along with a front stiffener (STMPO, Lovefab) might make a good combo, although you wouldn't realize quite as much weight savings.
 
The fiberglass front beam along with a front stiffener (STMPO, Lovefab) might make a good combo, although you wouldn't realize quite as much weight savings.

I have been thinking about that too :)
I have the Lovefab front upper and lower chassis bars on order. This should both stiffen up the chassis AND reinforce the car agains a frontal impact.
It also increase the weight of the car with several kg's.

So, exchange the front bumper beam for a fiberglass might AND mounting a set of rigid chassis bars might have the folloing net effect:
- The chassis bars INCREASE the total weight with about 6 Kg
- The chassis bars stiffen up de front the car (positive)
- The fiberglass bumper beam REDUCES the total weight with about 6 Kg
- The fiberglass bumper beam provides probably LESS crash protection than the steel one
- The center of gravity is moved slightly backwards (the weight of the bars is placed more inwards compared to the weight of the bumper beam)
- The chassis bars increased frontal crass protection becaus of their strenght. However, their protection will only start once an object is already well on its way towards the occupants (that means YOU). However, since the steel bumper beam is in one peace from left to right, it is probably stronger than the welded construction of the chassis bars.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to say what the effect on crash protection is when you exchange the frontal beam with a fiberglass one and mount a set of chassis bars.

A.S. Motorsport.

Does the NSX-R have a aluminum front bumper beam ??
I thought only the rear bumper beam was made from aluminum (as in all NA2 NSX).
 
I just finished making my front bumper beam out of aluminum 3 days ago and am now starting on the rear one
. For the front beam my final weight was 6 pounds using 4" X 2" aluminum with a 1/8" wall thickness. The front beam is something you can do yourself easily, just get the metal shop to cut it the length you need and all you gotta do is drill a few holes to mount it. I am gonna start the rear one tonight and expecting the weight to be 8-9 pounds using 3"x3" aluminum with 1/8" wall thickness. For the rear one I am gonna need to do some welding, I have a TIG at home so I can manage to weld some additional peices to it so it fits like stock and can still use he OEM impact foam that goes between the bumper and beam with out cutting or modifing it. The STMPO rear unit may not use the foam or it might require you to cut or modify it because the rear beam actually tapers off toward the edges of the beam. If this taper is not there the impact foam can not be installed properly. FYI the OEM rear beam weighs around 23 pounds. The 1/8" wall thickness is very sturdy on the aluminum I could probably jack up the car on it with out it flexing.
 
A few things guys:

1) The front factory beams are curved to provide offset front protection, an raw aluminum beam is not curved.

2) Chassis braces are just chassis braces, they are not in any way designed for impact and absorb no direct energy (the beams do). I don't think they really are not any kind of replacement for a bumper beam.

3) This is a thread by AS motorsport about a new product they are carrying. If you have questions about what he has posted, that is OK but If you are making your own version or talking about other products available, you should probably do it on a different thread out of courtesy. Just my .02
 
Will this allow me to run over motorcyclists if involved in a cycle swarm? Is helmet proof side glass available aftermarket as well. PM me if so.
 
Pull your rear bumper off it is not curved, the only reason they are curved is to contour around the bumper. Sorry Adnan I did not mean to switch off subject away from your product.
 
Pull your rear bumper off it is not curved, the only reason they are curved is to contour around the bumper. Sorry Adnan I did not mean to switch off subject away from your product.

I was talking about the front. It is curved. You can't get the same coverage with a straight piece of aluminum. You can on the rear. It looks like the fiberglass ones are curved. I don't know about their strength.
 
Will this allow me to run over motorcyclists if involved in a cycle swarm? Is helmet proof side glass available aftermarket as well. PM me if so.
As a matter of fact we actually do have those :biggrin: (Fully FIA en SCCA approved)
 
Got my beams in today. I was very impressed with the quality. But they will offer zero protection.
 
I wonder if an insurance company can deny a claim if car was totaled with these installed.....I would think so.
 
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