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NWP Engineering Engine Torque Link Bracing Kit Installation and REVIEW!!!!!
So I am the first person to try these new engine braces on a 4th gen. This product is suppose to help reduce wheel hop and improve driveability.
That is what comes in the box. Everything is made of very high quality materials and I was very impressed with how everything looked and felt.
Installation
The install is just like the instructions that came with the brace say it is. It is very strait forward. Just be careful when removing the 10mm bolts from the chassis. They might be old and corroding; thus the heads might strip off the bolts. I did not have this problem but others might. We can only use 3 of the 4 bolt holes on the chassis bracket. But this is fine since the hole we do not use is 1in away from the bottom bolt. The brace is still plenty strong and those three bolts that we do use are fine.
I started by hand tightening one of the brackets to the pass side engine mount.
Next you will want to get the brace and adjust the ends so that it lines up with both brackets. Make sure you test fit it in before tightening anything. Once that is done, tighten the bolts to the specified tq in the instructions.
Review
I have only put a couple of miles on the car so far but so far I love it. I used to have a lot of wheel hop and it would make the car somewhat annoying to drive in first gear. But now with the brace in the engine does not move as much and the shifting is so much smoother. This is how the car should have felt from the beginning. Every shift is easier to do and feels better. At WOT, the shifting is nice and smooth.
I would say this mod is a must for anyone who is modding and has wheel hop/jerking. I highly recommend it and it is easily one of the best mods I have bought. I will update the review once I get more miles on it.
**I just put more miles on it. It SEEMS to make the clutch engage smoother, the car doesn't vibrate as much when starting from a stop. Simply perfect! They might seem expensive but you gotta pay to play, this is some real high quality stuff and it really improves the overall feel of the car. I will try to get a vid of it with and w/o the brace eventually to show you guys.
When did you put them on your site? Got a lot of 5.5gens out there with it?
The Engine Torque Link kit has been released for over a month now and a lot of 5.5 gens have had them installed during most of that time. We spent the last 6+ months doing nothing but testing this kit in a 2002 Maxima. It's way overengineered, which the way I like it.
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NWP Engineering Phenolic Thermal Intake Spacers 10hp and 12ft-lb gain & 40°F temp drop on the VQ35DE
It even helps when you are driving normally and let off the gas; say in 1st gear you hit like 3k rpms and let off the gas, it is much smoother and does not jerk like it used to.
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97 Pearl White Max GLE
I has car
Florida Gators: (11-0) | CSU (62-3) W | Troy (56-6) W | Tenn (23-13) W | Kentucky (41-7) W | LSU (13-3) W | Arkansas (23-20) W | Miss St (29-19) W | Georgia (41-17) W | Vandy (27-3) W | SC (24-14) W | FIU (62-3) W | FSU
The Engine Torque Link kit has been released for over a month now and a lot of 5.5 gens have had them installed during most of that time. We spent the last 6+ months doing nothing but testing this kit in a 2002 Maxima. It's way overengineered, which the way I like it.
Nice! GJ man! Can't wait to order mine next week!
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Stay motivated.
Performance - Injen intake//Custom exhaust//09 Cattman Ypipe//Thermal Spacers//FSTB//Vias Removed//Megan Springs//Timing advance Exterior/Interior - Clear front&rear//CF eyelids and b-pillars//Military license plate//Custom LEDS and Halos//Int Led swap
To install/do this spring - Powdercoat 18" G35s//RSTB//Stillen Lip
Too expensive. I'm sorry. Just can't see paying $170 for this(IN MY honest opinion). Maybe like $75 or less then $100 but only if it including one for the transmount. Arron is a good guy and I support his name(and wear his stickers on my car) but I just can't see myself getting these until the price goes down a tad bit. I am also affair of it possibly cracking over time around the treads once that timing cover motor mount gets weak because I drive like an animal.
__________________ G4 Black on Black leather 5spd SE |Shaved Rear w/ Black Nissan logo | TK Premium Tints, 25% rear/35% sides/5% sunroof| XStorm 6k HIDs | AE Black trim Headlights |Black bumper lens| Stillen K&N Short ram WAI | LSS Y-pipe |Magnaflow catback w/4" chrome tip | Team Voodoo shift knob | New europe Leather steering wheel cover | Strut tower bar | Brembo Custom Slotted-Dimpled Rotors with Axxis Ultimate pads |
I think it's interesting how the posted reviews from several people don't talk about upgraded motor mounts. I'm assuming most are on stock mounts, which would make these braces feel like night and day, and in which case I would highly recommend them too. It would also be a great idea for automatic transmission people who are too afraid to unplug the radiator mount electronic control mount.
Dr J
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Dr J
ICQ/AIM/MSN/YIM/Google/Skype: ThurzNite
Email: ThurzNite@Yahoo.Com
MCC member #27
Show your support! Custom MAXIMA.ORG lanyards! Link
I just hope people replace their worn out control arm bushings and mounts before or when they do this mod, cause I can see someone trying to make a thread now bashing this item.
BTW Kev that makes me ask what condition are your bushings in and what is the hardnest of your poly mount
__________________ My Cardomain _ _Maxima runs 13.4@109
Dyno:? whp & ? wtq
Nitrous PB: 13.4@110mph
All Motor PB: 14.0@99mph
3280lb with driver, full trim, rims, spare, jack, fluids, etc & notorized proof
I just hope people replace their worn out control arm bushings and mounts before or when they do this mod, cause I can see someone trying to make a thread now bashing this item.
Why do you say that? I am honestly clueless, as I don't know a ton about suspension stuff. After reading Kev's review (thanks, btw!) I was considering purchasing a set next month, since I have some nasty wheelhop myself even at partial throttle in 1st gear, and I'm nearly stock!
I just hope people replace their worn out control arm bushings and mounts before or when they do this mod, cause I can see someone trying to make a thread now bashing this item.
BTW Kev that makes me ask what condition are your bushings in and what is the hardnest of your poly mount
I used the poly mount that they say to use in the stickies/howto's. I believe the Hardness Shore is 80A.
My control arms are new from nissan with less than 20k on them. Tie rods were replaced at same time. I have ES sway bar bushings.
The only worn bushing is my tranny mount and my rear trailing arm bushings.
The 1-2 shift at wot feeels GRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT now haha
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97 Pearl White Max GLE
I has car
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If you need a 4th gen part contact me:
I do not ship large parts such as
engines, transmissions, seats, hoods, fenders, bumpers, doors or trunk lids due to the hassle.
I am going to move it to the front grill with the other one. I really don't even know why one is there. BTW I have Z horns, they sound 93958384583858375x better
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97 Pearl White Max GLE
I has car
Why would this play a factor? There should be no load on the brace when idle/neutral, and wind/road noise in 4th gens trump NVH. Unless... Kev, did you pre-load your brace?
Dr J
__________________
Dr J
ICQ/AIM/MSN/YIM/Google/Skype: ThurzNite
Email: ThurzNite@Yahoo.Com
MCC member #27
Show your support! Custom MAXIMA.ORG lanyards! Link
Why do you say that? I am honestly clueless, as I don't know a ton about suspension stuff. After reading Kev's review (thanks, btw!) I was considering purchasing a set next month, since I have some nasty wheelhop myself even at partial throttle in 1st gear, and I'm nearly stock!
I say that cause worn bushings will cause wheelhop, remember these cars are 10+ years old and most have the orignal bushing and mounts
__________________ My Cardomain _ _Maxima runs 13.4@109
Dyno:? whp & ? wtq
Nitrous PB: 13.4@110mph
All Motor PB: 14.0@99mph
3280lb with driver, full trim, rims, spare, jack, fluids, etc & notorized proof
Too expensive. I'm sorry. Just can't see paying $170 for this(IN MY honest opinion). Maybe like $75 or less then $100 but only if it including one for the transmount. Arron is a good guy and I support his name(and wear his stickers on my car) but I just can't see myself getting these until the price goes down a tad bit. I am also affair of it possibly cracking over time around the treads once that timing cover motor mount gets weak because I drive like an animal.
Man you beat me to it.. no WAY in hell am i gonna pay 170 bucks for this.. its not even worth 20 bucks in steel.. sorry guys but its true... and for 170 you can get all new motor mounts
Man you beat me to it.. no WAY in hell am i gonna pay 170 bucks for this.. its not even worth 20 bucks in steel.. sorry guys but its true... and for 170 you can get all new motor mounts
... without the tranny and front engine mounts... Well, you could get new stock-specification ones. Better bet is to gut them out and refill with Poly or even jb weld. That'll be pretty solid. Or go hard-core and weld straight onto the chassis.
Anyways, as others have stated, the $170 is legit. Yes, the parts could be found cheaper elsewhere, but you won't have the R&D behind it. Your parts aren't likely to fit as perfectly as NWP's. You're not gonna have the hours of testing to be sure it works. You're also missing out on having others with the same part for several months and report/review the positive gains. You're taking a huge gamble if you DIY on this. Worth the $170? Better think long and hard...
Dr J
__________________
Dr J
ICQ/AIM/MSN/YIM/Google/Skype: ThurzNite
Email: ThurzNite@Yahoo.Com
MCC member #27
Show your support! Custom MAXIMA.ORG lanyards! Link
Man you beat me to it.. no WAY in hell am i gonna pay 170 bucks for this.. its not even worth 20 bucks in steel.. sorry guys but its true... and for 170 you can get all new motor mounts
That's the reason why no one makes/sells aftermarket parts for us anymore. Congrats.
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98 SE - VQ35
2k SE - Stock... pretty much
Boost, juice, conversions, been there, done that.
Yes, he likes them. Read the review! 
...gonna have to go look to confirm.
G4 Black on Black leather 5spd SE |Shaved Rear w/ Black Nissan logo | TK Premium Tints, 25% rear/35% sides/5% sunroof| XStorm 6k HIDs | AE Black trim Headlights |Black bumper lens| Stillen K&N Short ram WAI | LSS Y-pipe |Magnaflow catback w/4" chrome tip | Team Voodoo shift knob | New europe Leather steering wheel cover | Strut tower bar | Brembo Custom Slotted-Dimpled Rotors with Axxis Ultimate pads |
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