BR Mods – Undertrays and DBS steering rack

[Stonic]

Guys, I have just been chatting to Mike at BR about some updates for my DB9 and am considering the undertrays and DBS rack as part of the handling upgrades (it’s a given that I am also getting the new manifolds and cats )

I already have the sports pack suspension so BR will give that a check to make sure damper, springs, bushes etc are all ok. Then I can start with these mods before contemplating the switchable suspension.

Yeti / Lewis – I believe you are the only person to have done the DBS rack mod so far. What are your impressions? Does it significantly reduce the number of turns lock to lock? Has it made the turn in much more direct?

I believe another PHr has just had undertrays fitted. If you read this would you care to share your views on how it has changed the handling?

many thanks

Stuart

[yeti]

Stonic said:

Yeti / Lewis – I believe you are the only person to have done the DBS rack mod so far. What are your impressions? Does it significantly reduce the number of turns lock to lock? Has it made the turn in much more direct?

I remember driving out of the workshop, going the wrong way and then thinking it was like a London taxi as it just turned round in the road like it was pivoting on the spot

Huge difference, really huge. Steering feels so much more direct and the car changes direction so quickly. It feels like it always should have, I could never go back to a standard rack. As you have some Sports pack components already, this is a must.

As for the undertrays (shear plates) and I assume the rear anti-roll bar and drop-link upgrades? Well worth it, stiffens the car up so much; to be honest the standard car felt 'OK', it wasn't until I had them fitted that I had realised that there is a slight bagginess in the car, it's called the Volante 'shimmy' on a ragtop. Mine drove straight out of the garage feeling like a coupe, no rattles, no squeaks, amazing. Turned the Volante from a wafting GT into a sports GT without any downsides at all, the stiffness gained is only a positive thing. You have a coupe from your profile garage? This will bring you inline with the stiffness of the new DB9.2 I guess?

Edited by yeti on Thursday 3rd January 13:52

[Stonic]

yeti said:

As for the undertrays (shear plates) and I assume the rear anti-roll bar and drop-link upgrades? Well worth it,

Edited by yeti on Thursday 3rd January 13:52

Yeti - thanks. The DBS rack goes on the work list as well. May as well have it all done in one hit and get to appreciate the full effect. Mike only talked about shear plates and didn't mention anti-roll bar or drop-link upgrades so I will check with him and see if it was included in the package.

[AdamV8V]

I bought my girlfriend a boob job for Christmas

yeti said:

I could never go back to a standard rack.

That's what she said.

BOOM!

[George29]

AdamV8V said:

I bought my girlfriend a boob job for Christmas

[yeti]

Stonic said:

Mike only talked about shear plates and didn't mention anti-roll bar or drop-link upgrades so I will check with him and see if it was included in the package.

I found out you were a coupe owner half way through posting so edited stuff, but not that bit - the Volante had the rear anti-roll bar deleted by the factory - it's that sort of thing that makes me laugh at the 'it must be kept original or painful death and depreciation awaits' squad. They deleted it based on cost as they though no-one would drive a Volante quickly Bamford Rose re-added it and improved thw handling of the car dramatically.

In a coupe, you already have an anti-roll bar, so not sure the upgraded one and drop links would be noticable

[Stonic]

Just found this description of the sports pack

'The composite undertray is also replaced, by a load-bearing aluminium panel that performs the same function in managing underbody airflow while adding further structural stiffness, to resist larger lateral loads fed into the front of the car by the uprated front springs and anti-roll bar.'

So I will need to check back with BR as to how much stiffer their modifications are since it looks like these are already uprated by the sport pack...

I was hoping this would be an easy decision - anyone here with Sport Pack done any upgrades?

thx

Edited by Stonic on Thursday 3rd January 18:24