Car Product Reviews: Ingalls Stiffy ETD

Generally, every individual who chooses to modify their car tends to stick in the same bracket of improvements. This means that seeing a cold air intake or exhaust system is relatively common, and while it may definitely improve the function and performance of your vehicle, it really does little to set it apart from the rest. Every so often though, a product comes along that is mostly overlooked, and yet still has the potential to make some major differences within the performance aspect of a vehicle. With regards to the 2000-2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse, that product is the Ingalls Stiffy ETD.

While the name may sound a bit confusing, the idea and the execution of the Stiffy is actually fairly simple. It is a small metal bar that fastens underneath the front strut bar on the left side and is bolted up to the side of the engine. Although this seems to be a strange concept at first, there are actually a lot of benefits that the product can provide.

Because it is bolted up to the strut bar and the engine, engine torque and vibration are sent to the frame rather than entirely the motor mounts. This, in turn, makes the engine much more stable, and reduces wheel hop (a major issue for any Eclipse), and has the added benefit of making shifts and acceleration much smoother and more efficient.

This may seem to good to be true, but a simple test with the Stiffy confirmed that most of the hype that is floating around about really is true. No, the $150 metal bar is not a a miracle product, but for the low price, the results really are shocking. Engine movement really is reduced, and it seems to make a major difference during the feel on shifts.

Installing the product is very easy, and for those interested, a future article will cover this as well. Although getting the usually rusted bolts off may take some patience and a careful hand, the design of the Stiffy is such that it matches perfectly to the car, there is no guesswork, estimation or cutting needed, the product is produced with very high quality, and all of the components fit perfectly.

After the Stiffy has been installed, one will likely notice some immediate improvements. Namely, the engine will not vibrate so much, acceleration will feel much more linear, and that annoying wheel hop will be greatly reduced from the stock form. Another added bonus here is the improved feel of shifting the car, which is much smoother and feels far more accurate with the Stiffy installed. Of course, no product is perfect, and there are definitely a few things to think about before you install the Stiffy.

Namely, the product is going to make some more noise for you. Because your are attempting to dampen the engine using the frame of the vehicle, this is going to send engine noise and vibrations directly through the frame of the car and into the ear of the driver. Although it is not excessively loud or annoying noise, be aware that extra noises may result after the product has been installed. The other annoyance (or possibly benefit) is that the Stiffy is going to make it painfully obvious if your car is suffering from a worn out mount. Expect plenty of noise, and although this will make it easier to pinpoint the problem, it is going to be a rough time period until you fix the motor mounts.

Although the Stiffy may not be the most popular product out there, for the low price of only $150, it is one of the few new products out there that is well built, and makes a genuine difference in the feel of driving your car. Overall, the Stiffy is rated as an excellent product and an excellent buy. It can be ordered through Tearstone Performance Solutions (www.tearstone.com).