Damaro

I want to do a ram air kit on my car and these two seemed to be the more popular ones. Just wanted to hear some comparisons from people who have them before i spend the money.

ae13291

iTrader: (8)

i like my FTRA, but i find all sorts of stuff in my filter, i once found a plastic bag covering half my filter, but atleast i know it works. i hear alot of people break the SSRA when the park or up a drive way

Damaro

Yeah i had read things about the ssra breaking because its plastic. Did you feel any difference in performance installing it? Thanks for the reply

ae13291

iTrader: (8)

well what i can tell you is it made a big differance on the freeway. once you stab the throttle or even get on it slowly you will start pulling away quick at the low rpms! but it helps out alot to have the complete system sealed up. its real nice that the whole thing is stainless steel too, keeps the cooler air even cooler. also cold days you can hear the engine much more louder due to the more dense air

rel3rd

iTrader: (43)

If it's installed correctly, I don't see how that's even possible...

BTW, no metal, stainless or otherwise, can disperse heat as quickly or efficiently as composite plastic. I also like the fact that it "scoops" it's own air rather than draws it through the condenser like the FTRA.

Here's a pic of mine. It's lowest point is roughly two inches higher than the bottom of the factory airdam.

Damaro

So what exactly do you mean by sealing it? And how do you do it? And rel3rd i see what you mean about them not being to low maybe its one of things that everyone plays up to be a big deal but its just one in a million. Thanks everyone for the replies.

jrpimp00

iTrader: (17)

Sealing it: making sure the only air going into the engine is coming from the ram air kit, not getting in from somewhere else, like the factory air intlet.

Damaro

so what do you use to seal it?

Badguy7

iTrader: (6)

It depends on where your driving & the roads i guess, i know if i had the SSRA. I wouldve broke it, when i installed the FTRA i noticed at the bottom of my front bumper. Paint was scraped off, where it's hit a couple times and the car was still on stock ride height.

I liked my FTRA, i plan on going with it yet again on my next car.

ae13291

iTrader: (8)

many people on here have broke the bottom portion, it depends weather your carefull and if the car is lowered. my car is lowered and i for sure would have broke the SSRA. and what i mean by the stainless steel is the fact that if its colder it stays cold, and the con is if its hotter it also stays hot. the composite material is most of the time neutral in temps, so it wont get hot and it wont get too cold. and the FTRA has its own scoop in front of the condenser not behind it

camaro_fanatic2003

iTrader: (3)

I always back in, you could do that and not worry about hitting it on a curb or parking block.

PowerShift408

iTrader: (44)

The only way I could see someone breaking the SSRA is going straight up a very steep driveway/grade. After driving a car as low as ours though, you'd think people would figure out that you have to hit things like this at an angle.

Fast Toys Performance Parts

iTrader: (3)

The FTRA vs SSRA debate has been going on for a long time. There are pro's and cons of each kit. We stand behind our product and feel that it provides the best bang for the buck. Some features of our kit which we feel are better than the competition:

T304 stainless steel - Will last the life of the vehicle. No risk of damaging on curbs etc.

Looks better: When our product is installed, it is very hard to see (stealth). The SSRA has a big scoop under the bumper.

Block off plate: Only the FTRA includes a block off plate to disable the kit for testing or driving in really bad weather

Better sealing: Our kit provides the best sealing for the best performance

Independently tested: Check out the write up on www.installuniversity.com

Instructions and support: We provide the best instructions with lots of pictures, details and step by step write up. We are also always available to answer questions.

Damaro

Im leaning towards your product for a couple of those reasons compared to the ssra. My car is a dd so id definitely need the block off for driving in the rain. By any chance would you want to do a group purchase on here anytime soon?

FiredUpZ28

I vote for the plastic intake, a thousand times. Sorry - but plastic is better for an intake system (non F/I) - thats why the manufacturers (you know the people making billions off us) use it.

teke184

iTrader: (5)

i live in south florida...and have driven in hurricane strenght rain.

stopped one time under an overpass and pulled the air lid....not a drop of water to be seen.

so i would chock that one up to 1 in a million chance of issues with rain.

and besides...if you come out of work and its downpouring....are you really gonna crawl under your car to put in a block-off?

i've never scraped my SSRA under normal driving conditions...again...florida has lots of speed bumps.

i did hit it once pulling too far over a concrete walkway...basically an elevated sidewalk....but i was intoxicated and didn't realize the step was so high.

the SSRA scoop clears every parking block i've ever pulled over with room to spare.

Fast Toys Performance Parts

iTrader: (3)

We do not do GP's on the FTRA any more as there is never enough people at the same time that want to buy them. The FTRA is one of those rare products that will actually pay for itself in fuel savings!

You do not have to crawl under the car to install the block off plate. It is installed under the air box in the engine bay.

In every test we have ever done or ones our customers have done and posted on LS1TECH the FTRA returns very close to ambient temps even on the hottest of days. That is all the matters in the plastic vs. metal debate.

its turbo time

iTrader: (3)

plastic is cheaper...thats why manufacturers lean that way when they can

teke184

iTrader: (5)

yeah the heat soak thing to me is pointless....both systems are in front of the radiator anyway.

as for the block off....didn't realize it was under the hood.

but the idea still stands....pouring rain i don't want to have to pop the hood, unlatch the lid, pull the filter, drop in the plate, and reassemble.


i've driven in nasty rain...and never had a problem.

but there are those freak times....i believe Kraest hydrolocked his newest vehicle last year.....WITHOUT any FTRA or SSRA. i think all he had was the free ram air.
**** can happen...if you're worried about it...you should never drive your car in anyting but perfect weather, and never rev it higher than 2000 rpms.

00cls1camaross

iTrader: (10)

I have driven my SSRA in crazy monsoon rain, puddles, and behind cars going 80 mph shooting water in the front of the car. It is not sealed therefore, the engine takes air out of the path of least resistance, it pulls if from the opening in the latch. You would have to be a clown to hydro lock your car with a non sealed ram air.

BTW where is kraest? I remember him on Cz28.com and he had that FM13 with Dart 205s that put down like 475 rwhp.