Front strut tower brace

[jcostantino]

I need to thank the guy who came up with the GM strut tower brace idea! It took me longer to get all the lables and tags and crap off the bar than it did to actually install it in the car! It's almost made to go in!

By the way, the back strut tower brace doesn't seem to fit... Does the gen 1 have a narrower space between the towers than the gen 2? I think my bar is coming up short because the back mod was from a gen 1... or I'm not measuring in the right place... whatever.. it was $9

Jeff

 

[Tommy's SHO]

What is the Web site for the GM parts again?
The Part number and the GM car that it goes on.
Thanks in advanced.

<small>[ March 29, 2002, 07:02 PM: Message edited by: Tommy the Greek ]</small>

 

[ChrisR]

Are your hood struts operational still? Or did you have to lose them?

 

[sdpatt]

You lose the struts.

Scott

 

[jcostantino]

GMpartsdirect.com and part number 12456148

If you have a Gen 2, I'd say order one because it doesn't look like the rear bar install for the SHO was for a Gen 2, the Gen 1 seems to have a smaller distance between the strut towers.

It REALLY does help, even if it's not as much as the SHO Shop $150 bar setup. It certainly helps more than $9 and $12 shipping's worth.

Jeff

 

[philw349]

Double post

<small>[ March 31, 2002, 02:01 AM: Message edited by: philw349 ]</small>

 

[philw349]

I'd be curious if some gurus like AutoXSho or Sdpatt would comment as to the effectiveness..

 

[sdpatt]

Any stiffening of the uni-body is of benefit. The one-bolt mount on the GM bar Axiantor had me install on the front towers of his 1995 ATX would not structurally support more than a couple hundred pounds at best, but that is apparently enough to make a notable difference according to Adam. The only downside is that you lose the gas struts in the front.

I have the SHO Shop mounts that are much stronger than these one-bolt mounted GM bars by design, but the only difference I noticed was the lessening of body creaks over driveway dips. For the small expense of the GM bar, though, there is not much to lose (except the convenience of the struts).

I believe that the unibody components and dimensions are shared between the Gen I and Gen II Tauruses. The difference may have been the interference from the various speakers hanging below the rear deck.

Scott

<small>[ April 01, 2002, 10:30 AM: Message edited by: sdpatt ]</small>

 

[AutoXSHO]

I personally don't think the one bolt mounted bars would have a significant effect on chassis stiffness. However, I've never driven a car with one. I have driven a SHO with front and rear bars but said SHO also had full poly bushings, SFCs, Koni shocks and had almost 100k fewer miles than mine. That car is stiff, but it's not a fair comparison.

My opinion: if you're going to go with a strut brace, get one that bolts under ALL of the strut mounting nuts and make sure it's designed to resist movement in all directions, which a single bolt mounting could not...

John V

 

[jcostantino]

John, I agree that the design of the "real" front strut tower brace is considerably stronger but for $9 plus shipping for the GM bar it's REALLY hard to pass up.

As it is with rent, bills, insurance, car payment and everything else in the world that costs money... being able to bolt up something that doesn't take much money or effort and provides some measurment of benefit for a couple bucks is truely amazing. If I had $150 to spend on a front STB, I probably wouldn't buy it right now because that money could go to something else. This allows me to have a STB with some benefit without having to actually buy one at full price.

When my car starts to suck a little less going around corners and I actually FIND an AutoX club in my area I'll see about moving up to the real bar or fabbing one myself but right now you can't beat $25... Unless you buy one from American Racing for the Civic which is adjustable and $35 at Discount Auto.. lol

Jeff

 

[Jibberish18]

If you want it to be connected through all 3 bolts weld a donut shaped piece of steel to both ends of the brace and put it on. That should should make it more rigid and sturdy. And I know what you're gonna say. But it's a weld. Well in that case do the weld and drill the one bolt for extra assurance. Like others say. Can't beat $12.

 

[1slickRED89]

the fact of the matter is the car has a frame to begin with, it's not made of jello (though some may disagree). the deflection of the upper strut towers is so small that i'm sure it can be measured in thousands of an inch. i would also think the forces that do deflect the strut towers don't require very much reinforcment to contain.
i'm sure the beefier the support bar the better the handling may feel, but also i'm sure gm designed the bar to handle the loads that it would have to sustain to do it's job.

rigging it up in a backyard application (like the mods required to allow fitment to the rear) may decrese it's potentail effectivness, but it's better than nothing.

Corey
90tempo....with a SHO seat
89SHO