strut tower brace questions

[adidasho]

I am designing my own front and rear strut tower braces, and I had a question. First, the plate that is on the front strut towers, is that for rigidity, and is that plate replaced by the plate that the bar is attached to? Second question, before I tear those bolts off, and I have to admit I haven't taken a good look to see what they're attached to, but is that some kind of thing that the strut is attached to and are they just something you can screw off or do you have to compress the springs first? Third, does anybody have some good pictures of the strut tower braces just so I can kind of get a good visual idea? Thanks.

 

[cRaZySHO.]

Those plates you refer to don't come off. You just lay the brace plate over the strut tower. As far as those bolts, they are the studs that come up from the bottom from the strut mounting cup. If you remove those nuts, have the car on the ground. And you don't have to compress the spring or even touch the strut to install a strut tower brace. My front brace I had installed in about 3 mintutes. The rear brace took me about 1 hour. It was a bitch to access the rear nut. The rear will make more of a difference than the front will. After my rear was put in, teamed with the SFC's, I was able to swing the back out on certain turns. thumbs_u

 

[jthomas68]

I already designed Gen I/II strut tower bars.The tower plates were to have been lazer cut last week.These are the same plates that can be bought seperately for the GM bar people to bolt up to.Check www.anondamotorsports.com for updates,they are the distributor.

 

[FAST4DR]

Here are some pics of my front bar.

Strut tower bar

 

[LI_SHO]

FAST4DR:
Here are some pics of my front bar.

Strut tower bar

that is ONE hella clean engine bay
i like!

 

[adidasho]

Okay, some more questions, is stainless steel the best way to go as far as materials? I was thinking of doing 1" duameter 3/64" wall tubing, is that adequate? Also, does the crassbar have to be hinged to the tower plate or can it be welded? Thanks again.

 

[SHO92]

jthomas68:
I already designed Gen I/II strut tower bars.The tower plates were to have been lazer cut last week.These are the same plates that can be bought seperately for the GM bar people to bolt up to.Check www.anondamotorsports.com for updates,they are the distributor.

JT, are these braces adjustable? The picture is too small to tell. Just wondering if you can adjust the tension on them. Also will the bar for the Gen 1/2 have the bend in it like the ones for the Gen 3?

 

[FAST4DR]

LI_SHO:

FAST4DR:
Here are some pics of my front bar.

Strut tower bar

that is ONE hella clean engine bay
i like!

Thanks, I'm kinda picky about details. Yes, I admit it, I'm a doorjamb waxer.

<small>[ February 05, 2003, 08:43 PM: Message edited by: FAST4DR ]</small>

 

[olympic]

adidasho:
Okay, some more questions, is stainless steel the best way to go as far as materials? I was thinking of doing 1" duameter 3/64" wall tubing, is that adequate? Also, does the crassbar have to be hinged to the tower plate or can it be welded? Thanks again.

Stainless is overkill, regular steel will do as long as you paint or powdercoat it. The cross bar should use rod ends so you can adjust the length and set the tension. Rod ends sell for about $5 each and come in right and left hand threads. So you just weld the appropriate matching nuts to the cross bar, thread in the rod ends and your ready to go.

Here's some pics of the one I made for my car. http://www.rkgraphics.net/topazsho/susp03.html

 

[Bob Gervais]

SHO92:

jthomas68:
I already designed Gen I/II strut tower bars.The tower plates were to have been lazer cut last week.These are the same plates that can be bought seperately for the GM bar people to bolt up to.Check www.anondamotorsports.com for updates,they are the distributor.

JT, are these braces adjustable? The picture is too small to tell. Just wondering if you can adjust the tension on them. Also will the bar for the Gen 1/2 have the bend in it like the ones for the Gen 3?

Just thought I'd jump in here. I'm the owner/fabricator of Anonda Motorsports. First off, thanks JT for the link!

Second, and update on the Gen 1/2 bars. I recieved the laser cut plates yesterday, they look great! I'll be welding them this weekend. The Gen 1/2 front bars are adjustable for tension. The Gen 1/2 rear bars for the non subwoofer cars will be adjustable as well. The bars for subwoofer cars will not be adjustable, and they will be bent to clear the subwoofer.

Also, as JT mentioned, the front plates can be used to attach the GM bar to, if you choose to use that.

I apologize, I have not yet had a chance to updated the site, the Gen 3 bar is the only product currently on there.

Please email me with any other questions you may have. mailto:[email protected][email protected]</a>

Thanks!
Bob

 

[ShoGuy93]

Ok i know the adjustable bar is the way to go. And i have herd great things about the sho shop bars. (besides the price) what do u guys think about this bar?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2402413757&category=33591

Thanks again...

 

[FAST4DR]

It's a beautiful piece, but I don't like the solid bar. I may be completely wrong, but it just seems like that bar will bend a little under heavy loads. I wonder how much load there is on the strut towers during cornering? Ask the seller what he thinks of the solid bar and se what he says.

 

[TimZ]

FAST4DR:
It's a beautiful piece, but I don't like the solid bar.

Ummm... I thought the solid (smaller) bar was the hood prop?

 

[philallemang]

ya i would say that alum. one is really nice. I am in the process of building my own. I have projected the price no more than 60, on the one that i am having made. It is going to be all steel. if someone wants one, some pics let me know. I can email them

 

[Bizzy]

I've got a pair from Bob Gervais. They well designed, and went on easily, and work awesome. I was suprised at how hard I could push my car today and still stay in complete control, on weak walled snowtires no less. With the front and rear STB's and the SFC's my whole car feels alot more ridgid in any cornering at all.

Only 1 drawback...I have to learn not to over steer for a turn. It seems that I don't need to turn the wheel as far to get the same results anymore. Can't wait for Al SFB's and to get my 24/26mm bars in, but I'm wondering if the 24 might be too heavy in the front.

BTW: There is noting wrong with waxing the doorjams and sills. I wax the parts under the hood where the fenders bolt up and the underside of my trunk lid too. Course it is hard to keep and engine bay looking good in the Northeast.

<small>[ February 09, 2003, 10:46 PM: Message edited by: netviper ]</small>

 

[SnoSho]

Those Aluminum ones are made by Tim Dahm here in good old MN. Just wondering about JT and Bobs, do they have hood prop I would assume they too get in the way of the hood struts?

 

[Bizzy]

the pair I picked up from Bob yesterday didn't have a proprod. but I think while talking with him I may have sparked his interest in marketing one. Perhaps a real one that is similat to an oem rod. I'm sure something could be designed and fitted for a small price.

Yes you have to remove the hood struts. But I din't think there is a bar out there yet for our cars that dosen't require that.

 

[Bob Gervais]

netviper:
I think while talking with him I may have sparked his interest in marketing one.

Yes you have to remove the hood struts. But I din't think there is a bar out there yet for our cars that dosen't require that.

Yes as a matter of fact you did! I'll be looking into it soon. From what I heard, there is a hood prop rod from a Mitsu Eclipse that fits, jsut not sure of the year, etc. Rather than hacking things up, I will make something specific for our cars. We can't be downgrading to Mitsubishi parts...

And, because of the hood strut locations, there really is nothing that can be done about the stock lift supports. I had tried bending a mock up tube to clear the hood struts, but it unfortunately hit other things as well. The easiest way out is to relocate the struts, or use a prop rod.

 

[Bizzy]

I had a design a STB that would prolly clear the hood struts but I'm not sure if given the angles and such that it would provide enough rigidity to be any better than a GM bar. Basically it would come off plates at an angle and then go right up to where the black cover thing that covers the wiper motor is. Then go straight across and then do the same on the other side.

I kinda think that if done right it could be threaded in the space between the hood struts and the hood itself. I'm not sure of the amount of space between the hood and the struts when the hood is closed. cost wise and strength wise it prolly won't work, and I'm sure someone has already thought of it before.

Bob you can use my car to prototype a factory looking prop rod if you'd like. thumbs_u

 

[SHO92]

A prop rod from a Honda Accord will work. I think it was from the one that was 2 designs ago, the last of the boxy ones. Sorry I can't remember the years. The stock rad support has a hole in it from the factory that you can use.