Mgpeagle

iTrader: (6)

I made the switch to Mobil 1 today. Car seems to run a little smoother.

I also am making a home made strut tower brace too. I have a little more fabricating to do. It is made out stainless and painted black. I have a little more work to do on the bolt holes. And yes, it does clear the alternator... : )

-Mike

bartonmd

Very cool! One thing I'll caution you about though, any time fabricating anything around an engine.. It's easy to make something to clear the engine when it's just sitting there, but as it rocks around is when you really need to be careful... If you haven't you might go and drive it around, getting on it pretty hard after it's tacked up, before fully welding it up, to make sure the engine isn't moving it a way that you aren't expecting, causing it to hit your bar...

Mike

BuffaloSS

iTrader: (3)

Did you already install the rear STB? Not sure what LS4 you're driving but the STB from an '03 GTP worked on an '07 SS.

Mgpeagle

iTrader: (6)

I have a GXP. I am trying to make a front stb. I wish I kept the ones from my old 2001 GT. I had a front and rear one.

I don't think clearance will be an issue because it sits pretty high. I will give that a try first though before bolting it up. I haven't finished it yet due to getting home from work at 8pm almost every night. I will post when it's done and maybe post some pics too.

-Mike

nighthand

Nice! Keep us updated and let us know if you will make one for us!

99VetteMan

Did you buy this from a dealer? Is it the front STB? Part #? I would love to see a picture of it on your car!

Jason

BuffaloSS

iTrader: (3)

No, it wasn't me. Another guy at NAIOA.com used the Donrome bracket and installed the rear STB. If you're not familiar with Donrome, he's a member at ClubGP that manufactures (billet alum?) mounting brackets for the front & rear STBs on all W-bodies. The guy at NAIOA had no pics yet, but they're coming. He said he's still not sure about the front STB working (clearing the alt.) even with that bracket, but he hadn't had time to try it.

The part number is GMPP Strut Brace Kit #12498648 (Comes with two STBs - buy from GM parts direct for about $30 shipped - it's cheaper than purchasing one STB, go figure). Donrome's brackets are made to order and run about $60, shipped, with mounting hardware. I believe you need to PM him at ClubGP to place the order.

Here's a good writeup from an earlier model-year Monte:

http://2kmc.mymonte.com/discussion/v...light=brackets

EDIT: ...and after some research, i believe the sway-bar from the GMPP kit works on '06-'07 as well. The new LS/LT/LTZ use the exact same bar that the '04-'05 ImpSS used, and i cannot imagine that the '06-'07 SS uses a different routing method. Our bar is a hollow 34mm front, and hollow 18-19mm rear. The GMPP upgrade is a solid 34mm and a solid 19mm rear. I'm considering purchasing the GMPP upgrade kit ($140+ shipping ($30)) and donromes brackets and trying it all out. The upgrade kit comes with 2 STBs, front & rear sways, and trailing arms...and the necessary endlinks.

99VetteMan

I was also wondering about the sway bar kit... I wish we knew for sure, I would buy it and do the upgrade. Question is, would it be a vast improvement. Since the upgrade is the same size as our stock ones (other then they are solid). Can anyone shed some light on that?

And not that im questioning you, but how do you know ours are hollow now? Where did you find that out just so I know?

The upgrade kit I am looking at on gmpartsdirect.com only has 1 Strut Tower Bar? Part # 12498643

OK, another edit, seems the FE4 suspension in the 2006 Monte Carlo SS already has a SOLID REAR sway bar, but the front is still hollow. I have read that in 2 seperate articles about the 2006 Monte SS.

BuffaloSS

iTrader: (3)

You are correct on the solid rear sway on the Monte...i hadn't heard that but just read that in the link below. The Imp's bars are both hollow (34mm/19.4mm). I got the info on the Imp (and now Monte) here at GMCanada.com

As i posted above, the kit with two STBs is p/n 12498648 and is still $1 cheaper. At the dealer you'd pay $36.77 for one and $28 for the pair.

Kazmaniac

Maybe go the $30 method first and get polyurethane sway bar bushings and end-links.

You can change them out in less time than it takes to change the oil.

I wish Hotchkiss would make a STB for the car.

pgbSS

Don't count on Hotchkiss for anything for the IMPSS. I emailed them to see about swaybars and this is the response I got back from their sales/customer service dept.

"I’m sorry, but be will not be making any product for your application. We appreciate you checking with us and make sure you check back with for any future projects you may be working on. Thank You, we value your support."

Kazmaniac

... at least they're honest!

pgbSS

Where do you get all this information... I can't seem to find anything. I was looking at GM partsdirect #pk12456148 which has the swaybars, brace, and rear arms for the '00-'05 impala but didn't know if it would fit my '06 ImpSS. Where did you see the '04-'05 ImpSS uses the same bars as the LS/LT/LTZ? Only getting the bars from this kit would be less than $100. For that money, if they helped reduce body roll a little bit it would be worth it to me... if they fit.

Kazmaniac

My MCSS has no real noticeable "body roll". If it did, the first thing I would do is BUMP on the tire air pressure (already did that the first day I had the car) to "dial in" the handling. I personally recommend 36 psi / cold, or whatever cold psi to get your psi to 38-40 / hot. Car balance is important, as you turn right and left, so I make an afternoon of getting the tires with-in a half pound of each other (neighbor who's weeding his wife's flower bed now is looking at you, thinking he saw that somewhere, maybe on that NASCAR show).

The second thing I would do is call Summit and put poly-urethane bushings on my sways and endlinks the next day. I feel the handling (# 1 priority for me) and the ride quality (somewhat important for a daily driver) is very balanced for the platform, which I think GM has a good handle on the sporty W-Body's.

Third thing I do is replace the factory tires with something from BFG. But, I don't have a single complaint about the GY GSC's that came with the car, just noticed a little low traction situation turning on 40* / misting days, where the car tends to oversteer (NASCAR fans that means "pushing").

The base line engineering of poly is that it takes the flex out of the stock rubber bushings (which mush like an eraser when you pile into a corner), transfering the full load of the car first to the frame bracket, then back at the bar and finally the end-links.

They should fix your "roll" situation.

BuffaloSS

iTrader: (3)

I have a GM parts list from both years and cross-referenced the parts on the '05 SS suspension package and the '06 and found that they use the same rear sway. I'll find the download links for you, so that you can see for yourself...

http://www.naioa.com/v2/modules.php?...ewtopic&t=6608

eddiemoney

iTrader: (2)

This thread does say Mobil one, we are only mildly off topic

pgbSS

Probably a bit off topic... but the original post did lead us to here with the strut tower brace

Buffalo, thanks for the link I looked at the files and couldn't believe my eyes... same number for the bars. I need to check the numbers for the rear control arms to see if they'll fit from the kit as well.

Kazman, I have the tires at 37PSI to help in steering response, but in the past changing the bushings I seemed to notice more road bumps/noise being transferred into the chassis, but didn't do much to control the roll (kinda of hard to explain). Putting in different bars with more torsional rigidity seem to hold the car flatter in the turns since it took more force for them to deflect. I like the ride as well, thats why I don't want stiffer springs, but was looking for stiffer bars. Now I know the '05 bars will fit, I'm gonna ask my friend at a dealership what her price would be and give them a try.

Kazmaniac

Hey Eddie! I think it was titled wrong

Yeah PGB, if they fit, why not? Seems like a good price point as well to experiment. Surprised GM sells anything that cheap!

My last 2 drivers were '05 Impala "Sports", some package I paid for that came with the 12" brakes, the performance ride / handling package, and the monochrome paint job. While the cars had only the doggy 3.4's, handling was above average IMO.

My Z28SS came with poly from the factory, beefy bars and wide, hard tires - factory spec'ed at .91g. Driving on the road gives you a TOPGUN feeling, but I'm also the guy who tries like hell to avoid any imperfections in the road to delay the onset of BSR's. I do know that when I grazed one the car didn't like it too much. Personally I love the feeling of the blood draining to one side of your head cornering! (My dealer always has a couple of the .98g Z51 C6's that make me contemplate selling the Z once a month).

The only experience I had with your vehicle is a year before it launched, and a base level. I know the church pew feeling seats suck on the base level, which the lack of support gave me no confidence I was even going to stay in the seat going around a corner.

We also had BMWs and Audis as test mules. In European cars the magazines call that "feedback" - LOL!