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Strut Tower Brace

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Old 09-12-2003, 01:07 PM
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Default Strut Tower Brace

Can u actually feel a difference in curves with this. I just bought a set of subframe connectors. Could i see an even more improvement with the tower brace? Just wondering what u guys thought.
Old 09-12-2003, 06:30 PM
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Default Re: Strut Tower Brace

I think if your cars tight now you probably won't feel any difference ( some do but I think it's in there head ), what the brace will do is help keep the front end tight as you put more miles on your car. JMO

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Old 09-12-2003, 07:55 PM
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Default Re: Strut Tower Brace

I had a STB on my car before I put SFCs on it, and I could tell the difference. The front end got tighter in cornering.
Aside from that, I think they look cool in the engine bay too.
Now having already done SFCs, I don't know that you'll notice a difference with or without a STB.
Old 09-12-2003, 11:26 PM
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Default Re: Strut Tower Brace

OK...thanks for the inputs. I might do it anyways to spice up the looks of the engine bay.
Old 09-13-2003, 01:17 AM
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Default Re: Strut Tower Brace

Dont do it for the handeling... Wait till you can afford to do it as just a pretty for the engine bay, then maybe be surprised if it does help.
Old 09-13-2003, 07:42 AM
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Default Re: Strut Tower Brace

Mine helped remove "cowl shake" from the front of my car (such as over railroad tracks). I'll not say it corners better or worse, that is hard to say and a subjective (butt dyno) evaluation won't work terribly well. But, I will say that over tracks and such, the steering wheel no longer seems to be moving in a different direction from the rest of the car (and between that and sub frame connectors, my car is rattle and squeak free at 27,000 miles).

Just my thoughts.
Old 09-15-2003, 09:52 PM
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Default Re: Strut Tower Brace

Suspension mods are similar to power mods. You'd be hard pressed to honestly feel a 10hp increase from your typical few hundred dollar power mod. You'd also be hard pressed to honestly feel the handling increase in a few hundred dollar handling mod. However, that doesn't mean such a mod hasn't increased the handling capabilities of your car. With more accurate measuring tools (accelerometer like the G-tech or it's competitors), would better allow one to gauge the affects of most of these suspension mods.

Saying an STB has no affect on handling cause you can't really feel it is like saying an intake lid has no affect on power because you can't really feel it (with power mods we do have quarter mile racing to help us measure mod changes, making dyno systems less necessary)
Old 09-16-2003, 06:50 PM
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Default Re: Strut Tower Brace

I need to get one because my front end feels a little weak coming into turn eventhough I have SFCs
Old 09-16-2003, 07:20 PM
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Default Re: Strut Tower Brace

Like I said, the reduction in cowl shake was amazing and my car only had 500 miles on it when I installed it (it was new, nearly brand new). So, I'd suggest it for that reason alone. The car no longer feels like it has a giant hinge at the windshield and the whole car twists around it....

Just my thoughts....
Old 09-16-2003, 07:39 PM
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Default Re: Strut Tower Brace

When I put the Hotchkis STB in my '94 I "felt" a difference in how the front would stay planted in a hard corner without one side feeling like it was raising up a little.

When I put the BMR STB in my '99 just a few weeks ago, I thought I felt the same small difference. Now, I just recently added to it with Suspension Techniques Front and rear sway bars, and a Hotchkis panhard bar. The combination of all those parts has made an undeniable difference. Car feels very stable right up to the limits of the tires. Got into a nice drift on FM 2222 Sunday and it was how the car was not squirrley at all and I just pulled her back into facing forward after getting a little smoke off the tires going sideways.




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