Blown02Camaro

iTrader: (4)

I have to do a metal project for school and i have decided to make my own strut tower brace and i need some advice on where to start and what's the best way to build it?

98TAjwh

iTrader: (4)

just curious but why a strut tower brace? why not try a sheet metal intake or valve covers? i know those are a bit more advanced but if the materials are free (to you) why not go for it? good luck with it though, i'm sure you'll do fine.

02Z28LS1

iTrader: (2)

it seems a simple enough project to do....all you need is a piece of round, thick-walled tubing and some 3/8" metal plate to make the mounting flanges. the hardest part would be getting the length and the angle of the bends for the tubing correct.

i'd start out with the mounting flanges first. get the holes properly lined up first and foremost. bolt them into place, then start taking measurements on how long the tubing will need to be. a piece or two of posterboard should be plenty to draw a rough outline of where the bar will sit in relation to the flanges....then just measure the angle with a protractor and bend the tubing accordingly. leave a bit of extra length on both ends of the tubing to account for any small differences in length from one side to the other, and just cut off small sections at a time from each end until you can get the bar as level as possible.

once you're satisfied that you have the proper length, make some chalk marks on the bar & flanges to line them up properly for welding. tack weld them, then test-fit it again to make sure it still fits, then finish it up once you're confident it will fit.

wire-wheel the welds
de-grease it
paint it
install it

Blown02Camaro

iTrader: (4)

Thanks that helps, i think getting the angles right and it looking like i want it to will be the hardest part and the reason i'am chosing to build this is that it's a simple desgin not that much to weld.

99LS6SS

iTrader: (4)

I would mount the flanges to the strut towers, then use an angle finder to find your angles. Come off the flange at a perfect 90 degrees, then find your angles from there for the bends. Would take some math, but I don't think it would be too dificult. If you have a tubing bender, it would probably turn out a lot better than cutting and welding(i didn't know if that was your plan in the first place. Or you could lay a piece of pipe across your fenders and pull your angles off of that to the strut towers to find what angle you need.

WhiteHawk489

please post pics when your done im thinking of doing something similar. Good luck with your project! Thanks!

Blown02Camaro

iTrader: (4)

Iam trying to avoid cutting angles iam trying to have just bends cause i think it looks nicer and pics will be uonce its done.

teke184

iTrader: (5)

built one for my 87 IROC

angle iron for the brackets.

then a piece of 3/4" solid bar (what i had) with some shallow angles in the last 12" of each end. ground the ends flat to mate to the brackets and welded it up.

MAKE SURE the car is on its loaded suspension when you measure and weld it up. on jack stands will result in inaccuracy.

Blown02Camaro

iTrader: (4)

Loaded meaning just on the ground?

LS1Tuner_06

iTrader: (3)

Correct

I'm interested in this. I'll be following ya. Good luck

Blown02Camaro

iTrader: (4)

Ok iam trying to get as much info on this so i don't screw it up.