Strut tower brace
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
OP do a search, STB's are cosmetic for our cars.
so then wat does it do? pretty sure it evens out the suspension and keeps everything from flexing
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
If the shock towers flexed these could help some (but if the shock towers flexed there would be severe alignment problems among other things - again do a search this has been covered.)
I bought an STB years ago, noticed no difference at all. Took it off for the engine swap, forgot about it and again noticed no difference. Put it back on recently, still don't notice it, and I auto-x my car...
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,076
Likes: 0
Do a search, this topic has been covered thousands of times.
If the shock towers flexed these could help some (but if the shock towers flexed there would be severe alignment problems among other things - again do a search this has been covered.)
I bought an STB years ago, noticed no difference at all. Took it off for the engine swap, forgot about it and again noticed no difference. Put it back on recently, still don't notice it, and I auto-x my car...
If the shock towers flexed these could help some (but if the shock towers flexed there would be severe alignment problems among other things - again do a search this has been covered.)
I bought an STB years ago, noticed no difference at all. Took it off for the engine swap, forgot about it and again noticed no difference. Put it back on recently, still don't notice it, and I auto-x my car...
Whenever this was asked, once in a while there's a few HPDE drivers who mentioned this was tested out before. The results were that there was little to no movement between the shock towers.
Having your front end in the air and then slamming on the ground could be different..
Basically.. don't expect any handling improvements from adding a shock tower brace. That being said it doesn't hurt except adds a little weight and gets in the way a little.
Having your front end in the air and then slamming on the ground could be different..
Basically.. don't expect any handling improvements from adding a shock tower brace. That being said it doesn't hurt except adds a little weight and gets in the way a little.
BMR Sales claimed a quarter inch movement of the shock towers when they were developing suspension stuff for the 4th gen Camaro. This was with stiffer than stock springs and sticky tires. More movement was documented with race springs and tires.
I think it is safe to say a good portion of cars here have uprated suspension at this point. Was BMRs research flawed somehow? Anyone else tested this rather than just postulating? Just asking...
I think it is safe to say a good portion of cars here have uprated suspension at this point. Was BMRs research flawed somehow? Anyone else tested this rather than just postulating? Just asking...
That's a good question. One test doesn't take into account for different tollerances on different cars. So maybe the test I referred to had no movement while BMR's car did.
Still how much would a quarter inch movement mess things up? It could effect camber but will have no effect on the function of springs, shocks, swaybars which have the biggest effect on handling.
Still how much would a quarter inch movement mess things up? It could effect camber but will have no effect on the function of springs, shocks, swaybars which have the biggest effect on handling.
Well i agree with anti cop that its most cosmetic but its one of those things that if you like the way it looks it could be worth it... I got one for 60 shipped so its not a lot and i think itll make my engine compartment look better whether or not it does anything
I appriciate all the feedback though thanks guys!!
I appriciate all the feedback though thanks guys!!
my observation:
My G2 stb will not simply fall into place. With one side on the studs, the other side is off approx .25". I can put a floor jack under the k-member, lift the car just a few inches, and the towers spread just enough to allow the stb to slide right on the studs. I'll then let the car down before torquing the nuts.
That shows me that theres at least a quarter inch of flex in the shock towers.
I cant say whether I can 'feel' a difference while driving... I think its more my mind wanting to believe I didnt waste money. However I will say that with the brace on and properly bolted down, front-end squeaks are reduced to almost nothing
My G2 stb will not simply fall into place. With one side on the studs, the other side is off approx .25". I can put a floor jack under the k-member, lift the car just a few inches, and the towers spread just enough to allow the stb to slide right on the studs. I'll then let the car down before torquing the nuts.
That shows me that theres at least a quarter inch of flex in the shock towers.
I cant say whether I can 'feel' a difference while driving... I think its more my mind wanting to believe I didnt waste money. However I will say that with the brace on and properly bolted down, front-end squeaks are reduced to almost nothing
My opinion only. I bought one and had it on for awhile. Then took it off to do something.Drove around a month or so. Put it back on and could definitely tell a difference. Its not major,but the car does feel more responsive. I do have it lowered on stranos and Konis without SFC's(yet) Just feels stiffer. Gott a love a stiffy 
I thinks it a good mod for the money.
I thinks it a good mod for the money. Last edited by 3 pedal SS; Mar 10, 2012 at 11:36 AM.
my observation:
My G2 stb will not simply fall into place. With one side on the studs, the other side is off approx .25". I can put a floor jack under the k-member, lift the car just a few inches, and the towers spread just enough to allow the stb to slide right on the studs. I'll then let the car down before torquing the nuts.
That shows me that theres at least a quarter inch of flex in the shock towers.
I cant say whether I can 'feel' a difference while driving... I think its more my mind wanting to believe I didnt waste money. However I will say that with the brace on and properly bolted down, front-end squeaks are reduced to almost nothing
My G2 stb will not simply fall into place. With one side on the studs, the other side is off approx .25". I can put a floor jack under the k-member, lift the car just a few inches, and the towers spread just enough to allow the stb to slide right on the studs. I'll then let the car down before torquing the nuts.
That shows me that theres at least a quarter inch of flex in the shock towers.
I cant say whether I can 'feel' a difference while driving... I think its more my mind wanting to believe I didnt waste money. However I will say that with the brace on and properly bolted down, front-end squeaks are reduced to almost nothing
my observation:
My G2 stb will not simply fall into place. With one side on the studs, the other side is off approx .25". I can put a floor jack under the k-member, lift the car just a few inches, and the towers spread just enough to allow the stb to slide right on the studs. I'll then let the car down before torquing the nuts.
That shows me that theres at least a quarter inch of flex in the shock towers.
I cant say whether I can 'feel' a difference while driving... I think its more my mind wanting to believe I didnt waste money. However I will say that with the brace on and properly bolted down, front-end squeaks are reduced to almost nothing
My G2 stb will not simply fall into place. With one side on the studs, the other side is off approx .25". I can put a floor jack under the k-member, lift the car just a few inches, and the towers spread just enough to allow the stb to slide right on the studs. I'll then let the car down before torquing the nuts.
That shows me that theres at least a quarter inch of flex in the shock towers.
I cant say whether I can 'feel' a difference while driving... I think its more my mind wanting to believe I didnt waste money. However I will say that with the brace on and properly bolted down, front-end squeaks are reduced to almost nothing
And if you had a front end alignment without the STB, jacked the font, the upper mounts moved 1/4" how in the world do you not chew through tires if your alignment varies that much?
So for arguement's sake, let's say the front is that "floppy". How does bracing one floppy side to a second floppy side brace anything?
You do realize the studs are angled inwards, right? That's why BMR and all the other lemming STBs have slotted holes.
And if you had a front end alignment without the STB, jacked the font, the upper mounts moved 1/4" how in the world do you not chew through tires if your alignment varies that much?
So for arguement's sake, let's say the front is that "floppy". How does bracing one floppy side to a second floppy side brace anything?
And if you had a front end alignment without the STB, jacked the font, the upper mounts moved 1/4" how in the world do you not chew through tires if your alignment varies that much?
So for arguement's sake, let's say the front is that "floppy". How does bracing one floppy side to a second floppy side brace anything?
B) You wouldn't chew up tires, because your alignment is done with the suspension "loaded", therefore any compressive forces from the car's weight that's applied through the suspension have been applied to the structure, therefore pushing the "towers" inward;
C) By bracing one "floppy" side to another, the STB takes out the "flop", since one side works against the other. This is especially true if the STB is a 3 point, as it forms a triangle with the cowl/firewall.
A) That's why the "lemming" braces don't work as well, since the slots will allow the studs to "slide", even if the amount is minute;
B) You wouldn't chew up tires, because your alignment is done with the suspension "loaded", therefore any compressive forces from the car's weight that's applied through the suspension have been applied to the structure, therefore pushing the "towers" inward;
C) By bracing one "floppy" side to another, the STB takes out the "flop", since one side works against the other. This is especially true if the STB is a 3 point, as it forms a triangle with the cowl/firewall.
B) You wouldn't chew up tires, because your alignment is done with the suspension "loaded", therefore any compressive forces from the car's weight that's applied through the suspension have been applied to the structure, therefore pushing the "towers" inward;
C) By bracing one "floppy" side to another, the STB takes out the "flop", since one side works against the other. This is especially true if the STB is a 3 point, as it forms a triangle with the cowl/firewall.
B) I guess if you only drive in a straight line all the time, the alignment would stay true. Good point. But anything that would apply force to the upper mount, according to those who are STB-ites, means the upper mounts will deflect. And the upper mount is a suspension pick-up point and movement will affect alignment. Of course, if it doesn't move ...
C) Triangulated, yes because the firewall doesn't move. But you can't brace anything when both attachment points move. Attaching them just means they move in parallel. To brace, one point needs to be stationary. You can't magically have one floppy side and one solid side and then swap sides.
Last edited by mitchntx; Mar 11, 2012 at 06:01 PM.