Mr. Coop

Say I have acquired through chance a brand new BMR strut tower brace for a 4th Gen f-body. I plan to put it on my 2001 T/A Firehawk and I can see exactly where it mounts to but here's my question. The "flanges" of the STB are flat on the bottom, if I put them on the studs where it is to go the flange will overlap another piece of sheetmetal and not sit flush when tightening it down. Am I missing something obvious? It seems like this should be so bonehead-simple but it just doesn't seem right to me. Almost looks like I'd need to put washers on the studs before bolting it in? Or does it just bolt in that way?

Cal

iTrader: (1)

The part you are missing is this part does not belong on your car. If you aquired it by chance, maybe you can sell it and get some money to buy something more useful for your ride.

98boxer

iTrader: (7)

I bought my slp brace and it came with washers. You have to put the washers make the brace sit even. I think you use on one to even it out with the over lap side. Either way, you do need washers.

And the strut tower brace is a good mod.

Foxxtron

iTrader: (1)

Regardless of being good or bad, it's a placebo mod. Throughout this forum, you'll discover that several RR and AX'ers here note that since the 4th gen f-body has a SLA front suspension, and not a MacPherson strut like the 3rd gen, there is absolutely no need for a strut tower brace. Not to forget that the engine bay where the shocks are placed are actually stiffer than the popular consensus may want to believe.

Mr. Coop

Cal, it's for an LS-1 f-body I think my firehawk falls into that category, and other than the un-eveness it does bolt right in, don't know what else it could fit.

98boxer, that pretty much answers my question, who knows maybe there's still washers floating around in the packing material and I just didn't see them, lol. I'll check when I get home, thanks!

Weezzer

You obtain a piece of aluminum stock that matches the thickness of that step, its somewhere around 0.090" to 0.100" thick (from what I can remember-use a depth mic to know for certain). You will have to make a left hand and right hand piece and drill clearance holes for the two studs, then take a dremel tool and cut out for the strange shape of those center rear notches.

I made a template for each side out of some construction paper, then scribed the shape on the stock and cut them out. It fits perfectly and the assembly sits flat.

Mr. Coop

heh, you would think a fabrication company would have thought of that. Thanks!

Sure aluminum is ok with the rest being steel? Won't corrode or anything if it happens to get wet?

98boxer

iTrader: (7)

Just use stainless steel washers. Mine sits flat and I got a noticable difference using the stb - straight line, car feels better connected to the road, turns-huge improvement against fish tailing. I know some people say they see no improvement but I seen a night and day difference.

Mr. Coop

Rooted around through the packing material and came across a teeny little baggie with 4 washers, 2 stickers, and some instructions. They say to just bolt it on with the washers on top, makes sense to put the washers there, but I think I'm gonna go with Weezzer's suggestion, just sounds the most solid to me. Thanks guys!

TOO Z MAXX

Agreed

Foxxtron

iTrader: (1)

Not to add insult to injury, but the whole "I feel the difference according to my SOTP (seat of the pants)" has been debunked. I know it is a hard pill to swallow, but the reality and facts are that when people do "detect a difference" when installing the STB, it is a mere placebo effect due to something being fixed where the problem doesn't orginate from. If you have the stock "DeGarbages" still installed, then that's right where the problem lies.