Shock Tower Brace
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
From: Austin, TX
My first modofocation was to replace the stock front antisway bar with a Suspension Technologies 1 3/8" antisway bar.
THEN I put on the Eddlebrock STB. It works just fine and I notice the difference.
Maybe if you don't then you aren't cornering near the limits? if you aren't in at least NEAR a 2-wheel or 4-wheel drift, you won't notice the STB ... and, if you aren't and don't, then you don't need one.
I don't drag race, even for fun. If I did, an STB would be useless weight since the track is a straight line (of course, so would the heavier antisway bar). If you like road courses or autocross, then the STB helps. I like hard cornering. Acceleration is good, but only if it helps the lap times. Spinning the tires while cornering or sliding them only slows you down most of the time.
Then again, that is the entire reason for sport of "drifting." Personally, I'd rather lap a drifting car than drift the entire course ... it's faster. Drifting might be FUN, but only if someone else is paying for the tires and engines! If I'm paying for them, I want to stop short of spinning the tires and corner with all the force that is possible in an F-Body. The STB helps me do just that.
So do the Bilsteins ... and some good throttle control.
THEN I put on the Eddlebrock STB. It works just fine and I notice the difference.
Maybe if you don't then you aren't cornering near the limits? if you aren't in at least NEAR a 2-wheel or 4-wheel drift, you won't notice the STB ... and, if you aren't and don't, then you don't need one.
I don't drag race, even for fun. If I did, an STB would be useless weight since the track is a straight line (of course, so would the heavier antisway bar). If you like road courses or autocross, then the STB helps. I like hard cornering. Acceleration is good, but only if it helps the lap times. Spinning the tires while cornering or sliding them only slows you down most of the time.
Then again, that is the entire reason for sport of "drifting." Personally, I'd rather lap a drifting car than drift the entire course ... it's faster. Drifting might be FUN, but only if someone else is paying for the tires and engines! If I'm paying for them, I want to stop short of spinning the tires and corner with all the force that is possible in an F-Body. The STB helps me do just that.
So do the Bilsteins ... and some good throttle control.
GregP, I agree with your views on racing, but not on STB usefullness. I bet if someone stole your STB in the middle of the night and you had a autoX the next day, you would never notice it was missing.
I autoX on 13 inch wide sticky tires, and I couldn't telll the difference either, so I sold my STB. There was also a guy that attached strain gauge instrumentation to one and measured very little force going though it. The fact is STB's are a placebo that only adds weight to the car. Sorry for the bad news . . . but the good new is some people think they look cool, so you can probably sell it, and your car will be lighter, which really does help handling, braking, and accelerating.
I autoX on 13 inch wide sticky tires, and I couldn't telll the difference either, so I sold my STB. There was also a guy that attached strain gauge instrumentation to one and measured very little force going though it. The fact is STB's are a placebo that only adds weight to the car. Sorry for the bad news . . . but the good new is some people think they look cool, so you can probably sell it, and your car will be lighter, which really does help handling, braking, and accelerating.
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
From: Austin, TX
If what you guys say is true, then what about the missing paint from the edges of hood on f-bodies that hit speed bumps and other vertical stress challenges?
I've seen a 4th-Gen F-Body with the shock towers loose enough to bend at the top when encountering a small drainage ditch.
Thanks, I'll keep mine. You have fun without one.
I've seen a 4th-Gen F-Body with the shock towers loose enough to bend at the top when encountering a small drainage ditch.
Thanks, I'll keep mine. You have fun without one.
I'd say they have been hit. I've NEVER seen a car with the paint chipped off the hood. Let alone one that you can see the towers flexing. Again, as someone else mentioned, a guy measured the flex in his towers in a thread in the last few weeks. Found next to none.
Nothing wrong with having a brace. But like SFC's, I simply feel they are done before much more pressing matters.
Nothing wrong with having a brace. But like SFC's, I simply feel they are done before much more pressing matters.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Originally Posted by GregP
If what you guys say is true, then what about the missing paint from the edges of hood on f-bodies that hit speed bumps and other vertical stress challenges?
I've seen a 4th-Gen F-Body with the shock towers loose enough to bend at the top when encountering a small drainage ditch.
Thanks, I'll keep mine. You have fun without one.
I've seen a 4th-Gen F-Body with the shock towers loose enough to bend at the top when encountering a small drainage ditch.
Thanks, I'll keep mine. You have fun without one.
Not because I favour the man's opinion, but I will once agree with Sam on this one, because my vehicle was bought with a previous wreck on the front left fender, and guess what? I had the monocoque checked and there was no evidence of anything previously out of alignment from the chassis at the shock towers, so those examples you state must be from something extremely serious.
Another aspect I should mention is that I've indavertantly collided with many dips, bumps, deep drainage ditches, curbs, severly elevated speed berms, and the only thing I've seriously damaged were the spindles and lower A-arms. Shock towers? They've been okay, and not once have I had any trouble with them nor had a STB installed. Also there's been no paint chipped away from any part of my hood, except some on the top from road debris and some underneath from the previous stock air filter box, all being very minute in size.
Your description appears to describe the 3rd Gen, which I have partially experienced what you mentioned.
Well some of you guys sound like NASA engineers or something! I noticed a difference when the strut tower was installed and even more when SFC were done also....besides it looks ******* sick!!!! HAHA!!
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...2/DSCF0111.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...2/DSCF0111.jpg
Last edited by stang killer; Dec 1, 2005 at 02:21 PM.
Originally Posted by chaman
Well some of you guys sound like NASA engineers or something! I noticed a difference when the strut tower was installed and even more when SFC were done also....besides it looks ******* sick!!!! HAHA!!
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The strut brace is from Hotchkis, I got it from Summit. The SFC I got from E-bay. They are custom made using roll cage tubing (aproved by NHRA). They are the three point kind. They are not visible at all unless you look under the car, really good work IMO. No other suspension mods so far.
