2000droptz

iTrader: (5)

Are there any advantages to having a strut tower brace? Can you benefit from having one? What does it do? What is the best one?

DONAIMIAN

iTrader: (18)

Its up to you on if you want to spend the money. I say its a waste. Theyre claimed to stop strut tower flexing, not worth the money IMO.

BlackHawk T/A

iTrader: (3)

Gives you something to lean on.

Judd

iTrader: (1)

Sits there and looks pretty.

TAbeba

iTrader: (2)

so really there is difference between the $200 Hotchkis bar and the $100 job ...?

kyles2000z

iTrader: (8)

just get a $50 bar off of ebay, and paint it to match the car. all are the same pretty much and basically only serve to dress up the engine bay.

z_speedfreak

iTrader: (3)

theres not a whole lot of difference brand wise, just make sure its straight and its not a 3pt. I think most of these guys are drag racers and wouldnt be feeling the effects of one too much, I carve alot of corners and i noticed a difference with one.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

We only see benefits on cars that have been poked in the front, and are weak or bent because of it. They do look good however.

And FWIW, there are differences between them. Some of the most expensive ones are also some of the flimsiest STB's.

We have a number of brands (UMI, SLP, Hotchkis, Edelbrock, etc) and can compare and contrast for you. But the less moving parts and more mounting points you have, the better if you are really looking to brace things vs. looks.

So they can help the odd car. And help cars more with screwed up shocks/spring combinations because it helps the unibody deal with the impacts that shouldn't be, but are getting to the chassis. So, while they have their place, STB's are low on the list....

2000droptz

iTrader: (5)

thanks guys

z_speedfreak

iTrader: (3)

I've heard the 3point stb's can lead to cracked windshields, any truth to this Sam?

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Never seen it, and I don't buy it happening from a 3 point. I've seen windshields crack in stock cars. I've used 3-points in much flimsier 3rd gen's and Mustangs with no issue.

Cars might crack the windshield. I don't buy it's from a 3 pt. brace itself.

BJM

iTrader: (1)

I just put one on along with some new Koni Shocks I bought from Sam Strano. The following is just my opinion but see what you think.

VIP1

STB (Strut Tower Brace)
Does make a difference on cars with struts since the strut towers act like the upper A-Arms (which actually take the weight of the car) in the 4th-gen f-bodies do. 4th-gen f-bodies have dual A-Arms and shocks up front so a STB has minimal effect (that doesn't mean it doesn't have an effect, just not nearly as much as a car with front struts). I need to take a closer look at where the upper A-Arms on the 4th-gen f-body actually mounts becuase from the little I've seen of them (I didn't pay much attention to the a-arms when I did my brakes) its an odd tall a-arm.

EDIT:
I meant that the spindle was tall and I needed to look at the a-arm.

BJM

iTrader: (1)

The upper A-arm is attached right at the top of the tower, the suspension loads are the same as a strut as far as the tower can tell.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

While the vertical loads are similar, the lateral loads are not. And a STB doesn't do much for vertical loads. Just the way a double a-arm setup is arranged most of the load is put through the subframe, with very little making it through 2 ball joints, through the upper arm (which is only held in by being pinched between the shock and the tower) and into the tower.

If you guys want to have one, that's fine and you have options. I'll be happy to sell you a STB of your liking. They arne't expensive, and they do look good. And they do help some cars that have been poked. And they do "box" in the engine bay to some degree. I'm simply saying it's not a flexible place as you might think, the car does not get strut suspension type lateral loads into the towers, and that if you have other things you need to do first, concentrate on those.

BJM

iTrader: (1)

Agree 100%.

Agree again.

All the lateral loads (including front to back loading, especially during braking)in the spindle are reacted by the two ball joints. The lever arm ratio makes the Upper arm loads ~1/3-1/4 those at the bottom arm. The loads at the upper arm, small as they are, only go into the tower. So, by design, the upper arm and tower do not need to be as stiff as the lower arm. You can tell this is true by looking at the two arms, the upper one is quite light and slim, the lower one is much beefier.

The STB is only going to keep the tower spacing fixed it cannot help with a tower trying to rise more than the other or with one trying to move rearward compared to the other one. The big argument is this, do we even need to bother bracing the towers to each other at all. Most people say you do not need to bother, I tend to agree. I put one on my car mostly to tighten it a bit to reduce NVH in my convertible, not for handling at all.

Tobynine9

iTrader: (17)

Sam's right about it working for a car that's been "poked". My 01 SS has had straightening done on it (you can see where the little holes in the bottom of the jackpoint have been pulled on by a frame machine) and the door and left front fender show that they've been worked on if you really know what you're looking for. It looks perfect on the outside and drives as good as it looks. However, I did notice a more solid feeling from the front suspension after I installed mine. I'm doing subframe connectors next to make sure it all stays where it is now.

TAbeba

iTrader: (2)

ok wow blonde moment im confuse now, so you are saying that the 4th gen f-bodies have shocks in the front and not struts

BJM

iTrader: (1)

Here is the front shock assembly incorporating the spring.



There is a separate upper and lower control arm holding the spindle. The spring/shock does not hold the wheel in position, it only pushes vertically to spring/damp the car. The wheel is attached to the spindle and the upper and lower arms hold that in place. The lower arm connects to the sub frame and the upper arm loads go into the tower at the top.

TAbeba

iTrader: (2)

wow thanks for the info..... more than i can ask for , now i got it