Difference in driving with strut tower brace
It will be a 2 sided fight forever! Some say we don't need one and it just adds weight, others say they felt a huge difference when they added it. I personally didn't feel any difference, I mostly used it for show anyway. I actually just took it off since it got in the way alot too. I have it for sale if your interested.
I have a convertible and when I installed the STB what I noticed
was that a peculiar shake in the front end, went away. Talking about
when you throw it hard around a corner, it used to have this "woggle
woggle woggle" in the front body and the brace made it just "woggle".
Settled it down.
But whether this made a dime's worth of difference to actual handling
is another question, and one I can't really answer because I have no
way of quantifying. I preferred the feeling of tightness it added, but
that's all I can really tell you.
Then I put the K-member and the front got all floppy again.
was that a peculiar shake in the front end, went away. Talking about
when you throw it hard around a corner, it used to have this "woggle
woggle woggle" in the front body and the brace made it just "woggle".
Settled it down.
But whether this made a dime's worth of difference to actual handling
is another question, and one I can't really answer because I have no
way of quantifying. I preferred the feeling of tightness it added, but
that's all I can really tell you.
Then I put the K-member and the front got all floppy again.
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This was the first "handling" mod I did. And on my t-top camaro I have to say it made one hell of a difference around corners. Not very practical for drag racing, but if you like spirited driving in-town like I do, I would highly recommend one. Plus it's not that hard to find one for under $100.
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No perceptible difference here. Not only did I went by "feel", but also used strain gauges eventually on every single one of a different design that I installed. Also, my lap times didn't really make any consistent difference with or without one. I've repeated this on the several different of the 4th Gens I've owned.
The mods I noticed that really made all of my 4th Gens feel "stiffer" and perform better were properly designed shocks, springs, swaybars (with their respective poly bushings), fresh set of rubber bushings on all of the control arms, and double adjustible rod-ended PHB.
Just my 2 cents worth.
EDIT: oh and forgot the big factor in all of this. Quality set of tyres with proper air pressures, plus a proper wheel alignment.
The mods I noticed that really made all of my 4th Gens feel "stiffer" and perform better were properly designed shocks, springs, swaybars (with their respective poly bushings), fresh set of rubber bushings on all of the control arms, and double adjustible rod-ended PHB.
Just my 2 cents worth.
EDIT: oh and forgot the big factor in all of this. Quality set of tyres with proper air pressures, plus a proper wheel alignment.
Last edited by Foxxtron; Aug 7, 2007 at 06:39 AM.
Originally Posted by ItsNotStock
This was the first "handling" mod I did. And on my t-top camaro I have to say it made one hell of a difference around corners. Not very practical for drag racing, but if you like spirited driving in-town like I do, I would highly recommend one. Plus it's not that hard to find one for under $100.
I would have actually kept mine in but I had bought a blue one for my white camaro and I felt like the tacky looks had to go. White I would have kept in
Thread Starter
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From: Owasso,Ok/Honolulu, HI
This is going to go on with front and rear sway bars as well. I want the car to feel more stable driving around town. Some turns just don't stick at all and some do. Plus it will help the cosmetics of my engine bay.
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Porksoda-you have a PM
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From: St.Charles MO
Originally Posted by lookin4aTA
This is going to go on with front and rear sway bars as well. I want the car to feel more stable driving around town. Some turns just don't stick at all and some do. Plus it will help the cosmetics of my engine bay.
Porksoda-you have a PM
Porksoda-you have a PM
Thread Starter
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From: Owasso,Ok/Honolulu, HI
Originally Posted by JD_AMG
Do (proper)shocks before sway bars, trust me shocks made the biggest difference, the car is so much more stable and predictable. Get either some Konis or revalves from stranoparts.com.
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From: Owasso,Ok/Honolulu, HI
So a genereal consensus (sp?) is split down the middle? And if nothing else it will dress up the engine bay a little. Will the sway bars add to the affect with the STB?
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From: St.Charles MO
Originally Posted by lookin4aTA
I was told it had lowering springs on it already, but not sure what kind. I am kind of on a budget right now and just want something to help a little right now. New shocks are in the plans, just probably not until the end of the year.
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From: Knappa, Oregon
My input is that it probably depends on the roads you are driving. I do 22 miles one way to work, and back, on a very winding section of US 30. I got a better road handling feel, noticable, and I wouldn't take mine back off. But if you're doing freeways or driving around town I don't know that you would see a difference.
I don't notice anything with it on or off.. I leave mine on though because its kind of nice to lean into the engine compartment and grab the stb. mine is out of the way too because its actually an old BMR v6 STB that bends right up next to the cowl and yes it fits fine on my LS1.