made my own strut towr bar.

K

kingcobracustom

New Member

Jul 7, 2008

3

0

0

Jul 30, 2008

#1

• Jul 30, 2008

• #1

I just fabbed up this strut tower brace for my car...





should stiffen the front up a bit

 

Ozz

I think I have a problem here.

Founding Member

Jul 27, 2001

3,514

66

109

Canton, MI

Jul 30, 2008

#2

• Jul 30, 2008

• #2

now that's an interesting look. How's it feel??

 

K

kingcobracustom

New Member

Jul 7, 2008

3

0

0

Jul 30, 2008

#3

• Jul 30, 2008

• #3

planted you can tell it's there thats for sure... car just feels tighter on the road. can't wait for my caster camber plates and my 5 way tokicos

 

G

GTOreturns

Well-Known Member

Oct 1, 2003

51

17

59

West Coast Best Coast

Jul 30, 2008

#4

• Jul 30, 2008

• #4

Looks a little flimsy. How's it feel?

 

Jaswir

Member

Mar 31, 2005

578

0

18

Orlando, FL

Jul 30, 2008

#5

• Jul 30, 2008

• #5

i would put the two up front towards the back by the fire wall... Thats why its designed that way, the front will flex... and if you bolt to the back firewall like normal ones you will have a stiffer feel! But looks good tho!

I have one on mine and like it... Does stiff it up!

 

S

Sicarius428

Active Member

Jan 6, 2004

2,085

5

49

Jul 30, 2008

#6

• Jul 30, 2008

• #6

Looks good. You will need some support to the firewall because as of now, you just made the shocktower forward stiff. Something will have to give and it will probably be right behind the stock tower.
Kevin

 

K

kingcobracustom

New Member

Jul 7, 2008

3

0

0

Jul 30, 2008

#7

• Jul 30, 2008

• #7

hahaha...he said it looks flimsy lol... this is all .120 wall tubing (1/8" thick)... it's not flimsy

 

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

15 Year Member

Jul 6, 2006

5,232

2,652

223

gainesville

Jul 30, 2008

#8

• Jul 30, 2008

• #8

how did you make it?

 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Mod Dude

Feb 18, 2001

43,260

17,944

224

Massachusetts

Jul 30, 2008

#9

• Jul 30, 2008

• #9

Well, it looks pretty, but the two front bars aren't really needed since the main axis of flex would be behind the strut towers. Also, the rear bars aren't really connecting to anything to stiffen it up. They should really go over to the firewall and join at the pinch weld since it's the most structurally sound part of the bay. The idea is to have the pinch weld take the load transferred to the struts.

Take a look at the maximum motorsports strut bar. It's the best design IMHO for the sort of loads the front end will see.

 

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

15 Year Member

Nov 11, 2003

6,945

1,598

223

Northern KY

Jul 30, 2008

#10

• Jul 30, 2008

• #10

Needs a bar connecting the front two bars that go to the core support...i think that's called a Malibu Bar?

 

ryan218

In just 10 years, I'll be old enough to drive!!!!

Dec 28, 2005

0

1

38

columbus ohio

Jul 30, 2008

#11

• Jul 30, 2008

• #11

looks good man.

 

LiquidGT

Member

Oct 8, 2007

368

0

16

Near STL hell

Jul 30, 2008

#12

• Jul 30, 2008

• #12

kingcobracustom said:

hahaha...he said it looks flimsy lol... this is all .120 wall tubing (1/8" thick)... it's not flimsy

Click to expand...

The tubes are strong, but it looks like it can flex and pivot around on the bolted rod ends. I'd put the front bars in the back like the Maximum Motorsports design. Nice craftsmanship though.

 

M

mavmavv

New Member

Nov 21, 2007

185

0

0

Jul 30, 2008

#13

• Jul 30, 2008

• #13

Pretty, but not so useful

 

K

kingcobracustom

New Member

Jul 7, 2008

3

0

0

Jul 30, 2008

#14

• Jul 30, 2008

• #14

I guarantee it DOES stiffen the front end... spherical rod ends or NOT... the triangulation is what does the work and the rod ends swiveling do not matter! and attaching the rear bars where they are DOES work! that area has THREE layers of metal all attached together and is close enough to the corner where the firewall meets that it is plenty strong enough to stiffen the front end and reduce flex... NO strut tower bar will eliminate ALL flex but ANY reduction is an improvement! I have driven the car since the install and you CAN feel the difference even on the street.

 

skunk21

Active Member

May 22, 2007

1,203

3

36

Taxachusetts

Jul 30, 2008

#15

• Jul 30, 2008

• #15

I'll give you an A+ for effort and design but a C- for taking constructive criticism. I think just about everyone liked it but wanted to help you improve your design. The stiffening you may have gained is due to the fact that you have somewhat stopped the strut tower from flexing in towards(side to side movement) each other now with the bar going across. The Maximum motorsport design Mike was writing about ties into the fire wall to help entire nose from sagging in towards the fire wall(even though it isn't much) and angled flexing of the strut towers when doing high G cornering.

The strut towers on the fox are really far from the fire wall which is what makes the front even more like a wet noodle. Think if you could push the car down with your hand from the roof, the strut towers would start to lean toward the fire wall has they kink in, this happenss over dipps and twists in the road.

Drive with your fingers just touching the outside window frame where it meets the roof and you will feel the gap open and close(almost squashing your fingers) has you drive around corners that is how much this car flexes, but after I did SFC's that gap moved far less, to tell you the truth a great way to tell that the SFC's and strut brace does work. The design you have you are to close to the strut tower with the rear brace, giving no bracing force to stop the strut towers from dipping towards the fire wall, the core support flexes like hell so the front braces will move with front sheet metal. so yes again you gained side to side stiffness, which you would feel, in my opinion you are 1/2 way there.

 

K

kingcobracustom

New Member

Jul 7, 2008

3

0

0

Jul 31, 2008

#16

• Jul 31, 2008

• #16

sub frame connectors are on my list of things to make next.. as is an 8 point rollbar.

 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Mod Dude

Feb 18, 2001

43,260

17,944

224

Massachusetts

Jul 31, 2008

#17

• Jul 31, 2008

• #17

Very good craftsmanship though. I'll give you that.

 

K

kingcobracustom

New Member

Jul 7, 2008

3

0

0

Jul 31, 2008

#18

• Jul 31, 2008

• #18

thank you... I got to really test it out today on a few nice curves and yes you can tell it made a big difference... usually I'm hovering my foot over the brake in these turns but now it just feels more "planted"... I flew right through them and never even let off the gas. nice