Need a quality front tower brace

[jago]

ok i dont know the enginering of it, lots of people never do a back strut bar . i gess they dont like that it goes thru the trunk. now for the non turbo model i nead a drawing or more info about lower braceing espeshaly if it is diferent than mine. but give me a drawing with mesurments and we are good. i tride to get close on mesure for bolt circle diamiter ,i figure it is 3 on 7cm raidus and the bolts look like quarter inch so i think 5/16 hole for flange il try cuting set in morning. how far from fire wall dose intercooler sit . can we brace it of the fire wall. i want to do inter cooler to ,ah that is another subject.

[BAC5.2]

Adjustable is important. Why? Camber adjustments.

If you have Camber Plates, a fixed bar will lock you in at one setting of Camber.

The 350Z has an adjustable bar, stock.

[jago]

so what if i modify a wrx one with turn buckel setup in center with 4 locking stoper nuts if any you guys want to buy two and ship them hear(your cost) il send one back modifide,my cost. are they longer or shorter.

[THAWA]

Dave did an install of one: http://legacycentral.org/library/cusco_lower.htm

where the bar is is right where the first cat is on an NA.

[skid542]

Awesome thanks guys. I believe I have a new project next time I get some time at the house. Any ideas on grade of steel? What are you using Jago?

[ultrasonic]

how far from fire wall dose intercooler sit . can we brace it of the fire wall. i want to do inter cooler to ,ah that is another subject. :)

Depends on which intercooler you use. Some guys who use a USDM WRX unit report having to "adjust" the firewall with a hammer to make it fit. In that case there might not be enough room for a brace at all. The SAAB 900 i/c is pretty tight also. Do a search and look at pictures. I recently saw a picture of someone with an i/c installed, and a cheap ebay-straight across-type strut bar going right over the top of it. I don't remember where the picture was, possibly a new member here on the board.

If you are building a strut bar, have a look at the Whiteline KSB 550 that I mentioned earlier in the thread. It's a "mid mount" bar, which means it angles towards the radiator instead of the firewall. It's made to clear top mount intercoolers, and it passes over the throttle body.

Maybe you can make your design similar to the 550, and avoid i/c clearance problems.

[jago]

ok i am a puts with computers so for some reason i cant get a pick of the white line 550. but sounds good . the lower brace looks do able . i dont know how to fit one for n/a car .but if exaustpipe must go thrugh i could build it with a larger pipe for exaust to fit inside. split it and put bolting tabs on top half . eather way i dont have a n/a to base it on . but thanks for pic il b e building turbo version soon it has been crazy at work so i only have flange layed out so far tomorow il cut it out and check fit.

[ultrasonic]

ok i am a puts with computers so for some reason i cant get a pick of the white line 550.

Here is a link to a vendor's web site showing a Whiteline KSB554, which looks similar to the KSB550. They just dont have a picture of the 550 installed. It is a small image, but you'll get the idea.

http://www.kastleskorner.com/store/prod ... ucts_id=69

[jago]

ok how far do the t.m.i.c. sit off center line of strut towers . that looks like it sits about 4 inches forward is that close like you say its a smal pic so it is only a gess. if some one can run a line acros strut towers and mesure from front of intiercooler to string . i will work on a designe ok. sory again for speling.

[jago]

ok i have a question for you guys .why on the lower arm bar dose it conekt to the body instead of back of lower controlarm. it looks like it is the weak spot the front is allready braced. mabie i am missing the whole point i dont know.

[THAWA]

It connects to both of the inside parst of the control arm. The front part of the a-arm connects to the crossmember. The rear connects to the chassis.

[93Leg-c]

Can a rear strut bar be made so that it does not interfere with any items (such as ladders) passing through the trunk into the passenger compartment? I have to carry work stuff so a straight-across strut bar is in the way for me but if one can be made to angle upwards above the top of the seats I would consider getting one of those.

[jago]

mabie you should consider using a roof rack for laders. but to ansure your question any thing is posible but i think you would have to consider weight for shure. but if you want it i can build it you have leagacy sedan 91 body stile. if so we are in buisnes. but since it is such an odd ball.i wouldent mind something up front. i think the weight of thicker material will tur most people off unless i guy sprung for aluminum. but then your talking money.think about it.

[THAWA]

there isn't that much space lost using a reglar rear strut tower bar. I'd say maybe 2-3 inches less on the top.

[93Leg-c]

THAWA: Yeah the rear strut bar doesn't take away much space for most people but for me it does. The stuff I carry going through the trunk into the back seat takes up every inch of space horizontally and vertically. The bar will have to be completely out of the way for me to consider it. (I really should be driving a wagon for work.)

jago: I carry ladders in the car to keep them clean (they are used inside people's nice homes) and to preserve my sanity -- ever had to drive for 45 minutes at 70 mph with the wind howling through the ladder rungs? Sometimes I carry two ladders (and other stuff) in the car while another ladder (or two) is/are anchored on the roof racks, but I really try to avoid having to use the roof racks.

I guess for now the rear strut bar is out for me mainly because I have more important priorities with my car.. But thanks for offering, jago.

[mikec]

20 foot extension ladders on the top of a minivan are even worse, when you have to move them yourself. But I know what you mean about the noise!

[nzKAOSnz]

Adjustable is important. Why? Camber adjustments.

If you have Camber Plates, a fixed bar will lock you in at one setting of Camber.

The 350Z has an adjustable bar, stock.

Adjustable on what?
Top or bottom bar?

[BAC5.2]

An adjustable bottom bar wouldn't do anything that a fixed bar wouldn't. Nothing really flexes much at the bottom, not enough to warrant an adjustment. There is a lot more leverage up top, so a bar whose tension you can adjust would be more appreciate.

Hardy - Is that a Cusco bar for a GC, or would the GD bar work?

[ultrasonic]

Adjustable is important. Why? Camber adjustments.

If you have Camber Plates, a fixed bar will lock you in at one setting of Camber.

Are you talking about an upper strut bar limiting camber adjustment?

Please clarify, because in my limited understanding of camber plates, I thought that the three strut top mount points (the ones that an upper strut bar bolts to) stay in one place, while the center part that the top of the strut connects to, can be adjusted. Wouldn't the three outer bolts necessarily have to stay in one place because they are the mounting points to the body?

I always thought that the value of an adjustable upper strut bar is that you can load, or tension, the bar thereby making it stiffer.

Am I totally missing the point?

[mikec]

Thats what I thought too Steve, and what I've seen of camber plates.

[THAWA]

It's for a GC, the GD has a different control arm setup so the mounts and shape are different.