Strut Tower Brace

**jmhvenom** · 08-02-2006, 07:24 PM

Ok, I figure this will get mixed responses. I searched a lot and could not find anything addressing it really. Does the Strut tower brace really do anything? I know the theory. But, I was also told that the Camaro frame in the front is stiff enough that you dont need the brace. Any thoughts? Is it worth while or just added weight?

**illcul8troffcr** · 08-03-2006, 01:13 AM

Me personally I cant notice any difference .. the car handles like champ in the curves and Im definitely one who flies in and out of curves .. the tires hate me for it. I plan on putting some engine dress up .. fuel rail covers.. billet .. and chrome .. and if someone makes them .. underhood mirrors.. so I found a hotchkis polished strut tower brace .. looks awesome under the hood so for me its just appearance .. and if it does do anything for stiffening ..so be it

**Eugenio_SS** · 08-03-2006, 04:10 AM

imho, no.
I've raced with and without it, and it makes no difference whatsoever in the handling. I ended up leaving it there... it's a nice piece and very practical to lean on when working on the engine bay.

***Ed Blown Vert*** · 08-03-2006, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by Eugenio_SS

it's a nice piece and very practical to lean on when working on the engine bay.

Thats what I use mine for.

SFC's will work better.

**NHRAMAN** · 08-03-2006, 04:02 PM

I like mine.

all red and shiny...

....[ HOTCHKISS ]

**ihatemustangs** · 08-04-2006, 10:20 AM

I like mine as well...2point BMR. handling probably increased slightly with it. SFCs and LCAs were what made my handling noticably better

**mrr23** · 08-04-2006, 12:13 PM

well, when i first got the one for the wife's car, i put it on. about a week later, took it off to paint it. while it was off, one day i was making a left turn from a light. as i'm making the turn she asks, did you take that bar thingy off? i said yes to paint it. why? i could tell.

i couldn't tell......

**ProwlerZ** · 08-05-2006, 09:49 AM

Yeah, it will help prevent chassis twist if you're running at the track a lot, but if you don't have SFCs, you're wasting your time.

**Chad97z** · 08-05-2006, 12:53 PM

It makes you feel more bumps. And the bumps are more harsh. It also reduces chassis twist, which was bad for me the other day because my car sits low and I was going to park my car at the black eyed pea in dallas and behind the building where the parking lot is, there is a dip in the road and then it goes up high real fast. So I wanted to hit it at an angle so I wouldnt drag anything.. Well, I went slow and approached it at an angle, so this would have normally put a twist on my car but since it resisted twisting, the rear tire got no traction and for some reason only 1 tire would spin and it was the one that wouldnt get traction, so I got stuck in a little itty bitty dip in the road. totally weird.

**Hot Black Trans-Am** · 08-05-2006, 09:31 PM

I put mine on after putting bigger tires, SFC's, springs and other suspension componets and I really noticed a big difference. If it's on a stock suspension I don't think you'll notice much, but it is nice to lean on. I didn't notice it make bumps any harsher, but it did feel like the tires stayed flatter going fast around corners.

**Chad97z** · 08-06-2006, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by Hot Black Trans-Am

I put mine on after putting bigger tires, SFC's, springs and other suspension componets and I really noticed a big difference. If it's on a stock suspension I don't think you'll notice much, but it is nice to lean on. I didn't notice it make bumps any harsher, but it did feel like the tires stayed flatter going fast around corners.

how does it feel when your tires are flatter?

**NHRAMAN** · 08-06-2006, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by mrr23

well, when i first got the one for the wife's car, i put it on. about a week later, took it off to paint it. while it was off, one day i was making a left turn from a light. as i'm making the turn she asks, did you take that bar thingy off? i said yes to paint it. why? i could tell.

i couldn't tell......

That is the proper name for it in case no one knew..." Bar Thingy "

**Hot Black Trans-Am** · 08-06-2006, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by Chad97z

how does it feel when your tires are flatter?

It didn't feel like the tires would slip as much up front and lean over quite as much. The tires also sounded different when going fast around corners at the traciton limit. They sounded to be using more of a contact patch or something.

**Somebody09** · 08-07-2006, 05:41 AM

I voted yes. Once I was racing some RXS Type-S at speeds of over 80mph on a normally not so twisty road, but at those speeds NOT having a brace sucked! Ironically, the same day my SLP brace arrived. It made a world of a difference! Recently (kinda), I raced a Charger... same twisties and my brace was out. Let's just say I don't ever want to take that turn at 95+ mph EVER again! 2nd scarriest moment in my life.

**AKIRA** · 08-07-2006, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by Ed Blown Vert

Thats what I use mine for.

SFC's will work better.

LS1Tech.com had a thread about SFCs and strut towers and it came to an end with some peeps saying our cars dont need these sort of things. It got pretty technical and it was maybe a year ago that I read it (cuz I was considering buying some).

I remember no difference what so ever welding SFCs on my 94 mustang gt convertible. And they say convertibles are the number one type of frames that would benefit from these...

**Hot Black Trans-Am** · 08-07-2006, 08:39 PM

I think that both help out. I don't see how they could not. Most convertiable are already braced with something so I don't think SFC's would help on a vert as much as a T-top car.

**sunsetorangess** · 08-08-2006, 04:09 AM

I thought sfc came on vert's from the factory? Anywho i put the stb and sfc on the ss and it made a big difference. I would say its worth the investment, although im thinkin i should have went with the weld in sfc.
J

**blackcat** · 08-09-2006, 05:39 PM

The brace makes a subtle difference. Not something that will make a major change in max cornering like tires, shocks, bars. On NewEngland back roads I find it tightens up the initial steering response. I noticed it, my 17 YO son noticed it so we pulled it out to see if it was just $ imagination. Nope. Choose wisely and get one that won't interfere with the engine oil dip stick.

**tuske427** · 08-15-2006, 08:15 AM

I think I notice a difference with mine on. I installed one a on a previous 4th gen car ('95 T/A with t-tops) I owned (did not have sfc), and on my current ride ('84 T/A with t-tops and sfc). Of course, I don't have track times to prove it one way or another (hence why I say I think I notice), but it feels tighter up front.

Then again, the third gen cars aren't nearly as structural up front as the 4th gens are...

I use the 3 point brace. I like the idea of the triangulation support it (supposedly) offers.