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  1. #1
    Junior Member Forgiven's Avatar
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    2002 Z28

    Strut tower braces

    I am looking for a good used brace for my 2002 Z28. Hotchkis makes one that goes directly between the towers, (is it a good one? it has two bars with a 3 hole brace in the middle) then what seems to be a newer version that angles back towards the firewall and can get in the way of dipsticks...I am having a problem figuring out how to load pictures here or I would attach one....

  2. #2
    Senior Member kingls1's Avatar
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    1999 Trans-Am, 2012 Sonic

    I have the UMI brace, well built fittment was perfect, don't get in the way of anything. And If I remember correct new was less than $80. Check them out they also are a site sponser and offer a lot of f-body parts
    99 Trans Am, SLP Lid, Blackwing filter, smooth bellow, Ported TB, LS6 intake, Ws6 lower ram air box, OBX LT's, Magna Flow cat back, LS7 clutch, Tick MC, Hurst Shifter, Frost Tune, UMI SFC,LAC, STB, PB, Torq Arm, Super Hawk hood, Torq Thrust II, Kee Audio.
    Strange S60 4:10's, D&S Rotors, S/S Brake Lines.
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  3. #3
    Junior Member Forgiven's Avatar
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    At the top of this page I see an online store, that was not the way to find UMI. I am not familiar as how to find supporting vendors here. Can you give a link to the best price for the UMI brace? The best I could find on line was over $100. so far. Thanks.

  4. #4
    Veteran 35th-ANV-SS's Avatar
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    02 35th LE Camaro SS

    UMI has a 15% sale going right now.

    Shock Tower Braces : UMI Performance, Inc.

  5. #5
    Senior Member kingls1's Avatar
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    Thanks Jon, I thought they were around $80

  6. #6
    Former Mopar Man 2002ssslp's Avatar
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    02 Camaro SS, 04 GTO

    UMI is the way to go. The price is very fair for a quality piece like the one they sell.
    My ride is a 2002 Camaro SS SLP #3296 with 30k, LTH, 3" Y, CME, Frost tune, K&N, ported TB, Blackwing lid, Bellows, MSD, Denso Iridium, and 85mm MAF, Bilsteins, Eibach springs, SLP strut brace, Adj. Panhard, TA Girdle, UMI, Pro 5.0, Nitto NT555
    My wife has a 2004 GTO with the rare SAP, 18" wheels, K&N Cold Air System, MSD, Ported TB, Frost tune, Denso Iridium, Flowmaster cat-back, 3200 Yank, 75k

  7. #7
    Junior Member Forgiven's Avatar
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    Thanks for the input guys. I am thinking of getting a 3 point brace as it will do a better job from what I have read. I am looking to get an Edlebrock one. Merry Christmas to you all.

  8. #8
    Member Decadence75's Avatar
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    Bright Red
    2000 Trans Am

    Quote Originally Posted by Forgiven View Post
    Thanks for the input guys. I am thinking of getting a 3 point brace as it will do a better job from what I have read. I am looking to get an Edlebrock one. Merry Christmas to you all.
    If you are thinking of a 3 point vs 2 point argument... It is probably dealing with sub-frame connectors. Most shock tower braces are 2 point as any 3 point ones would require a mount point under the cowl and probably not offer any further benefits. I have a Chromoly UMI tower brace if you would like to contact me about it.

    2000 Trans Am T56 Swapped - GMPP "HOT" Cam | LS6 Intake | PnP TB | 25% UD Pulley | Founders adjustable LCA/PHB/TA | Norris Catch Can | TSP 1-7/8 SS LT | TSP True Duals with bullets | SLP Lid | UMI Shock tower brace | Torq Thrust M 17x9 275/40 front 17x10.5 315/35 rear - YouTube Videos - My Car Site

  9. #9
    Veteran 35th-ANV-SS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Decadence75 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Forgiven View Post
    Thanks for the input guys. I am thinking of getting a 3 point brace as it will do a better job from what I have read. I am looking to get an Edlebrock one. Merry Christmas to you all.
    If you are thinking of a 3 point vs 2 point argument... It is probably dealing with sub-frame connectors. Most shock tower braces are 2 point as any 3 point ones would require a mount point under the cowl and probably not offer any further benefits. I have a Chromoly UMI tower brace if you would like to contact me about it.
    Edelbrock makes a 3-pt shock/strut tower brace. A few other manufactures do too. The third mounting point is in the middle.

    A lot of people have mixed reviews on how well these really help, if at all. Some say they don't. Some say they do. It's one of the few mods I never added to mine so I can't speak from personal experience.
    Boost gets you laid, unless your name is Jon.

  10. #10
    Member Decadence75's Avatar
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    Bright Red
    2000 Trans Am

    Quote Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS View Post
    Edelbrock makes a 3-pt shock/strut tower brace. A few other manufactures do too. The third mounting point is in the middle.

    A lot of people have mixed reviews on how well these really help, if at all. Some say they don't. Some say they do. It's one of the few mods I never added to mine so I can't speak from personal experience.
    Yes. As I pointed out in my post that any 3 point ones would require under cowl attachment and probably not offer any additional benefit over a 2 point.

  11. #11
    Veteran 35th-ANV-SS's Avatar
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    02 35th LE Camaro SS

    You also said he was probably speaking about sub-frame connectors so I wasn't sure...

  12. #12
    Member Decadence75's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS View Post
    You also said he was probably speaking about sub-frame connectors so I wasn't sure...
    True. I probably should have specified more clearly. I apologize for the confusion. I am sorry.

    Chris

  13. #13
    Veteran 35th-ANV-SS's Avatar
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    02 35th LE Camaro SS

    No worries.

    OP - I'd agree with Chris and just get a 2-pt if a strut tower brace. Not too many people have a 3-pt that I've ever heard and I've been on the forums a long time. Let us know if you have any other questions.

  14. #14
    Senior Member Naaman's Avatar
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    98 Z28 Vert M6

    Quote Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS View Post
    No worries.

    OP - I'd agree with Chris and just get a 2-pt if a strut tower brace. Not too many people have a 3-pt that I've ever heard and I've been on the forums a long time. Let us know if you have any other questions.
    Not only that, but I have read about some issues with the 3pts causing problems with the windshield.
    Lid, Throttle Body, LS6 Intake, Heads, Cam, Magnaflow, LS7 Clutch, SFCs, STB, Panhard Bar, Strano Springs, Hollow Sway Bars, Poly/Roto LCAs, Konis, MGW Shifter

  15. #15
    Junior Member Forgiven's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Decadence75 View Post
    If you are thinking of a 3 point vs 2 point argument... It is probably dealing with sub-frame connectors. Most shock tower braces are 2 point as any 3 point ones would require a mount point under the cowl and probably not offer any further benefits. I have a Chromoly UMI tower brace if you would like to contact me about it.
    I sent you an email yesterday, did you get it? I have been reading online everything from 3 point is the way to go for least deflection to it is not worth doing at all. I sort of like to think it is better to be safe than sorry if you intend to do some hard cornering....The point that a 3 point may disrupt the windshield is well taken, will have to see if I can find any instances of that happening. Thanks guys.

  16. #16
    Veteran 35th-ANV-SS's Avatar
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    02 35th LE Camaro SS

    If you want to add something for better cornering, shocks/springs/sway bars are a much better choice over a strut tower brace.

  17. #17
    Member xssv's Avatar
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    01 SS

    Quote Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS View Post
    If you want to add something for better cornering, shocks/springs/sway bars are a much better choice over a strut tower brace.
    All of this....

    Strut tower braces really serve no purpose anyway.
    They said it wouldnt fit in an fbody....


  18. #18
    Junior Member Forgiven's Avatar
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    Actually I am happy with how the car corners except that I am going to put in urethane sway bar mounts. My main concern is that I do not wear out the car with any hard cornering....if that is not an issue then I would not even bother doing it. I may be running tires with extra grip and driving hard at times. My concerns were raised by page 23 of the link below. Even though the car in question is older than mine I figured the same principles applied so I was thinking of getting a strut brace....further input is welcome.

  19. #19
    Member xssv's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Forgiven View Post
    Actually I am happy with how the car corners except that I am going to put in urethane sway bar mounts. My main concern is that I do not wear out the car with any hard cornering....if that is not an issue then I would not even bother doing it. I may be running tires with extra grip and driving hard at times. My concerns were raised by page 23 of the link below. Even though the car in question is older than mine I figured the same principles applied so I was thinking of getting a strut brace....further input is welcome.
    No link....and what are you afraid of that will "wear out"?

    Assuming the car in question is a true strut car, there are benefits (though minimal) in a strut brace. Note however, 4th GEN FBODIES DO NOT HAVE STRUTS.....just sayin. You want to stiffen the chassis....weld in SFCs. You want to handle better....fat sway bars AND good shocks/springs (Koni, Bilstein, Strano, BMR, etc)
    D

  20. #20
    Junior Member Forgiven's Avatar
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    Sorry about forgetting that link. Here it is. Do a search on strut tower braces and Camaros come up also, so that is why I called it a strut brace. Fair enough if they mis-state what the cars actually have, and I do not mind being corrected.

    How to Tune and Modify Your Camaro, 1982-1998 - Jason Scott - Google Books

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