240zip Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 We installed camber plates for coilovers, but it seems all strut tower braces are designed for stock mount points which go away when you install the weld-in plates. How have people handled this? Do you simply add-on attachment points for custom strut braces? Does anyone have any pictures of such an installation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 One option is to weld brackets to the strut towers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zip Posted January 28, 2013 Author Share Posted January 28, 2013 I found this example ... nice, but overkill for my application Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rags Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I'm in the process of doing this now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 One option is to weld brackets to the strut towers. What Jon said... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Dam n, that's beautiful welding! Johnc, if I lived in LaHabra, you'd be making a lot of money off of me. I think I have a good welder here in Alabama, but I'd have to go to NASA in Huntsville to find somebody who could do that kind of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I can't take credit for that welding - although I can probably do as well after 10 years of TIG welding. That fab work was done by Bill Savage of T-Mag and NPTI fame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 We all seem to like strut bars, but when they have an arch or a bend to them like that - are they really doing much of anything other than adding weight? Honest question, here, strut bar is on my list of things to do, but it just keeps getting knocked lower by all the "ah-shits" I can't seem to keep up with. Finished work early and my family is out of town - headed straight to the shop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Whether and how an arch or bend flexes depends on the material used. Any arch or bend will move more more then a straight tube given compression loads that are in line with the tube. That movement can be reduced with material selection and positioning of the arm on the strut tower. Remember, the strut towers actually twist slightly and move back more then they move inward. That's why a triangulated strut tower bar setup is significantly stiffer then just a lateral bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Is the firewall really stuff enough to do any good in the absence of a brace on the other side from the knee bar of a roll cage? I can't believe how much my firewall flexes from my clutch pedal. I'm balancing weight against performance value. I just put MYSELF on a diet to offset the weight of my new exhaust system. Gonna try to look like a skinny assed jockey by summer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Good question. I ran a STB triangulated to the firewall, and then when I removed the firewall part I realized that it went to a completely unsupported part of the firewall on one side. There was a HUGE improvement running the STB, but I don't know how much of that was from the firewall braces and how much was from the strut brace. I think bjhines did a good job reinforcing the area in his car. You might look at that if you really want to get the most out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Look closely at my second pic above and notice the line of spot welds at bottom left of the mount. The mount is tall enough to span the whole cowl box and stiff enough to not flex (.100" 4130). That area spanned is the base of the cowl box triangle and its plenty strong for loads involved. I was able to up the front spring rate by 50 lb. in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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