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Rear strut tower brace build (pic heavy)


hwvigo

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Hello im Will and this is my first post in the weld and fab area.  About a month or so ago I started looking at rear strut tower braces for my 280Z, and found that they were a little pricey. So I set off to build my own and this is what I was able to come up with.

 

Materials 0.875” cold roll steel bar for center bar , 3/8 rod ends with weld bungs and cone spacers from QS Components for adjustability ,  0.115” steel plate for mount , 3/8 grade 8 mounting hardware , black plasitdip for center bar, and black wrinkle paint for mount.

 

The build. The whole thing started with piece of steel bar and some cardboard and I idea of “ ya I can do this “ .

 

post-19246-0-45123700-1396542501_thumb.jpg strut bar?

 

post-19246-0-13604000-1396542503_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-68044200-1396542504_thumb.jpg mounting plates cardboard version

 

post-19246-0-30553900-1396543129_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-67884400-1396542505_thumb.jpg traced on to plate and cutting out

 

post-19246-0-33084900-1396542508_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-69284600-1396542506_thumb.jpg cut and then cleaned

 

post-19246-0-23405200-1396542510_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-74725500-1396542511_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-07864000-1396542617_thumb.jpg drilled& test fitting

 

post-19246-0-61984600-1396542620_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-07544300-1396542619_thumb.jpg more strengeth was needed so I made the chioce to add some gussets to the sides.

 

post-19246-0-01585700-1396542627_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-58704800-1396542621_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-06914700-1396542906_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-13145000-1396542623_thumb.jpg The rod end kit i got is made to work 3/4 dom tubeing and I wanted somthing a bit more stout so I used 0.875" cold roll steel bar drilled out to have a 5/8" wide 3/4" deep hole in the end to perfectly fit the weld bungs for the rod ends.

 

post-19246-0-40603500-1396542500_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-59954800-1396542906_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-98954900-1396542906_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-13314600-1396542905_thumb.jpg  This gave me a wall thickness of 0.130"  much better then the 0.058" wall the bung was made to fit.

 

post-19246-0-61345300-1396542624_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-62745500-1396542625_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-39515000-1396542907_thumb.jpg Test fit before weld of bung and gussett

 

post-19246-0-54795300-1396542909_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-36235100-1396542908_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-54635500-1396542910_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-73195700-1396542911_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-77812900-1396543009_thumb.jpg All welded up and ready for clean up and paint.

 

post-19246-0-90414500-1396543018_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-74494900-1396543020_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-89935100-1396543021_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-60333300-1396543011_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-17893500-1396543013_thumb.jpgpost-19246-0-44093900-1396543015_thumb.jpg All painted and test installed ( no rear struts in car ) 

 

Over all came out good I think, and for the total price of $18.00 I am very happy.

please feel free to leave any tips or pointers  for my next adventure in welding and fab.

 

post-19246-0-00943600-1396545120_thumb.pngpost-19246-0-52423700-1396545120_thumb.png

Prints by HWvigo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Where did you source the rod ends? Everywhere I've seen them, they're pretty expensive.

 

Based on what I've read (and the condition of my rear strut bar ends) I don't think rod ends are the way to go. It shouldn't really be an adjustable component, it should fit snugly and flex as little as possible.

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http://www.qscomponents.com/38EcoPHBConeBung058.html  Is the source of the rod ends, and were I got my idea to use them was  based off the TTT https://technotoytuning.com/nissan/280z/rear-strut-tower-brace-datsun-240z-260z-280z   and they make good parts. And once installed you just twist the bar till it snugs up good and tight and set the lock nuts and its good and solid.

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