deMideon Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 I am going to be building front strut bracing to go from the strut to the area where the sway bar mounts, from the back of the strut down to the frame rail, and from the strut at an angle back to the firewall. I know I saw a picture of this on here a while ago but I can seem to find it! Anyway my question is material. What pipe stock should I use. I was thinking of going to home depot and picking up some "black pipe" (pipe used for natual gas) since that is very thick walled. But before I do I wanted to find out if that would be a mistake!! Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperZ Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 I think gas pipe is thick because it is cast iron - not the easiest to work with, or the strongest. You might use mild steel like electrical conduit tubing, I hear some folks have made strut tower braces with that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 Forget the plumbing pipe and go to a steel yard. Buy DOM or ERW mild steel tubing 1/2 to 3/4" diameter and .095 (1/2") or .080 (3/4") wall thickness. You can also buy 4130 tubing at .065 wall thickness although it will cost about 3 times what the DOM or ERW stuff does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rc's240z Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 DOM Tubing is a must, you can contact PDK Fabrication for this solution. http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1184&password=&sort=7&thecat=500 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 You can order all your parts, tubing, Heims, everything to make it a bolt in or weld in device from these two places: http://www.stockcarproducts.com http://www.colemanracing.com You can also get it shipped from S&W race cars. Check online for their website in Google! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 I have made work benches out of fire sprinkler pipe I picked up in a scrap metal yard. It is regular steel and quite easy to work with. BTW, if you want pipe find a scrap metal yard that will sell you stuff by the pound. You can buy a pick up truck load for what Home Depot charges for a few lengths of pipe and some sheet metal. Obviously for a given size, seemless or electron welded tubing will be stonger than black pipe, however what is the difference in cost? For strut tower bracing is it really necessary? We are not talking life support equipment here. You just want something to stiffen the towers without adding too much weight. You could almost do it by bending sheet metal braces. For the short lengths of strut braces I would want about 1 inch OD tubing. If anything 1" black pipe would be excessively strong because it is so thick walled. But if cost is more important than weight, what is the harm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 Or just buy the PDK brace and bolt it in. It does almost exactly what your plans are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 Black pipe is going to be alot heavier than ERW or DOM. I made a bumper reinforcement out of it, but I don't think I'd want that extra weight up high on a strut tower brace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deMideon Posted June 3, 2003 Author Share Posted June 3, 2003 Thanks everyone! I knew you guys would be the ones to ask! Yes price is a big issue! So I will probably pick up some DOM tubing at a steel yard. Thanks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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