nine9six

Does it matter the location of the strut brace mount; either fwd or aft mount position?
Here is a photo of the fwd position, in front of the coilover; mine is mounted aft, behind the coilover.

d ward

Wouldn't have thought it matters,after all it's still tieing the two struts together in the same way, whether it's in front or behind

pirahna

I have no idea if it matters but the Darin at FD installed mine in the front position.

CHJ

Not to change the question, but would this system make a noticeable torsional stiffness with a cab in either position?

Chuck

David993S

I installed mine in front, and have never given it a second thought..........until now. Thanks a lot. Actually, I don't think it would have installed behind.

nile13

Some. Not greatly noticeable, but it does add some rigidity and reduces cowl shake.

CHJ

Thanks

Chuck

pp000830

Seems to me it doesn't matter in either case the bar will transmit the force of an accident's impact on one side of the car to the other side of the car extending the consequential damage with the same level of efficiency. Never understood why owners put these things on street driven cars.

Andy ;-)

nine9six

I have some thoughts on suspension stresses while in forward motion, braking, and turn-ins, so that is why I posted the question. Maybe Bill Verburg has some thoughts?

nine9six

Andy,
I've seen the same or similar response from you regarding strut braces, and I do understand your point...

However, I dont drive my car with the anticipation of an accident; and I try to add/upgrade suspension components as they wear, and improve handling/driving experience and characteristics of my car. In addition, many performance vehicles these days incorporate strut braces from the factory. Body flex is one of those things sports/performance vehicle engineers try to mitigate, without the costs involved in building tubular frames.

If you think of things more along those lines, as opposed to mitigating transmitted crash damage stresses, maybe it'll clarify your point of wonderment.

David993S

Good question. There really isn't much of a noticeable difference with a strut brace in a street car either on the street or on the track. But they look cool and if you think it helps, sometimes that's all you need.

nile13

Do you drive on the street with rubber bumper savers to protect the bumpers in case of an accident?

If you have a side impact severe enough to mangle the tub and strut tower on one side, that will be a total loss. Why would I worry about the health of the other side of the car in such a case?

nine9six

Hey David, do race cars employ strut braces; and if so, why if there's no "noticeable difference"? Now that's a question. Whereas your response was to a statement.

Without paraphrasing Andy's response and using his logic within the statement; why would you drive your car if an accident would very well lessen its value or possibly total it?

Maybe its the things you don't notice, that are of benefit; like providing rigidity across the front suspension towers, and less flex. Or maybe your point is that most street driver, who have never pushed their cars in a DE, AX, or track day event, would never know the difference? Or perhaps on a car that has many miles and OEM suspension, there would be a noticeable difference. But then one could argue, only to the point of the next weakest link in the front end; such as old tired bushings...Maybe, just maybe, its a part of a package that keeps things working as engineered/intended.

All in all, I would say a triangulated strut brace is much more efficient in stiffening the front end, and there are a number of issues engineered into today's marketed braces. Here are a few.

1) thin shock tower plates of soft, stamped materials (allows flex and movement)

2) thin hollow tubes that make up the cross bar (lacks the strength required to do the job)

3) multiple bends and angles of the cross bar (each bend or angle imparts a weakness and point of flex to the brace)

4) pivot points where the cross bar attaches to the shock tower rings. As the chassis twists and flexes from side to side, the pivot points simply allow the strut brace to "float" with the movement rather that stop it.

5) small diameter hardware, a structure is only as strong as its weakest component. You could have a cross bar of solid 2 inch thick steel but if it attaches to the rings with a 1/4 inch bolt, its only as strong as the quarter inch bolt.

6) lack of reasonable heft and girth (assuming reasonably priced materials, not "super alloys)