Techno Duck

I searched, but didnt find anything really specific to my question.

Since i installed the KLA strut brace on my 924S ive been getting some vibrations from the hood usually while sitting at idle. Its only really noticeable when sitting in the car and goes away when i have the hood open. I dont have the foam insulation anymore and was thinking of using something to dampen the vibration sound. Would something like a mousepad applied to the areas were the strut brace makes contact with the hood stop the vibration, and will it hold up to the heat?

Where is the usual point that the brace makes contact with the hood, is it the brace itself, or the mounts?

Bhj0887

they do sell hood insulation, I saw it somewhere just can't remember. I don;t think it was too expensive.

Mouse pad material may not be heat resistant enough but it's worth a try.

glen2002

Techno Duck, on my car the brace doesn't touch the hood but has eroded the insulation near the mounts but it is the end of the bar doing the damage. More noticeable on the left side but my car is rhd. Hope this helps

Z-man

Techno: if your strut tower brace is touching your hood, then remove it! In time, your hood will develop divots that are pretty much impossible to remove.

A STB doesn't help in handling anyway. (My opinion.)

-Z-man.

RedlineMan

If it's touching the frame, you'll know where cause the paint will get knocked off. If it's touching the skin, you'll see the dent it leaves! Who says cars aren't individuals? My strut brace (somebody GAVE it to me!) doesn't hit, but my fuel rail and distributor housing DO!

If it's not touching, just tighten the hood pin a tad.

Techno Duck

Whats odd is i have checked the hood for any indentations on the underside of the hood looking for where the brace may be touching, but it dosent seem to be making any contact. I only assume its the brace as the vibration goes away once the hood is opened. About the hood pin, is that the thing that has the spring around it? I dont recall what it looks like exactly, running on memory here. My hood does seem to go somewhat lower than the header panel actually. Its hardly noticeable by eye, but you can defenetley feel the height difference running your finger across it.

I would rather not go with hood insulation, but i still havent made up my mind yet. I still need to clean the hood of the old adhesive once it gets warm out.

W88951

Something is very wrong if your Strut Tower brace is touching the Hood.

I know that KLA brace has been installed on hundreds of cars and I have never heard of the 944 Bar impacting the hood at any point. I have one on my car and it does not impact the hood.

Z-man you are entitled to your opinion, but if a STB does nothing then I guess plenty of Automakers and Race teams are wasting their money developing and installing them on their cars. I guess I should take my sway bar off as well.

Matt Romanowski

Try the old submarine in the movie trick. Tie a string between the towers and then jack the car up. I've seen huge differences. I've even seen people at the track use the bar to pull the strut tops inward to get more camber!

Matt

slevy951

Techno....

Please contact me on this. Something is up either with the brace, installation, or your car. It shouldn't be touching the hood. Can you email me some pictures?

Techno Duck

Scott, like i said i am not 100% sure if it is the brace that is causing te vibration. It only seemed logical because it started after i installed the brace and only happens when the hood is closed. I will check the hood allignment over as i believe it is just slightly too low in the closed and locked position. For a N/A car, the brace should be mounted on the sides of the bracket facing the rear of the car right?

Z-man

W88951:
Ok, let me clarify: a STB can help, but only very little. It should be used to 'micro-tune' your suspension, after all else has been done. Swapping out the sway bar has a far greater effect in terms of adjusting your car's handling.

If you go too stiff in the front, you'll just dial in more understeer in our cars.

I've heard way too many people install just a STB and claim their car handles sooo much better. That is simplly not true. It may handle incrementally better, but not by much. Why do you think PCA autox rules allow the use of a STB in stock classes?

The STB is a like it or leave it thing: I'd rather spend my $$ on other components: sway bars, tires...etc.

As always, YMMV,
-Z-man.

slevy951

Brace will not cause vibration. Sounds like you have install correct. My main concern was you saying it was touching the hood. But, it does sound as if your hood may be too low. Do you have the rubber hood stops along the fenders? Vibration may be bad motor mounts.

M758

I have experineced something similar. Installed STB with car on ground and weight on wheels. Tried to remove after having the car on jack stands and that sucker was tight. It came off fine with car on the ground again. So there is some tower flex due to the weight of the car.

Now. I also run 350 lbs springs with camber plates, delrin control arm bushings and R-tires with 3.5 deg of negative camber. I also race the car and really work the chassis hard. Even so I cannot be sure of an improvement from the brace. I theory it would help preserve some of the -3.5 static camber I have. In practice? I don't know, but I do not see any reason to remove it.

Now for a 100% stock car with street tires I am not sure if it will make difference. If you have soft tires (sidewalls), softer suspension, stock bushings (strut top and control arm), relativly slick street tires and are not beating the snot out of the car it probably has little impact.

Like Z-man said use them for fine tuning.

944Fest (aka Dan P)

Maybe if he's got a plug wire near the strut brace, that could cause a vibration in the form of a miss. I've seen several different strut braces that have clearance issues, usually with the center seam under the hood. I've got a 1x1 moleskin (thin stick-on fuzz, in the band aid isle) stuck under my hood. It keeps the paint from scratching, etc.

W88951

Who cares about PCA autoX rules. There is no National or Regional PCA Solo II Series. PCA AutoX are for local chapters and most of them are Tame compared to SCCA. Look at the SCCA Solo II Rulebook. STB's are not allowed in stock class unless originally equipped from the manufacturer.

If your goal is to be competative in PCA AutoX then you are really just out for fun. If you want to be Humbled, show up to a SCCA Regional or National event. Those guys are Serious. And to those guys a STB means alot. Which is why it IS NOT ALLOWED IN STOCK CLASS.