While perusing the sponsor sites trying to locate my camber kits (yeah yeah everyone sells 'em but no one - apparently - had 'em IN STOCK until I got to ZSpeed.... shameless plug plug....) I happened upon all of the different aftermarket strut tower braces for sale.



My question: Why?

OK, no, I know what they are, my having installed one of the first such kits offered back in the '70s on an S30. I understand shock tower flex, unwanted camber/toe/caster fluctuations under severe tower loads from cornering, blah blah blah.

My question is even more basic than that.... aside from added clearance for a supercharger or aftermarket plenum, what do the aftermarket units offer that the stock one doesn't?

Stiffer? Better design to resist torsional load? Looks more trick? What?

Not planning on buying any (unless the answer is really good), just curious to know if it's a worthwhile *replacement* of the OEM unit?

Mic

PS And yes, I searched about 28 pages of threads looking for discussion on same.... sorry if I missed that one on page 29...

 

Nothing with the exception of the Carbing bar that doubles as a master cylinder brace. In fact, the OEM bar is probably better due to it's adjustability.

 

Carbing is also one welded piece.

 

Interestingly, I was just looking at that bar just before reading your note, thanks.

M/C brace.... that's trick and smart. But thanks, that kind of confirms my suspicions and I did wonder why none of the aftermarket units appear to be adjustable like the OEM part.

Of course, that spawns another question of HOW to adjust the strut brace. Not the physical aspect, that's pretty obvious. But how tight or loose to make it. How's that measured? Unlike adjustable sway bars, where you can tune by knowing how much increased torsional rigidity is realized by the manufacturer's spec on increased stiffness per mounting hole, it doesn't seem that that's too obvious with the strut bar's threaded adjustment.

That's probably rhetorical because I likely won't make such an adjustment unless the bar feels noticeably loose. (And even then, I'd make them "just tight enough" to get them back on the shock tower...)

But who knows once I get my adjustable UCAs in?

 

i bought an aftermarket one cause my seibon TS hood did not clear the oem.

I went with the APS since it moves forward of the plenum. Plus who wants to cover up a cosworth!

 

I don't run one or a front sway bar /shrug #weightreduction

 

it's engine dress up mainly, cause you can run the zed without it. I would say that the oem
is the best one because it is from nissan.

 

if you have an HR you are better off sticking with the oem bar, most after market bars won't clear the engine.

 

How did you get you hands an APS front strut brace? I have been searching and have been able to find one.

 

I was trying to find how to adjust the stock strut bar and I found your sweet thread. Have you ever found the answer? I marked mine in where it was originally adjusted too but at this point its not looking like im getting it back in that position.

 

Nope, my Niz is marked where the factory set it and haven't found a reason to otherwise adjust it. There's no play in it so....

Never looked at my '03's but presume it's the same.

I *presume* (dangerous, I know) that it would adjust much like any other structural reinforcement.... shorten it until there's no movement just short of making it impossible to fit the mounting+ bolts then 1/2 a turn and lock following cinching all the mounting bolts.

Open to suggestions...

Mic

 

https://my350z.com/forum/brakes-and-...wer-brace.html

Found this nice old thread ill try that... Mine is rubbing on my plenum guess im driving the truck to work tomorrow.

 

Interesting, my method is pretty much what was said on that thread... pre-load, bolt, tighten a bit more, lock.

Sometimes I surprise myself.

But yes, a strut bar likely doesn't need to be science.... tight enough to keep the shock towers from moving but not too tight as to start pulling them together and messing with alignment. Heh heh.

 

I just want it to not to hit I moved the car like 500 feet and the whole front end vibrates with the engine. But worth it for 1/2 hp of extra power haha.

That stock strut bar weighs like 7lbs I was pretty surprised how heavy duty it was. And its bolted down like a champ. I cant imagine aftermarket pieces being any better but could be lighter.

 

I did this but did 1.5 revolutions and low and behold




I have clearance...

Turns out I had tightened it the wrong way pushing the towers towards each other thus giving me the issue... Thats what happens when your a noob that doesn't do proper strut bar research.

Still havent done a test ride because dinners in the oven but im feeling more confident that the car is drivable again. And not looking forward to the car idling bad for the next week because I reset the ecu.

 

DBA, pardon my obtuseness but did I miss the part about WHY you removed it in the first place??

You mentioned clearance issues? What happen, that new dual quad tunnel ram interfering with the tower bar? But ya, whudju do, add a plenum spacer or something?

Mic

 

O yeah I put on a v+ plenum. needed that extra boost of noise to get people's attention to move out of the way in the costco parking lot.


Install wasn't bad. Wish I knew the plenum gasket was a thin metal thingy I would have put the nicely painted other plenum I have in my basement that I spent long hours polishing just to decide I dont like polished and then painted... I was going to order new gaskets for that and ended up just ordering the v+

 

The most important variable in tower bar efficacy on our platform is maintaining a linear load path between each mounting point...I think bars like the APS bars sacrifice this in the name of necessity, though im sure still effective to a lesser degree.

Torsional rigidity is less important but may contribute to overall stiffness of the bar. Bars triangulated into the firewall like on the 370 and new mustang are even better.

Those front lower bars that tie into the plastic part of the core support are only good for adding mass where it isnt wanted and therefore a waste of money, imo.

Per the FSM on OEM bar adjustment:
"INSTALLATION
1. Install tower bar and tighten at the specified torque.
NOTE:
If it is hard to install tower bar, install it turning center bolt.
2. Tighten center bolt to the direction in the figure on 660° (Or turn
bolt 1.7 times) to place the black mark of center bolt above.
NOTE:
The space between tower bar and engine collector should be
between 10.0 mm (0.394 in) and 17.0 mm (0.669 in).
3. Tighten both nut of the right and left side of center bolt."

 

Had it for a while now. It may be crawford...not sure. They were nearly the same Yeah its crawford, straight bar, flatter brackets.

 

I'm going to get a Cusco bar for my HR to dress up the bay a little more, it won't scratch up my intakes, and it looks a hell of a lot easier to install and remove than the OEM strut bar.