I just installed MD 5/16" spacer. Now the strut bar is almost hitting the hood. I am also getting the Seibon VSII hood. If the hood can't close because of the strut bar, I am thinking to remove the strut bar. I don't want to put washers to raise the hood. What happens if driving without the strut bar? Does it impact handling? Also, does Stillen strut bar go with Seibon VSII hood?

 

No dont drive it your car will fold in half making it Z taco

 

ive got the 5/16 spacer on my car and i still got pretty good clearance on my hood. I put on the spacers for my strut bar also and it fits good. I still got to put my Seibon hood on and i dont think i should have any clearance issues.

 

I drove without one for like 20 miles. Felt fine to me just cruising around, handled just as good as usual. I dunno, im sure its SAFE to say the least...

 

you should be ok man , i drove my 04 without the bar for one year , because i had that thick *** skunk 2 spacer lols ,

 

1 out of 100 drivers would even notice that the front strut brace was missing.

 

the stock strut bar and most aftermarket ones aren't going to do much anyway because they aren't solid pieces. I'll porbably catch heat for this, but the thread&bolt setup provides a flex point that is going to do exactly the opposite of what a strut tower bar is supposed to do. It's better than nothing, but barely. I haven't shopped around, but the most functional strut tower brace would be a solid piece (no thread&bolt joints) and be a 3-point setup, connecting to the firewall. I would be very surprised if no one made one like this.

 

Actually the stock one is the only one built correctly holding the strut towars apart allowing the bar to be tensioned. If you think it flexes at the threaded portion you need to take the bar ot of the car and stand on it. Then tell me how much it flexes. The stock bar does it's job as good or likely better than any other.

JET

 

I just ran out to take another look...I see too many aftermarket bars I guess, and was thinking there were pivot joints on the stock bar oops. So, I take back what I said.

But on that note, speaking completely unscientifically, I don't understand the pivot joints present on many aftermarket bars, including the higher-dollar ones (Cusco, Crawford, Arc, etc). These seem like obvious weak points when compared with the stock unit. In fact, the more I look around, the stock bar seems to offer the least flex on design impressions alone. I can't believe this hasn't been discussed, but a search yielded nothing.

However, I still don't see how the stock unit would be superior to a solid, triangulated 3- or 4- point bar connected to the firewall.

 

It's safe because it is just an extra suspension mod, but I definitely could feel the difference especially during initial turn in. Night and day difference without it on

 

I have 5/16 and Kaminari Fiber Glass Hood which doesnt leave room for much --- But theres room for my stock strut bar

Pull up the procedure on how to adjust it. And its there to stiffen the tops of the struts so ur alignment stays consistent through all manuviers. And as JETPILOT says- its as good as the aftermarkets

 

yea ,,i been weary of changing my stock front strut aswell becasue i havent seen any that surpass the standards of the bar.....i seen a titanium one that came closed but none can boast more rigidty then the stock so..its like why change it . Zz stock front and rear strut bars are preety much tuned and perfected out of the box. Now suspension and sways etc thats where the aftermarket has nismo beat.

 

Im not educated at this but Ill take a shot and throw a dart in the dark. The reason why most of the aftermarket bars are sold with pivot points is because the bar is going to be on a daily driver. If you sold a solid piece that was quality enginered to where it could handle the daily stresses of the cars chassis flexing, it would probably cost more money then many "tuners" are willing to spend on a strut bar.


On another note, for the most of you, removing the stock strutbar will not make a noticable difference in how the car handles because you dont have the car being pushed to its handling limits everyday.

Now if you track your car on a regular basis and know how the Z feels when its at its limit you will probably be able to tell the difference when the strut bar is there and when it is not.

 

That's a fair guess, but I can't buy that reason. I mean there are more than a few members here with $4000 brakes and $3000 coil-overs for their daily drivers, which is overkill out the wazoo. And even if that was the reason, why wouldn't there be a competition version from these companies? I dont see how it would be any more expensive--and even if it was, a strut tower bar that actually does what others pretend to do would be its justification.

 

You'll be fine without it. Maybe a road racer would see negative effects on handling without it, but for most people you wont feel it missing. I dont run one, and dont feel any more flex/twisting/bad handling....

 

People are paying for the D***le--Cool I quess--I do to a point. Stock bar is VERY funtional and if they want D***le ---Powder coat it. And as far as Spacers--IMO there is NO beter thann the 5/16 MD and it WILL clear.Im blowin off the Coil Overs and going with Koni Yellows and sway and as far as brakes ---Dont get me started!!!!!!!! What a Rip less ur doing HARD Track. I drive the **** out of mine with the stocks and GOOD pads and they are great

 

Jeez ---I can say **** but not a*z*z

 

I drove around without mine for 5,000 miles and never noticed the slightest difference. I just installed the Cusco because of the looks

 

You'll be fine without one, most stock cars dont even have a strut bar.

 

when u see road race track days then u will realize the difference in ur turn in movement on a curve. I noticed the diff immedietly its a nit pic type of mod but ....rigidity is what the Z chassis was designed for so ....theres a reason why it came with a strut bar. But normal driving wont see anything becasue ur not turning into a apex at 90mph or downshifting from 140 lol.