15 replies to this topic

[chedda_j]

So i started the rear strut bar for my car, just to let you guys know. The bar is just going to straight across for now, but the plan is to make two attachment points that will hook to the seat belt points. (kind of like a V). Both versions will be available for sale shortly.

The one that travels across, between the struts will either be welded on or bolted through the strut tower which will be your choice. The one im going to put in my car, the brackets will weld to the shock towers with four plug welds. It will be identical to the one which will bolt to the towers, but the plug weld holes will just be drilled holes that you can drill through the shock tower and use the included hardware to install it. I would rather have it just bolt in to some stock location but with the rear towers build the way they are, its impossible to just bolt them in. All rods will have 1/2" rod ends.

Rear tower bar $110 shipped
Rear tower bar + V brace $250 shipped

Every bar will have rod ends for maximum tightness. Rather than something that just bolts on, these will have rod ends on every pivot point, so the bar is actually functional, with no play.

Pictures to come soon, most likely on tuesday for the first brace.

Here is a couple drawings.

[JEA86]

i will be picking up a rear strut bar!

[cbstdscott]

From my experience, the chassis between the rear strut is very stiff. The points that would benefit most would be between the B pillars with triangulation to the strut towers.

Additionally, the EA chassis really needs help to triangulate the front strut towers in the vertical axis, i.e. fender braces.

Scott

[enduser]

I would be interested in some 3g fender braces.

[chedda_j]

From my experience, the chassis between the rear strut is very stiff. The points that would benefit most would be between the B pillars with triangulation to the strut towers.

Additionally, the EA chassis really needs help to triangulate the front strut towers in the vertical axis, i.e. fender braces.

Scott

If I put a bar straight across the seat belt holes, the seats will not lean back like they do in a stock car, it would limit your adjustabilitly. I think my design, that triangulates between the rear towers and up to the seat belt holes will make the car much more ridgid between the mounts, and creating much need chassis stffness. The area between the shocks towers do flex to some extent, the added rear bar will again help by adding more chassis stiffness. Maybe the design that triangulates between the towers and the seat belt holes could have another bar travelling across behind the seats. The last thing i want to do is to make a bar that messes with driver comfortability, the three way bar i think will do exactly everything thats needed to create chassis stiffness.

Front fender braces are going to be built, but as for right now. im just working on strut tower braces, the fender braces, unless made with rod ends, will be large and heavy and expensive to ship.

[Aren D.]

looks cool, why a V meeting in the center rather than a X going from the towers?

[chedda_j]

looks cool, why a V meeting in the center rather than a X going from the towers?

My reasoning is: with the arms pointed towards the towers, i have a feeling that the seat head rests will hit on the cross members.

Reason #2: Sending a X braces thats 3 feet wide and 3 feet long, would probably cost quite alot more to ship. With a V brace, i will be able to pack it all together in a round tube and ship it out together.

Also with an x brace, i would feel as though that the bar would prevent you from opening your cubby hole and essentially take up the entire back of the car. I think that if i keep it a V brace, it will have form and function, without making it an inconvience to the driver. In order to ship the X brace out in pieces, i would have to build a square block that you could mount each rod end into directly in the center. Or, a single bar that went across the area, then have a bracket on either side of center, that would hook up the other two bars.

i like the V brace idea, best, and you could mount your harnesses to it.

[Aren D.]

well said sir

[ballade]

I will be buying this
Bravo bravo!!

[Neverion]

How about this instead of bolting the bottom bar into the sides where the struts are, make it a semi circular or full circle bolt patter around the existing area so its higher and on a more stable point and so it doesnt bend the metal from too much flex? just a question if that would be better.

[chedda_j]

I thought to build it this way, but the only problem I could forsee is that the area around the strut is actually fairly unflat and also not nearly as much area to bolt/weld the brackets to. Moving the bracket to the top of the tower rather than 1/2" lower and to the side of the strut will not create any more structual stiffness.

Edit: Upon doing further thinking, I have come to the conclusion that infact, to achieve the same strength from it being bolted to the top of the tower, I would need to actually have a full circle with a thicker material, and gussets that would possibly run to the front of the strut tower anyways. The area that surounds the shock tower is essentially a 2.5" hole with maybe .5" mount area. In realation, the area bolted to would be a circle 3.5" x Pi - 2.5" x Pi (10.99 - 7.85) Which is 3.14" squared. The mounting area on the face to where I will mount the square bracket is 2.5" x 2.5". Which is 6.25" squared. As you can see, the square plate mounted to the side of the tower will actually have more surface area to absorb energy, nearly twice as much actually. The whole idea of having the bar is to push between the towers, then lock the rod ends to create a super ridgid brace, this is best achieved by mounting the bar between. From this calculation, i have determined that i may infact make a strut tower bar for the front of the car that mounts the same way, this will also allow caster/camber kits to be installed without any interferance. Also the cost can be lowered from $150-110ish as complexity is simplified.

[cahitapower]

so looking for some ef strut bars and i came across these design, they look really nice...i guess i'll post on here and maybe it'll give you some new or better ideas..








keep up the good work, cheers

[kaymo]

now just wait till you finally get a girlfriend and then you will have to explain why you have a bunch of scaffolding in the back of your car...

jeremy clarkson FTW


no but really thats a good idea on the shipping bit about sending it in a tube. are the bars going to be steel or aluminum? i see a small problem in this design if its aluminum... i think it would be ok if its steel. i would also NOT use rod ends where the V comes together. i would think you would want that bolted solid at that point, and of course optional welding. JMO

[chedda_j]

now just wait till you finally get a girlfriend and then you will have to explain why you have a bunch of scaffolding in the back of your car...

jeremy clarkson FTW


no but really thats a good idea on the shipping bit about sending it in a tube. are the bars going to be steel or aluminum? i see a small problem in this design if its aluminum... i think it would be ok if its steel. i would also NOT use rod ends where the V comes together. i would think you would want that bolted solid at that point, and of course optional welding. JMO

I believe that a solid mount to in the set belt area would be best, as for the other end where it meets the bar, i believe that a rod end is nessesary for perfect fitment. Its going to be made all from steel.

Here are the first finished pictures of the rod, i plan to polish the rods and either clear coat them, or paint them silver. The brackets have not been painted yet.

[chedda_j]

Oh and yes they are for sale now, $120 shipped for the single bar, including brackets, painted and bolts. The weld on one will be $110 shipped.