Strut tower bars

[spirit]

Are they a gimmic, or do they accually work?
I was looking at these, the price is right, and they 'look' stong.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Nissan-240sx-S13-CA18DET-PS13-Strut-Bar-Set-Cusco-Sty_W0QQitemZ8051787273QQcategoryZ33591QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem
$100 for both, lot better than $160 times two to get name brand parts.
Hope that longer one is the rear one... its on the ugly side.

[TheSquidd]

A. discussed a million times. I think only the very solid, unadjustable ones have any effect. Even then, I think the effect is minimal. You would find more bang for your buck investing in some Largus sway bars or a roll cage.

B. I have ones like that, "Cusco style", didn't feel a difference.

C. www.aspecproducts.com FTW

[JXN]

coilovers really help. especially the Megan racing track, best bang for the buck id say! haha

[spirit]

Good to know, i'll just save my money for bigger n better items. Maybe something usefull like a cupholder ;)

[DrtyRat]

I know this goes into depth as to whether or not strut bars actually work...http://e30m3performance.com/myths/Strutbar_Theory/strut_bar_theory.htm... not sure about those, though I had thought about getting those but I realized strut bars would be more about show than what it would be worth to me

[kandyflip445]

I don't like round STBs. Mine is about to be rubbing on my valve cover ever since I replaced my mounts.

[[email protected]]

I just got the NISMO ones in for my car... I havent put them on yet though... :-/

Once I do Ill know if they do much!

The rear is adjustable as well as the front... looks beefy to me!

NISMO Front STB:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/PerformanceNISMO/eBay/S14nismofstb2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/PerformanceNISMO/eBay/S14nismofstb1.jpg

NISMO Rear STB:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/PerformanceNISMO/eBay/s14nismorstb2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/PerformanceNISMO/eBay/s14nismorstb1.jpg

[GamblerZ]

Under heavy cornering or drifting conditions, I would definitely recommend strut tower braces to prevent shock tower flex effectively reducing camber. I think DRTYRAT's illustration above is excellent and explains fully the forces acting on the car.

Additionally, consider how many new imports come with front and rear strut tower braces already installed (ie. 350Z).

[OptionZero]

there are other areas where reinforcement would probably help more (fender brace, sway bar...a roll fuckin cage, lol)

in any case, if you need to ask, then you probably won't feel it, so save your cash

[EroGori]

i bought those ones off ebay. I should get them in a few days and I will let you guys know.

[kandyflip445]

RXB is better than STBs.

[AllenRPS13]

but... ebay link = no good...

[cgguy]

I didn't notice any difference after I installed mine. They do however add a flashy look to your engine bay ;)

[punkz]

I have the Carbing front bar in my 300zx. Well it doesn't make a huge difference, it sure looks damn nice in there. Also, combined with all other aspects of suspensions upgrades it'll have an advantage.

[emoximuu]

I just got the JIC ones and definitly felt a differance. Even though i don't anymore i know they are helping. Thing that made the bigest dif was putting the towers back where they should be from the chassis flex. They were about an inch and a half closer to each other then stock.

[mjjstang]

I have the cusco type that drift freaq was selling, they are nice, they were cheap kinda. and i think i notice a little bit of ridgidity. o well like everyone was saying, they look cool atleast.

[KA24DESOneThree]

Solid is good. Everything else should not be produced, imho. Bling for the engine compartment, that's it.

Please search first, this has been covered many times.

The modification process should never include anti-rolls before chassis stiffening due to the chassis' inherent anti-roll behaviour during flex.

The no-name eBay stuff is worthless crap. I'd rather eat a shoe.

Edit: Yeah, this is more than two weeks late. Bite me, I'm not paying $.40 a minute for internet access and then surfing Zilvia.

[Nan Desu Ka?!]

but... ebay link = no good...

only if you link to a sale of yours. discussing a product that is availible on ebay and giving and example is fine.

[RightWheelDrive]

There was a slight increase of chassis stiffness felt during weight transfer and irregularities in the road. $40 for both doesn't hurt either :wiggle:

[Nan Desu Ka?!]

I would suggest you get the non-adjustable, flat sold steel kind. i bought the egay specials when i first got my car (we were all a big ricey in the begining) and front bar melted on my valve cover, and the back bar flexes too much to do any good. my 10$ c-pillar bar (OSH special) that i made myself made a much bigger difference than either pice of shit i bought off ebay. Go with the nismo or cusco/trust/greddy bars if you are going to do it. The megans arent too bad either, for about 1/4th the cost.

[GamblerZ]

Stiffness for $40!!! :wackit: Slap madam with the yes-ma'am stick and bring her back for more!!! Sorry. Just couldn't help myself. :)

Meanwhile, I think whatever the STB design, it is better than nothing at all.

[m072514]

Meanwhile, I think whatever the STB design, it is better than nothing at all.

thats the truth. a strut bar will help for the most part. i think of it more as a finishing touch, though... STB's dont help nearly as much as sway bars, or almost anything else you can do to your suspension. so do everything else first.

/$0.02

[<3MyRiceRocKet]

Does it really matter if one part is pruchased before the other? Generic bars work just the same.

[ranisron]

Shit, for FB, having FSTB and RSTB will make the roof/door quiet.

I remember AE86 have to put RSTB so that the car won't make much squeeking sound.

overall, STB will do more help than damages.

[s13coupedude]

I had a megan FSTB in my Altima and I noticed a considerable difference.

[ranisron]

Yeah for the U13, all you need is a FSTB, no need for the rear, since Altima's chassis is quite beefy (you can tell by taking off your rear seats, you see solid metals)

[Kain_Pabyeda]

My first 240 was a 95' se which happened to record a shortest stopping distance of 60-0 in about a second. Granted the SUV helped me record that. The front of my car... it kinda butterflied out. The front fenders trying to get away from each other as fast as they could, that's about the time the tranny started to drop as the engine started on its path for the area I was presently occupying. But, it didn't... it all stopped at the front strut tower bar. The strut tower was bent from the impact of the engine, which was nestling gently with it still. That is why, no matter what any body says about how they work or don't work...my cars will always have strut tower bars.

[40daws]

Can any speak to the quality of the APSEC RSTB ?

[KA24DESOneThree]

Generic bars work just the same.

No, they don't. To claim so is to claim ignorance.

[Nan Desu Ka?!]

:werd:

msglengthissogay.

EDIT: buy good shit that works the first time, period.

[EroGori]

I bought the ones off of ebay that this thread was originally created about. I won't say they are great, and for the price they are very close to the cusco bar i previously had. Only thing is would suggest is to replace the bolts cuz they were junk. The end pieces on the front bar were put on backwards and when i went to take one of the nuts off I had noticed it was cross threaded on. I just went to the hardware store and bought new hardware.

[Kn1ves]

i got an apexi one and its hollow..