Strut Bars

[Kreator]

Well, I decided to buy myself a set of front and rear strut bars. The choice for me is between the cheap ones from ebay for $15 and more expensive ones (like eibach pro-control-bar). I don't have enough money for cusco f&b. So my question is: are the Eibach pro-control worth the money? Are there other bars for $100 that are better than eibach? I found the front one from optauto fo $110 and a rear one from wholesalehyperformance for $118. Are those prices about right? Are the eibach bars really worth the $100 difference from the cheap ebay ones?

Thanx

[240meowth]

from what i understand, strut bars are all the same. but the only difference is this 3 types

single hinged
double hinged
non hinged

single hinged moves w/ the car, thus in theory, isn't as good as double hinged

double hinged is 2 hinges on each side, so it's firm and don't flex, i haven't seen this setup for much 240's but it's common in honda world.

non hinged, there isn't hinge to move aroud, since it's welded together, this setup is popular w/ the BMW people, and often times is quite expensive because there has to be almost no error in the making, or else it won't fint your car.

edit: btw, if you look closely @ my wrecked car pic, you can see my sexyly designed single hinged carbon fiber strut bar <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'>

[Kreator]

Well i've checked around, and the pro-control is kinda popular with bmws.. http://www.fastlinemotorsport.com/Parts/Suspension/Eibach.html
Seems to be the same one, cuz it matches the picture used by optauto.... So my guess then is that it is a non-hinged one. Any reason why it might be so cheap(eibach - $110 cusco - $170)?

[240meowth]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Kreator @ May 20 2002,5:03)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Well i've checked around, and the pro-control is kinda popular with bmws.. http://www.fastlinemotorsport.com/Parts/Suspension/Eibach.html
Seems to be the same one, cuz it matches the picture used by optauto.... So my guess then is that it is a non-hinged one. Any reason why it might be so cheap(eibach - $110 cusco - $170)?</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
i can't really see, since the pic sucks, but it looks like it might be single hinged. &nbsp;since the non-hinged ones are usually more expensive, for example, dinan? has 'em for $500

[DSC]

I dono what is in this (http://www.zilvia.net/f/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=6;t=8266) article because I haven't read it in a while but I know its really good. &nbsp;A "must read" for anybody considering buying a STB.

[240meowth]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (DSC @ May 20 2002,5:48)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I dono what is in this (http://www.zilvia.net/f/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=6;t=8266) article because I haven't read it in a while but I know its really good. A "must read" for anybody considering buying a STB.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
too technical... i failed physics twice, so i don't know wtf they be talking about... &nbsp;basically you want to hold the two towers together by a strut bar to reduce chassie flex.

[Kreator]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (DSC @ May 20 2002,7:48)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I dono what is in this (http://www.zilvia.net/f/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=6;t=8266) article because I haven't read it in a while but I know its really good. A "must read" for anybody considering buying a STB.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
I've read that article a while ago. But it's more about what the fuck happens than how the fuck you solve the problem. I was more wondering if the bars were all the same and it's just the difference in material/strength of the strut bar.

so meowth, yers is single hinged too.... I've looked at cusco, eibach and obx ones closely.... The only difference i noticed was how strong the connection was.... Here is OBX:
http://www.stockreco.com/1507_RED_NISSAN_STRUT.jpg

Here is Eibach:
http://www.optauto.com/store/images/EIB-STRUT.GIF
(sorry couldn't find a better one)

Here is Cusco:
http://www.optauto.com/store/images/CUS-STB.GIF

So my guess would be that the connection with the bar itself play the major role? So does it really matter that much?

[mrdirty]

It's a pretty simple device, as long as it's beefie enough it's all really the same.

The advantage of a non-hinged super rigid bar is that it not only holds the towers together but keeps them from moving as one, although i doubt that this is a concern for 2 reasons:

1-most of the forces are acting on the ouside tower and acording to a really interesting BMW site is ~300 Lbs max.
2-the conection would have to be SERIOUSLY beefy to prevent deflection.

[mrdirty]

BTW: I bought the el-cheapo one from pdm because i can't justify spending big bucks on something so simple and let me tell u,

BEST $40 EVER SPENT, sorry for yelling; just damn excited!

[AceInHole]

I bought the Cusco and I think it was money well spent. &nbsp;Even with the Cusco I can still hear the creaks of the body warping slightly, so I can't imagine what a wimpy cheap bar would leave. &nbsp;It probably depends on how stiff your springs are, to notice the difference between STB's.

[mrdirty]

but u haven't tried the cheapo so you really don't know if it's weaker at all right?

All i'm saying is that it's a VERY simple part, and money doesn't always mean quality.

[AceInHole]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (mrdirty @ May 19 2002,11:25)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">but u haven't tried the cheapo so you really don't know if it's weaker at all right?

All i'm saying is that it's a VERY simple part, and money doesn't always mean quality.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
My friend's S13 has Pilot STB's front and rear. &nbsp;I'd consider those relatively cheap.

[Kreator]

Hrm, the only thing is that i don't have enough money for the cuscos. That's why i was wondering if the eibachs were any good for the price.... So ace, basically your point is that you get what you pay for... if only someone could give their first hand experience with eibachs...

I'm leaning towards eibachs yet i dunnow if it's gonna be money worth spent &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>

[rotaryknight]

I think that design does matter and with some of the newer designs comes higher cost of prodution.

Given that the OBX and older Cusco are just bars and pretty much the same but Cusco has been really changed over the years.

Actually if you notice most of the newer bars in Japan are the D shape or flat tubular design. &nbsp;Cost to manufacture is higher and I fell that they should do a better job in reducing flex.

Also Cusco's rear strut bars now connect the two strut towers and have two other bars that connect to the floor......now that's BUFF! &nbsp;Cusco also does the same in some vehicle applications to the front struts and to the firewall.

For the FD most of our strut bars have changed the same way.....before they were just bars now they are flat tubular designs. &nbsp;WAY stiffer and still hollow for weight.

After that ramble yes i think brand names are better atleast the newer designs...

BUT mrdirty is right not always is it better...some top japan suspension companies (Tanabe) still use an older weaker design.

[Broadwayblues]

I have the PDM $40 elcheap-o special in my car. Since I just really wanted to eliminate some understeer in my daily driver while pulling on/off cloverleafs this bar did the trick. It's perfect for my use, half the time that I am driving, my kid is in the car.
I just wonder how many people really would need such expensive bars I was looking at my 'wish list' for my car and realized that I am never really going to use all the potential of the parts that I want to put on my car. I might settle for something cheaper and more geared towards the driving that I am going to do.
I guess what I am getting at is this. If you don't drive real hard, auto-x drifting what not, maybe you don't need a $150 bar when a $40 one might do the trick. Spend that money on something else. I guess I am doing all this reflection since I got laid off and money is tight. &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blush.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':blush:'>

[Kreator]

Well here is what i decided. It's only $40 with shipping from ebay. So I'll get a front one for $40 and a rear cusco OS. that's about $200. Later if i'll be doing the autoxing or other stuff that requires good susp and figure out i need an upgrade, i only paid $40, so i'm not losing much. Plus i can always sell it.

So now 2 more questions....
first:
are these any different?
http://images.andale.com/f2/102/127/7530176/1008394851595_95_97_240sx_s14_strut_bar.jpghttp://www.pdm-racing.com/products/imag/PDMStrutTowerBar.jpg

second:
Does cusco have the rear triangle bars? i know they make them for s13s, but what about s14s? And if yes, where can i find em?

[sykikchimp]

I also got the Cusco bar. &nbsp;Fitment was perfect, and installation was easier than the PDM bar I had. &nbsp;No adjustments to make. &nbsp;Also no threads the possibly strip on an aluminum bar. &nbsp;The end plates where better too. &nbsp;Beefier, and looked like stronger welds. &nbsp;I definately believe it was money well spent. &nbsp;besides it also looks way cool having a Carbon Fiber bar on there when you raise the hood. &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':D'>

[StanBo]

I read in a reply that most Honda guys use single hinge. &nbsp;This is true; I was aiming for the Mugen strut bar when piecing my suspension together. &nbsp;It is a solid unit.

http://www.kingmotorsports.com/images/suspension/stb.jpg

I would hold out for the solid if you could. &nbsp;I just see it working better because less moving parts/connections make a more solid assembly.

[samiam]

Just get the pilot ones I saw them somewhere front and rear for way under 150.00, so that way if somehow they end up not being what you wanted sell em and get a big ass beefy one.....alot of people like the beefy thing. Makes you kinda wonder?<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>?<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>