Had a custom strut tower brace fabricated for my TTA by Rocky and his dad this morning (run a shop manufacturing custom bike frames for Harleys etc here in the UK).

The strut tower brace was done from scratch and custom bent to fit my car. This one bolts on to the strut tower mounts (using 2 bolts on each tower) to avoid drilling holes like most of the STB's on the market today. The plates where done and bolted in place then the heafty bar (1 1/2") was bent and designed to fit proberly with enough clearence.

 

nice.

athough...... you can no longer adjust the camber with that bar on there....

your caster, (rearward tilt of the strut) will still be adjustible, as you made the bolt holes oval.

but the caster, (how far the top of the wheel tips inward) will no longer be adjustible.

the whole assembly of studs and plates, slide along a axis perpendicular to the oval holes you have... this lets you move the mounting of the strut anywhere it needs to be...... and its also the reason why all thoes other STBs mount to the fenderwell instead of the strut mount directly.


on 4thgens, the strut doesnt move, so the brace bolts on directly.

 

The strut tower is still fully adjustabel as without the STB so that should be no problem. I could have done the plates wihtout the oval holes as the stud plate holding the strut tower is not moving at all in any direction just the strut tower it self.

 

thats what im trying to tell you.

the stud plate does move.

it moves on a axis that is a right angle of the bolt holes at teh top.

look at the strut from the top... the oval holes you see in the mounting plate lets it move forward and backward.

now UNDER the strut, the fender has oval holes that move up and down... tilting the top of the wheel in. thats how the camber is adjusted.

 

Hmmm, have to look at this ... anyone got a picture with the strut tower removed? I have not had one off the car for some time so can't remember ....

I'm sure you are right MrDude_1 so will have to look at this.

 

Yes that is true- the strut plate moves when caster is being adjusted, but once set, it (should)stay put. The strut tower itself has slots running perpendicular to that to asjust caster. I guess you could adjust your camber, as long as you plan to adjust both sides in the same direction the same amount!
That is nice work on the brace, though. I am looking to make one up and liked the approach of setting the plates and then bending the bar to fit.
I will check to see if I have a good pic of the strut tower without the cap on it.

Mr. Dude, you threw me off with your original response when you mention caster 2x times in the same thought. Maybe you meant camber instead of caster the second time it is mentioned? Or maybe I am wrong- not sure.

-your caster, (rearward tilt of the strut) will still be adjustible, as you made the bolt holes oval.
but the caster, (how far the top of the wheel tips inward) will no longer be adjustible. -

S-D

Edit- caster/camber slots orientation

 

strut plate slots

 

Not the best pic,but you can see the slots for adjusting caster on the Strut tower. The slots run front to rear (of the car)

 

Thanks for the pictures. Now I do understand better.

The brace will move in every direction will tilt in and out for camber and the whole lot strut mounts and brace will move backwards and fowards for caster (as the mounts are sloted exactly the same). May tilt the brace a bit if one side moves more than the other but my car was set up properly anyway so this will not be an issue on mine.

Thanks for all the comments.

 

when it tilts in, the wheels come closer together. so unless your bar is adjustible in the middle, its not going to allow that...

and yea, i typed the wrong word... sometimes i think ahead of what im typing.. lol.

 

Well, first my alignemnt is 100% perfect and there's slots in the bar mounting plates to allow for any adjustments so I have no problem what so ever with this.

 

Food for thought there. Adjustable link in the middle plus a knuckle or swivel at the strut tower plate, would likely allow adequate adjustment of the unit if mounted at the strut tower plate ala jlarrson's design.

Also, Mr. Dude, I don't know if you noticed but I had to re-edit my post twice to correct my verbage! Caster camber etc.... it gets confusing after a while.

S-D

 

IM REAL GLAD YOUR ALIGNMENT IS PERFECT, BUT I BET IF YOU USE YOUR HEAD REAL GOOD AND THINK REAL HARD, YOU WILL REALIZE THAT ALL THESE CARS HAD A PERFECT ALIGNMENT ATLEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIFETIME.

 

Whats up with you man? You have posting crappy comments in threads for a couple days now, and its pretty annoying. Another thing TURN OFF YOUR CAP LOCKS!!! IT IS AGAINST THE RULES HERE!

 

Jealous?

 

SOUNDS LIKE SOMEBODY'S FLOOR JACK SLIPPED AND THEY GOT A CAR DROPPED ON THEIR HEAD.


DUMBASS