do you need a strut tower brace if your car is only for drag racing(trailor queen)? I was under the impression that the strut tower brace added rigidity to the front end to prevent flex from cornering at high speeds. Just wondering if I was thinking correctly... Thanks.

Ryan

 

I think it helps a lot more for cornering. Drag race only cars benefit more from roll bars or roll cages.

 

Let's not forget the ole air bag in the right rear spring and rear sway bar also!

 

Also some subframe connectors are a nice touch to any unibody, what ever your driving habits.

 

Heck and while we're at it, let's toss out that fake GM torque arm set-up and install some ladder bar suspension. I was gonna do that on mine this winter, and while I was fabbing and cutting was gonna go ahead and tub it, but I lost sight of my goal and realized I was going over board cause I hate this car-it's just gonna be a nice street killer and race season back. Next race car is gonna be an older FULL FRAME, easy to work on, easy to get a jack under, full grill in front, etc...

 

yeah i agree that they are for handleing purposes..
but it could not hurt to have some extra support under the hood tieing those strut tower together.. take some flex out, just in case you start pulling the front wheels off the ground

 

I'm pulling 1.5-1.6 60' times right now, and when I add a 150 shot of nitrous, I hope to be pulling the wheels off the ground. I have the SSM lift bar kit. it works really well and replaces the stock torque arm, as well as including SFC. the bars welded to the rear end have the pivot point on the SFCs, so they plant the rear tires really well. as it says in the sig, I already have a 6-point roll cage. I'm going to an 8-point over the winter, as I will need it to go faster than 7.00 in the 1/8mi at my track. was just wondering if the STB would help prevent flex on a drag-only car. The car is pretty stiff already as it is. oh, and I do have an air bag on right rear tire. if it's not going to help, i'm not gonna waste my $130 or so on one.

 

As long as you already have sub-frame connectors and are stepping up to the 8 point cage I can see the strut brace having little effect on launch, cause the cage is going to hold the front half of the car for ya and if the front end is twisting in front of where the door bars connect then you've got other issues.

 

STB for drag racing is pointless.
I disagree that the torque arm isn't good for drag racing. It's actually a VERY good system. I've seen a guy running a long torque arm setup at e-town and his firebird was running 8 seconds in the 1/4. It launchs SMOOTH as glass, when 2nd gear hits the front end lifts off the ground AGAIN in a very smooth transition.

 

okay, thanks for the replies. I will put that money to better use somewhere else. Thanks.

Ryan

 

Yeah, get more nitrous instead!!!!!!!

 

I already had a good rear suspension with tubular adjustable LCA and panhard bar and a Spohn torque arm. When I swapped in a 9" I had to remove the torque arm and LCA because it was easier to install ladder bars then try to fabricate a mount for the torque arm. If I purchased a bolt-in 9" from Currie or Moser I'd probably be still using the torque arm suspension.

My aftermarket suspension parts are still sitting out in my shed since I have no use for them now.

 

You can run true ladder bar set up for less if you stick to a 10" tire car.

If you eventually needed more tread, I saw a really cool partial tub to stuff 12" under with just having to extend the wheel wells into the back seat area just a bit. But several cars run sub 10's on 10's. Look at that car on spohns page, not even a ladder bar set up and he got traction to hit mid 9's. I don't think I would have spent the cash on the ladder bar set up if companies were making the aftermarket products for 3rd gens that they do now.

If you are going to put a cage into it, bring it up to the front. I have 2 bars that go through the firewall, level with the side of the strut towers and then to the front subframe. I'll eventually fab a solid "wonderbar" to tie the two subframes together and support a huge a$$ radiator and my rack and pinion steering. Possibly a whole k-member, but that is getting a little to rich for my blood.