UMI Performance

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to post some pictures of an adjustable strut tower brace we built for the TPI models and get some opinions on what we have. The design was tough, the clearance between the hood and the intake limited us to what we could do and our original plans. The cut out in the center is made to clear the intake and the hood. Anyone questioning strength, well we took care of it. The cut out is machined first out of 1.250" x .120" DOM tubing, we then take a 3/16" rib and weld it in the tube for addtional strength. After that we take a nice machined piece of 3/16" plate, bend it and TIG weld the cut out shut. So it has been reinforced very well.

The mounting plates are pretty cool, I am very happy with it. We used the existing strut bolts to attach the brackets. Once the bracket is installed there is one hole to be drilled, it is optional but recommended. All you do is follow the hole we ALREADY supply in the bracket, drill through the fender and put the bolt in.

I will have installation pictures shortly. My engine bay needs cleaned first!

Any comments or opinions let me know.

RedLava

iTrader: (4)

Looks good but we also need one for a carburated car with an open element.

VAN454

Looks very nice, what's the price on it?

1989GTATransAm

iTrader: (3)

That is pretty much what I was going to do to my Hotchkiss unit. I have modified my TPI and will need more clearance. How thick is the center section where the clearance is? Your brace might work for me.

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

looks good Ryan, hate to be the guy to see an issue, but the bolts in the strut top, sit in long slots and are moved around when you get an alignment, so every car may be a little different, and once you bolt this piece on you will loose the ability to adjust the caster. (i think its caster, cant ever seem to remember whats caset/camber). Am i correct? or am i looking at this wrong?

BADMAN

iTrader: (13)

Looks like you might have to remove the STB when you need an alignment and replace after alignment done. As far as I can tell from the pics?

UMI Performance

Thanks everyone

The brackets that mount to the fenderwells are slotted. This allows the vehicle to be aligned and the brace still to bolt on in place. Depending on the alignment the strut bolts may not always sit centered in the slots but the slots are long enough for this. For alignment I would recommend to remove it.

The center section .650" thick and still allows some room under it to the intake and above it for the hood.

It will have a price tag of around $179.99. Color choices will be Red, Black and Silver for no charge. We will be able to do some custom colors as well for a charge.

Hope that helps!
Ryan

Mikz86TA

iTrader: (4)

Looks like nice stuff as always, but I just dont get the need for an 'adjustable' strut tower bar. Seems like that abd the wonderbars alike are useless as 'adjustables'. I dont see 'preload' being a big deal either. The factory metal is set in its rested position. The purpose is to strangthen and support the structural integtity to reduce flexing. If the part is bolted in place properly it should serve purpose and never need adusting. Is there something I am missing?

1989GTATransAm

iTrader: (3)

Thanks Ryan.

formul8!!

Nice looking product!

I had a Hotchkis STB on my Formula and it was tough to get it aligned without it being all cockeyed so the plenum would not rub and the hood woutl shut properly.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

I'm with Mik86TA on the adjustability issue. I don't see the point.

That, and the ends being pivots. IMO, I think solid mounts would be more effective.

Only a 2-pt? Not a 3 or 4 pt?

I can't see spending $180, for a 3/4 pt, much less a 2 pt STB.

UMI Performance

Hello Everyone,

There is a few reasons when adjustability can come in handy- We have sold a few hundred of our non-adjustable 4th gen STB's. We have notice on some of the vehicles the shock towers sit inward some and do not allow the brace to go on. The solution is to jack the vehicle up by the k-member to let the suspension relax and then the brace fits. Could this be from aggressive driving? Not sure, possible. Also any vehicle that has been in a collision our brace will not fit, we have had a few get sent back because of this. Thats a few thoughts.

Now here are the reasons WE made it adjustable-

We wanted to make the brace a 3pc item so if you needed to work on the engine you can easily remove the brace with out un-bolting the strut bolts and removing the mounting plates. So it was already going to be a 3pc brace. Now to remove it all you need to do is un-bolt (2) bolts.

Second, since we are tying into the strut bolts and not making the user drill all there own holes each mounting bracket on each vehicle may sit in a different location. It depends on the alignment of the car and if you are using after market strut mounts (which we are working on too) This means each mounting bracket can sit in a different location. A fixed length strut tower brace bolting were we are bolting would not allow you to do this and may not fit correctly on all vehicles.

And lastly, for the good looks

Hope that helps,
Ryan
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We are actually using Rod eyes and not Rod ends, they are not a bearing but what we call a solid rod eye. Basically all they have is a hole and are designed to be used in areas where adjustability is needed but movement is not.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Using the existing STB mount bolts, is a good reason for adjustability. I can certainly understand that, as being a reason. I still can't quite see the point behind not being 3/4 point, except that, a different configuration of adjustment points, would be required.

As for the pivot movement I was referring to. While it may not be INTENDED to pivot, a bolt connection can pivot, to an extent. Hence, MY desire for a solid, welded mount.

Looks like a good produ8ct, just outta my pocket range, Which is also why, most of MY stuff, is home made. More time consuming, requires more investigating sometimes, but keeps my wallet heavier.

Looks like a good product though.

Anniversary-Z-man

iTrader: (2)

Looks like a great piece...does it still need to be added to the website, I can't seem to find it on there.

UMI Performance

Thank you

Yes it still needs added. I wanted to see what everyone thought first before we put it in full production, but the results seem very good

We will begin building them for stock and will be able to ship them shortly. I am also still working on installation pictures to post.

If your interested in one just let me know.

Thanks!
Ryan

david auster

iTrader: (10)

Ryan,

I have a question about your STB. I run a miniram intake which sits much lower than the TPI does. Would it be possible to get this STB without that cutout on the bottom?

Spike-Z

iTrader: (4)

Awesome piece as usual Ryan! Im gonna have to order it when you guys finally give us a lsx tubular x-member and a t56 x-member suited for LTs!

Btw, I received everything I ordered last week besides my a-arms. Excellent packaging! Products are top notch.

Anniversary-Z-man

iTrader: (2)

I was going to ask Ryan the exact same question....

- Joel

UMI Performance

I don't see any reason why we couldn't do that. If for some reason it wouldn't clear I couldn't take it back though... it would be no good to me. But if you think it would clear we can do it!

Let me know

RPOL98

what are the drawbacks, consequences, adverse impacts if the optional bolt hole isn't drilled and used?

looks nice.

Duracell Bunny

What I would like to see is a setup done like this but make the bar a tad shorter and add threaded male/female adjsters on each end.

THEN, Add 3pt bars with the same threaded adjusters on them heading to the firewall.

Why you ask (If anyone does care)?
I will give two very good reasons. Ands if this comes availiable, I will buy one.

1) You can make the adjustment without removing the rodend from the mount.
2) You can design a strut mount itself that will accept this STB. Now with that you've got something BECAUSE you can now make independant strut mount adjustments without the use of a BFG (BIg F,,,,king Hammer). You or you alignment mechanic simply loosen ONLY one srut mount and ustilize the adjusters on that side to push and pull it into position both camber with the STB and the caster with the 3pt bars to the firewall working together to get the disied alignment specs.. Once that side is positioned, THen tighten it down and got to the other side- repeat.

Now here's the beauty. A guy knowing what he doing can simply driver to the track, THen unbolt each side and crank in a little more neg camber to autox (mark one nut side with a marking pen and count the revolutions). THen when finished you put it right back where youstarted and drive home normal street use without excessive outside tire wear and the costly expense of redoing a normal street alignment for daily use bck to work on Monday.
THis would allow the ierods to automatically spead the tires to a toeout also as long as someone does not make too much of a revolution change making too drastic of toeout.

UMI Performance

This would be nice, but here is the problem- The clearance between the hood and intake is tight. As you can see by most manufactures including us we have to use something thin over the intake. Some companies use plate while others are using small tubing (.750" OD) Because of this you can not make it "on car" adjustable. The brace would not rotate with out hitting, even if it did rotate it would need to rotate a complete full turn so it would sit correctly over the intake. Make sense?

Duracell Bunny

That does make sense, but it is not what I was refering to. I specifically listed the use of threaded male/female adjusters with a slightly shorter bar on each end. Do you know what a male/female threaded adjuster is? It is made to counter act the rotation of the threads on the rodend so you can extend the length of the overall bar without rotation or removal of the bar itself from the mounts.

There is a Japanesse car that came out with something simular to your design a few years back. It had mounts alot like yours does with the exception of your use of rodends on both ends. Their design adjusted without removal by using standard bushing end on one side of the bar and a rod end and threaded male/female adjuster on the other end. It could be adjusted to different alignment widths without removal of the bar from either mount.
My recommendation is to make it with these type of adjusters on both ends, combined with a custom strut mount(more on this later in this post).
http://www.advanceauto.jp/images/pro...o/DSCF0007.jpg

Then in 2004, Another Japanesse Camaro (The Grace Camaro)came out with a version of a design I talked about designing where the stb attached to custom billet strutmounts. They went very upscale and it was basicaly a one off build they did not intended for production. It also had the firewall 3pt links.
However, they did not have to worry about clearance on the stealth ram motor so they fitted the stb with solid mounts at each end of the STB and two treaded adjusters working together to spread it (male/female-female/male reverse threaded adjusters) mounted near centerbar on the STB- and also on the 3pt links. THis desgn is more what I suggested using your STB notched desgn but with a rodend AND adjuster on BOTH ends- this way your notch can remain centered over the TPI as each individual strut mount can be loosened and pushed/or pulled into camber position then locked down before repeating on the other side. I am attaching a weblink you can go to to view this desgn. You will need to scroll accross to the 6th picture and enlarge. THey are the purple strutmounts.
Note: just click on cancel on the language popups, it will still load the images.
http://www.grace-co.co.jp/imgview.html

The design I have sketched and plan on building for myself someday involves using an original style Hunter (HMS) strutmount design but in steel like the ones Spohn sells. You could attach weld on tabs to this in both the STB direction and the 3pt firewall direction to aid in indivdual camber and caster alignment settings without the use of a rubber mallet. I can have my car aligned for street, then simply loosen ONE SIDE AT A TIME and crank in a little more neg camber at the track with say two adjustment revolutions pulling it inward, then tighten in down and do the same to the otherside. Then once finished lets say autoxing, I can simly losen them again one at a time and put back in the two revolutions per side taking back out the add neg camber WITHOUT having to go back to an alignment shop so you can commute a daily driver back to work on Monday senerio so to speak. I can build mine fine without your bar since I have a more rare need of it spanning a V6 motor.

Just offering a pretty custom design idea for the decerning buyer and weekend racer- heck even the hard core roadracers would eat it up.
The crappiest parts on these cars are the factory tqarm bushing and the factory strut mounts. STB's are pointless with factory rubber dounut strut mounts. You could build and sell a package deal, or you could just sell the mounts and have the later option of customers upgrading for the STB to attach to them, and then even later option buy 3pt adjutable firewall links also. It could be modular and one watching his pennies could save up and progressivvely buy the full package. It would pretty much be a proprietory thing for you.

Again, the best part of all this is the ability for an alignment mechanic to loosen one side at a time and slowly dial the STB ajdjust on that side as well as the 3pt link on that side to get the EXACT desired alignment spec without having to hit it into a "close position" with a rubber mallet. Lock it down and then perfectly dial the other side to match. What a great tuning alignment tool.

You could even call it the UMI bar. 20 years from now this setup could be as popular asd the original named GM wonderbar........Hmmmmm.

UMI Performance

Would anyone be interested in a GP on this item if I can get the price down for it?

david auster

iTrader: (10)

Ryan,

Can you please post some pics of this setup installed on a car. Close up pics of where it attaches to the strut towers would be great.

BADMAN

iTrader: (13)

Once I see some installed pics, I would probably be interested in a GP. Badman
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After I see some installed pics I would probably be interested. Badman
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And if it comes in black.

Anniversary-Z-man

iTrader: (2)

I'm interested in the GP.

scooter

iTrader: (11)

If you could sell this to me too I would be interested in a GP. But do you think the price without the extra flat part welded in would be lower price?

UMI Performance

Sounds great, I will see if I can get something going.

- Installation pictures are coming soon. Just need to take the time to do them

- Brace is available Black, Red or Silver

- We can supply them with out the cut out. However they need to be ordered soon. We are running a batch next week and I would need to hold a few out in order to do it. The price will be the same.

Thanks!
Ryan

scooter

iTrader: (11)

I would like to see installed pictures and know what the GP price would be

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

The price is the same, for less production work...Cheaper to build, but the same price?

UMI Performance

We will only be building a select few of them, 2-3 by the looks of the orders. We build in bulk, usually 50 at a time. Not cutting that slot saves very minimal, to be honest it is actually more work to do that. It requires the foreman to keep track of items and pull out the nescessary items not to be completed, messes the system up. So I guess you could say its more work as in time rather then physical work.

Kat

iTrader: (4)

Not really. When I used to work for a certian suspension co., we kept track of special orders quite well. In matter of fact, it only took a few seconds to double check to make sure the speical order was where it was supposed to be. Then again, what do I know

UMI Performance

I am not going to argue because it really won't get us anywhere.

I will do a favor to help a customer out in there request for a semi "custom" item. If they are interested I am sure they will not mind paying the price we ask, esp. seeing we are willing to do a GP on them to already help save a few dollars.

Hope that helps,
Ryan

david auster

iTrader: (10)

Since I'm the one who asked about the custom setup I have no problems paying the same price but before I can confirm an order with you I would really like to see the installed pics on the car and what your GP pricing is going to be. Once you have that available I can place my order.

Thanks

Demon355

iTrader: (1)

Anything for carbed engines yet Ryan?

UMI Performance

I will have installation pictures posted early this week. I think instead of a GP we are going to do a introductory offer of a $149.99 each.

We will be doing the carb'd engine next

punkdude908

i wish someone would make one that will fit with the L69 air cleaner.

Spike-Z

iTrader: (4)

we need pics!
of installed stb!

scooter

iTrader: (11)

early this week .....
Hump day has come and gone

kuulkatdadieo

iTrader: (1)

Me want pics. now.

BADMAN

iTrader: (13)

If you need a test car send me the STB and I will post pics of the install.

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Excellent.

JamesC

tyrvidar

I'd buy one, it has it advantages over a standard setup. Especially with older cars and years of abuse, you don't have to worry about it NOT fitting... Its Adjustable. Lets see an installed pic!

UMI Performance

Ok guys, you asked for them, here they are

Don't mind the dirty engine bay. My lead designer just picked this car up for a winter project, so its still in rare stock form.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

That looks pretty nice! Since Im an LS1 swapper...Ide probably be better without that notch also. I think the LS motor is lower...but Ide have to confirm.

One question. Whats the risk of your strut mount moving around on ya when you remove 2 of the 3 nuts holding it on? Is it a matter of marking the strut mount, and just making sure its where its supposed to be doing the install??

Just curious.

J.

BADMAN

iTrader: (13)

Looking at the pics I wonder if all of the mounting holes could be non-elongated? Or is that the purpose of the third hole, to keep it from slipping out of position in case the strut bearing plate nuts come loose? Seems to me all mounting holes on the STB could be the same, as to insure a tighter mounting. When alignment is needed, simply loosen all strut bearing nuts and the "third" STB bolt, put bearing mount where needed, and tighten all back down. Or is there enough adjustment length in the rod ends to compensate for centering the dished-out area above the TPI? Just wondering. Badman P.S. I like it!

The Project

iTrader: (6)

Ryan,

You forgot the stickers

Seriously........I would like to see how the 3 point brace looks before I buy one. Not sure if there is an advantage to having a 3 point over a 2 point

I'm doing my best to keep my suspension ALL UMI

Looking forward to seeing my A arms.....

david auster

iTrader: (10)

I have a question about your mounting plates. I noticed the metal plate you have under the mounting pad to keep this level. I happen to have aftermarket upper strut mounts that are at least twice as thick as the stock ones and I don't know if your setup would work right with my strut mounts. Let me know what you think. If that is the case maybe we can increase the thickness of that metal plate to compensate for the additional thickness of the aftermarket strut mounts.

UMI Performance

What brand upper struts are they. I researched the thickness of the companies that make them and our brace will be fine with them. The companies I found all use 3/16" thick plating which will work nice with this brace. You will need to find a pair of calipers and measure the thickness of your strut mounts.