after reading a few threads here and other places about ppl looking for v6 strut tower braces, and me myself about to build a custom one for my rs would like to see how many of u would be interested in buying some if i were to start making them. im not totally sure on price yet but id have to say prolly around 50$ + shipping. i have figured out 2 ways to make them either out of round chromoly tubing with threaded hiem joints for adjustabilty, or the same way but instead of reg round tubing id make them out of aircraft tubing its lighter and stronger,but more exspensive, we use the stuff for building the wing stands on top fuel and tad dragsters.
if i started to make them they would either be shipped painted or bare metal ur choice, but it would deff cost to much for me to get them powder coated, i should have my bar done within the next week so maybe i can post some pics soon

 

If you can keep the price at least close to the $50 plus shipping that you mention, then I would be very interested. Heck, I'd do it just for appearance sake because I like the way they look. If they actually do some good, then all the better. For $50 you can't go wrong! I'm thinking one of these paired with the Spohn Wonderbar I installed a few weeks ago would be a good idea.

Keep us posted, and thanks for even working on this project!

 

the stb seems to be a really hard to find part for the v6 cars so i figure id make a bunch and sell them if i can,depending how m uch interest there is for them

yeah i built a custom wonderbar for myself out of 1/8th steel brackets and 3/4 tool steel round stock looks just like a stock bar except this is hella stronger. and i did the 1Le sway bars frnt/rear with poly bushings, so besides the stb ill also be fabing up some new control arms and tq arms,

 

sorry, just had too.

back to topic:

From what I've seen here in the past, do a preorder of maybe 10 max, sned out teh product and wait for feedback. I'm not sure how Doward has done on his kits, and yes ( ) I also experimented & got camaro_hunter_d's headers and am out the $150 (they may still work, but I no longer have an engine they would fit).

This way you wouldn't have to make so many, and be able to get some feedback from thoise who have them , just incase one doesn't fit for some reason.

 

I would be interested in one. I would like to see some pics of the finished product first.

 

same here, and would they be 3 point?

 

3 points are dumb when all the drop is hook onto that 1/8in thick cowl lip.. the cowl area is not very strong. Grap that lip of metal with a pair of pliers and see what I mean. It will bend all over the place.

$50 sounds a tad hi just because you can find dozen of uni STB on Ebay for $20-$30 with adjustable himen joints.

Though my last unfinished project was to take one of them Ebay $20-$30 ones and make a rear STB for sh-ts n giggles

 

50$ is not high specially when u look at the price of steel now
and considering at work i get 65$ an hour for fab work i think 50$'s a bar is a decent price,not to mention i wont be mass producing these so it will cost more the les si make

 

This all happens after I redo my finances and I cant buy anything for my car

I "might" beable to squeeze something out. But I will also want a picture of the unit first to see if I like the design.

 

I'd like to see a picture also, I might be interested.

 

well maybe make 1-2 and lets see what you can do to make it worth buying. I am not bashing and I know stuff costbuild / make custom. But i think allot of folks around here are cheap bastar-s like me. I don't wanna see you fall into the trap the header guys have. So many header projects, so few people actualy buying well made fancy headers. They wants cheap $150-$200 sets.

might be better off starting with a mass produced one. Find one off say a honda what what that has the proper bar length and adjustable ends. Then just fab the proper mounting brackets in stainless for looks and then ask $50.

$25 you can get aircraft aluminum bars shipped on Ebay. They all are the same except some are straight or bent in places and the final mounting bracket is different. And of course over all length. but on the whole the bar and end adjusters are the same.
Might be betteroff starting with one like that.

Though if you are gonna do a fancy 3 piece, of course that will cost more to make and yep steel isn't cheap.

 

ok heres the deal ive got the design down,single bar with solid rod ends instead of hiem joints, (same thing except they dont have misaligment) bar will be adjustable from both ends ,and will be made from heavy wall chromoly tubing, im gonna start to fab the first bar tom would today but im already leaving work early to goto dmv so i should have pics up within the next few days or friday the latest and also a deffinate price once i complete the first bar

 

looking forward to see what you come up with.

 

umm how to attach images or so i have to link them?

 

ok heres some pics of the bar im using to test fit and design everything the actuall peaices will be very close to this i scraped the chromoly for mild steel( much cheaper and same strenght) went with 1/2 in hiem joints instead of 5/8ths no need and due to clearance issues,the bar is 3/4 in diam with 1/8th wall thickness/ stonger then u will need as it is now th ebar fits the car but i have minor clearance issues need 1/8 inch more room near ac compressor and the throttle body, should be able to fix that by picking the bar up higher though i think i only have about 3/16's hood clearance but thats with the insylation installed under the hood, ill work on this some more tommorow and ill keep u al posted

 

ill buy one after i see pics i really want one

i may want 3 of them if i like them

would you be able to make it mount to the bolts that hold the struts in?

 

You just gotta appreciate a guy who offers up an idea on Sunday (Christmas day no less) and on Tuesday he's got the first prototype to show us!

Dave, get it finished up, try it out, show it to us mounted on your car and I'll gladly buy one from you.

 

Please do, cause I'm not understanding how it mounts up

 

actually thosemounting tabs arent the ones im using for the bolt in bar.Those ends are for my car my car is getting welded tabs for the bar to mount to, i am making bolt in brackets for everyone else, and the bar does clear everything,and will be a direct blot in , i have 1/4 inch to the hood and 3/16 over the throttle body at this point with the straight bar my only real fitment issue at this point is the ac lines the bar ever so slightly rests ontop of the lines so im looking into doing something about that which if i make the bar 1 inch longer or make the mounts a lil higher wil clear as i have 1/4 inch i can go up still , oh and btw the bar is preload adjustable once its bolted in u use a 7/8 's wrench to turn the bar to put preload on it(one lefthand and one right hand hiem joint). this bar isnt made to look pretty,like all the other ones,this thing is for the ppl who want a good solid brace,


a straight bar is stronger then a bent bar due to the force aplies on a striaght bar goes from point to point, a bent bar will try to bow up or down in the middle, not saying a bent bar cant be made not to bend it just reqires thicker and bigger diam tubing

 

well it clears mine like i said it slightly rubs the ac hoses but ill have tht fixed tom or friday when i have time to work on it and i need to replace my trans mount so i can see how much the motor is gonna move. like i said i still have 1/4 inch maybe 3/8's of an inch hood clearance. and to clear the hood on the sides is further the bar is away from the sides the more room u have once u see the bolt on brackets i am making u will see why it works.ill try to get pics of the bar installe don my car with the bolt in brackets with in the next day or so
and that link to the alum tie rod sleeves is pointless aluminum is no good for making a stb brace it flexes way to much

oh and btw i do this kind of stuff everyday, my shop builds everything from top fuel chassis to pro 5.0 cars to street rods etc

 

ha i gota stop replying to his posts since they keep getting deleted , lol makes me look like im talking to myself

 

"3/16 over the throttle body"

sounds a bit close. You ever seen how much a motor rocks around under load?


id run it in front of the TB, plenty of room in a 6 for that.

my jamex STB runs in front just fine. reason I did that as it would crash into my ramair ducting on top.

 

naw i still have room to go up with the bar il prolly have 1/4 inch by the time im done, if not i can notch the bar and reinforce it to gain the added clearance, though i prolly wont be working on this again till monday or tuesday since im going away for new years for a few days

 

remember, the birds have less hood clearance then the maros.

 

**** i did not know that. i dont even know anyone with a v6 bird i could get to come to the shop so i could check clearance .well for now these bars when done will just have to be for v6 maros one quick ? are the 2.8/3.1 cars the same when it comes down to all the crap in the engine comp im using my 89 rs witht he 2.8 as the test car for right now so i just wanna make sure before i say they fit all 3rd gen v6 cars
and i wanted to ask what would u guys rather have a bent non adjustable bar(for looks) (its easier to make) or a down to busniess stright stb bar that alows for adjustment (preoad on the towers)(meant to be stiff and not flex)

 

if your anywhere near Manchester, NH I'd come down so you could test fit on mine.

 

naw im in central new jersey

 

Considering thirdgens dont have factory rear struts.... You might find that alitlle difficult.

Allright, childish humor out of the way now. Seriously though, somthing to stiffen the rear subframe in a lateral force would seem logical.

Max

 

Pull the carpet up once and say that again

They may not be struts but you do have shock towers. [Now the carpet must be out to grasp the whole thing.]

shock towers are double thick but just spot welded to thin sheet metal that is spot welded every 4-6 inches. Very scary on how little these cars are welded. [I don't care if it works. Ya know they only used as many welds as needed to pass the test and not one more extra]

It would help stiffen just like a STB, or a PSB or like adding just a roll hoop. Your connecting two major load points of the car together. [Kinda like adding your own frame cross bracing.] Though when my carpet was out I welded all the body seams right. [browse through my back halfed post.]

PSB = power steering brace

V8 guys really need this just for the pump bolt/hold down strength but connecting the frame ends together is smart.

Plus adding weight in the back isn't allways bad. A better weight transfer ratio is better then a light rear end. Can't go fast without traction. Not one real down side but would wanna make it so it doesn't hinder hatch space and looked good.

 

yo sorry for the delay guys but i was away for new years tommorow i go back to work and work on th estb will resume i should prolyl have the bolt in brackets finished and have some pics to show u guys of it installed finally


btw i started working on a video, its no were near done but it has 3 of my camaros in it tell me what u guys think ive got alot of more pics/vid clips to add to it.
http://soldat.allcore.co.uk/first.wmv

 

ok guys i wa sbusy as **** at work today so i didnt get **** done on the stb brackets and ill be out of the shop all day tom but i promise that sometime this week ill have it finished

 

i didnt forget about this ive just been sick missed the last 4 days of work so ill be working on this again shortly

 

Strut tower brace yes Iam interested

 

DId ya get lost?

Do they make adjustable wonder bars?
Might be intresting if there was a cheap one around
over the plain sold bar.

That way it works like the STB
everything is more solid but flexes as a whole with its rod ends.
Instead of being just solid with no give. Better to flex and move some.

 

sorry guys lol didnt have a computer there for a bit, but one of my friends,knows somone with a bird, that ive been able to test fit the bar on and so far im pretty close to solving all the clearnce issues,trying to make one bar to fit both cars,not a bar for the camaro,and one for the bird, it will hel keep the price down, so i should be done in a few days,depending on how busy we get in the shop

 

Hoorah!

 

Another buyer here, when ever you are done.

 

I have a beed on a chromed aircraft aluminum STB if someone would want my aircraft aluminum jamex STB. I would strip and powder coat the end brackets just about any color ya wanted.
[original orange brackets are u g l y] and give her a polish.
Still very shiny but I want real chrome.

Though Id have to find a buyer before I could buy, Ya know how that goes. I also have a throttle body from a 3.1 that I can't use. Been taken apart down to main body. Was gonna powdercoat it mirror chrome or mirror black for my car then realized its not even close to like the one on my 2.8. TPS is different shape, IAC.......

 

Gumby, I sent you a PM last night.

 

I got the PM, gimme a few days. Found a local guy who can import aircraft aluminum ones like the jamex bar for a decent price.
Even cheaper if I got 10 or more at a time.

 

sorry it took so long but they are done
75$ each in red or black for 2 point bars
or 135$ each for 3 point bars in red or black

will only sell with 5 orders at a time (keeps costs down)
2 point bar pics



pics of 3 pt bars comming soon prolly next weekend

can take more pics of the 2 pt bar if u need to see more

 

doward plz edit my previous post i caculated costs wrong
with 5 orders at a time it will be 100 for 2 pt bars
150 for 3 pt
with 10 orders at a time it will be 75/135 respectivly

and delete this post after u edit for me plz thnx

 

forgot to post a pic of the mount

 

the 3 pt bar is a day or so away from being done so ill post pics soon as i get it finished,also forgot to mention only the 2 pt bar can be adjusted for preload
anyone in nj with a firebird, i cant tell if thesse will fit a bird since i dont have a test car, if i can find a test car ill offer one at half price 2 or 3 pt

 

I stole your picture from above for a diagram.

If you expect to see any peformance gain from a STB then you need to replace the factory rubber old worn and severely flexing bushing that I have outlined in 'white'.

The 'blue' strut shaft (crucial suspension mount point) is not attached directly to the strut tower where the STB mounts so the strut shaft is moving all about inside those crappy factory mounts and the STB is pointless and not doing anything. Everyone needs to first and formost replace there crappy stock design strut mounts with some solid bearing aftermarket mounts like either one of these two (ps- I recommend the Spohn ones)

http://www.spohn.net/product.cfm?productid=1542

or

http://www.hotpart.com/index.php?p=show&id=38

 

opps, forgot to add the picture from above for explaination in last post.

 

the bar does make a huge diff without changing the strut mounts, the main purpose of the bar is to stop/resist chassi/body flex, even with the stock mush strut mounts it still applys a ****load of force to the strut towers

 

And the louder muffler makes the car feel faster also.

 

qtfo

 

I don't see how adding a strut tower brace wouldn't improve the performance even without changing the mounts.