i need new strut towers on my car and was looking into the billet ones from Spohn. Anyone have input on htese as far as how well they work? Spohn sells stock ones for $164 for the pair but it says $350 for the billet ones. it doesnt state if that is for the pair though. Anyone know the price of them

 

$350 is for the pair. Haven't installed mine yet.

 

PM Dewey316. He is running them and he is quite happy with them.

 

Actually Dewey isn't running my mounts. He's running a pair of hunter mounts we installed last summer.

 

Yup,

I have the Hunter mounts. Alloy is running the mounts he makes for spohn.

But on topic, i really like mine, i can't really tell that they did anything, since i did quite alot all at one time, but i have had them on for a year now, with no problems, and the bearings aren't making noise.


I just need to do something about the red, it clashes with all the blue.

 

What's the difference between stock mounts and billet mounts?

 

They use a metal bearing instead of a rubber bushing. Supposed to improve steering response and road-feel. I've had mine for like 2 years, maybe I should install em one of these days?

 

they also sit higher than the stockers, so you re-gain some strut travel on lowered cars.

 

My HMS mounts are still in the box too...

Ed

 

IIRC you also get more adjustment for your front end alignment with those billet mounts

 

yes, with the spohn peices it does have more adjustment.

 

Should I buy these when I buy new struts and shocks? Or can I hold out and buy/install them later?

I want my car to handle as well as possible.

 

i would wait until you replace other steering components and are ready for a alignment.

 

thanks for the reply guys. I will be buying these next week along with the t56 torque arm

 

nicer bearings and look cool........that's it.

 

will those alumin. ones fit an 82 camaro? im thinkin about changin mine soon mainly becuz i got some rust up around the old ones and gotta get rid of the rust.

 

no reason why they shouldn't. why not polish your stock ones. that's what i did originally and they looked just as nice. i just bought the billet ones under impulse. i have a set of black ones and polished ones stock that i'm getting rid of for cheap to for anyone looking that doesn't want to spend 300 on something.

i'd either paint the stock ones or polish them as beyond looks they aren't much good for anything else.

 

well i heard and have read on here of people gettin the strut mounts for like there 84 or 85's and they get ones that are for an 89 or something and they dont fit right. thats why i was askin. maybe thats just a myth or something

 

shouldn't be....make the call. better to talk to the distributor and get it from the horses mouth.

 

true

 

There were 2 different strut mounts made, the 82-86 and 87-92.

For reg mounts, only the 87-92 are avail. To use those on a pre 87 car, you'll need the strut mount retainers. No longer avail from GM, so you'll need to find used ones.

Both versions are avail thru Spohn for the billet mounts.

 

It suprises me you say this- You do own a set of the billet one don't you?

Anyways, Its in my expert opinion that this is the best modification that can be made to the front suspension of a McPherson strut car, Especially a 3rd gen crappy stock rubber bushing strut mount. Every 3rd gen I have come across has so much bushing deflection in the older and worn(aka seen better days- like the 1st years use only) stock rubber dounut strutmount.

There is so much deflection in a slightly used- to- radially worn stock mount that its not funny. Try this test for yourself- Pop off the dustcaps on your stock mounts, then bounce the front end of your car while watching them- you will see the strut shaft move up and down wobbling inside the mount- Now, take a large screwdriver (or prybar,etc) and test the side deflection of that strut shaft against the inside metal housing of the mount, You will see the deflection of the rubber laterally.

Why is this bad? Because the rubber dounut portion of the mount is bearing the blunt of your "lowspeed damping" and you shock absorber is not even being called to work for the initial 1/2" tire movement- Its freewheeling so to speak without shock control.

Now with the new billet solid bearing mounts- there is no deflection AT ALL. Combined with a STB, Your camber is not moving, And you are more in touch with the "feel" of the car at "low speed damping". Do not confuse low speed damping with driving slow, it has nothing to do with vehicle speed. It has everything to do with shock dampen speed and thus feeling the chassis under the seat of your pants.

Thank you for your time

 

i noticed the end result of what vsixtoy just said in my car... when you do a hard turn, then turn hard the otherway (think slalom course) instead of the car scootching over to the outside a inch before turning in, it just sticks and turns instantly... i think thats from you moving thru the slack then slamming into the stop... making it jerk the tire a lil loose.

 

Camber control is key to making the car consistant turning, and the solid connection helps alot with feel. having the solid bushing, and stonger mount itself, along with good a-arm bushings, will ensure that the car behaves the same, everytime, on every turn.

 

So how bout we make a GP setup for these so we can all test them out lol

 

i say that because most who are looking have street cars, not race cars. when compared to new bushings they work comparable.

obviously they are better then worn out pieces and look 100% nicer....

 

I just ordered mine this morning I will take a couple pics tso everyone can see them.

 

Where can I find the Hunter mounts? Are there any price, quality, or performance differences between the Hunster and Spohn units? Thanks.

 

The HMS mounts are not really available. Karl Hunter builds them, but he did a special 20 unit GP a few years back, the spohns are basicly a copy of that design. if you were to get 20 more poeple who wanted them, he might do it again, but with the spohns for sale, that is alot of work and effort when you can just order the same thing from him.

Although, I am going to PIR to see Karl tomorow, I guess I could ask him.

 

i talked to karl last year about this, he told me 20 to 30 orders and he would probably do it. the problem is i could only get about 10 confermed orders including 2 sets for me between tgo and the iroczone.com, and the camaroz28.com web sites. people got scared when they heard the estimate price, i think it was like 350 if i remeber right.

anyway, trying to get 20 people to commite is a pain in the ***, im sure some of you remember when i was trying to get enough last year, and now that spohn has them in the new and improved version, il not go through that headache of organizing a gp again. its not really worth the effort now sorry to say.

karl is a good guy whos had hard times. id love to support his buisiness cause he has good stuff, but thats not really feasable unless a lot has change from the last time i tryed the gp.

anyway id just get the spohn ones and forgette it. its just easier that way

thanks
anthony

 

Spohn included a fab'd strut retainer for my strut mounts in my 85 so I didn't have to scavenge the boneyard for later model retainers.

 

Thanks for the info guys. I guess I'll be getting the Spohn units soon. I don't know near enough people to commit to a GP on the Hunter units. Thanks again.

 

I've got a friend that said he could fab a set of upper strut mounts for me. I was wondering if anyone has a set of the 82-86 spohn strut mounts not yet installed. I'd like to get a trace of the bottom plate to use as a starting point. I know it's kind of cheating but you do what you have to when you don't have much money. Thanks