What is a strut tower brace/bar?
Strut tower braces or bars are intended to eliminate strut tower deflection and increase chassis rigidity to reduce suspension distortion from acceleration and cornering. The brace also improves the chassis rigidity for better vehicle handling and helps maintain correct suspension geometry.
Strut tower braces are available for either the front or the rear of your J-body, and connect the two strut towers to each other, and sometimes also to the firewall or other parts of the car. The front bars are much more common, though they serve the same purpose. The length of the front and rear bars is different, so unfortunately they are not interchangeable.
Front strut tower braces come stock on the third gen convertible J-body cars, but not other models. GM must have decided that the convertible models were the only ones that would benefit from the strut tower bar, because of the lessened chassis rigidity and structural integrity that results when you chop the roof off of a car. However, they didn't take into consideration enthusiasts like you or me. Luckily, the stock strut tower bar will fit just fine on most of the J-body models, plus there are plenty of aftermarket bars available.
GM even makes several different models, which you can order from any local parts counter or online dealer.
Part #22604347 was used from 1995-2000 on the 2.4L convertibles. This is the “standard” strut bar, which has a bracket to mount to the firewall, but no cruise control (CC) bracket (for cars with either no CC or have the CC module mounted to the firewall instead). Companies like RK Sport, RSM Racing and Mantapart (just to name a few) all sell this same bar as a performance suspension upgrade.
Part #22642387 was used from 95-97 on the 2.2L convertibles with cruise control. This bar has a bracket to mount the passenger-strut mounted CC module on as well as a firewall bolt bracket. Will also fit any J-Body that has the CC module mounted on the Passenger Strut Mount.
Part #22642386 was used on the 1995 2.3L convertibles, with the CC module mounted on the passenger side strut tower. In theory, this should be the same as the 22642387 bar, but no one has compared them side-to-side to make certain. (Please feel free to do so and send us an update!)
Part #22604348 was used on the 96-98 2.2L convertibles, according to GM’s part computers. However, we’re not sure if it has the cruise control bracket or not. (If you know or can find out, please send us an update!)
Many aftermarket front strut braces exist:
APC
Freedom Design (billet or carbon-fibre look)
Held Motor Sports (powder coated)
Mantapart
NEO (polished)
Next Level
OBX
Ractive
RK Sport
RSM
Vibrant Type V
Second gen Z24s came stock with a front strut tower brace. APC also makes a chrome front bar.
Rear strut tower braces are available from several companies:
Freedom Design
Mantapart
Next Level
RSM
