ok guys i'm new here and this is my first post. i was looking for a strut brace but figured i could make a better one myself, since i have a welder and all the necessary tools to do just about anything so here's the pics, they are not the greatest since i had to make the file size of them small to upload them

first is the bracket i made from 3/16 plate for the driver side


now here is the piece i had to cut to weld to the computer bracket already on the strut tower on the pass side


here is the brace before paint, the plate with the holes on top is just for looks, it had 1 1/4" angle iron under it that is 1/4" thick


here it is painted then mounted on the car



and here is the car that i painted in my garage with a 40gallon compressor

oh and that front lip is the rubber side door moldings that i removed before i painted that car


2002 PAID $500 AND DID A $200 PAINT JOB IN MY GARAGE WITH A 40 GALLON COMPRESSOR

I would have just spent the $12 on the Ebay bars.

Looks ok though...

Here's mine. I bought the Ebay bars and made the rest out of stainless steel tubing.



Triangulated rear brace,



And the tie bar.


^Wow that's an older pic, I have a Z rear, wheels, and the shaved trunk painted since this.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Saturday, October 23, 2010 9:12 AM

Jim - It honestly doesn't look like it's doing all that much. It seems like it would get flimsy under load, therefore becoming useless. It's hard to tell in the pics. Props though for doing your own work! I like the paint too, great colors.

Mike - What did you use to press down the ends of your steel tubing?





* * BIG FOR SALE POST * *

i think its stronger then the ebay ones since under that 1/8" plate (with the holes for looks) is 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" wide angle iron that 1/4" thick


2002 PAID $500 AND DID A $200 PAINT JOB IN MY GARAGE WITH A 40 GALLON COMPRESSOR

tha_prowler wrote:Mike - What did you use to press down the ends of your steel tubing?

A shop press to flatten the ends, And a rubber mallet by the strut tower so the hood would close without hitting them.

jim thurston wrote:i think its stronger then the ebay ones since under that 1/8" plate (with the holes for looks) is 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" wide angle iron that 1/4" thick

I couldn't see anything underneath it in the pics, Props on the work for sure, Just seems a bit flimsy.

When it comes to strut tower bars, There is no need to spend $300 on a set. The ebay ones do the exact same thing for less money. GM stb is the best as it mounts to the firewall too.

i'm planning on adding a support for the driver side to the fire wall and the nice thing about using the computer mount is its connected the the fire wall i just had to drill a new hole just above the original one to lower it a bit and added some steel to support it and make it stiffer.


2002 PAID $500 AND DID A $200 PAINT JOB IN MY GARAGE WITH A 40 GALLON COMPRESSOR

Mike wrote:

jim thurston wrote:i think its stronger then the ebay ones since under that 1/8" plate (with the holes for looks) is 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" wide angle iron that 1/4" thick

I couldn't see anything underneath it in the pics, Props on the work for sure, Just seems a bit flimsy.

When it comes to strut tower bars, There is no need to spend $300 on a set. The ebay ones do the exact same thing for less money. GM stb is the best as it mounts to the firewall too.

The GM one is superior to the ebay not just because of the fire wall mounts but also because it doesn't have the pivots on the ends like the ebay ones. I've used both. From 1 to10 no bar is 0, ebay bar is 5, GM bar without firewall braces is a 10. That's based on the feeling of the car.

To the O.P. I think they under estimate the rigidity of 1/4" angle. Should outdo the ebay one.

Zs Z wrote:

Mike wrote:

jim thurston wrote:i think its stronger then the ebay ones since under that 1/8" plate (with the holes for looks) is 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" wide angle iron that 1/4" thick

I couldn't see anything underneath it in the pics, Props on the work for sure, Just seems a bit flimsy.

When it comes to strut tower bars, There is no need to spend $300 on a set. The ebay ones do the exact same thing for less money. GM stb is the best as it mounts to the firewall too.

The GM one is superior to the ebay not just because of the fire wall mounts but also because it doesn't have the pivots on the ends like the ebay ones. I've used both. From 1 to10 no bar is 0, ebay bar is 5, GM bar without firewall braces is a 10. That's based on the feeling of the car.

To the O.P. I think they under estimate the rigidity of 1/4" angle. Should outdo the ebay one.

i agree, the angle iron is super strong and its actually 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" not 1/4" its 1/4" thick and the top 1/8 drilled plate closes off the triangle. and like you said about the pivots on the ebay ones the one i made is welded solid on the strut mounts so no worries about that.


2002 PAID $500 AND DID A $200 PAINT JOB IN MY GARAGE WITH A 40 GALLON COMPRESSOR

I would def say good effort, but the structural integrity will not be there, its just pretty much a conversation piece at this point.
But everyone has to start somewhere, so good job and make something else.
I love making custom pieces.

Unfortunately Jim, that Strut bar isnt doing much than adding weight. It really needs to be either tube stock or 1/2 thick (steel or aluminum doesnt matter too much due to how the stress calculations work for this type of loading). the best brace is going to be a 3/4" aluminum tube triangle brace that has one point of the triangle connect to the firewall. And also the mouing tabs for the strut towers should be complete circles and 1/4-3/8 thick stock. The ends of the tube where they attach to the mounting tabs on the strut towers and the firewall should be crushed down (you can do this with a vice, use smooth jaws) and should have an 1-1.5 inches onto the tabs, making for 4-6 inches of weld (weld the underside on the edge too) at each strut tower.


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer

Or you could modify the GM bar with a helper bar like this.
3/4 inch galvanized steel tubing with shop pressed ends to help out an already good GM bar.



Not the best pic but you get the idea.
So now I've got the ideal bar for fire wall mount along with actual strut to strut connection for a true 4 point front strut mount.
I can't say I feel any difference with this setup because the car is so stiff it's hard to tell at this point.


To the original poster, nice work though, and good to see custom work still being used for our cars.
Welcome to the forums man.



Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

Have you driven the car since installation? And do you feel a difference? That's the most important part.

Misnblu....that is another mod I will be borrowing from you lol.

how did you attach that galvanized steel to the mounting tabs? You sure as hell didn't weld it or you'd have mentioned the trip to the hospital afterwards.


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer

Leafy, trust me if I had a welder, I'd have most everyone of my mods properly welded like they're supposed to be.
It's fastened down to the bolt of the strut mount but the holes for the bar are the exact size as the bolts so there's no play. The bar is an exact fit to the holes with no tolerance and I also used a large washer to help with the loading of the nut once it was torqued to spec with a torque wrench.
And I do know about welding galvanized since I worked at a shipyard and alot of that goes on with building DDG's.

ZsZ, if you do this make sure that you've got clearance to your oil fill cap. Motion of the engine had me to make a subtle flat spot in the tubing to give some play for the bar and cap. It came out really good with some finesse out of the shop press but I still was relegated to cutting off the top of the oil fil cap, polishing it afterwards, and never having an issue with it again.
And my only reason for this mod was to act as a helper bar and nothing more. With the GM strut bar doing most of the work already, the addition of the helper bar is to help any further motion, if any, to be stopped in it's track and to help benefit a strut tower to strut tower connection which is lacking with the gm strut bar.
I can't say that it actually works but in theory it should help.


Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

Leafy wrote:Unfortunately Jim, that Strut bar isnt doing much than adding weight. It really needs to be either tube stock or 1/2 thick (steel or aluminum doesnt matter too much due to how the stress calculations work for this type of loading). the best brace is going to be a 3/4" aluminum tube triangle brace that has one point of the triangle connect to the firewall. And also the mouing tabs for the strut towers should be complete circles and 1/4-3/8 thick stock. The ends of the tube where they attach to the mounting tabs on the strut towers and the firewall should be crushed down (you can do this with a vice, use smooth jaws) and should have an 1-1.5 inches onto the tabs, making for 4-6 inches of weld (weld the underside on the edge too) at each strut tower.

you say that "And also the mouing tabs for the strut towers should be complete circles and 1/4-3/8 thick stock" well everyone agrees that the best strut braces are the factory ones and they are only bolted to 2 holes like mine.

Leafy,
its not galvanized steel its stainless and its welded.

Zs Z,
its almost like driving a different car, its very tight and stiff.


2002 PAID $500 AND DID A $200 PAINT JOB IN MY GARAGE WITH A 40 GALLON COMPRESSOR

WHile the factory one might be the best bang for your buck, they are not the best thing since sliced bread.


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer

Jim- that is the important part, if the car feels like a different car its doing its job.

Leafy-I'm certainly not trying to pick a fight but the GM bar will out perform and strut bar that has the bar bolted onto the mounting pads. Now I am a firm believer theat the OEM godzilla bar and even the DC one piece bars will out perform the GM bar. Mainly because they do circle the whole strut tower and they have a thicker bar. However IMHO the cost does not justify the differences.

Zs Z wrote:Jim- that is the important part, if the car feels like a different car its doing its job.

Leafy-I'm certainly not trying to pick a fight but the GM bar will out perform and strut bar that has the bar bolted onto the mounting pads. Now I am a firm believer theat the OEM godzilla bar and even the DC one piece bars will out perform the GM bar. Mainly because they do circle the whole strut tower and they have a thicker bar. However IMHO the cost does not justify the differences.

And the fact that is doesn't bolt to the firewall, although thin as it is still helps with reinforcing the bars function.
Btw, as much as I'm into cars, I've seen many, many cars that only are using 2 mounting points for their strut bars.
Some of the biggest names do this so it's really not an issue with how many strut bolts it's going to be tied to.
Out of our three strut bolts, two is the best way to go, and the reason GM didn't use a three bolt setup was because of hood issues which as we all know is limited in how close it comes to the top of the strut towers.

Finally if things are torqued to spec and proper washers are used to help with the load of each nut to the bar, it can be quite strong with the one piece bar.
Btw I do like this thread because it's insightful with lots of information in it.
I wish all threads were like this.


Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

I like threads like this too. Im happy to hear that the angle iron made a difference, just as I thought it would. Knowing this for sure I now have confirmation to the plans in my head about how to do a rear bar for my vert.

Zs Z wrote:I like threads like this too. Im happy to hear that the angle iron made a difference, just as I thought it would. Knowing this for sure I now have confirmation to the plans in my head about how to do a rear bar for my vert.

thats my next plan is making one for the rear


2002 PAID $500 AND DID A $200 PAINT JOB IN MY GARAGE WITH A 40 GALLON COMPRESSOR