Cascade Crew

miamivice · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 6:23 pm Post subject: MAC strut tower brace?

just browsing the net for options on Strut Tower Braces.

came across one made by MAC on hawks web site. i have never heard of them, any good?

i do like the fact that comes in chrome, but is it just me or does it look like joke. very small and not beefy at all. Confused

it doesnt look like kenny brown or hotchkis makes them anymore for 3rd gens. only options are Edelbrock and BMR and then this mac one i guess. from what i understand on reading TGO the Edelbrock one has problems clearing a firebird hood so i guess im left with either the BMR or this mac one.

are there any other ones out there that you guys could recomend? or any recomendations in general?
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this is for a TPI car.

thanks

Twilightoptics · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 6:40 pm Post subject:

I'm all about the triangluation reguardless. Looks just as beefy as any of the other two point braces. To get a real effect, you need it tied into the cowl. Edelbrock all the way.

Xophertony · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 12:10 am Post subject:

do two little bolts through thin sheet metal on the cowl realy do that much?

Twilightoptics · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 8:15 am Post subject:

The cowl sheet metal is about 1/8" thick, and those are usually 3/8" bolts.

Cheesy or John can get more into the engineering of it.

The struts come in towards each other yeah, but they also move front and rear and at angles, so triangulating things makes it that much more rigid.

I don't think a strut tower brace is very neccessary if you hav SFCS.

Go get some play dough, and put it in the seam between the fender and the hood. Go drive hard with SFCS. If the playdough has been squished inward so that there is some gap now, then you could benefit some by a STB.

iansane · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 9:33 am Post subject:

Fish has got the spohn SFCs and I think he notcied some more stiffness after we put the 3pt brace in his car.

Xophertony · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 9:40 am Post subject:

playdough. good idea.

also the triangle thing makes more sense now. i failed to realise that they don't just move side to side. Rolling Eyes

miamivice · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 11:39 am Post subject:

BigDaddyVu · Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 4:15 pm Post subject:

this one will fit my 87 iroc tpi

http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/part.asp?pid=SB33&c=1&e=0&cat=G&hid=G18AM433

this is the one i got for my 84 t/a

http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/part.asp?pid=SB89&c=1&e=0&cat=G&hid=G18AH299

Twilightoptics · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 7:39 am Post subject:

When you put SFC in... the lateral forces to stiffen are from the side bards in the front that go from the SFC to the trans tunnel frame part.

When I added more bracing in there I noticed more difference, than with STB.

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 8:20 am Post subject:

The STB really only helps with camber control. It helps keep the camber and suspension changes, in the suspension components, not in the body/frame flexing.

It isn't going to do amazing things, and make your car handle better. For it to be of any bennifit, you also have to really have a solid suspension to begine with. The a-arm bushings, and upper strut mount, will deflect long before the towers themselfs, until you do the proper upgrades, such as del-a-lum bushings, and solid strut mounts (like our own Mr. Alloy, makes!).

Xophertony · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:33 am Post subject:

alloy makes solid strut mounts? Shocked

ohhh... how much i want some. Smile

QwkTrip · Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 1:45 pm Post subject:

Xophertony · Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 4:23 pm Post subject:

Al Hasse · Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 6:05 pm Post subject:

If I'm not mistaken, he referred to the sheet metal of the strut towers because it is the same thickness as the sheet metal of the cowl. Same thickness of sheet metal carrying the load of the struts means the sheet metal of the cowl really has that much effect.

Xophertony · Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 6:18 pm Post subject:

ohh.... i see how it could have ment that...

i did not consider that since the cowl is flat and the strut towers are formed (therefore less prone to bending under force) but the thickness is a good point. i also realised at the junkyard today that the cowl is double ply sheet metal. it is two pieces put together.