installing strut brace?

[Goosse]

Does anyone has some tips on installing a strut brace? Does there has to be pressure on the wheels (normal), or should I put the car of the ground, so there is no pressure on the front wheels?

BTW: it's a Ractive strut brace

[00'Civic SR]

Install it with the car on the ground. Very simple job but just make sure you tighten the nuts up to the correct torque.

What Ractive one did you get as I'm interested in getting one for my car. Most of the aftermark strut braces don't clear the throttle body on my car.

[Goosse]

I don't really know which one I got . I just told the guy that I wanted a ractive one for my car

[civic_1.6_16v]

Are there any big differences between all the brands of strut-braces ???
besides the brand and prices

[Goosse]

I don't think there is much differance. I heard from a few guys that they get the same results from a cheap brand vs an expensive brand.

[Veetec]

Actually there can be "big" differences between strut bars!! Have a look here: http://www.hondavision.com/showthread.php?threadid=12
(Written by Dezoris!)

[Goosse]

Originally posted by Veetec
Actually there can be "big" differences between strut bars!! Have a look here: http://www.hondavision.com/showthread.php?threadid=12
(Written by Dezoris!)

you have to be registered, just copy paste the post + say were you found the post and who posted it.

Thanks for the correction

[Veetec]

" Sway Bar/Strut Bar Tech
There are many debates on whether strut braces (pictured below)

(comptech sport)
actually do any thing to a vehicles handling, or help in balancing suspension components. Well you know the claims


quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
strut towerbars are the final part of the suspension tuning system for greater body rigidity and sharp handling. Improve suspension rigidity and accomodate vector changes during high-speed cornering. Increased rigidity of the stationary support portion of the suspension unit reduces unit fatigue caused by upward thrust. Create a superior suspension system featuring both durability and smooth operation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Well that sums it up or does it?


Ok now that you have visuals, lets explain.
The way suspension travels should be of no mystery to anyone.
You have a shock or strut connected to a tower mated to a coil spring, connecting to a control arm etc. What happens when you hit a bump?
The shocks/springs compress and rebound, putting stress on the shock towers, and under hard manuvers the frame may flex. So what is the obvious way to keep the frame from twisting, build a support beam from tower to tower. The frame needs to twist a bit, that is what it does. So why the need for a bar. Well see if you meet the criteria.
Strut bars are a good modification for the following people
1.)You have your vehicle lowered more than 1"
2.)You have sport springs or shocks
3.)have a tire profile of 45 or below
It is a good mod for those who have changed other suspension components that can effect the way the car handles.
Strut bars are not proven to provide any better lateral grip usually, but if your goal is to stiffen a frame that has has one of those 3 items done to cause more stress on it, then it may be worth your while. Stay away from bars with pivot points as pointed out above, they are virtually worthless, but cheap.
Bars to look at:
Nuespeed
Comptech Sport
Mugen
Sprint
Finally, adding those bars is a small piece in the puzzle, but, it is a piece.
Everything is working against keeping the tires glued to the ground. Strut braces if anything aid in keeping the tires planted or help them form being unglued in extreme cornering situations, or turboulent road conditions. Keeping the frame stiff, is the goal, a cheap way to do it is a strut bar, one w/o pivot points.


quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
are we really going to have another conversation like this? just because its hinged doesnt mean its less strong.......i bet arospeed could make a nice big ol pile of shit one piece bar and it wouldnt be as strong as a hinged spoon bar.....and im only using that purely as an example, yes one piece is better but you cant just say this bar has no seperate pieces, its obviously superior...cause thats not always correct since there are many other factors involved.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Then lets get a physical explanation how the hinged bar is more rigid and more effective than a solid bar?

You have two pivot points on each side, when the shock tower flexes it pushes up on the bracket and that force puts stress on the connecting point of the bar, which if there is a pivot, the bracket pivots at the point where it is connected to the bar, hence not doing much.

Look at a control arm it is similar, the shock body is attached to it.
Weight transfer compresses the shock the control arm moves at the pivot points on the bushings. If there were no pivots the shock/spring would not be able to compress for obvious reasons.


I am sorry I am trying to prove a point through examples, but the way I know, is by seeing equipment race teams use to determine spring rates with wheels and tires on the car, and how reinforcement shock tower braces and tire pressures effect spring rates. My point is if you are getting a shock tower brace for chassis reinforcement then you want the most rigid bar, pivot point bars may reinforce the shock towers, but by design they are not as effective as the solid design.

I like the comptech bars and Neuspeed, bars.
The Spoon bars and Skunk bars still have Pivot points, and as pretty as they are and as beefey as they look, technically they loose rigidity because of that, and it is cheaper to manufacter a adjustable shock tower bar that uses the shock mounting bolts than to make one that you drill into the shock towers that move the mounted points out further making it more effective.
Such a s these.

200$ Comptech awesome bar, drilling required

Neuspeed
old version still w/o pivots that mounts to the shock mounts

New version similar to the Comptech/Mugen but cheaper still strong as hell. Drilling required

Mugen

Great design, but just because it says mugen does not mean shit, it is 300$$$$ that is just horrible those bars above are just as effective!!!

King thinks because they are the sole authorized dealer they can mark shit up and people will pay, and they do.
King tries to sell their own camber kits, for almost 400$
And guess what, they are made by Skunk2!!!!
You can go buy a skunk kit for half the price.


The lower tie bar increases the strength of the subframe, and is manditory with sway bars over 19mm in thickness, primarily in Hondas, where the subframe, specifically the rear, is notorious for pull aways and tears. Most manufacturors are designing their sway bars to come with the complemented Lower tie bar, mainly, because, in Neuspeeds case, the sway bars were tearing the subframe from the welds. These cases caused companies like Neupeed to look at their products, and redesign them (brackets, assemblies etc) to work better with the stock frame. What the end user gets is something that Honda did not intend, a , more rigid frame, more suitable for fine tuning their already great suspension. The tie bar is not a modification that is really felt. It is yet another small piece in the suspension tuning process. Alone a tie bar is not really going to do anything, IMO, except maybe stabilize the pick up points, at higher speed manuvers, will you notice it, I'd say not. But when combined with the sway bars, they work wonderfully together, especially when mated to an adjustable shock spring combo that has been corner weighted.
"
Written by Dezoris at Hondavision.com!!!

[Goosse]

Thanks. It's a lot of text.

[Goosse]

and the strut brace is on. Never could imagine I would feel such a difference. Steering is much more direct, and the car sounds healtier when you drive on or off a speed bump.

[civic_1.6_16v]

Damn, so it really does makes a difference with or without a strutbrace
Can you post a pic of it installed perhaps

[Goosse]

If I can find a digicam somewhere. Otherwise it might take some time.

[Veetec]

Originally posted by Goosse
and the strut brace is on. Never could imagine I would feel such a difference. Steering is much more direct, and the car sounds healtier when you drive on or off a speed bump.

What brand did you get finally?

[civic_1.6_16v]

We all have time to spare

As long as we all come back to the forum now and then to check up on updates

[Goosse]

It's a Ractive 3-piece strut brace. Looks good and feels good