Shock tower brace improves stability on handling?

[Tbone289]

However, are appearance mods a waste of money? Some argue yes, some argue no.

Very true. My opinion is that appearance mods under the hood are a complete waste of money, but I wouldn't hesitate to use modest appearance mods on the exterior.

Sponsored

 

[robscar]

My experience with a strut tower bar on one vehicle (08 Pontiac Solstice GXP) is that it did sharpen up the initial turn in. When I first turned the steering wheel, the response was minuscule(?) sharper. Once the vehicle settled into the turn I noticed no additional benefit. Will I do it to the Mav? Probably, after a few other things first though.

 

[Tbone289]

Chassis flex effectively increases suspension travel in low speed off-roading.

With a very stiff chassis, you run out of suspension travel sooner, start lifting tires sooner and run out of traction sooner.

"Effectively", yes. But, the suspension doesn't actually travel farther. Your tires can reach farther due to chassis flex, but the suspension travel remains the same. Chassis flex isn't altering the action of the suspension itself. This is exactly why I stated that the strut brace doesn't affect suspension articulation. Suspension articulation and chassis flex are not one in the same.

Modern unibody chassis flex very little, so a strut brace will make virtually no difference. I've had cars in the recent past that flexed so much when you put one corner up on a jack that the doors would rub on the door frames/jams and the door latch was ineffective. You don't see anything like that in modern unibody chassis like the Maverick.

 

[Chops]

Very true. My opinion is that appearance mods under the hood are a complete waste of money, but I wouldn't hesitate to use modest appearance mods on the exterior.

I’m in and out of my garage often every day - and I also often leave my hood up (hopefully not using any significant battery power).

My pretty strut brace is for my eyes only mostly.

 

[Phimosis]

"Effectively", yes. But, the suspension doesn't actually travel farther. Your tires can reach farther due to flex, but the "suspension travel" remains the same. Chassis flex isn't altering the action of the suspension itself.

Of course body flex does not increase how many inches of suspension travel you have.

But body flex will keep the tires on the ground to higher levels of articulation, with the same number of inches of suspension before lifting a tire off of the ground, which improves traction, therefore improving off-road performance.

Conversely, adding a strut tower brace will reduce body flex, which will reduce articulation and therefore reduce off-road performance, in the context of low speed off-roading, such as rock crawling.

However, in practice, modern unibodies have very high torsional rigidity, very little body flex and adding / removing a strut tower brace is going to make minimal impact

 

[Tbone289]

I’m in and out of my garage often every day - and I also often leave my hood up (hopefully not using any significant battery power).

My pretty strut brace is for my eyes only mostly.

I'm the same, but I just don't care what the appearance of the engine bay is. As long as it's clean and well maintained, I'm happy.

 

[Tbone289]

Of course body flex does not increase how many inches of suspension travel you have.

But body flex will keep the tires on the ground to higher levels of articulation, with the same number of inches of suspension before lifting a tire off of the ground, which improves traction, therefore improving off-road performance.

Conversely, adding a strut tower brace will reduce body flex, which will reduce articulation and therefore reduce off-road performance, in the context of low speed off-roading, such as rock crawling.

However, in practice, modern unibodies have very high torsional rigidity, very little body flex and adding / removing a strut tower brace is going to make minimal impact

Yes, I agree with you, and that's pretty much what I just said. I was making edits to add clarity to the post you quoted while you were typing this reply, BTW. I also mentioned earlier that comparing a Bronco's body-on-frame setup (as in the example video) is not the same as a stiffer unibody.

 

[Swapper]

i built my own from scrap i had at work when i was bored. dunno if i feel any difference or not. just something ive done to most of my cars ive owned. yes i put the cover back over the red battery terminal and yes theres room above the negative terminal. may not be powder coated but free fiddy is better than $150+

 

[Backin15]

I put a brace on my Mustang, mostly because it looks cool but I also figured if it reduces flex it will take longer for the squeaks and rattles to appear in the years ahead. I do drive it hard and have noticed no change in handling though. I do not have any plans to add one to the Mav.

 

[r0tax]

i built my own from scrap i had at work when i was bored. dunno if i feel any difference or not. just something ive done to most of my cars ive owned. yes i put the cover back over the red battery terminal and yes theres room above the negative terminal. may not be powder coated but free fiddy is better than $150+

Thats the best one I've seen yet. For real.
Just black.
No branding.
Done.
Doesn't grab too much attention. Could even go matte black on the finish, and it would blend into the bay even better.

 

[Phimosis]

i built my own from scrap i had at work when i was bored. dunno if i feel any difference or not. just something ive done to most of my cars ive owned. yes i put the cover back over the red battery terminal and yes theres room above the negative terminal. may not be powder coated but free fiddy is better than $150+

How much did your lap times at willow springs go down after installing this?

Sponsored