this guy told me that in order to further stiffen my suspension, I should jack up my car when putting in the strut bars. my question is, where am I supposed to jack it up by? the middle? or by the sides? Im guessing its the middle because it wouldnt help much lifting by the sides

 

no, it doesnt do anything to the effectiveness of the strut bar. may help in installation to get things to line up better. but there is no extra effect. strut bars are not springs, they perform as structural members to stiffen the chassis, there is no such thing as preload for this.

 

It preloads the bar =

 

Riiiiiight...

Kirk

 

Doesn't matter on a non-MacPherson setup. It makes a difference on my old M3 though. I can't even put the bar on while it's on the ground.

Warren

 

E30 m3? I had the same problem on my dads car, took me a few minutes to realize it needed to be off the ground.

 

i've never heard of this. very interesting.
-spenc

 

i think it's wise when you are mounting the bar right to the shock tower bolts. Othewise, most honda civics and integras, there is a seperate mounting point for a STB. Worthless mounts IMO. Right to the shock tower is the best.

 

so then it follows that when cranking down the adjustment nut on an adjustable bar, i should turn it in the direction so as to push the strut towers out, away from each other? probably have to do an alignment again after that.... *sigh*

jeff

 

why would you have to do an alignment after that? maybe if hondas had mac struts, but we have technology, sophistication, double wishbones!!! pushing on the shock towers on our cars won't give you positive camber, and I'm positive on that

 

you would never be able to 'adjust' the strut brace enough to warrant an alignment. rest easy--install the strut brace and be happy.

 

if you guys all feel that you dont need to do another alignment after installing a strut bar, then wtf makes you think there is any preload to this part that makes it important to install in a special way? no, i not saying alignments are necessary! the piece functions as a structural member, holds the two shock towers in tension/compression. any flex in the bar is elastic yielding, instrinsic in anything and everything metal, but thats it and doesnt account for much in how it works. its not a spring, force it in tight, you just stretch the metal, but will do nothing for the performance of the piece. (and this is not about if it really does do something good for honda double wishbone suspension, but i believe and know it does) you guys who are defending this care to explain in mechanical terms what exta is achieved when installed with the car loaded or unloaded. i fail to see any benefit with my BS in Mech. Eng.

 

...and the enchanted strut bar disappeared in a puff of logic. The end.

K

 

Makes a great handhold when you're leaning over the engine to putz with something!

-Chris, whose Integra seemed to pick up a secondary steering input in high g-load sweepers when the bar was removed.

 

LMAO


[Modified by Geratol, 4:01 PM 10/1/2002]

 

hey man calm down! since you have the BS in Mech. Eng why don't YOU kindly let us know the proper way to install a strut tower bar b/c I sure as hell don't know what the 'proper' way to install a strut tower bar is, or if there even is a 'proper' way


[Modified by carl_aka_carlos, 4:24 PM 10/1/2002]

 

there is no 'proper' way. just bolt it on any way you can. any "adjustment" will gain nothing, and jacking up one end of the car does nothing more than help install it. once all wheels go back on the ground, it will be the same as if it was installed with it on the ground. i hear this time and time again, but it makes no mechanical sense. i also hear ppl confusing strut bars as suspension pieces that are interchangeable with swaybars, which have nothing to do with each other.

heres perspective. theres no differing way to mount a front cross member either cuz its just a bolt on piece, theres no 'adjustment' or proper mounting procedure. it just helps keep the chassis in place, just like a strut bar.