[SupraWes]

Who would be interested in buying a polished T6 Sch 40 Aluminum Rear Shock tower bar. Pricing will be in the $25-30 range plus shipping. The Bar would weigh approximately 1.5lbs. I could probably make some painted bars also if you don't want polished.

 

[Supra Bob]

I would definately be interested in one... but like my vote above said, I'd perfer one to mount to the seat latches so I don't loose too much cargo space.

 

[SupraFiend]

its not so much a cargo space issue as it is an effieciency and wear issue. The tops of struts aren't designed to take those kind of gs. Unless your talking about a brace that requires drilling holes and bolting it to the shock tower

 

[Muchbzy]

I would definately be interested in one... but like my vote above said, I'd perfer one to mount to the seat latches so I don't loose too much cargo space.

Okay, this is news to me...I didn't know about attaching one to the seat latches. :shock: Can this be done and still latch the seats? What's the cons on the stress factor on the tops of the struts, I haven't heard of that until now either!

 

[3000cc MK2]

Pics would be nice????

 

[dohc82]

I have had a strut mount type on my car for a year with no problems.

 

[skip]

i have a strut mount type for a year as well and havent had any problems...damn hope we dont jinx ourselves :lol:

 

[supra_toy]

I would

Will

 

[Stefan]

Great idea. I hadn't heard of one under the seat latches... I'm thinking this would brace the chassis better than using the top of the shocks. The coupes (celicas) are sposed to have a stiffer chassis, and this would hopefully mimic it.

Anyone have some pics of one made this way, or is ait just an idea being bandied around? I'd be interested, Wes, $30=$45aud at the moment - not so bad - but probably not worth my while after shipping.

 

[suprathepeg]

I have looked at this for a while and myonly question is does it make a differance to have a bar that only uses 2 bolts?

 

[Racefiend]

If you make a combo of the two, I'd be interested. I was thinking about making one that mounts to both strut towers and seat latches. If someone (you) beats me to it I'd just buy it.

Christian

 

[Andrew]

http://www.celicasupra.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=357&highlight=

 

[SupraFiend]

I'm sure a strut to strut brace could be put on a mk2 and driven with for years with no damage, but personally I'd be woried about really stressing the car with one. The studs on the tops of the struts are pretty thin, its only a 12 or 14mm nut on there. That and the shock itself has rubber bushings between it and the body to reduce vibration. I think those bushings would reduce alot of the effect of the brace as well. I've seen a brace for the AE86, which has the same rear shock setup we do, that attachs just like a typical front brace with the three holes and shock tower shaped end piece. You have to drill holes in the tower and bolt it on though. Personally I like the seat latch brace, but I'd want to make mine thin enough so I can still latch the seats.

 

[suprathepeg]

This is an interesting problem my thoughts are the same in regards to the top of the shock bolt. I think the only answer as far as performance is concerned is to bolt the brace to the tower, bite the bullet and get out the drill.

 

[Andrew]

If you compensate for the width of the bar on the latches, you're OK.. I can still latch my seats well..

 

[Stefan]

The Ae86 doesn't really have a similar rear shock arangement. It's solid axcel so I imagine it would be more like a solid axcel A6 celica - shock tops extend into the floor a little. Ours are way up in the air with sheetmtal hills to accommodate.

Anyway, the important difference here is that the rear shocks don't play nearly as important a part in suspension geometry (if at all) as a strut tower brace in the front, so the way I see it all you are try to do with a rear brace in our cars is bracing the chassis - not locating the shocks relative to one another.

 

[SupraWes]

A bar that braces between the seat latches will probalby be more efficient as it will be nearer to the springs where all of the force is being applied and it is not being damped by the rubber or poly bushings at the top of the shocks. I mainly use my "shock tower brace to hold in my small subwoofer box, and for a camera mount. i tend to not slow down at all for corners so i cant have anything loose in my car at all or they become a deadly projectile. I have taken a few pictures of my prototype brace that is out of polished steel that I will try and get onnline soon, but I have a wedding and an Autocross to get ready for this weekend so it may be sometime next week. I will also make a prototype seat latch brace out of steel before I buy the aluminum tubing, and make sure there are no issues that I need to work out. I would be willing to deal, say one bar for 25 or both for 45, not sure on pricing for the camera mounts yet I need to do more research.

 

[Muchbzy]

If you compensate for the width of the bar on the latches, you're OK.. I can still latch my seats well..

Okay, here's my .02. If every other maker of strut bars makes them so they attach to the strut what makes are cars so different that we can't? All the ones I've seen for VW's, Honda's, and Bimmers all mount that way so why can't we? If the strut couldn't take the stress wouldn't it bend from driving, dragging, or autoxing? :?:

 

[82Spearco]

I built a custom sub box like Wes, but didn't take into account the extra amount that the subwoofer sticks out of the box, so my Lewitz rear strut bar will not fit. I am having a friend of mine make a custom bent strut bar that will brace between the shocks and hold the subwoofer in place. However, I would be interested in your bar if it attached to the seat latches, then I would run bars in both locations and never have to worry about my sub box going anywhere! I could have my friend make both bars, but if you are going to bite the bullet, I will support your cause for a seat latch bar.

 

[SupraFiend]

The Ae86 doesn't really have a similar rear shock arangement. It's solid axcel so I imagine it would be more like a solid axcel A6 celica - shock tops extend into the floor a little. Ours are way up in the air with sheetmtal hills to accommodate.

Yes it does, its almost identical to ours in fact. You can even swap struts back and forth between the two cars, though the lenghs are a little different ( a couple inchs). Trust me, I have both cars sitting outside right now.

Okay, here's my .02. If every other maker of strut bars makes them so they attach to the strut what makes are cars so different that we can't? All the ones I've seen for VW's, Honda's, and Bimmers all mount that way so why can't we? If the strut couldn't take the stress wouldn't it bend from driving, dragging, or autoxing?

Most of those cars you mention have macpherson struts or some varient in the rear. We have a single skinny stud attached to the end of a strut going through our shock tower, theirs are more like our fronts, where theres 3 big studs attaching to the top of the spring perch.

Thats what I'm afraid of, I think some serious autoxing could bend the tops of our struts with a strut mounted bar on it, at the very least it will mess up the threads on the strut (which you don't want to do, not fun).

Sounds good Wes, good luck with the project.