ok i see them in engine bays every time somone pops their hood. I understand its supposto help the suspension, BUT HOW? i mean will a bar of flimsy metal really make a big difference?

______________________________________

11.65 @ 115

The difference I noticed right away (moreso with the front bar, I didn't really notice a difference with the rear bar) was stiffer cornering. Not a better turning radius or anything, just less flex while turning. After a little while you don't notice a difference at all. That doesn't mean I'm going to take it off tho. I'd say it's okay to go with a cheapie bar if you don't plan on racing your car. If you are going to race, definitely spend the loot for stronger, stiffer metal.

Strut bars stiffen up your suspension. I hadonly my rear one in for a while and the rear end was sollid while the front end was all felexy n shit. Definately get them. Once you do, because you will, after they are installed, push your car from the side to make it wobble back and forth. Now do the same to a car without strut bars and/or modified suspension and you will notice the difference then.

pop your hood and look at the two mounting points for the strut bar. You'll notice that these are where the shocks/struts are.

The first thing it does is it stiffens the chassis, because even though the chassis is metal, we all know metal bends if forced to.

The second thing the strut bar does is it basically locks the struts so that they work together. Um.. this is easier to explain in person, but i'll try my best.

Ok, imagine taking a sharp left turn without a strut bar in place. What happens? The front right shock/strut gets pushed up, while the front left shock takes on less pressure. Makes sense right? because a left turn would transer weight to the right side of the vehicle.

Now, imagine taking the same left turn with a strut bar. The front right shock/strut gets pushed up still, but this time, that pressure is 'transfered' to the left shock, pushing DOWN on it, so that it forces the left side to contact the ground better. This in turn provides better grip and better ability to accelerate.

I think that's the best way to describe it (or at least, this is what i've been lead to believe). The same goes for sway bars, except they are on the bottom of the car. Tie bars on the other hand just strengthen the chassis to prevent body flex.

Hope i helped, and if i'm wrong about something or the way I explained something, please clarify for me!

16.1 @ 87.11
http://www.virtuallyinfamous.com

ARD 57mm tb and p&p manifold, Neuspeed STB, Pro-kits, Illuminas, Injen CAI with K&N, 2.5" pacesetter catback,
AF/X UDP, Rear STB, Powerslot rotors, RRE SS Brakelines.

Oh, while i'm at it:

Stiffer rear suspension will cause oversteer while stiffer front suspension will cause understeer.

Which is easier to control is debatable. Most production cars are built to have a little understeer since a tap of the brakes (shifting weight to the front of the car) will fix it... and most drivers when losing control of their car will instinctually go to hit the brakes. which as you can see, is not so good if cars had a tendency to oversteer.

16.1 @ 87.11
http://www.virtuallyinfamous.com

ARD 57mm tb and p&p manifold, Neuspeed STB, Pro-kits, Illuminas, Injen CAI with K&N, 2.5" pacesetter catback,
AF/X UDP, Rear STB, Powerslot rotors, RRE SS Brakelines.

strut tower bars don't work allt hat great in my opinion. sway bars would be a much better investment for this type of tuning. specially since our cars don't have any in the front. and the rear one (if you have one) is pretty thin and flimsy

http://www.ocaddict.com

thanks beefgg for the sig

>strut tower bars don't work allt hat great in my opinion.
>sway bars would be a much better investment for this type of
>tuning. specially since our cars don't have any in the
>front. and the rear one (if you have one) is pretty thin
>and flimsy


What? All Eclipse models come with front sway bars. And only the RS model came without a rear one. You can upgrade your swaybars with rmdsm bars for better handling...but as for not having one, you're way off.

well, since i have 5 bars now, and both stock sways, i figure if i were to take em off, my car would handle poorly (about 35 mph turning)

with all the bars and sways ( about 60 mph turning)

the mph is an analogy

the stiffer the suspension, the less roll/flex, the quicker you can take turns without loosing control/spinning out....

03 srt-4 13.130@112.47mph (n2o, stock turbo, 10/2003)
now: 20g, portfueler, bpu+++ (track/dyno times tbd...)

i farted on your wiki

It doesn't stiffen your suspension but rather doesn't let the chassis flex as much.

------------------------------------------------
98 ESi
95 GS

I think it's a gimic. maybe would offer something for a convertable, but for a closed top vehicle I think you're wasting your $

2gnt: '99 RS-T, killed by a toyota, pending rebuild...
Daily: Volt
Daily #2: '99 EVG ebike- STOLEN by PEDRO

I have no strut bar yet, my friend Jarrad does have one. We've both driven eachothers cars, and his car is has a tad less roll taking corners than I do...just tighter it seems - Not to mention it looks nice.

______________________________

Ryan
IRyanHester@Hotmail.com

'03 Mazda 6s

i am nothing close to skeptical if i were to compare a stock suspensioned eclipse to my eclipse, or any other w/strut bar combos..

i mean, say u take a stock suspension car, and autox it, and then take an aftermarket suspension eclipse w/struts bars/tie bars/etc..

im sure that the strut bar/tie bar eclipse pulls quicker times due to the ability to corner faster...

to each his own i guess... i know from experience that my car handles much better after installing all of the tie/strut bars.....

03 srt-4 13.130@112.47mph (n2o, stock turbo, 10/2003)
now: 20g, portfueler, bpu+++ (track/dyno times tbd...)

i farted on your wiki

>What? All Eclipse models come with front sway bars. And
>only the RS model came without a rear one. You can upgrade
>your swaybars with rmdsm bars for better handling...but as
>for not having one, you're way off.

oops i've never seen one in the front of mine. in anycase a strut brace isn't going to help much unless it's really thick or connects to the firewall as well

http://www.ocaddict.com

thanks beefgg for the sig

>>What? All Eclipse models come with front sway bars. And
>>only the RS model came without a rear one. You can upgrade
>>your swaybars with rmdsm bars for better handling...but as
>>for not having one, you're way off.
>
>oops i've never seen one in the front of mine.

Have you ever changed your suspension? You will have to unhook the front sway bar if you ever had. All 2g's have fronts sway bars.

------------------------------------------------
98 ESi
95 GS

>Have you ever changed your suspension? You will have to
>unhook the front sway bar if you ever had. All 2g's have
>fronts sway bars

not my car. i work on everyone elses. my friends RS civic DX downt he street. and whoever comes into work usually work on trucks there though

http://www.ocaddict.com

thanks beefgg for the sig

>strut tower bars don't work allt hat great in my opinion.
>sway bars would be a much better investment for this type of
>tuning. specially since our cars don't have any in the
>front. and the rear one (if you have one) is pretty thin
>and flimsy


Sway bars are a better investment, but you are talking about $250+ investment vs $30+. Also I have an RS so the sway bar upgrade will cost me a little more than my GS/GST/GSX bretheren.

Damn I should have read the brochure before I got my RS, oh well.

AEM CAI, AFX Underdrive Pulley, Greddy Header, Tsudo N1 2.5 stainless catback, Homemade groundwire kit
17" Fondmetal 6500, Tokico Illuminas, Eibach Pro Kit Springs, Front Upper Strut Bar, Baer Track System, Drum to Disc, RMDSM Anti-sway bars front and rear.

You don't NEED strut bars. But, they will help stiffen the chassis. Think about it, your car looks like (well where the shocks are) an open box like this

I__I

That is not structurally sound. The bar links the top like this

I^^I
I__I

This is stronger and better for handling, since with an independent suspension car, the suspension loads go through the chassis of the car, so a stiffer chassis means your suspension mounting points aren't flexing and moving around, meaning your suspension can better do the job it was designed for.

Now, I would only get a strut tower bar that you CAN NOT BEND BY HAND by pushing down on it in the center! I've looked at most strut tower braces, and you can push on them and bend them with your hand when installed. In my opinon these are worthless junk, just touch up pieces for the engine bay. Get a REALLY stiff one you can't bend AT ALL. They are out there.

Yes, I know SOMEONE will argue the suspension load goes through the length of the bar and pushing on the center and having it flex there doesn't mean it won't work. Well, let's be realistic. How strong (even if the force goes through the length of the bar) can it REALLY be if someone can push on it and bend it? Do you REALLY think it will actually do anything significant? Maybe, but I doubt it! If you're going to put a bar in there do it right the first time and get one you can't bend. It should be a nice solid tube with a strong attachment to the chassis.

And, the bars are worth it, the proof is they are showing up in new cars now. The new 350Z has them front AND rear (even though it interferes with the rear corgo area, Nissan still put it in the car, made it nice looking too) and they are in the new V6 3G eclipses. Mitsu is cheap, they wouldn't put it in if it didn't do something

"Tutto fa brodo."

Todd Scungio
98 RS
15.173 @ 90.70 MPH

And also a 2011 Ralliart

any bar is better than no bar Try to two bars bwahaha maximum stiffness. Those cheap strut bars aren't that bad people just don't tighten them very tight which makes them flimsy. I heard if you got a bar that doesn't bend at all if you try to lift up the car on the bar it's good. Hell I can tell if a bar is good by just hitting it with my fist

http://www.hadesomega.info -car specz and movies 95 Eclipse RS | 76' 280Z | 89' MR2 | 99 Neon | 91 Zephyr
Who sez FF can't drift?

I have them and the car feels as if it guides itself around curves at higher speeds. I have more control of the car b/c it doesn't flex and roll a lot. I do have new struts and springs too, but I can tell the strut bars help some.

I got the Bomz strut bars for the front an rear. It definately made a nice difference in handling. I also got Glen's lower tie bars, which essentially do the same thing(stiffen the frame) but on the lower side...and AGAIN I saw a nice difference in handling. My suspention is completely stock except for the strut/tie bars and it handles MUCH better with the bars on.


ride__________95 Eclipse RS : 5 speed
power________Field SFC Hyper-R : Gude cams : Jeep TB : AFX UDP : ram air : test pipe : GST catback
suspention___Hurricane F/R lower strut ties : BOMZ F/R upper strut bars : ES inserts
sound________Kenwood KDC 5000 : Audiovox 8" sub toob - no sub amp(damnit!)
shizzle_______AutoCommand remote start : dual air horns : Caspers o2 simulator(rear)
incomming___Bosal header
Jeep TB writeup - http://www.dimensia.com:81/jimbo/JeepTBfor2gnt.html

95 Eclipse RS : 5 speed
14.76 @ 94.72mph
Jeep TB writeup - http://www.dimensia.com:81/jimbo/JeepTBfor2gnt.html

when you first put them on, you WILL notice a little difference.
Now after you've had them on for awhile and gotten used to them, take them off and hit some corners that you drive daily. You will then notice a BIG, SCARY difference.
Yes, they are GOOD. Yes, they WORK!



-Tony '98-GST
eclipzgst@charter.net
http://eclipzgst.webhop.net
turboclipz on AIM

__________________________________________________________
-Tony <--- NOT asian.
'06 Wicked White EVO IX

So the strut bars wont actually help u have a sharper turn radius when goin slowly?

>So the strut bars wont actually help u have a sharper turn
>radius when goin slowly?

um.. No. Yes Eclipses have shitty turning radii. There's no way to improve it without paying out the ass for a new steering rack and knuckles. Strut bars are for stiffening up your chassis to prevent flex.

Think of it more like you can take turns FASTER, not sharper.

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I put my front and rear bar on at the same time, so I can't say which one does what. I think this is the test for strut bars. Go down the interstate and get off on a cloverleaf. With no bar(s) the car will lean to the left before the tires break. With bar(s) the tires will break before the car rolls.

The top of the struts will want to flex as the car goes over uneven roads or around a curve. The strut bar simply ties them together to reduce chassis flex. As you stiffen the chassis, you make the car more solid. The downside to this is that if you have a suspension too tight, when you go around a curve and go over bumps, the car will want to bounce over them instead of absorbing the shock and keep all 4 tires in contact with the ground. We will never see this with our cars, as compared to a go kart. What you will notice is that you can take a turn about 5 mph faster with bars and still feel safe and in control.

My strut bars stopped some of the creaking sound when I drove over uneven surfaces, like driveways that have a gutter beside the street.

To make a long story short - go to EBay and get a strut bar for the front and back. You'll be happy. That's the most important thing.