"A strut bar is designed to reduce this strut tower flex by tying two parallel strut towers together."
What's the "strut tower?"
What does it mean when it says "reduce strut tower flex" or "reduce chassis flex?"
2007-08-07 13:10:20 · 4 answers · asked by ShaZ 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Think about how your vehicle is laid out.
The strut towers are in the inner fender panel on each side of the engine. Between them is (from a structural standpoint) a whole lotta empty. Sure the engine goes in there but it adds nothing in terms of structural rigidity to the car.
What the strut tower brace does is bolt from one strut tower to the other across that gap, adding additional stiffening to an area that otherwise has none. Some of the better strut braces are "triangulated" in that there is a third mounting point in the middle that bolts to the center of the firewall, thus providing additional rigidity.
It doesn't matter how much rigidity is built into the chassis. You still can't overcome that problem of the big hole between the wheels any other way than with an additional cross-brace.
For daily driving such braces are largely redundant. At public road speeds you won't notice the difference. On a track however the improved chassis stiffness and increased resistance to camber change under load (flexing of the strut towers themselves) can be quite noticable with a well engineered brace fitted.
2007-08-07 13:37:44 · answer #1 · answered by Naughtums 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The strut towers are right beside your small underhood opener braces. If you can't find them look at the top attaching points of each strut ( large shock absorber with a coil spring) inside your front fenders. The strut brace is a stamped bar that is bolted at the top of each strut tying the tops together. It stiffens the front of the uni-body constructed vehicle so the strut towers will not flex causing altered caster, camber and toe while driving.
2007-08-07 13:32:59 · answer #2 · answered by Country Boy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Strut tower is a part of the vehicle body (the one equipped with McPherson suspension) where the strut mount (upper end) is attached. Reputable manufactures make body rigid enough not to talk about strut tower flexing separately.
2007-08-07 13:17:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A strut bar is designed to provide extra strength between the two strut towers
2016-04-01 04:37:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋