Camarocracy

How come no one has ever made a rear strut tower brace for the F-Bodys? I know that other hatchback cars [Integra, Civic, Celica ect] benefit some from a rear bar. Just curious.

Joe 97RA

A. Because we don't have rear struts.

B. The shock doesn't really carry much of the load in the rear. That's the spring's job.

Z28barnett

Ditto, see above.

Mtrhds94Z

Technically there are no FRONT 'struts' either, they are 'coil over shocks'..

Joe 97RA

Eye candy. Doubtful any of them really push a car to the limit to where you would even require one. If you are cornering on 3 wheels, it would then be a good idea. Short of that, just another worthless piece of eye candy for the racer wannabes.

blackrat

Well, some cars get more benefit then others. My 240sx is known to have a weak chassis so after years of abuse a rear strut bar actually did help stiffen things up. But yeah, as for a Camaro I dont think it'll do anything at all.

Camarocracy

Like I said earlier, hatchback cars would benefit some.

Black_Z28

That's why the front STB is almost worthless on a 4th gen as well. All they are is eye candy, or just another thing to talk about. If you have $90 burning a hole in your pocket, then I say go for it.

camaronewbiess

I'm surprised SLP isn't selling one.

crazypurgatory

This is as close as your going to get to a rear strut tower brace.
http://www.lmperformance.com/600/2.html


Chris G.

Z28barnett

It is true that STB help the most on strut cars, and the 4th gen camaro is not a strut car.

But considerable side loads do exist in the front suspension. If you look at the steering knuckle like I did when I was cutting on it. There is a bar of iron about 2" wide and about 1" thick that runs from above the hub to the upper control arm ball joint. GM would have made this part lighter if it didn't take a load. The upper control arm is sandwiched above the shock and below the inner fender. The bolts that are used to mount a STB are the same bolts that hold the UCA and shock in place.

For drag racing leave the STB off, just added weight. But during cornering the STB can and will help some.

The Mita is a true double A-arm suspension and the "R" version ran a STB factory brace.

Most people who dismiss the STB have never really got their hands dirty and torn the car down, or really looked at how the side loads are handled. Side loads pivot on the lower ball joint and press in or pull out on the UCA through the steering knuckle which acts as an 18" lever arm. A 2-point brace will help share this load. 3-point braces are over kill.

I repeat that GM didn't cast and pay for a couple of extra pounds of iron for no reason. Get your hands on the steering knuckle and you will see that struts are not the only suspension with side loads.

Z28

Chewbacca

I have. Too many times.

The STB is not worth the money on a 4th gen.

I have autocrossed on R compounds with and without an STB. I can detect no difference in the car's performance.

I have driven the car hard on back roads with and without an STB. I can detect no difference in the car's performance.

This is on my personal car with welded SFCs and 103K hard miles.


I have a driven a friend's car hard on back roads with and without an STB. I can detect no difference in the car's performance.

This was a 2000 LS1 car with about 90K miles on it. No SFCs.

I believe he is also unable to notice a difference when autocrossing.

FWIW it was the same STB. He bought it from me when I deemed it a poor bang for the buck. Yes I told him that before he bought it from me.


IIRC the owner of Unbalanced Engineering instrumented his LT1 car. I'm pretty sure he found almost no load going through the STB. I believe it.

Z28barnett

You have not explained why there is a pair of massive iron bars in the front suspension if there are no loads.

I doubt that you can explain it, and that is why you didn't.

I still don't agree. But I think we have stated both side of the argument so people have the info to make up their own minds.

Z28

Chewbacca

Get off your high horse.

That "iron bar" is of course the steering knuckle. I felt it's intended role is fairly obvious and needed no explanation. But since you asked...

How much torsional loading do you think the shock tower is really going to see after the road forces are transmitted upward through the "iron bar", into a ball joint, a 90° turn into the upper arm, into the arm bushings, and then into the upper arm mount which is only sandwiched between the upper fender area and the shock mount?

A 3rd gen would absolutely benefit from a STB due to the more direct loading of the strut mount area as well as their less robust body structures.

We can agree to disagree but I don't appreciate your condescending tone. Years ago, when I didn't know any better, I bought a lot of parts for my car that didn't do a damn thing for me. Those parts are all gone now. Experience and soliciting better advice has taught me a few things.

**EDIT** I may have come across as a bit arrogant, making me guilty of the same thing I accused you of. That was not my intent.

I simply take issue with real world data being dismissed out of hand in favor of internet anecdotal evidence.

Bud M

You don't sound arrogant, just confident you know what you're talking about, That's fine.
I think conclusions based on comparison are more useful than speculation based on the construction of the knuckle.
Having said that, I could feel a subtle improvement in steering response with the addition of an STB so your comments suprise me a little.
As far as a rear brace, if it was worthwhile someone would have made one, I guess. But with as little cargo room as a Camaro has, I wouldn't want one regardless.