TheRooster

Hey there, quick question:

I used to AutoX my 'teg quite a bit when I lived in Texas, and in keeping up with the Joneses, or in this case my buddy with a Ford Escort ZX-2, I went out and installed a Skunk2 rear strut tower brace. This caused me to have to cut the panelling in the back, and it really look like garbage. I couldn't tell you if it helped or not, because I replaced the front strut tower brace, installed urethane bushings all around and replaced my Ground Control Coilovers with a set of Tein Flex at the same time. I have a feeling the strut tower brace in the rear was more cosmetic and weight saving (the 250 bucks out of my back pocket) than anything. Now that I've got aspirations to bring the car back to some bit of prettiness, though keep it stuck to the asphalt, I think it might be time to ditch it.

Does anyone have any sort of positive or negative thoughts on the rear strut tower brace and advice as to whether it's worth keeping for handling's sake, or ditching for appearances?

DakarM

Now tell us which car you own

TheRooster

GAH, sorry.

It's a '98 Integra GS-R.

It has quite a bit of suspension work done on it already and the car feels pretty neutral with a tendency to slightly understeer when diving into corners (probably more my technique than anything). If I take it to the G-limit in a long sweeping corner, it responds very neutral, with neither under- nor oversteer.

My thinking is take it out and replace it with one of the lower tie bars to compensate. It just really looks like garbage right now.

CivicSiRacer

I'd leave it in. I was amazed on how a strut bar could do it's job when I purchased a Neuspeed front upper strut bar to replace the EBAY front strut bar that came on my 1991 Civic Si when I purchased it in Feb.

With the EBAY bar in the camber was at -3.5 or so on the front. When I went to put the Neuspeed bar on it didn't line up with the strut bolts. The bolts were 1/2" to the outside of the bar. So I had to jack up the middle of the car and finally got the bar on.

When I went back to get my car realigned the camber went to -2.8 on the front and the car turned in much quicker.

Personally I'd say leave the bar in especially if you plan to autocross it alot. The structure of cars weren't meant to take this much abuse and your frame will suffer and flex.

And who cares if it looks like garbage No one sees the interior when you race. The lower bar is a waste personally.