Strut Tower Bar
#1
Marky Mark B.
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Strut Tower Bar
I've had a APC strut tower bar on my car for some time now and I recently picked up a OEM GSR strut tower bar from a 1995 Sedan. My question is, should I keep the APC bar on the car that I bought for like $20 from a parts store a few years ago, or put the OEM bar on instead? Is there a chance that the OE bar is stiffer? I'm assuming better quality though. It appears to be hollow and lighter than the aftermarket bar. If my aftermarket part was from Eibach, Neuspeed, Mugen, etc this would be a no-brainer, but it isn't.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
#3
Moderator
to be honest, i've seen some "big name" bars flex more than the no name bars.
if u put both arms on the strut bar like u're doing a push-up, and the bar flexes, its junk. for the longest time i had a "matrix" bar in my first integra. it was just as stiff as the other bars out there.
if u're about looking OEM AND having the OEM designed strut bars (stiff) then thats even better.
if u put both arms on the strut bar like u're doing a push-up, and the bar flexes, its junk. for the longest time i had a "matrix" bar in my first integra. it was just as stiff as the other bars out there.
if u're about looking OEM AND having the OEM designed strut bars (stiff) then thats even better.
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#4
Moderator
to be honest, i've seen some "big name" bars flex more than the no name bars.
if u put both arms on the strut bar like u're doing a push-up, and the bar flexes, its junk. for the longest time i had a "matrix" bar in my first integra. it was just as stiff as the other bars out there.
if u're about looking OEM AND having the OEM designed strut bars (stiff) then thats even better.
if u put both arms on the strut bar like u're doing a push-up, and the bar flexes, its junk. for the longest time i had a "matrix" bar in my first integra. it was just as stiff as the other bars out there.
if u're about looking OEM AND having the OEM designed strut bars (stiff) then thats even better.
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#5
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My 98 AV6 coupe has braces that go from the strut tower to the firewall (one on each side, not across the top of the engine) and I'm guessing that is what these are for? Function just as well you think?
#6
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the firewall braces are almost always more effective
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#7
Marky Mark B.
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Thanks for the good advice! I went to size up the strut tower bar with the one that's already on my car and I found out some pretty good info. For 1, the APC bar that's on the car now seems pretty rigid with the "pushup test". It seems just as stiff as the OEM GSR strut bar. 2nd, after removing the APC bar and sizing up the GSR bar, I realized that the GSR bar is too long/wide for a 1995 LS Sedan. There are 2 holes on the shock tower that have rubber plugs in them on the fender side of both shocks. I'm presuming that these are for the GSR's shocks, since the bar would line up perfectly with these holes but not with the sizing of the shocks that are on the LS. I could however, put small bolts through these holes and use a washer and a nut and the GSR bar would fit fine. At this point, I don't really think that this is necessary with the bar on it now being ok. So if anyone wants to do this on a car and wants the GSR bar, I'll sell it to you if you want it.
#8
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those holes with the rubber plugs are actually for the GSR strut bar. the vtec model cars have studs welded into them just for the strut bar.
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