custom homade strut bar - Suspension and Brake Forum

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custom homade strut bar
Sunday, January 30, 2005 4:11 PM
i made a front strut bar today. materials only costed me 10 bucks and i can feel the difference. but you do need a welder, and i used a plasma cutter to cut out the holes in the middle of each end bracket thing where the strut pops up. i cut the ECU bracket and bent it down out of the way. here are some pictures.







<br>

<img src="http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/9/web/573000-573999/573686_20.jpg">

Re: custom homade strut bar
Sunday, January 30, 2005 7:28 PM
has anyone done this, i wanna see some pics of some others if there are some out there <br>

<img src="http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/9/web/573000-573999/573686_20.jpg">
Re: custom homade strut bar
Sunday, January 30, 2005 7:36 PM
is that conduit???

ugh...
<br>


Re: custom homade strut bar
Sunday, January 30, 2005 8:34 PM
looks good i have all the metal to make mine but i have yet to do it. i just noticed how much the strut towers flex today i had some install problems with the rk coil-overs. i had a strut nut strip <br>

see ya!

Re: custom homade strut bar
Sunday, January 30, 2005 9:11 PM
Nova, why the RK's? You can't adjust firmness with those. <br>


Re: custom homade strut bar
Sunday, January 30, 2005 9:13 PM
which coils are better?


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Re: custom homade strut bar
Sunday, January 30, 2005 9:16 PM
Looks good man........but I'm not too sure about the welds, they don't look too strong, like they didn't penetrate enough.......I know from experience that welds that are boogered like that won't hold for too long. I'm not trying to be an a$$ or anything but I wouldn't want it to break on ya. <br>


Re: custom homade strut bar
Sunday, January 30, 2005 9:47 PM
It looks like he got the tip too far away or something. <br>


Re: custom homade strut bar
Sunday, January 30, 2005 10:05 PM
Looks good..
GUYS! its only $10 mod. You all can't complain!
<br>

- Darren
<img src="http://phewes.snowpants.org/sig2005.jpg" alt="get off my sig!!">
Re: custom homade strut bar
Sunday, January 30, 2005 11:07 PM
Zach wrote:Nova, why the RK's? You can't adjust firmness with those.
http://www.carcustoms.net/product_info.php?cPath=265_22_33_114&products_id=72
i am putting them on agx's i went for a ride and the strut nut came loose making noise so i pulled the car back inside and seen that the nut looked like it had backed off so i tried to tighten it and nothing. so i backed it off and lo and behold it is stripped the strut threads are fine. i will get new nuts tomorrow and make my strut bar's i have made the ends already i just have to drill the mounting holes and relocate the ecm and cruse control.
anyway the car rode smooth and steering response was amazing. it felt like a real sports car with the handling and the great breaks. just amazing! <br>

see ya!

Re: custom homade strut bar
Monday, January 31, 2005 9:04 AM
yeah nobling i had that problem with that side, i tested it by smacking it on the ground vertically and the weld broke, i rewelded it and made sure it penatrated completely. meltdown- what are you talking about? <br>

<img src="http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/9/web/573000-573999/573686_20.jpg">

Re: custom homade strut bar
Monday, January 31, 2005 2:34 PM
not bad at all for $10,
Re: custom homade strut bar
Monday, January 31, 2005 2:34 PM
Looks like PURE crap but props on the work.

I would suggest grinding down the welds and running a good bead over it. Then kinda dress up your plates a lil bit and paint it all.

Would you like to enlighten us on what you used and how YOU did it etc.?



Re: custom homade strut bar
Monday, January 31, 2005 2:39 PM
it looks like conduit... what kind of steel did you use?

conduit is the @!#$ that's run around buildings to run wiring (aka not too strong)

it just looks like conduit....




Re: custom homade strut bar
Monday, January 31, 2005 4:02 PM
first i got some 3/32" steel plate and steel piping that is about 1/8" thick hollow tubing from a local hardware store. i made a template for each plate then used a plasma cutter to cut out the hole in the center and angle grinded the edges. once i drilled the holes and had each plate fitted, i layed the pipe across and welded it so it would stay. then i took it off and finished off the welding. here is another picture, don't know how it ran outa bandwidth? man wtf, i first used spraypaint primer, then high heat black paint and it will still like scratch off, any suggestions on the paint? and redfire whats your problem, it works better than other adustable @!#$ty strut bars.




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Re: custom homade strut bar
Tuesday, February 01, 2005 1:55 PM
Quote:

and redfire whats your problem, it works better than other adustable @!#$ty strut bars.


Ummm i doubt it...seeing that the other ARE adjustable.

Plus like said above...the tube looks like condiut (ie: the stuff that wires are ran through in buildings etc.) = NOT STRONG AT ALL!



Re: custom homade strut bar
Tuesday, February 01, 2005 4:16 PM
its not conduit- just for clearity


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Re: custom homade strut bar
Wednesday, February 02, 2005 2:23 PM
The adjustable bars are for manufacturing variances and tower flex bending, to adjust then to the correct length(this length can vary from one car to the next). Coldfusion simply built his to fit his car.
As far as the tubing is concerned, your not putting a side load on it, you're putting compression load on it, which is the strongest load handling of tubing. The tubing doesn't have to be all that big, 1/8" side wall should be more than strong enough. As for that beeing coduit, it's too shiny. Conduit is galvanized which is flat grey. For example take an empty soda can and stand it on it's end, put one foot on it, with you foot pressure evenly distributed, and you can stand on it, without it crushing. Then try it on the side of the can and see what happens.





Re: custom homade strut bar
Wednesday, February 02, 2005 5:48 PM
umm thats emt pipe, aka conduit, i work with it everyday, and yes, for running wiring in industrial buildings , its not ment for cars...



Re: custom homade strut bar
Wednesday, February 02, 2005 6:53 PM
mad jack hit it on the head, its taking horizontal force not vertical force, that bar won't bend at all when pressure is put on it from the side.


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Re: custom homade strut bar
Wednesday, February 02, 2005 11:35 PM
Seriously everybody... who cares what it is made for? Conduit is galvanized steel anyway. Galvanized steel is just mild steel with a hot dipped or electrolytized zinc coating. It is just as strong. Thos POS aluminum ones are usually bent on each side making an arc which flexes too. If you ask me, his owns the designs of the ebay braces which are made to be universal on ALL cars. And yes, they take horizontal force not vertical. I remember making sheets of paper hold up 30 lbs back in tech ed when I was in highschool... But what does physics have to do with suspension anyway...? Lol.



Cardomain|Myspace


Re: custom homade strut bar
Thursday, February 03, 2005 9:11 AM
Joshua Roberts wrote:But what does physics have to do with suspension anyway...? Lol.

haha


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Re: custom homade strut bar
Thursday, February 03, 2005 4:34 PM
Yeah man I definitely give you props...............you've inspired me to make my own



Re: custom homade strut bar
Friday, February 04, 2005 2:32 PM
alright


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Re: custom homade strut bar
Friday, February 04, 2005 3:26 PM
def not a show car type deal, but for 10 bucks, thats some damn nice custom work. nothing like getting your hands dirty and doing it yourself, brings more satisfaction that way.


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