Strut tower bar effects?
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From: Texas
Do you feel a difference when going over imperfections on the road? Maybe I'm imagining it but I thought my suspension was riding smoother on roads with small bumps with my Gladman bar. I did notice that my softtop latches don't rattle anymore when its retracted (been riding with a hardtop for 2 years now).
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From: Atlanta, GA
Do you feel a difference when going over imperfections on the road? Maybe I'm imagining it but I thought my suspension was riding smoother on roads with small bumps with my Gladman bar. I did notice that my softtop latches don't rattle anymore when its retracted (been riding with a hardtop for 2 years now).
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From: california
There are people that say it does something and people that say it does nothing.
This part should be called a shock tower bar for our strut less car.
I can see how it may make a difference on a heavily sprung car as far as chassis rigidity but what you'd feel would be minor is my guess since its more of an up and in angle vs a pulling away like on a strutted car.
The bar that would make the biggest difference would be the ASM bar.
http://www.gotuning.com/product_info...roducts_id=111
This bar ties everything together and would also help prevent that up and in motion that a plain strut bar couldn't do.
This part should be called a shock tower bar for our strut less car.
I can see how it may make a difference on a heavily sprung car as far as chassis rigidity but what you'd feel would be minor is my guess since its more of an up and in angle vs a pulling away like on a strutted car.
The bar that would make the biggest difference would be the ASM bar.
http://www.gotuning.com/product_info...roducts_id=111
This bar ties everything together and would also help prevent that up and in motion that a plain strut bar couldn't do.
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Ontario Canada
I had a number of bars that I bought over the years merely for cosmetics and to give me a place to rest my arm during repairs. I have to say that I never felt any difference with any of the bars - Spoon, Comptech, Alutech. I recently was able to pick up a used ASM bar at a good price. This is the only bar where I have felt a difference after installation, since it has a lower "x" brace that ties into the lower subframe and steering mounts. It might be just transmitting more steering feel, but the car certainly feels different and I like it better with the bar in place.
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my gladman bar makes a big difference when going over road imperfections in the corner. like bridge expansion joints, cracks, etc. that's the only place it really would. but mine does and i do like the increase in steering predictability in turns where there are bumps in the road, which, in Chicago, is every single turn everywhere pretty much.
Joined: Dec 2005
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I noticed the better turn in on mine. Actually, even my Dad noticed the better turn in on it when he drove it to work (and he doesn't drive spirited at ALL)
Agreed. Mine wasn't a cheap one that I quickly bolted on. The only way to get it on/off is to jack up the front.
I actually noticed a big difference after installing the cusco sub-frame bars.
My Setup with stock shocks/springs (in order of install):
Spoon lower rear bar (useless)
Cusco sub frame bars (worth it)
Cusco u frame lower bar thingy (meeh...)
ARC Titanium front strut bar - bought for bling, actually noticed an improvement though. pleasantly surprised.
I think they help, especially with uprated suspension. The clear and tangible benefit is that for me to even put on my last 2 one-piece shock tower bars, I had to completely lift the front of the car up so that the tires weren't on the ground. the suspension flexed the towers enough (on tein srcs). Otherwise, the holes for the shock tower brace was so off, it was impossible to install.
Do you feel a difference when going over imperfections on the road? Maybe I'm imagining it but I thought my suspension was riding smoother on roads with small bumps with my Gladman bar. I did notice that my softtop latches don't rattle anymore when its retracted (been riding with a hardtop for 2 years now).
My Setup with stock shocks/springs (in order of install):
Spoon lower rear bar (useless)
Cusco sub frame bars (worth it)
Cusco u frame lower bar thingy (meeh...)
ARC Titanium front strut bar - bought for bling, actually noticed an improvement though. pleasantly surprised.
Joined: Oct 2012
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I believe strut tower bars are only effective on MacPherson strut cars. A strut tower bars function on an s2000 is merely cosmetic. If you felt a difference, it was probably just a mental thing. If someone had you drive a car with one and without one, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference I'm sure of it.
Joined: Dec 2005
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Try it or not, it's a cheap enough mod to come up with your decision. Or in the case of OP, take it off, and let us know what you think. There's no consensus on this. This topic reminds me of ap1 vs. ap2, or turbo vs sc, or pepsi vs. coke.
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Northern VA
Originally Posted by ryuken' timestamp='1364439803' post='22433683
Do you feel a difference when going over imperfections on the road? Maybe I'm imagining it but I thought my suspension was riding smoother on roads with small bumps with my Gladman bar. I did notice that my softtop latches don't rattle anymore when its retracted (been riding with a hardtop for 2 years now).
OP, any difference?