GT SPEC Type D Front Strut Brace vs DC Sports Carbon Steel Upper Strut Bars

[jj718]

Any recommendations????About as much a NOOB as can be... Any help....Is there any advantages to the SPEChttp://www.thenismoshop.com/ik...=2124 vsDC??? http://www.aempower.com/ViewCa...ID=59

Thanx guys....

[lain]

Get both. But if I had to choose 1 at a time I would get the strut bar first. Also you are compairing 2 different parts that go in 2 different areas. They both help.

[jj718]

Told U I'm a "NOOB"

[lain]

You can install these 2 parts yourself too. They are very very easy. The only 2 things that I can think are easier to install are hubcaps and stickers. I would say replacing a light bulb is harder...not the one in your house but the one on a car.

They should only take about 10 mins for the strut bar and like 2 mins for the bottom brace. Unless you get some bolts that just don't want to come out...if that is the case dont strip the bolt any further...go buy an air gun (they cost like $40 for a little electric one) at home depot and will do the job just fine. If you really want to have them installed by a profession I wouldnt pay someone more then $25 to install both.

Also strut bars are way over priced...unless you plan on doing some autocrossing or really pushing your car on some turns there is no point in getting an expensive one...a simple ebay one will do or if you want to go cheaper just get some piping at home depot for like 5-10 bucks and weld it on yourself...it will preform the same for daily driving. this might void your warrenty...well it will...i would think so.

[Great White Versa]

Get both. But if I had to choose 1 at a time I would get the strut bar first. Also you are compairing 2 different parts that go in 2 different areas. They both help.

So what exactly are the purposes of these two parts?

[Vahagn23]

Stabilitey

So what exactly are the purposes of these two parts?

[lain]

So what exactly are the purposes of these two parts?

Strut Bar

A strut bar is designed to reduce this strut tower flex by tying two parallel strut towers together. This transmits the load of each strut tower during cornering via tension and compression of the strut bar which shares the load between both towers and reduces chassis flex.

Resulting from the improved chassis rigidity (similar to that gained from a lower tie bar); may be improved steering precision under high load conditions (cornering and braking). Reduced understeer, tire wear and metal fatigue in the strut tower area may also be experienced.

Body Brace

By connecting different points of the vehicle’s frame, it successfully increased rigidity while reducing chassis flex. Under-Body Braces deliver a sharper handling and more responsive vehicle.

btw theses are not my own words just copied pasted from wiki and gtspec.

[leonj]

Can the lower brace be installed w/o lifting the car?

[reyes1212]

Impossible for mine because I've got the lowering springs on mine.I can't even stick my hand under the fron to un screw the oil screw. EFF that. Lifting is a must. At least those littleparking hill things for the front wheels or a stands on each side plus the front jacked up. That's how I'm going to do it for the underbrace I just got.

[lain]

Can the lower brace be installed w/o lifting the car?

put one tire up on the curb..there your go.

dont forget the ebrake

and this could be dangerous if done wrong.

[superskunk]

there isnt any pre-load to install the lower brace? i know some strut bars require pre load to install... however the DC bar didnt require.... how come you didnt come to the last meet lain?