G50 Front Strut Tower Brace (Batch #8)

[Jeff Williams]

I just bought materials for 20 more bars for you guys. I hope you want them. The last batch went away so fast, it was uncanny.

I should receive the stuff by April 17th, and get them built immediately thereafter. It takes me about 2 weeks to complete them with no interruptions. (I know some of you have waited 4 weeks in the past).

If you are new to the club or the Q, this really tightens up the front steering a lot. STILLEN made them back in the day, and they were fairly popular, but expensive. The STILLEN bars were solid aluminum with weight saving holes drilled in them. They were anodized gold and had adjustable end links and steel mounts that bolt to the strut tower. The clearance was about 1/2" to 3/4" above the front runners of the intake plenum.

The ones I make are a polished aluminum center bar with adjustable end links. The bars are hollow and have a small rise in the center to clear the intake plenum. The mounts are steel, and bolt to the shock towers.

If you have an active Q, I will cut the mounts so you don't have to remove the hydraulic lines connected to the actuators. You will have to loosen the 2 bolts, and slide the line over to install the bar, but that won't hurt the system.

I have built literaly hundreds of these over the past few years. Most of them went to NICO members. I have sold a few on eBay, and they usually sell for more than I sell them to you guys for.

I got the same deal on the parts, so the price does not change. $50 includes shipping to the mainland 48 states. Canada, Hawaii, Alaska, and Mexico is usually $10 more. If you live overseas, let me know and I will get a quote from the post office. The bars ship in a FedEx tube 36" x 6" x 6" and weigh about 4 to 5 pounds.

I have about 5 people on the list now that are interested.

If you are interested, shoot me an email with your car and shipping information. I don't want money until I am ready to ship. I don't want you guys to wait so long for the parts after you pay.

[TBrack]

[Jeff Williams]

I just got the shipping notification on the bars.

I have a new spreadsheet with 20 blanks on it.

If you wanted these in the past, but never got on the list, please reply, and I will put you on the list.

When they are ready to ship, I will notify everyone on the list, and then you can pay me for the bar. I will ship as soon as I receive payment.

I will have some of these on eBay as well.

[db_autotek]

Proud new owner of a '94 Q45. Count me in for the list Jeff. Thanks, I just emailed you. I'll keep checking back for updates. (BTW is Paypal cool for the tran$action? )

[Jeff Williams]

db, I got your email.

Send me the PayPal.

I have a couple in the trunk of the car ready to ship. I feel like a door-to-door salesman!

[3Q Jay]

Jeff- did you get the check i sent you at Trane?

Jay

[Jeff Williams]

Not yet, Jay.

I will modify one of the bars for the active Q for you when I get back from Bowling Green, KY.

[3Q Jay]

aight.

[apossiblehybrid]

are you going to make a rear strut tower brace also?

[Jeff Williams]

I don't have any plans to. The gas tank really gets in the way. I have seen some braces. The mounting plates need to be really tall to clear the tank. I am not sure how much good it will do with the bar so far from the force point. Ideally, a bar straddling the front and back of the tank would work, but it would be way expensive to do.

If you yank it out and put in a fuel cell, the strut rod is much easier to fab up and install. Of course, you won't be able to put 4 sets of golf clubs in the trunk anymore.

[DrewQ45]

are you going to make a rear strut tower brace also?

We use anti-sway bars in the rear.

[db_autotek]

Well yeah, there's anti-sway bars down there. But it would be very exciting to have some strut bars for the rear. I've pulled the rear trunk panel (speaker install) and while I was there I pondered the designs of what a rear brace would look like. Jeff is right, the huge gas tank is very much in the way. Either you would have to make a strangely tall hats/brace cross mounts, or you would have to fab up or find some U shaped bar while still clearing the trunk panel. Those U shaped bars are common in racing where tanks, turbos, ect gets in the way, but trying to fab one together would be difficult and then expensive. Common in some race application is a triangle shaped brace, but forget that. Here's a funny pic from an ebay pic for a Lancer brace. Jeff is gonna cringe, just look at those spot welds.. I dont even think it is really welded, just little spot welds.

[db_autotek]

Jeff, I 'll have that in your paypal by the time you get back. Have fun!!

[3Q Jay]

hey Jeff. that check i sent you to the Trane address in Montgomery (like last time) came back today. Please e-mail me and let me know where i should send it to.

Jay

[ckau967]

just got on Jeff's latest list. Again , thanks for your efforts, Jeff. I am looking forwards to this installation. I hope this strut will help to cure a slight overstear problem and lighten the rear a touch. Are there any special considerations that go along with the installation? I.E. setting the frame /body level, taking vehicle weight off suspension? squareing the body up? Any alignment/suspension issues particular to the Q? ETC. Could this strut be a true "plug an play" item? I would llike to hear any comments or advice from members that have already installed the strut.

[db_autotek]

I haven't installed my G50 brace yet (on the way, thanks Jeff), but I'm very knowledged and experienced in installing braces in cars. So basically in simple terms: how it works is the strut tower brace keeps the distances between the tops of the struts the same at all times. (without the brace) as you take corners or steer, the tops of the struts flex inward, outward, left, right, ect. But a strut tower brace improves handling and steering response by dramatically limiting the amout of flex. Understanding this is key to understanding installation, since it's almost useless if you install it wrong.

You want to install it with basically the most perfect eviroment for your suspension. (ie no stress or flex) So park your car on a somewhat flat surface, with the front wheels perfectly straight forward. Put on the parking brake, pop the hood and spray penetrating lube (not Wd40) on the two nust on either side which hold the struts in place. Jack up both sides of the front of the car and put the front up on jackstands (put the jackstands at the factory recomended jacking points under the framerails). Now with the front of car up in the air, most of the stress is off the front suspension. If you really want to get detailed, remove the two front wheels also, for a little added relief off the suspension. Now it's money time. With the penetrating lube having hopefully done its' job, the 4 bolts should unbolt fairly easilly. Adjust the brace however you have to so it fits tightly over the tower bolts. Put the nuts back on tightly, admire your work with drink of choice, double check everything. Now put the wheels back on, drop the car back down and your done. This procedure is often called "pre-loading" the strut tower brace, since there will already be alot of pressure on it when the wheels are on the ground. With this in mind, don't ever try and take the brace back off with the car on the ground. It would be impossible but if you found a way, you could do some good damage to god knows what.

[chinesevoltron]

i am definitely interested in one. please let me know how soon i can get my hands on one and details as far as payment goes.

[chinesevoltron]

should i send payment through paypal and is this your email address for paypal [email protected]. thanks.

[bbdaines]

Hi,

Hope I'm not to late on this batch.. please put me on the list

Blair

[Nebusoku]

Jeff, If you have any left I would like to get one.

[Ozzie]

I <3 my strut brace!

[Jeff Williams]

May 7th, 2007

I will have 20 for sale in this batch. About 6 or 7 are spoken for so far.

I haven't started working on them yet, but should get started this weekend. I have been playing with my Corvette.

When I get them done, I will send out amails to those that have sent me one, and post here. They you guys can pay me and I will ship them to you.

[ILuvNkdChx]

Count me innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

[3Q Jay]

hey Jeff-you were in Kentucky-yes? hope everything is good for you.

Just wanted to bump and let you know that the check i sent to the trane addy in montgomery AL came back 'return to sender'.

let me know how to get you the $$$.

Jay

[db_autotek]

Just recieved mine today! Thanks Jeff!!! Looks awesome, and it might make the rest of the engine bay jealous!!!!

[db_autotek]

Well worth 50$. For kicks, I put a nismo sticker on mine.

[SAINTJ]

hey Jeff! it's julious what is your ship date for my Front Strut Tower?thanks

[Jeff Williams]

I will be sending it out this week. I will send you an email when I ship it.

[ILuvNkdChx]

I realize it would be costly and may take awhile, but, would you be able to fabricate anything like the rear 20 mm anti sway bar off the "a" models?

[DrewQ45]

I realize it would be costly and may take awhile, but, would you be able to fabricate anything like the rear 20 mm anti sway bar off the "a" models?

Not speaking for Jeff but you're talking about an entirely different animal. It would have be made of high quality steel with all sorts of crazy angles plus you'd need the links and bushings. Not a DIY fabrication item.

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Modified by DrewQ45 at 11:15 AM 5/21/2007