[ASKED] Strut tower brace needed or helpful?
 

I see while trying to build a Camaro there is always an option to add a strut tower brace, but I have never seen any of the cars with them on it.

So how's does it fit under the hood, how does it attach, is it really necessary or is it helpful for us that are track rats?

It's OEM so it fits as it's suppose to. Mounts in the existing mounting points at the strut tower.

I have a suspicion here that I'd like to see either confirmed or not. Count me in for voting if it gets picked.


Norm

I think we already know the answer. If it provided any significant benefit, you'd see it on the SS 1LE, ZL1, or ZL1 1LE. The fact that it doesn't come from the factory on those models tells me that on the coupes it's not worth adding.

It's not needed for the coupes. It is needed for the convertibles.

Maybe not quite that simple.


Norm

It's easy money for them to offer the brace as an accessory on the coupes. If they provided a tangible benefit on coupes, you can bet it would be on the top dog ZL1 1LE.

It's obvious the added weight (and cost) was not enough to offset any performance benefit. The same could be said for all of the other convertible specific bracing that could be bolted on the coupe if someone wanted to.

interesting you say this, then why don't they come with it, not a single 6th gen has it

Side question for those that are quick to answer, what is the purpose of the strut tower brace?

Don't give me a "blanket" answer. Specifically, there area specific reasons for this on track cars.

I initially posted some quick thoughts, which might be available in your email if you have 'instant notification' enabled.

But then I decided that since this is intended to be a question specifically asked of Al and his crew, it's not my place to comment. Not here, anyway, at least not until Al answers it, and only then if I'm having trouble resolving the answer against the way I'm picturing how it would fit into the car as a 3-D structural model.

I know the question has come up before, here and elsewhere, and I doubt that Al is going to give away any proprietary information like percent increases in global stiffnesses or specific frequencies/modeshapes that changed. What are you looking for beyond what a generalized answer isn't going to answer or point you in the right direction for?


Norm

The convertible 6th gens DO come with a strut tower brace. The coupe models do not.

See chart in this thread that details which models come with what bracing.
http://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=426710

...From the 6thGen convertible forum....(standard on convertibles)...
http://www.camaro6.com/forums/showth...ht=tower+brace
Attachment 903249

Put one on your coupe, if you want....but it's not "needed".

This brace will not fit on the ZL1....Here's a thread discussing the tower brace for ZL1s...:
http://www.camaro6.com/forums/showth...ht=tower+brace

No problem norm. We have tracked together b4. Feel free to discuss. I got thick skin:biggrin:

thank you guys for posting those links to the convertible threads. In the first few posts they start discussing Those exact information I want AL to answer