Where to get strut brace on Vibe GT?

[QUIKAG]

I'd like to get a strut brace for the engine compartment of my new Vibe GT. I had good luck with a Neuspeed brace on my old '97 Prelude. Any suggestions on what brace to get and where to get it? Thanks guys, this is a great board!!

[cohocarl]

TRD makes a nice one for around $120.You can get a cheap no-brand bar on Ebay for under $50.Hotchkis makes one for around $400.Personally, I'd go with the TRD bar.

[QUIKAG]

Thanks!! Any good places online to buy the TRD bar?

[cohocarl]

Here's one place (I've never ordered from them, but it was a link off of http://www.matrixowners.com)http://www.partznet.com/toyota/corolla/ ... tmlThere's a discussion on the different braces available for the Vibe/Matrix on this thread (good pics on page 2). http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=259

[QUIKAG]

cohocarl, Thanks, you are da man!! Final question. Do you think it's worth it as the strut brace is so close to the firewall; meaning does the firewall area provide enough structural rigidity?

[XRSizzler]

HI,You can make one for very little effort and $$. Mine was only about $15. I have a little write up on my personal web:http://home.attbi.com/~mostang/strut_tower_brace.htmMo

[KSNeptune]

Thanks for your post, XRSizzler. I too can't see why I should pay $150 or more for something I could do myself for Now all I have to do is:Find and purchase the stock C rings.Learn to weld. Buy a welder. Find and purchase some rectangular tube. I'm more of a woodworker, though. Too bad 40+" of most any wood would buckle or bend enough to make using it worthless. You don't know if there are aluminim versions of the C brackets available anywhere, do you? Making the whole thing out of aircraft grade aluminum would certainly keep it lighter. Just pondering. KSNeptune.

[XRSizzler]

KSNep,I re-used the factory steel C clamps and the 1"X1.5" 11 gauge (1/8") tubing was $13 for 20ft. You only need 4.1ft. My 95A DC arc welder was $100. If you're ever in the Dallas area, I have some spare tubing so look me up and I'll do it for you for a Jackson ($20) Only takes a few minutes w/o paint.Overall, it only adds about 6lbs. but it is super strong!If anyone else is local, I need to get rid of some spare tubing.... Mo

[QUIKAG]

XRSizzler, I may take you up on your offer. $150 or so seems a bit steep for a metal bar. I live in Grapevine. Where do you live? E-mail me at coreywells01@hotmail.com so we can meet up sometime. I'd like to check out your ride and homebrew items. I may be able to take that stock off your hands too.

[Lancer]

Freedom Design FINALLY has their strut tower bar available for sale!!! Go to http://www.ptuning.com/html/Item-Desc.c ... esc=Matrix for details. It's on 'sale' for $89.95 w/ FREE shipping. The original price was $130.I just ordered mine tonight.

[NSimkins]

quote:I just ordered mine tonight.Let us know how your experience with PTUNING goes and also if possible, post some pics of the new brace installed (including installation if possible).Thanks!

[Lancer]

I ordered my Injen CAI and oil cap from PTuning and I didn't have any problems. Got the stuff in a few days.And I will take some pics for everyone. I got the wifey a new mini-camcorder that takes still photos that I'll try on the install.

[QUIKAG]

How do you like the Injen intake? I'm thinking the only go-fast mod I might do to the Vibe is the intake. I had a Iceman Cold air intake on my '97 Prelude VTEC and it sounded sweet when the motor hit VTEC.

[DopeVibeGT]

I've dealt with PTuning for my CAI intake and now my TRD exhaust. I just ordered the exhaust yesterday, so it will be a few days. My intake came pretty fast. As for the Freedom design strut bar, thats probably my next mod. They are simple to install.

[KSNeptune]

I got under the hood and studied the possibility of making my own strut brace today. Looks like it would be simple enough to do. But the shock towers are so darned close to the firewall as mentioned earlier that I'd be very surprised if a strut brace added any provable additional rigidity. I may fasten a stick between the two with a pencil at the free end laying on a stickum piece of paper to see if there is any change in distance between the two when driven. If there is, it'll surprise me.But... The commercial strut braces do look cool. So if you've got the money to burn, and like the look, by all means get one for your vibe. Just don't expect there to be any measurable improvement in rigidity between shock towers.KSNeptune

[QUIKAG]

KSNeptune,I have examined the situation too and I agree with you. With the shock towers so close to the rigid firewall, I say any increase in torsional rigidity is going to be neglible. Now, on the intake front, is the hp increase noticable and how is the sound at full throttle versus light and mid throttle?