Favorite strut brace for early 911?

[wicks]

I'd like to add a strut brace, but a clean and simple design to my 1973 911s targa, but want to fit something simple and most era-correct in design. Thoughts?

[Hangman]

You could have one fabricated - I took that direction, highly functional, some say looks like a race team's work in the late 60's

[wicks]

Oh that's nice - whomever made it want to make another one per chance?

[Hangman]

Wicks,
I sent you a PM with some details.
Kevin

[Chris Pomares]

I bought mine at the LA swap a few years ago. I suspect it's somewhat similar.
Chris

[Richardnew]

I'm going throughout this same process. I've used a Weltmeister bar for years. It's worked just fine. I tracked the car for over a decade and had no problems.



I'm in the process of rebuilding my front suspension and I'm seriously considering the RSR brace. It's a factory item so it looks right. It also does the job. The factory proved that.



Richard Newton
How Original is Your Car?

[Greg D.]

I prefer the triangulated ones, to keep the whole thing from twisting side to side...

http://www.elephantracing.com/suspen...strutbrace.htm

[wicks]

I can't do any welding (it's a Mark Allen rotisserie), so the RSR is out for me. Also, I don't track, just spirited driving in the mountain roads, so I don't think I need the full triangulation, though I see the physics clearly there. I do notice the fenders moving over lumps, which is what started me thinking to add a brace. Currently thinking this simple design: http://www.paragon-products.com/product-p/kla_911sb.htm and it has bolts front and rear of the strut so seems like a good functioning one.

I also noticed these steering rack bushings - the car is not lowered (ok maybe Mark tweaked it as it the ride heights are perfection), and wondered if they do anything to reduce the center sensitivity of the steering at speed. I feel that the steering is way too sensitive going straight at freeway speeds - a little bump to the steering wheel with an elbow could spin the car at 80 MPH...

[Greg D.]

I'm not a pro at strut braces, and I invite people who are to answer here. When I looked for something to rigidify the front end of the 69 912 a little (I suspect I should investigate the front suspension pan soon despite it "looking OK") I failed to grasp the benefit of installing just a regular bar vs a triangulated one for a few $ more.

The traditional bar (in my head) is presumably designed to prevent the square formed by the shocks/towers (plus imaginary lines between them) to become a triangle of sorts, so with a simple strut bar the strut towers now move in parallel - and maybe some load is shared and halved too... But they -still- move! Is that really better? how does that affect camber and such? Was it enough for the factory? I have no idea but it seemed half-assed to me just from looking at it... Triangulation prevents the towers from moving completely, in theory so you'd think that would be better. Seemed like a no-brainer to me given the price difference ($90, samee shipping cost). If it was unnecessary on a regular car, I'd love to hear why for my own education! (truly!! I don't know enough to pass judgement, I just guessed on this purchase based on the low extra cost)

I've brutalized the car quite a bit in corners since then, and it has felt a little more solid than before but....all I can truly report as a fact is that the triangulation extra bar has not punched through the car's trunk floor yet ! And coincidentally (?) my front trunk doesn't pop open on bumps anymore ;-) YMMV..

[37yrold911]

I prefer the triangulated ones, to keep the whole thing from twisting side to side...

http://www.elephantracing.com/suspen...strutbrace.htm

get the single bar from Elephant and you can upgrade to triangulated easily if you later want to

PLUS, it is designed by an engineer, not some Brit Boy Band film maker crash driver