Weltmeister Strut Bar upgrade project

[911pcars]

The ubiquitous Weltmeister Strut Bar gets a lightweight facelift. It's been around a long time - maybe the first aftermarket strut bar made for 911s.

You might ask, why don't I just buy a new setup. There are now about 13, maybe more, different manufacturers of 911 strut bars. Some even offer different designs among their offerings (single tube, twin tube, different bar materials). Plenty of choices you say. However, I've got a WM so I'm thinking it can be upgraded along with a slight weight reduction and without spending additional $$ for a complete new setup. If you've priced them, you know what I mean.

By way of a reference point, the WM bar with its steel rod ends weighs just about 3 lbs. (according to the USPS). The steel bar is a little overkill as well as weighty, so I replaced it with aluminum pieces.

This is the before shot:

[911pcars]

...and here's the aluminum strut bar with aluminum rod ends: 1 lb. 12 oz.

[911pcars]

The original WM strut tower brackets were opened up so the top of the strut isn't constrained by the bracket - a recommended modification.

[911pcars]

Here's the fully triangulated, level 2 WM upgrade:

The driver side strut bracket is modified to accept another bar. On the trunk floor, a reinforced bracket anchors the other end of the strut bar. The total weight of the new pieces is 3 lbs., the same as the single WM steel bar. About 4.5 lbs. with the WM brackets. AN-spec threaded fasteners complete the install.

Is the single or twin tube upgrade something of interest to current WM users? Will be at Treffen next weekend for a show and tell.

Sherwood

[MoparBoy72]

Wow, Sherwood.

That looks great. I was planning a simmilar project with a RSR style strut tower bar (weld-in). What diameter aluminum tubing did you use? Also, what size and material are the rod ends that you used? I was looking at getting some from Mcmaster Car.

[911pcars]

Thanks for the comments.

The tubing is about 1" OD. The aluminum rod ends are 1/2" to match the existing WM bracket holes.

Sherwood

[Eric911S]

Hello: WOW 1/2 inch rod ends! I hope they are are titanium. With those rod ends you could lift the whole car. I would have used 5/16 rod ends and bushed the mounting brackets. You would loose a little more weight there as well. They make some great carbon fiber tubing that is good for this as well but you would have to make up the plugs for the ends to hold the rod ends. Now you just have to remove that heavy spare tire ;-) Thanks, Eric

[MoparBoy72]

I really like the look of the triangulated bar but I am curious if you are able to tell the difference during hard cornering?

I understand the concept of further stiffening the towers with the diagonal. Also is your smugglers box still accessible? I have heard of other brands of the "tri-brace" that interfere with it.


X2 on the 1/2'' rod ends...I was going to go with some 8mmx1.25's they ONLY have "static radial load capacity of 3,055 lbs"

Thanks,

[911pcars]

I really like the look of the triangulated bar but I am curious if you are able to tell the difference during hard cornering?

My lap times have decreased to and from the grocery store. Other than that, I can only feel seat of the pants improvements. Fernando Alonso or equivalent might truly feel and appreciate the difference. The front end does "seem" stiffer for what that's worth.

I understand the concept of further stiffening the towers with the diagonal. Also is your smugglers box still accessible? I have heard of other brands of the "tri-brace" that interfere with it.

I intentionally located the triangulated bar forward of the existing strut bar to avoid interfering with the smugglers box lid. It still opens 90º.

X2 on the 1/2'' rod ends...I was going to go with some 8mmx1.25's they ONLY have "static radial load capacity of 3,055 lbs"

The al. rod ends I used have a 5/8" thread. The larger shank compensates for the fact steel is inherently stronger (but heavier). There's a breakeven point using a smaller and equally light steel rod end with equivalent or higher load ratings, but I didn't want to hassle with thread and adapter bushings to fit them onto the strut bar, WM mount brackets and chassis bracket. Four aluminum rod ends is expensive enough - thank you. The equivalents in steel (Eric911S' suggestion) would be very expensive, and again x 4 of them.

Depending on whose rod end you use, aluminum rod ends have a static load rating of around 11,000 to 15,000 lbs., more than adequate, I think, for this application.

The spare tire is no lightweight, but it's 6 lbs. lighter than the steel spare that it replaced.

Sherwood