Does a strut bar with 2 mounting holes per strut tower worth it?

[inquirer]

I'm looking for a front strut bar for my Mitsubishi Lancer 1.5L (last gen). So far the only unhinged one I have found has 2 mounting holes instead of 3 per strut tower, so it does not encircle the whole tower, but covers the half of it. Does it do its job adequately?

By the way, I have found this AEM bar, but according to AEM's site it is compatible only with the 2.0L and 2.4L version of the Lancer. I also had found a used strut bar at a junkyard, which they said came from a 2.0L Lancer (I'm not sure if it had a diesel or a gasoline engine), but the diameter of its mounting points was larger than the 1.5L strut towers. Don't all Lancers share the same chassis?

 

[Egg_Head]

If this were a 400 HP full-prepped race car running the 24 Hours of Nurburgring there might be cause for concern with 2 vs. 3 holes in the mounting point. In your case, you will be just fine.

 

[researcher]

I'm looking for a front strut bar for my Mitsubishi Lancer 1.5L (last gen). So far the only unhinged one I have found has 2 mounting holes instead of 3 per strut tower, so it does not encircle the whole tower, but covers the half of it. Does it do its job adequately?

By the way, I have found this AEM bar, but according to AEM's site it is compatible only with the 2.0L and 2.4L version of the Lancer. I also had found a used strut bar at a junkyard, which they said came from a 2.0L Lancer (I'm not sure if it had a diesel or a gasoline engine), but the diameter of its mounting points was larger than the 1.5L strut towers. Don't all Lancers share the same chassis?

yes a two bolt hole per strut tower is acceptable. It will increase the rigidity/strength of the tower. I have seen plenty of Toyota racing strut tower bars that are only two bolt/mounting holes and they do their job perfectly.

No worries.. sure 3 is better, but 2 will work well

 

[inquirer]

@Egg_Head
Thanks for your input!

yes a two bolt hole per strut tower is acceptable. It will increase the rigidity/strength of the tower. I have seen plenty of Toyota racing strut tower bars that are only two bolt/mounting holes and they do their job perfectly.

No worries.. sure 3 is better, but 2 will work well

Oh, OK! If also racing strut bars come with 2 mounting holes per strut tower I guess rigidity of the bar will not be an issue, at least not because of the number of its mounting holes.
Something else that crossed my mind is the pressure the bar's mounts will put to the strut towers. As the surface of the mounts of the bar is smaller, obviously the pressure is going to be bigger, but I guess that practically has no real consequences.

 

[researcher]

@Egg_Head
Thanks for your input!




Oh, OK! If also racing strut bars come with 2 mounting holes per strut tower I guess rigidity of the bar will not be an issue, at least not because of the number of its mounting holes.
Something else that crossed my mind is the pressure the bar's mounts will put to the strut towers. As the surface of the mounts of the bar is smaller, obviously the pressure is going to be bigger, but I guess that practically has no real consequences.

With TRD (Toyota Racing Development) strut tower bars that I've had, the strut had 3 mounting studs but the bar only had two holes. It was sufficient for the strength and rigidity of the bar to work correctly.

That pressure that you are thinking of is correct. And will be spread out enough to hold the strut tower in place. The bar has to stabilize the tower so that it doesn't push or twist. The entire point of the bar is to "tie" together the strut towers from the top. And that would need strength of the bar, which would cause pressure/resistance, which is what you want from the bar. It's not so much the strut mounting stud that should be focused on. That's only a mounting point for the strut tower bar. The bigger idea is to make sure that bar is held against the tower.

I noticed in your link the two hole strut bars were welded at the mounting plate, but the adjustable ones showed more mounting holes. I've found the ones that are welded and non-adjustable are the strongest. Just as the one you were looking to purchase, excellent design! Even if it only has two mounting holes.

 

[wtd]

The factory strut tower brace for my 2014 Mustang GT only has two holes per side. Same with the factory one I have on my 92 Cavalier.

 

[thescreensavers]

From a degrees of freedom point of view, two bolts is all you need to locate and anti rotate. Third would be for strength or looks reasonings. But lighter is better

 

[malibuguy79]

I build a 3-point strut bar for a certain chassis and I use 2 out of 4 available holes per side.

 

[PF52]

The factory strut tower brace for my 2014 Mustang GT only has two holes per side. Same with the factory one I have on my 92 Cavalier.

Pro tip: Those Cavalier strut bars (found most often on convertibles and Z-24s) also fit on a variety of other FWD GM cars. A worthwhile upgrade!

 

[inquirer]

I noticed in your link the two hole strut bars were welded at the mounting plate, but the adjustable ones showed more mounting holes. I've found the ones that are welded and non-adjustable are the strongest. Just as the one you were looking to purchase, excellent design! Even if it only has two mounting holes.

I too have less faith in hinged strut bars. I guess there will always be some flex at the bolting points.

 

[IndyIan]

I have been in a "budget" 1990's 840i stripped out autocross car where the fellow drilled some holes in the top of the strut towers and ran a steel cable between them in quite a bit of tension and which gave him some free negative camber and pre-loaded all the flex in the strut towers so in theory they should move less.
It was a fast car too. even with the budget "hacks", a bit quicker than a 2019 ZR1 Corvette around a pretty open course!

 

[wtd]

Pro tip: Those Cavalier strut bars (found most often on convertibles and Z-24s) also fit on a variety of other FWD GM cars. A worthwhile upgrade!

The one I have on my Cavalier came off of a 94 Z24. Nice to know they fit other GM models.

 

[B6_Dolphin]

Based on geometric differences, if you have a double wishbone front suspension, the benefit of a strut tower bar is minimal. If you have a MacPhearson strut front suspension, then the strut bar will be more impactful on resistance to camber changes.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r...-vs-macpherson-strut-suspension-pros-and-cons

In a double wishbone setup, the shock absorbers and coil springs connect upper and lower control arms, with the steering knuckle and hub carrier on the lower control arm and the upper control arm attached to the frame. It's designed mostly for frame/body-type vehicles and is inherently more rigid than a MacPherson strut suspension, with less of a camber change while cornering or negotiating bumps.

MacPherson struts are tall, effectively raising the center of gravity and making it difficult to lower a vehicle's profile and ride height for performance and handling. They also change camber angle whenever the suspension moves, making it more difficult to keep all four wheels in solid contact with the road while cornering, affecting control. On older vehicles that are starting to show some wear, struts can also transmit more noise through the body of the car.

 

[researcher]

I too have less faith in hinged strut bars. I guess there will always be some flex at the bolting points.

Let us know if you get the strut tower bar you linked to (two hole, welded) and how it performs. On my civic which is double wishbone suspension it did change things. I would have this odd vibration in the front end from the air flow behind a semi truck, once I put the strut tower bar on (welded, not adjustable) that odd "front end dancing/vibration" ended. There's a reason that the Integra (same chassis as the civic) came with a strut tower bar from the factory.. Same with the Civic Si 99/2000.

I also added a rear strut tower bar and as the car has aged the creaking noises were removed from the back end. I do admit I bought cheap for the rear.. it has bolts instead of welded, but hey I got it for $25! I do have to re-tighten the bolts each year. But for $25, it works!

again, let us know the differences you notice after installing it.. Oh and make sure you're on a level surface when you unbolt the strut nuts and install the new bar. It will keep things even to install the bar.

 

[Oro_O]

From a degrees of freedom point of view, two bolts is all you need to locate and anti rotate. Third would be for strength or looks reasonings. But lighter is better

This is correct. For amusement value, here’s a strut bar I have in one vehicle. It has two mounting holes on the passenger side, and three on the driver’s side.

The only reason for the third hole on one side is the fuse box mount. It’s a stock (accessory) Volvo part for P80 cars, made by Ohlins.

 

[eljefino]

Based on geometric differences, if you have a double wishbone front suspension, the benefit of a strut tower bar is minimal. If you have a MacPhearson strut front suspension, then the strut bar will be more impactful on resistance to camber changes.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r...-vs-macpherson-strut-suspension-pros-and-cons

In a double wishbone setup, the shock absorbers and coil springs connect upper and lower control arms, with the steering knuckle and hub carrier on the lower control arm and the upper control arm attached to the frame. It's designed mostly for frame/body-type vehicles and is inherently more rigid than a MacPherson strut suspension, with less of a camber change while cornering or negotiating bumps.

MacPherson struts are tall, effectively raising the center of gravity and making it difficult to lower a vehicle's profile and ride height for performance and handling. They also change camber angle whenever the suspension moves, making it more difficult to keep all four wheels in solid contact with the road while cornering, affecting control. On older vehicles that are starting to show some wear, struts can also transmit more noise through the body of the car.

What you quoted isn't particularly applicable, or well written. Something is only as rigid as the bean-counters allow via quality of parts and design.

On a car with two wishbones in the front suspension, they make the upper one stick out less so as the tire travels up (like taking more weight in a corner) it cocks the bottom of the tire out so it plants better.

A Macpherson strut, whether completely stiff up top or a little floppy, doesn't allow a beneficial camber change throughout the entire range of motion. It changes, sometimes sort of appropriately, but is a compromise. A strut bar doesn't benefit this inherent geometry problem aside from correcting a couple of millimeters of unibody flex.

 

[inquirer]

Let us know if you get the strut tower bar you linked to (two hole, welded) and how it performs. On my civic which is double wishbone suspension it did change things. I would have this odd vibration in the front end from the air flow behind a semi truck, once I put the strut tower bar on (welded, not adjustable) that odd "front end dancing/vibration" ended. There's a reason that the Integra (same chassis as the civic) came with a strut tower bar from the factory.. Same with the Civic Si 99/2000.

I also added a rear strut tower bar and as the car has aged the creaking noises were removed from the back end. I do admit I bought cheap for the rear.. it has bolts instead of welded, but hey I got it for $25! I do have to re-tighten the bolts each year. But for $25, it works!

again, let us know the differences you notice after installing it.. Oh and make sure you're on a level surface when you unbolt the strut nuts and install the new bar. It will keep things even to install the bar.

@researcher

I installed the bar today. I bought the Ultra Racing bar, the welded one with the 2 mounting holes per tower.
I had the chance to drive the car only within the city today. There is a major difference when driving over bumps or potholes. I was expecting that the car would feel harsher. On the contrary, vibrations from the road do not reach the cabin at the same level. I guess that happens because the bar splits the forces also to the other side of the vehicle. Anyway, the car feels way more comfortable when driving on bad road surfaces now.
I also think there is more grip on the front under rapid acceleration, but that's something I have to test more, out of the limits of the city. For now that remains just a first impression.

I also added a rear strut tower bar and as the car has aged the creaking noises were removed from the back end. I do admit I bought cheap for the rear.. it has bolts instead of welded, but hey I got it for $25! I do have to re-tighten the bolts each year. But for $25, it works!

What would the explanation be for the noises? Why does the bar make them vanish? Were they coming from the chassis? Is that possible? If the chassis was making cracking noises I think that the car would be in serious problem.

again, let us know the differences you notice after installing it.. Oh and make sure you're on a level surface when you unbolt the strut nuts and install the new bar. It will keep things even to install the bar.

Yeah, I knew that I had to be parked on a level surface. Also following AEM's instructions I installed it first thing in the day, before running the engine.

 

[inquirer]

Just wanted to share 2 photos from the installation. Lancer's strut towers have 3 little bumps. One of them sits under the end plates of the strut bar. Mitsubishi OEM bars that have 3 mounting holes at each side, have small grooves that allow the end plates to make perfect contact with the strut tower surface.

The Ultra Racing bar has no such grooves. The end plates are totally flat. After tightening the nuts to the maximum torque Mitsubishi allows (52 N⋅m), the end plates have curved a little over the strut towers' bumps. It's not visible, but it's easily feelable when I run my finger over the end plates' upper side.

I wonder if I had made custom spacers that would be put between the bar's end plates and the strut towers and would had filled the gap that now exists, if that would make any considerable difference to the flexibility of the end plates and the bar's performance.

 

[researcher]

@researcher

I installed the bar today. I bought the Ultra Racing bar, the welded one with the 2 mounting holes per tower.
I had the chance to drive the car only within the city today. There is a major difference when driving over bumps or potholes. I was expecting that the car would feel harsher. On the contrary, vibrations from the road do not reach the cabin at the same level. I guess that happens because the bar splits the forces also to the other side of the vehicle. Anyway, the car feels way more comfortable when driving on bad road surfaces now.
I also think there is more grip on the front under rapid acceleration, but that's something I have to test more, out of the limits of the city. For now that remains just a first impression.




What would the explanation be for the noises? Why does the bar make them vanish? Were they coming from the chassis? Is that possible? If the chassis was making cracking noises I think that the car would be in serious problem.



Yeah, I knew that I had to be parked on a level surface. Also following AEM's instructions I installed it first thing in the day, before running the engine.

I'm very happy to hear the good results after installing the new strut tower bar! I'm also not surprised because I have then on both of my cars. People sometimes think that it makes it into some harsh riding vehicle but what it really does it tighten up the chassis and as you saw, makes it more calm, comfortable, sure of itself. I don't doubt if because of tightening the chassis you'll find the steering is more accurate or it feels like more grip from the tires. Your senses are telling you exactly what is going on. It's amazing that just a simple chassis strut tower bar can make this much of a difference! But people put it down and make fun of it. It is a subtle but important change. Most high performance cars have these built in from the factory, and it makes sense.. glad it's working out well for you!


Oh yes my Civic's noises were from the "Wet noodle" rear end chassis. It was rusting in the wheel wells, that sheet metal not being very thick rusted early and that in turn caused the panels to separate. It did not help that the chassis stiffness in the rear wasn't that strong. The noise was the panels rusting apart, the more they rusted the more noise it made. Installing the rear strut tower bar tied that together, stopped the movements. I've since used structural adhesive to bond the inner/outer panels together until I can cut it out and replace it with new metal. It is nice and quiet now. When the civic was new in 1996 it did not make noise, it took many years for the chassis to bend/twist and get to this point. I'm glad I was able to fix it and extend it's life with this rear strut tower bar.

Again, I've very happy for you!! glad it's working for you!

 

[researcher]

View attachment 185111View attachment 185113

Just wanted to share 2 photos from the installation. Lancer's strut towers have 3 little bumps. One of them sits under the end plates of the strut bar. Mitsubishi OEM bars that have 3 mounting holes at each side, have small grooves that allow the end plates to make perfect contact with the strut tower surface.

The Ultra Racing bar has no such grooves. The end plates are totally flat. After tightening the nuts to the maximum torque Mitsubishi allows (52 N⋅m), the end plates have curved a little over the strut towers' bumps. It's not visible, but it's easily feelable when I run my finger over the end plates' upper side.

I wonder if I had made custom spacers that would be put between the bar's end plates and the strut towers and would had filled the gap that now exists, if that would make any considerable difference to the flexibility of the end plates and the bar's performance.

I don't think it would hurt at all, making custom spacers that filled in those gaps. It could only add to the surface area that the bar holds onto. Excellent to notice that the OEM was mated fully to the mounting area! As they say "something is better than nothing".. and in this case you're seeing the benefit a tower bar can make in your car's chassis, I bet it would get better with those spacers! I'm excited to see how it feels after you copy what the OEM did!