Ebay Strut Tower Braces

cnstman · 07-19-2004, 02:41 PM

i decided to get the sti imitation strut tower braces from ebay, got them for $57 shipped, Thanks Scuba for finding the good deal.

Install was straight forward, took probably 2.5-3 hours, but i was working slow. i could see the install only taking 1.5-2 hours.

can't say i feel a huge difference yet. the rear does feel a bit more connected or rigid, not much difference for the front. i was not expecting much. i need to take a couple of corners i know of and see if higher speeds make more of a difference.

overall i am happy, the quality is great. i honestly can't see spending much more for thses parts. i could see the cusco rear triangle shaped bar working a bit better but it is much more $$

for me it was definetally $57 well spent.

now for the later links and trailing arms to be installed!

cnstman · 07-19-2004, 02:58 PM

just found a killer install link in the mods forum. it is a good writeup

http://www.filtsai.com/sti/strut_bars/

Rev · 07-19-2004, 03:59 PM

Agreed with the Replicas.

Even though you didn't feel much of a change (because you had the pinks already), the extra stiffness is there. You won't feel much of a difference with the lateral links. I felt the change with the strutbars, but not much with the l.links.

stiperformance · 07-19-2004, 05:16 PM

I got my replica bars on Ebay for about the same price 6 months ago. They are actually very decent quality for the price. The welds are very good and they fit nearly perfect. Can't complain...they work!

cnstman · 07-19-2004, 08:20 PM

after taking my normal comute home, and taking some high speed corners, i can say they do stiffen up the rear quite a bit. i am even more happy now!

rosco110 · 03-06-2008, 05:56 PM

I was very dissapointed with my ebay front and rear strut bars and ended up spending a little more on Tien ones. They look great and are very light, but I don't think the front one would work at all because I was able to bend mine pretty easily. Glad yours worked out for you though!

**WESTI** · 03-06-2008, 06:25 PM

i have the ebay ones too. Dont look the best but they get the job done. Paid 15 each

***Szumita*** · 03-06-2008, 06:39 PM

my ebay front one didnt fit

im gonna try the rear one some day.

nhat · 03-06-2008, 07:37 PM

both of mine fit and the rear strut bar definitely tightened up the rear end.

**WESTI** · 03-06-2008, 07:42 PM

my rear one was a biatch to get on but it eventually did fit

rosco110 · 03-06-2008, 09:12 PM

just put my tien ones on this evening and took it out for a spin. The car does feel a little tighter. I must say that I'm VERY impressed by the quality and fit of the Tien strut bars.

**tyler_sti** · 03-06-2008, 09:49 PM

My thought on it is. If it ain't a pita to get in, then it's not stiffning up a whole lot. My ebay front "fit" but definatly need some fanagling to seat right. It sits SUPER snug, and I belive that has something to do with its overall stiffining. Weight transfer is much more direct and precise. Guys with good tires and other body stiffning will benifit more. But you cant say no to $57 shipped for front and year, it's a no brainer.

abby normal · 03-07-2008, 05:25 AM

i have the SPT (steel) bars front and rear. front one didn't do
much, but the rear took out essentially all of the rear window
creaks.

dannyc1225 · 03-07-2008, 07:00 AM

the rear does a lot on these cars (since its basically bracing a rectangle which is easy to deform) an even better solution is the X-brace. The front is a different story, it has the firewall which adds a lot of shear strength to the front so the strut towers are less likely to move

A little OT but i got those fender cowl braces a while ago and the entire front end of the car feels a whole hell of a lot more supple under bumpier roads and response is improved a tad.

07-19-2004, 02:41 PM	#1
cnstman Spec C Club Car: 04 STi Fav Mod: GT-35R Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 1,326 Join Date: Jan 2003 Trader Rating: (2)	i decided to get the sti imitation strut tower braces from ebay, got them for $57 shipped, Thanks Scuba for finding the good deal. Install was straight forward, took probably 2.5-3 hours, but i was working slow. i could see the install only taking 1.5-2 hours. can't say i feel a huge difference yet. the rear does feel a bit more connected or rigid, not much difference for the front. i was not expecting much. i need to take a couple of corners i know of and see if higher speeds make more of a difference. overall i am happy, the quality is great. i honestly can't see spending much more for thses parts. i could see the cusco rear triangle shaped bar working a bit better but it is much more $$ for me it was definetally $57 well spent. now for the later links and trailing arms to be installed! This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

03-06-2008, 05:56 PM	#6
rosco110 Amateur STI Driver Car: 05 CGM Subaru WRX ST Location: Seattle Posts: 33 Join Date: Jul 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Ebay Strut Tower Braces I was very dissapointed with my ebay front and rear strut bars and ended up spending a little more on Tien ones. They look great and are very light, but I don't think the front one would work at all because I was able to bend mine pretty easily. Glad yours worked out for you though!

03-06-2008, 06:25 PM	#7
WESTI Gold Member Car: 06 WRB STI Fav Mod: HKS CARBON TI Location: Irvine, Ca Posts: 5,509 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (8)	Re: Ebay Strut Tower Braces i have the ebay ones too. Dont look the best but they get the job done. Paid 15 each

03-06-2008, 06:39 PM	#8
*Szumita* i eat cones Car: 06 sti - steel gray Fav Mod: catless Location: ma & ri Posts: 6,384 Join Date: Oct 2006 Trader Rating: (13)	Re: Ebay Strut Tower Braces my ebay front one didnt fit im gonna try the rear one some day.

03-06-2008, 07:37 PM	#9
nhat Senior STI Driver Car: 04 sti Fav Mod: enginuity tuned Location: NoVA Posts: 394 Join Date: Aug 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Ebay Strut Tower Braces both of mine fit and the rear strut bar definitely tightened up the rear end.

07-19-2004, 02:58 PM	#2
cnstman Spec C Club Car: 04 STi Fav Mod: GT-35R Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 1,326 Join Date: Jan 2003 Trader Rating: (2)	just found a killer install link in the mods forum. it is a good writeup http://www.filtsai.com/sti/strut_bars/

07-19-2004, 03:59 PM	#3
Rev STI Guru Car: 06 V70R Location: Hoffman Estates, IL Posts: 5,544 Join Date: Dec 2003 Trader Rating: (0)	Agreed with the Replicas. Even though you didn't feel much of a change (because you had the pinks already), the extra stiffness is there. You won't feel much of a difference with the lateral links. I felt the change with the strutbars, but not much with the l.links.

07-19-2004, 05:16 PM	#4
stiperformance Professional STI Racer Location: PA Posts: 762 Join Date: Jan 2003 Trader Rating: (1)	I got my replica bars on Ebay for about the same price 6 months ago. They are actually very decent quality for the price. The welds are very good and they fit nearly perfect. Can't complain...they work!

07-19-2004, 08:20 PM	#5
cnstman Spec C Club Car: 04 STi Fav Mod: GT-35R Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 1,326 Join Date: Jan 2003 Trader Rating: (2)	after taking my normal comute home, and taking some high speed corners, i can say they do stiffen up the rear quite a bit. i am even more happy now!

03-06-2008, 07:42 PM	#10
WESTI Gold Member Car: 06 WRB STI Fav Mod: HKS CARBON TI Location: Irvine, Ca Posts: 5,509 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (8)	Re: Ebay Strut Tower Braces my rear one was a biatch to get on but it eventually did fit

03-06-2008, 09:12 PM	#11
rosco110 Amateur STI Driver Car: 05 CGM Subaru WRX ST Location: Seattle Posts: 33 Join Date: Jul 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Ebay Strut Tower Braces just put my tien ones on this evening and took it out for a spin. The car does feel a little tighter. I must say that I'm VERY impressed by the quality and fit of the Tien strut bars.

03-06-2008, 09:49 PM	#12
tyler_sti Gold Member Car: '07 CMG STI Fav Mod: carbing subframe, driving experience:) Location: los angeles Posts: 3,415 Join Date: Aug 2006 Trader Rating: (11)	Re: Ebay Strut Tower Braces My thought on it is. If it ain't a pita to get in, then it's not stiffning up a whole lot. My ebay front "fit" but definatly need some fanagling to seat right. It sits SUPER snug, and I belive that has something to do with its overall stiffining. Weight transfer is much more direct and precise. Guys with good tires and other body stiffning will benifit more. But you cant say no to $57 shipped for front and year, it's a no brainer.

03-07-2008, 05:25 AM	#13
abby normal Amateur STI Driver Posts: 26 Join Date: Apr 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Ebay Strut Tower Braces i have the SPT (steel) bars front and rear. front one didn't do much, but the rear took out essentially all of the rear window creaks.

03-07-2008, 07:00 AM	#14
dannyc1225 Senior STI Driver Car: 05 W/G STi Fav Mod: White Headlights Location: SFV Woodland Hills, CA an Posts: 389 Join Date: Jan 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Ebay Strut Tower Braces the rear does a lot on these cars (since its basically bracing a rectangle which is easy to deform) an even better solution is the X-brace. The front is a different story, it has the firewall which adds a lot of shear strength to the front so the strut towers are less likely to move A little OT but i got those fender cowl braces a while ago and the entire front end of the car feels a whole hell of a lot more supple under bumpier roads and response is improved a tad. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.