Which Front Strut Tower Brace Best Fitment on an 04?

Sti491 · 12-31-2006, 06:21 PM

I have read about what tower braces do and don't do on our cars. I've got my suspension pretty much the way I like it now. With the stiffer RCE springs and other mods I've made I have recently heard maybe a strut bar will add to my overall handling performance and stiffness. My fender braces helped alot and they seemed to reduce my windsheild creaking going into driveways... but now that it is getting colder I am getting the creak back and maybe a strut brace would quiet that down completely?

So here is my question, and yes I have searched... there seems to be a lot of misinformation regarding fitment around the larger STi intercooler and A/C lines. My question is 04 specific that hopefully someone who has a bar that fits, or how you got it to fit w/out touching, rattleing or creating A/C line damage is what I'm looking for:

What reasonably priced bar (like Cusco, Whiteline, GT Spec, etc) will fit correctly and/or what does it take to modify A/C line or intercooler to get it to fit.

... and I guess I just have to ask, if you have one on your car, did it behave much differently afterwards? Worth it?

Risk3233 · 12-31-2006, 07:55 PM

I run a Carbing/Okuyama one piece bar with integrated MC brace. No pivots, bolts, etc. Just one piece of metal. Fit well.

Sti491 · 01-01-2007, 07:17 AM

Just got this response from an E-bay seller for a GT Spec brace:

I have an 06 STI I bought this one because they say it clears the AC line which is different routing on the 06 than previous years . I had to tweak the line alittle for it to clear and the main bar is close to the IC and when you start out in 1st the motor torques and the IC knocks against the bar . So it will work better on a WRX than an STI unless the 06 IC is different that 04 05.

There must be others out there with experience on different braces...?

blindfold · 01-01-2007, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Risk3233

I run a Carbing/Okuyama one piece bar with integrated MC brace. No pivots, bolts, etc. Just one piece of metal. Fit well.

where did you buy Carbing products? I am a true believe in their quality and performance from using them on other cars.

Risk3233 · 01-01-2007, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blindfold

where did you buy Carbing products? I am a true believe in their quality and performance from using them on other cars.

I got my strut bar through a local shop, but I think you can get it through Options.

AnorexicSTI · 01-03-2007, 09:39 PM

Any chance I could get you to do me a HUGE favour and weigh the CARBING brace and maybe take a couple pics installed while you're at it? I'm thinking of getting it, but I will never take a manufacturers word for a weighed part again after my Gruppe-S headers ended up weighing 17.5 instead of their claimed 8.5 lbs.

sti robot · 01-04-2007, 04:27 AM

ebay all the way

12-31-2006, 06:21 PM	#1
Sti491 Silver Member Car: 04 JBP WRX STi Fav Mod: ProTune by Hill at Agile Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 325 IWSTI Addict since: Mar 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	Which Front Strut Tower Brace Best Fitment on an 04? I have read about what tower braces do and don't do on our cars. I've got my suspension pretty much the way I like it now. With the stiffer RCE springs and other mods I've made I have recently heard maybe a strut bar will add to my overall handling performance and stiffness. My fender braces helped alot and they seemed to reduce my windsheild creaking going into driveways... but now that it is getting colder I am getting the creak back and maybe a strut brace would quiet that down completely? So here is my question, and yes I have searched... there seems to be a lot of misinformation regarding fitment around the larger STi intercooler and A/C lines. My question is 04 specific that hopefully someone who has a bar that fits, or how you got it to fit w/out touching, rattleing or creating A/C line damage is what I'm looking for: What reasonably priced bar (like Cusco, Whiteline, GT Spec, etc) will fit correctly and/or what does it take to modify A/C line or intercooler to get it to fit. ... and I guess I just have to ask, if you have one on your car, did it behave much differently afterwards? Worth it? This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

01-04-2007, 04:27 AM	#7
sti robot Spec C Club Car: 04 STI Java black w/ Fav Mod: a garage Location: Just outside Manassass VA Posts: 1,458 IWSTI Addict since: Sep 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	ebay all the way This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

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12-31-2006, 07:55 PM	#2
Risk3233 Junior STI Driver Car: Silver 04 STi Location: In da mountains. Posts: 98 IWSTI Addict since: Nov 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	I run a Carbing/Okuyama one piece bar with integrated MC brace. No pivots, bolts, etc. Just one piece of metal. Fit well.

01-01-2007, 07:17 AM	#3
Sti491 Silver Member Car: 04 JBP WRX STi Fav Mod: ProTune by Hill at Agile Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 325 IWSTI Addict since: Mar 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	Just got this response from an E-bay seller for a GT Spec brace: I have an 06 STI I bought this one because they say it clears the AC line which is different routing on the 06 than previous years . I had to tweak the line alittle for it to clear and the main bar is close to the IC and when you start out in 1st the motor torques and the IC knocks against the bar . So it will work better on a WRX than an STI unless the 06 IC is different that 04 05. There must be others out there with experience on different braces...?

01-03-2007, 09:39 PM	#6
AnorexicSTI Spec C Club Car: 05 WRX STI - Spec A Fav Mod: Starving my STI Location: Lightweightville, Canada Posts: 1,734 IWSTI Addict since: Sep 2006 Trader Rating: (15)	Any chance I could get you to do me a HUGE favour and weigh the CARBING brace and maybe take a couple pics installed while you're at it? I'm thinking of getting it, but I will never take a manufacturers word for a weighed part again after my Gruppe-S headers ended up weighing 17.5 instead of their claimed 8.5 lbs.