VE fstb (Otto)

 

Looks Great... Just Got Mine In... Painting It As I Speak... Waiting For It To Dry... Cant Wait Till I Get It In Tho...

 

well it feels stiffer and turns more lateral like a go-kart in the front with the FSTB alone, but the back end will still roll a bit. I'm looking to get the RSTB and sway bar, because I could see it helping immensly.

 

Well i can't deny that it did feel stiffer. But I still maintain my opinion that this mod alone is pretty much for looks only. Add those other pieces and it can make a pretty big difference, though....

While on the topic of suspension mods, I'd like to add that I just recently installed the lower tie bar. This is probably the most noticeable mod besides the sway bars. I posted earlier about a loose feeling in the steering wheel, and after this install the feeling has almost totally gone away. It feels just as tight as the gf's mustang, if not better. I think that the mustang has a different gear ratio in the rack and pinion setup, which is why I thought it felt tighter. The LTB makes up for the difference for sure! I was thinking that getting a momo steering wheel with a smaller diameter would also tighten up the steering.....anyone have any ideas?

 

first off make sure all ur bushings are still in good condition cuz that also effects the way ur steering wheel feels also ball joints and last but not least all the nuts are secured to specs cuz all that can make a good amount of play and make u feel like its loose. and if you want more go with matt93se's stage 2 lower tie barthat has a 4 point chassis mounting stiffing for a tighter feeling of steering. i plan on getting that mod for my VE-5 myself when i get the money for it as well as alot of other things matt makes for the 3rd gens

 

Just bought myself a strut brace. It should be here on Friday. Is it really as simple as it looks to install? It looks like all you need is a decent wrench to do it, but I figure I'd better ask these sort of questions before it gets here. I like to be completely sure of what I'm doing before I actually do it.

 

best to use sockets but first sprey the nuts on the towers with wd 40 to get the rust to break loose alil then take a cresent wrench and break the nuts lose but be careful not to strip the nuts then once broken free use a 16 mm socket i beleave thats the size that those nuts on the towers are someone correct me if im not right and take them off and place the strut bar on and juz tighten back up the bolts onto the towers if u want u can also put some anti sezie lub on the studs coming up from the shocks so that if later need be removed wont be as hard to remove them again.

 

For all reading this thread and looking for a strut tower brace...I AM still selling my old one for $15 shipped. You really can't beat that and it's as good as new. I only used it like 4 months untill I got the custommaxima one.

 

o0o0, picture please. If it looks like what I want then I'll take it when you're in town :_

 

Hey jlars205 I believe they are 14mm nuts and I would recommend using PB Blaster over WD40..compare them and you'll see huge difference overall. If you have a VG30E you will need to slightly move that big AC line a bit with a screw driver or something of that sort so you can have clearance. If you search you'll see that I made a thread about 1 year ago asking how to install FSTB...you'll find all answers for questions in there

 

Thanks for the advice. I'll put some pics up once I get the thing installed, which might take longer than I thought. UPS isn't delivering it til the 18th now.

 

Have to agree, I put one and can't say I noticed any difference, even when pushing it hard through the corners, my struts were only about 6 months old so it might be more noticable if you suspension is a bit sloppy to start with. Makes a great place to rest your arm when working on the back of the engine though!

And as for reducing roll, simple physics says that a strut tower brace cannot and will not reduce body roll. Heavier springs and Anit-roll bars (sway bars) do that. But if strut tower flexing is reduced it should keep your tyres flatter on the road and therefore improve steering feel/response during hard cornering.

I put heavier anti-roll bars on about 3 months later and they certainly made a difference! Definitely better bang for buck than the STB.

I also put a stage 1 lower tie bar on a while back, I think I may have noticed a slight difference, but could also be explained by the placebo effect!

 

thanx for the size correction ColumbainMax lol wasnt sure as i havent had to mess with those bolts yet in a good whiles on this max last max i had i did but this one since ive bought it i havent done any suspension work yet to it

 

Its cool dude ....except I got another correction to make on the quoted statement as well Its with an "O" and its ian but I know those were typos right

 

The one I'm selling looks like the one in post #43. I'll be back home on Tuesday. $10 and I'll give it to ya, no shipping necessary. $15 and I'll give it to you if you want me to meet you halfway.

 

Dude since you'll be home on Tuesday I hope you'll be attending the "Chicago Maxima Club" meet at Ginos East great food, great cars,cool people, fun pictures. That way Brian and I arent the only 3rd genner there. There's no FSTB pic on post #43..did you mean like the one on 41 or 42?

 

sorry, 42. Get ahold of me on aim and we'll figure something out for the break. I'd probably make some time to discuss some shop talk and eat some good food.

 

Kool, iono dude, I was thinking it'd be a different style FSTB..the pic on #42 is my engine bay so its the same one I have. I'll let someone else enjoy the $15 purchase

 

is the rstb that big of a difference? I have a large system in the trunk, just wondered if it was worth modifying my setup when the new stuff goes in in the spring thanks

 

Hey ColumbianMax, this is completely off topic, but I just noticed something about your engine bay. Where is the the vessel for your radiator fluid? Mine is right in front of the battery and I have a VG as well. Just curious.. You have a very clean engine anyway.

Oh, and my strut brace came today. It's going in tomorrow afternoon.

 

on the other side, you have ABS, he does not

 

What It Looks Like Now... Friday It Will Make It In...

 

thats going to look kewl

its black and reeeeed!

 

Hmm, red looks cool, the rest I'd kept chrome but then again thats me..I'm keeping it chrome as it IS a gxe

Nice job...lets just see how long the "chrome" holds the paint

 

I like it when you get a OEM looking brace and you get through SCCA or other Tech and raises no suspicion and no points lost. thats just me!

Its a simple brace that makes sense especially with soo much weight up forward.

 

red brackets FTL

 

pfff, I never said I'd do it. I just said it looked kool...hmm you'd love traxtar944 engine bay if you're talking about red lol

 

It Should Hold It Just Fine... I Ruffed It Up A Bit And Sprayed On The Good Old Primer... Then Came The Black...

 

Yay Its Done... What A Difference When I Took It Out For A Little Drive... Alot More Stability In Turns... Me Like...

 

Where did you order the NISMO FSTB, & how much?

 

from the cadillac dealer

 

Nope... BMW Dealer... LoL...

 

 

i like seeing a clean VG engine bay. but i'd go with the chrome bar. it would match my chrome CAI

 

Unless your system pushes up into the back wall behind the seats, it won't effect the RSTB offered by Matt. According to him, he was doubtful that it would make a difference at all. He made one though, installed it on his Max, and then took back what he said.

www.mattblehm.com

$100, spendy but worth it.