Hello All,

I'm searching for a front tower strut brace, and saw someon ebay, but notice there were 2 types, one that is a straight bar accross, and another that somewhat arches over to the other strut. Do both types functiont the same? would the bar that is straight with no arc be a little stiffer than the one with the arc? or would they both function the same?

thanks for the help and advice.

 

I have an Otto racing FSTB and I think it has a slight arc to it. I don’t think it would matter; they both (straight and arc) would both accomplish the same thing. The one with an arc to it will probably clear a few of the engine components better.

Plus eBay users sometimes just put up random pics of similar items to get the general idea of the product across. So what you see in the pic may not be the exact item.

 

just put on my otto racing. it has a slight arc and it slightly touches some of the engine components

 

exactly! If you had one that was straight it would be worse. I believe mine touched the top of a vacuum hose or something.


Just search eBay for an otto racing fstb. They are cheap (I think I got mine for around 20 shipped, and its new), and they look good (or at least I think so).

 

It shouldn't be touching anything! Mine's a cheap clone SWP brand? but it doesn't touch other components

 

i got the OTTO from ebay for less than 30 shipped and i think it looks great...unfortunately it does touch one engine component

 

The ebay ones are fine.
I got mine for like $16 plus a little shipping.
They are all the same.
I ordered from a company called ReVotec and they were very prompt with everything.

 

Brudaddy, did you notice any increase in handling from the ebay bar? cause from what i've heard from other people is that the bar is cheaply made and can be bent very easily, completely defeating it's purpose.

 

i bought mine from someone who bought it form ebay to. and with stock supspension i noticed a big different under heavy turns. it was not like wow my car handles awsome! it was just alot stiffer through turns and controllable. now that i am lowered i do nto know what the differance is cause i have always had it on since my lowering. i have heard if you are dropped you cannot really feel it.

 

Let me say:
1. It is not easily bent, unless installed improperly.
2. I did notice some difference, but not a lot (that is why you go with the cheap one, not expensive.)
3. the reason that people don't feel much after the suspension upgrade, is because they are used to the bar by then.

This bar does not really help out in turns. You are mistaken. The part you are correct on is that it does make the steering a little stiffer. What you are thinking about is Rear Sway Bar. I have one of these, and it greatly improves your turning and cornering abilities. I mean, the body roll is next to nothing with this.

However, the FSTB only corrects torque steer. What is that? Torque steering is when you take off from a stop strong at WOT and you feel the steering wheel searching kind of side to side. It is "steering from the torque", thus the name. Anyway, putting on the FSTB makes this very minimal and just more steady feeling. After you have it for a while, you will not notice it anymore. I like it. It does a good job for what it is.

I would strongly getting a RSB help out though. They are a total improvement and I picked mine up for like $100 shipped. Easy to install too.

 

got mine from ebay,some no name one for $20.It's arced but it touches almost all the way across.So probably dont go with the straight across one.My advice is get the OTTO one,i've heard only good things with that one.I'd like one,but didnt find any on ebay at the time.

 

I also have the OTTO bar and it did slightly touch the A/C line. You need to bend the bracket holding the A/C line just enough to avoid contact with the bar. You may want do this soon, or the contact will wear a hole in the A/C line, causing it to leak.

 

My cheap one doesn't rub anywhere.
It is great!

 

where can i get the rear sway bar from? i dont want to pay 200 for the steallen one.

 

uhhhh......ebay like this whole thread is saying.

 

all the fstb does is stablize the twin towers in the engine bay, hence the name. Brudaddy is right w/ torque steering, but it also corrects the oversteer that the RSB creates. It is probably the next best supsension "bang for bux" condsidering its price in comparison to the RSB. The fstb and rsb are analogous to intake and y-pipe in terms of supsension/performance gains accordingly. I have a Progress RSB w/ stock suspension and it helps more than the Y-pipe helps for performance. Body roll and sway is eliminated and I can accurately utilize my hp on sharp turns. Get the PROGESS RSB, it is high quality and alot cheaper then stillen. Addco is crap too.

 

All the fstb does is stablize the twin towers in the engine bay, hence the name. Brudaddy is right w/ torque steering, but it also corrects the oversteer that the RSB creates(the RSB is supposed to correct the understeer that max's are notorious for). It is probably the next best supsension "bang for bux" condsidering its price in comparison to the RSB. The fstb and rsb are analogous to intake and y-pipe in terms of supsension/performance gains accordingly. I have a Progress RSB w/ stock suspension and it helps more than the Y-pipe helps for performance. Body roll and sway is eliminated and I can accurately utilize my hp on sharp turns. Get the PROGESS RSB, it is high quality and alot cheaper then stillen. Addco is crap too.

 

Wow,

Came back from work and saw all these posts.

I believe i get it now, there is not much differencen between the bent one and straight one, just how much space is left between the bar and engine components.
Plus its help some but only under heavy turning, which I do some times (when I do my race track style cornering).

I'm going to look into the RSB since is been pointed out that is helps alot more that the FSTB, and I still have my stock suspension (still havent hit those lotery numbers) so I shall look into that, as well as some air tools, for future work ( those dealership and mechanic shops really try to over charge!! those bastards, but thats a whole different story.

thanks again.

 

for the front strut bar, yes...but i'm not having luck finding the rear sway bar one bay for $100 shipped...

 

where did you get the progress bar from? i dont see it on ebay as other people so eagerly point out.

 

My bad, dude.
blk_g20, I thought you were just either being sarcastic or a dummy. I didn't know you were talking about the RSB.....dangling modifier...ha ha

I bought mine from someone here on the .org. I don't know if you will be able to find one on ebay for that, or at all.
Progress is a good one...that is what I have.
They are solid, so they should not wear out, even if you bought it used. All you would have to do is possibly replace the mounts that are poly.

I would just check the classifieds, and you should be able to find one. REad a bunch and send a lot of pm's, and then if you don't find anything, post something up and check it often saying that you want a RSB.
Hope that helps...

 

You missed the whole point of what Smokey Mountain and I were saying(people who actually know what it is used for.). We were saying that the FSTB is not that major and does not do that much. It just steadies the steering wheel a little more while you are under heavy pull or torque. In turns, I don't think it really does anything, other than when you are straightening back out from the turn and at WOT, it keeps the wheel from seeking left to right to left to right with the heavy torque (torque steer). The RSB is what you are thinking of that keeps the thing doing just fine in the corners. It keeps you from swaying around with the rear end, and keeps the "body-roll"(when the body rolls over to the outside of the turn) down to a minimum.

Oh, and I am on stock SE-L suspension. So, all of this is without the added effects of the upgraded suspension.

 

I understand I just poor phrased my response, plus left out the main point you and Smokey Mountain were saying. It helped a lot because I thought the FSTB would reduce the "roll" but it turn out the be the RSB that would really do the job, I dont think I'll get a FTSB but if I do I'll go with a cheap one off ebay but focus more on a RSB, thanks again!

 

no harm done. thanks for the info. so addco is crap and should be avoided?

 

I would say they both get the job done

 

i got my Progress RSB from slammed95 here on the org. It has a nice grey ceramic powder coat that is rust resistant and is solid in every turn.

 

And I got my Progress RSB from 190hpkilla here on the .org. It is black, solid, and all the poly mounts were in good shape. Looks and feels like a quality product.


Don't get me wrong, MDeezy, I like my RSB more, but I still like the FSTB. It just gives a little more steady feel to the steering. I like having both FSTB and RSB.

 

Which one did you end up with, MDeezy?
Just curious...