Has anyone seen plans or specs for a front or rear strut bar? I ask because by looking they seem simple but the price seem a bit high. I have access to a neigbor that builds hot rods and if I had plans I would build my own. If none are available I will eventualy build my own and post the plans to the group.

Hi Owen, Here pictures of different front and rear strut bars.

From here you could design your own.

http://12.224.138.56:8884/Files/Datsun/Strut-Bars/

V8-240Z,

Those are some great pictures!

owenk,

I've always built mine with threaded spherical ends, one left hand thread and the other right hand thread. This allows me to tweak the strut towers in or out to allow for a small amount of camber adjustment. I use a straight piece of stout 1" round tubing which I weld nuts on the ends to accept the rod ends. Since it is straight, the ears that I weld to the strut tower have to be raised enough to allow the rod clear the valve cover. I grind two flat spots oposite each other in the center of the rod so I can use an adjustable wrench to turn it to make the adjustment.

Are front strut bars used mostly for racing or do they also improve daily driving ride quality? this looks something I could do myself someday if there's really much need for it. I must admit they do look pretty cool anyway!

They will improve your daily driver handling if you drive the Z like it should be :classic: by eliminating any flex in the towers. Under extreme cornering the outside tower especially will deflect which will change your camber some. I'm not sure you would be able to feel it a lot, but it will stiffen things up.

They are very inexpensive to build as long as you have someone to do a couple of welds.

Hehehe... yeah i'm currently trying to learn how to weld now. That's why I was think I may be able to build something like that someday - but not now!

And V8 those pics are nice. I like the one that goes from the strut towers over to the center of the cowl area. I don't know how effective that is compared to the others going across but it seems that it gives better access to the engine.

Michael

Here's a homemade brace(s). Friend's fast SOLO II car...

steve77

great collection of pictures....I especially like the ones of our design....

As I found out, building your own strut bar can be expensive and time consuming.....

I am not saying you can't build one, what I am saying is the work that goes into designing and building a bar far surpasses the cost of bars that are on the market....

Ron C

:stupid:

Yeah, they're just not worth it. STarting at a hundred bucks each, that doesn't buy much time spent mussing with them. I think store-bought braces are a bargain.

steve77

I made my own last weekend. I used 3/4" steel tubing from the local Home Depot. All I had to do for the rear was flatten out the ends, and drill at the right place... The fronts requireed a little bending and welding, but still a very easy job... Cost me about $16.00 for the tubing.... Much cheaper than the store bought units. I can't see why they will not work as well.

Originally posted by Zvoiture

Yeah, they're just not worth it. STarting at a hundred bucks each, that doesn't buy much time spent mussing with them. I think store-bought braces are a bargain.

steve77

Yep, $100 is not unreasonable at all, quality rod ends are $

I think they are a great mod, I dont have one for the Z yet but have it for the Camaro, definately a nice addon, especially if you stiffen up the suspension, these will help allow it to do its job instead of just flexing the body.