slotting the strut towers

[Bernie Benz]

NO! NO!  NO!


On Aug 2, 2008, at 11:03 AM, robert weinberg wrote:

> trying to get my terminology right - but i think we are thinking of  
> the same thing (or maybe not). is a strut brace a sway bar?
>
> Robby
>
>
> --- On Fri, 8/1/08, Bernie Benz <b.benz at charter.net> wrote:
>
>> From: Bernie Benz <b.benz at charter.net>
>> Subject: Re: slotting the strut towers
>> To: centaurus3200 at yahoo.com
>> Cc: "200q20V mailing list" <200q20v at audifans.com>
>> Date: Friday, August 1, 2008, 1:06 PM
>> Rob,
>>
>> Your terminology is all wrong! The strut tower is a
>> integral part of
>> the chassis. My car has four, L and R, F and R.
>> There are two common types of upper suspension/ chassis
>> stiffeners.
>> The strut brace and the tower brace, their titles being
>> descriptive
>> of their basic differences.
>>
>> The tower brace is a chassis reinforcement, tying the two
>> towers
>> together by some means, often just cosmetically.
>> For any stiffening device to be effective it must be an
>> order of
>> magnitude stiffer than is the structure being stiffened.
>>
>> The strut brace is a suspension reinforcement, tending to
>> equalize
>> the top suspension‘s lateral cornering force between the
>> two sides,
>> thus reducing, halving this latteral force exerted on each
>> chassis/
>> tower side. Further, it can be used to preload the upper
>> vibration
>> isolation bushings (which now see only half of their design
>> load and
>> resulting defection), for further latteral stiffening and
>> added
>> positive camber.
>>
>> The design problem with adjustable camber plates is the
>> necessity to
>> move/ relocate the thrust bearing in order to move the
>> strut rod any
>> further out of concentricity with the spring than the stock
>> camber
>> adjustment allows.
>>
>> Bernie
>>
>>
>>
>> On Aug 1, 2008, at 12:04 PM, robert weinberg wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks Bernie.
>>>
>>> it sounds like your strut tower is the real answer?
>> teach me, does
>>> the strut tower basically push the strut towers
>> outward to fix the
>>> negative camber? the sheet metal will flex that much?
>>>
>>> sounds like the be-all-end-all answer is adjustable
>> camber plates,
>>> but the 2bennett ones are like $595. i'll deal
>> with some excess
>>> tire wear and rotate the tires a lot for that, eh?
>>>
>>> are there any cheaper camber plates?
>>>
>>> Robby
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --- On Fri, 8/1/08, Bernie Benz
>> <b.benz at charter.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> From: Bernie Benz <b.benz at charter.net>
>>>> Subject: Re: slotting the strut towers
>>>> To: centaurus3200 at yahoo.com
>>>> Cc: "200q20V mailing list"
>> <200q20v at audifans.com>
>>>> Date: Friday, August 1, 2008, 11:35 AM
>>>> Rob,
>>>>
>>>> To slot the 3 holes in the tower for the 8mm studs
>> holding
>>>> the strut
>>>> top bearing plate one must drop the strut assembly
>> lower in
>>>> the tower
>>>> for round file access. The strut assemblies need
>> not be
>>>> removed from
>>>> the tower just dropped down for file access. One
>> can only
>>>> gain about
>>>> ¼” or 5/16” by this slotting before the upper
>> spring
>>>> seat hits the
>>>> tower side wall, but do move the strut until this
>> contact
>>>> occurs.
>>>> This is not much of a positive camber addition,
>> ¼” in
>>>> about 24”, but
>>>> every little bit helps and a very simple mod.
>> Apply your
>>>> trig tables.
>>>>
>>>> Bernie
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Aug 1, 2008, at 10:13 AM, robert weinberg
>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> hi all,
>>>>>
>>>>> UPS finally found the koni/H&R combo i
>> bought from
>>>> chris at force5.
>>>>> what an ordeal - lost in indiana.
>>>>>
>>>>> anyway, i'm going to drop the car off at
>> my
>>>> friend's shop this
>>>>> sunday. does anybody have a decent write-up on
>> the
>>>> procedure to
>>>>> slot the strut towers?
>>>>>
>>>>> from my research, it seems if i did nothing,
>> the
>>>> H&R combo would
>>>>> run about -1.5 degree camber even with the
>> struts
>>>> adjusted to the
>>>>> max. not god awful, but -1 or less would be
>> better.
>>>>>
>>>>> the 200q is not my daily driver, so when i do
>> hop in
>>>> the driver's
>>>>> seat, it will be for something fun, like
>> carving up
>>>> highway 1 ;-)
>>>>>
>>>>> see ya,
>>>>> Robby
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>>
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>
>
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