Are Multi-point Strut Tower Braces worth it? The kind that attach to your strut towers, but under your windshield/to your firewall?

thanks!

 

In theory triangulating the strut-brace should make it much stronger. In the real world I don't think it really makes all that much difference on 4th gens.
I personally use the 3-point style STB's from Edelbrock, but that mainly because of the $120 price tag.

 

It's significant that it's not a strut tower brace. 3rd gen cars had struts, 4th gens have shock towers that are much stronger than previous cars, especially side to side.The weak part is front to rear which is why a 3pt. is more than just a good theory.The cowl/ lower windshield has been made stronger since air bags were made mandatory to allow the deployed bag to leaverage against the windshield.If you wanted a full frame, one challange is to strenghen front to rear.It's so weak in that axis you see lots of hard use cars with buckling of the rear quarters because the whole floor twists. A 3pt. won't greatly improve handling, it will greatly improve rigidity up front and the perception of solidity. Takes a full frame and cage to make the whole car rigid.

 

I currently use a 2-point brace on my 94Z28M6, as it just seemed too much trouble to get a good fastening point to the firewall under the cowl. Car still seems way more ridgid than my old 2nd Gen F-Body.

I agree that a 3 point brace will better triangulate the frame. However, I doubt the effectiveness with any of the bolt-on units. Now, if you went through the trouble to remove the engine and welded a plate to the firewall point of the brace to increase the surface area, it would probably be very effective.

I used a 3 point bolt-on brace on a 2nd Gen F-Body years ago and found that it started to weaken the attachment points and that was after replacing all the frame to body bushings with solid bushings. Bottom line is there will be some movement there, and it takes substantial members and connection points to stop it without weakening.

 

I don't know how accurate this is, but I've heard of people cracking windshields with 3 pt. STBs. I have the Hotchkis, and I can't imagine anything being that much better.

 

The stories about winshield cracking have come from the installation of LG's brace. Because of the design, which is symmetrical, proper instal requires some cars to have the spring perch loosened. People who see the clearance is close try to skip this step and end up cracking the windsield in the process.No way the fault of LG. An even better approach is the KB 3pt. an asymmetrical design that uses a 1/2 inch diameter bolt thru the point on the cowl where the sheet metal overlaps.This is by far the strongest point under the windshield attached to the firewall.A 1/2 hole is drilled thru both the cowl and the mount of the KB's.This lateral attachment point is very strong because the stress is exerted horizontally.A reinforced sub frame will the make the front as stiff as is practical short of building a full frame,which I've done and is ten times more effort than it's worth.

 

Where can i get a KB 3 point STB for a 4th gen z28? (hope it doesn't cost too much)

thanks!

 

Oh yeah - and i have traction control on my car

any other suggestions other than Kenny Brown for traction control cars?

I'm making a buying decision soon :P

 

I have the Hotchkis and its good enough for me, how much better would a 3/4 point be, I dunno, but negating returns are pretty definite.