Shock tower braces
 

Anyone actually using these? Do they just get a bad rap from the ricer croud using the cheap ebay crap? I can see the possible benefits, but reality often differs from my logic. I have seen the 3 point system and am thinking of something similar for the track car.

If anyone does use one, what are you using and do you see a noticable effect?

A 3 point system would probably have small benefits. I run a 2 point brace from GoMiata, it was only $70 at the time, so I figured why not. I do think it helped in a very very subtle way with steering response and front end stiffness. It just feels different somehow. In any case, it makes a good place to put your hand while you are working on the engine, to avoid putting it on something hot that will remove your fingerprints. In some cars they help more than others. Our cars are ones that don't benefit much from them. My RX7 felt like a whole new car after installing a Cusco brace.

For what it's worth, they look cool too...

Attachment 194769

Until the dam thing gets hot and removes your palm print. Ask me how I know.. :facepalm:

You know I did that the other day at the track, made driving a bitch afterward.

LOL.

Maybe not the best place to put your hand when it's hot, but it can look pretty. I hear the 3-points have minor functionality, while the 2-points don't add much at all. The braces have a much greater effect on strut suspensions, and I hear "strut tower brace" a lot more often than "shock tower brace".....actually, this might be the first time ive ever heard "shock tower brace"

Do frog arms provide similar benefit, but strengthen from a different point? I just don't see how my brace is doing a whole lot when I have roll bar, door bars, frame rail reinforcement.

Mine came with the car so I left it on. Like everyone else I enjoy burning my hand when I lean on it for leverage while under the hood.

My unsubstantiated vote is: not much

Your welcome for this meaningless post ;)

If i understand correctly, frog arms will actually stiffen the unibody. Your suspension system (although connected to the unibody at the shock mounts) is controlled by ridgid subframes. When you stiffen the unibody (with frog arms, door bars, frame rails, butterfly braces, etc) I suspect that you effectively tie together the subframes.

I have a Mazdaspeed 2 point 'strut brace'. I don't really know if it adds any increased rigidity, it's kinda JDM bling at this point. However, with that, Tein Flex, frame rail braces and a rollbar, everything is stiff.

The reason this only really benefits macpherson strut suspensions is because the strut acts as part of your suspension linkage, so if it moves around the movement will affect the wheel. With our double wishbone suspensions, the linkages are all attached to a rigid subframe so the wheel will move in a relatively fixed manner. Movement, or lack of rigidity, in the shock tower will only be a very small effect acting essentially like a lower spring rate. Chassis rigidity affects double wishbone suspensions when the subframe moves from unibody flex. In this scenario, a 3 point shock tower brace will act similarly to a frog arm in making the unibody more rigid.

I have the carbing 3pt STB and it did add some rigidity to the front end. I wouldn't say its anything to call home about, but notable. If my car were stock I'm sure it would have felt like night and day, but with so many other stiffening mods, adding the STB pretty much just took care of all those annoying squeaks and creeks.

Attachment 194733

I had a Cobalt 3-point brace. It made a noticeable difference over the Tanabe 2-point adjustable bar that had been in my car and the Tanabe bar had removed most of the "60mph shimmy" upon install, but at that time I had no other chassis stiffening mods. I plan to get another Cobalt for my NB.

Cobalt:

Attachment 194730

Tanabe:

Attachment 194731

Ok, so for miatas. It isn't really adding structure to the suspension, but more controlling the twist of the front of the car?

I had mine on for years, finally took it off. I'm using the driver side mount for a MC brace though. That's my :2cents:

I have the mazdaspeed 3 point (same shape as cspense's) and i noticed that it eliminated a mild vibration/tire scrub I had in some corners.

I too had mine on for years and recently removed it. The slight 62mph vibration I had is now gone.

Mine never gets hot. Then again it may not be very functional as it's hollow and aluminum. Plus I'm n/a, so no turbo heat.

lol, the turbo is easily responsible for 90% of my underhood temps.

I'm running the shock tower brace simply because I got one for free. Noticed zero change.

I have a shock tower brace that I'm getting cut up to make a master cylinder brace.

I use mine to hold my turbo blanket in place