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is it worth it? ready go!
TRD front strut brace
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I "won" one at a show. Figuring that it would be like my Miata, meaning having little to no difference. The towers are just in front of the firewall, so I didn't expect much.
After I installed it on the B, the difference was significant. It tightened up the front suspension geometry far more than I expected.
So, yes, it makes a huge difference in cornering. But, if you drive gently (or just cruise around), you may not "feel" the difference.
After I installed it on the B, the difference was significant. It tightened up the front suspension geometry far more than I expected.
So, yes, it makes a huge difference in cornering. But, if you drive gently (or just cruise around), you may not "feel" the difference.
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i kinda try to find a balance between being nice to it and having fun. ill open it up and push it up to the redline every once in a while. i have one corner on my way to work that i like to see how quick i can get around it without losing grip. looking to do some stuff to my car but dont want to spend too much yet. figure this is just about the beginning level performance mod. and it adds a little something under the hood visually
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Yea I've been looking for a used one. Not in a hurry so I have time to hunt.
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Totally worth it. It seems to have improved the steering.
My 2012 in stock form seemed to have looser steering than my previous 2008 xB. The KBB youtube review of the 2012 Corolla claims the steering "has a tendency to wander on the highway," and the 2012 xB actually seemed to be that bad at first. Granted, I didn't drive back-to-back, and the suspension on my 2008 had stiffened after years of over-inflating the tires, but the new steering seemed imprecise and floaty.
The addition of the swaybars seems to have solved the problem, almost completely. And it seems to have done more than the TRD shocks did--I have the TRD shocks but the stock springs, but I think I should have reversed that setup for optimal ride balance.
The swaybar seems to have artificially tightened the steering rack--because the bar causes the front wheels to pull against each other. Steering weight is increased slightly, and it feels like there's less dead play in the wheel. It's not sports-car steering, but it is more precise, to the same degree as my old 2008. But that car developed unusually heavy steering, which I attribute to the years of over-inflated tires.
While it's not a transformational difference, the swaybars have improved the steering and of course body lean, and it seems to be more important than the shocks.
My 2012 in stock form seemed to have looser steering than my previous 2008 xB. The KBB youtube review of the 2012 Corolla claims the steering "has a tendency to wander on the highway," and the 2012 xB actually seemed to be that bad at first. Granted, I didn't drive back-to-back, and the suspension on my 2008 had stiffened after years of over-inflating the tires, but the new steering seemed imprecise and floaty.
The addition of the swaybars seems to have solved the problem, almost completely. And it seems to have done more than the TRD shocks did--I have the TRD shocks but the stock springs, but I think I should have reversed that setup for optimal ride balance.
The swaybar seems to have artificially tightened the steering rack--because the bar causes the front wheels to pull against each other. Steering weight is increased slightly, and it feels like there's less dead play in the wheel. It's not sports-car steering, but it is more precise, to the same degree as my old 2008. But that car developed unusually heavy steering, which I attribute to the years of over-inflated tires.
While it's not a transformational difference, the swaybars have improved the steering and of course body lean, and it seems to be more important than the shocks.
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Jon, it sounds like you are talking about swaybars (or as some call them, anti-sway bars) which bolt onto the suspension under the car in order to counteract body lean during cornering. They work by transfering suspension extension on the inside (unloaded) side of the car during cornering to the compressed suspension on the outside (loaded) side of the car via the torsional twisting of the bar.
I agree with your observations, however the subject of this thread is the (TRD) front strut (tower) brace, which attaches to the top bolts of the front suspension strut towers, and forms a rigid brace between the two. This brace helps sharpen steering response during abrupt changes in steering input by stiffening up the structure of the chassis.
The front strut tower brace runs just behind and above the engine head, and is readily visible when you open the hood. It's very different from a swaybar, which is mounted under the car.
Just wanted to make sure we are all talking about the same thing.
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Just to clarify...I think it has advantages to having one installed over not having one, especially during emergency manuevers or extreme circumstances, but to the point of the OP, I dont think the TRD is worth the price they ask for it,($180.00) I was lucky enough to find mine used.
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Placebo effect...
The tendency of any medication or treatment, even an inert or ineffective one, to exhibit results simply because the recipient believes that it will work.
I also own an Miata, a NC model. I have tried many many upgraded shocks, springs, sway-bars! I also have oversized wheels & sticky tires on the 07 GT soft top. When the xB was purchased the Miata turned into my garage queen.:biggrin: At this time I'm having a fabricator install heat shields on a full stainless steel header then it's off to be ceramic coated, got to keep the heat inside the exhaust. The Miata has the full SS exhaust system, CAI and other aftermarket parts. After all the parts are bolted on, it will be time to get the car tuned on the dyno. $$$ :help:
So to get in *my* .02 cents in here. The front strut braces on late model auto's is nothing but underhood bling! The National Champion in the SCCA auto-x runs an NC model Miata with 18x9.5 wheels with 285 Hoosier race tires stuffed under the fenders. He runs aprox. 750 lbs front springs & 500 lbs rear springs. He removed the "Front Shock Tower Brace" on his trailer queen (race car) and when I was changing the susp. on my Miata I took the FSTB off to be powder coated. When it was off being powder coated I would take the car for test drives. I really couldn't tell one bit of difference with or without the FSTB!
Your auto, your money, do as you please! Just my .02 cents.
I have installed a TRD rear sway-bar and to look at the way it mounts I thought the same would be true about this sway-bar, Placebo! But I must admit I think it really helps remove the sway in the Scion body. I have also changed the tires & wheels, this helped more than the sway-bar. I have Eibach made TRD springs setting in the garage to be installed shortly. I would have changed the springs first but it's too hot in our garage in the AZ summers.
AZ
The tendency of any medication or treatment, even an inert or ineffective one, to exhibit results simply because the recipient believes that it will work.
I also own an Miata, a NC model. I have tried many many upgraded shocks, springs, sway-bars! I also have oversized wheels & sticky tires on the 07 GT soft top. When the xB was purchased the Miata turned into my garage queen.:biggrin: At this time I'm having a fabricator install heat shields on a full stainless steel header then it's off to be ceramic coated, got to keep the heat inside the exhaust. The Miata has the full SS exhaust system, CAI and other aftermarket parts. After all the parts are bolted on, it will be time to get the car tuned on the dyno. $$$ :help:
So to get in *my* .02 cents in here. The front strut braces on late model auto's is nothing but underhood bling! The National Champion in the SCCA auto-x runs an NC model Miata with 18x9.5 wheels with 285 Hoosier race tires stuffed under the fenders. He runs aprox. 750 lbs front springs & 500 lbs rear springs. He removed the "Front Shock Tower Brace" on his trailer queen (race car) and when I was changing the susp. on my Miata I took the FSTB off to be powder coated. When it was off being powder coated I would take the car for test drives. I really couldn't tell one bit of difference with or without the FSTB!
Your auto, your money, do as you please! Just my .02 cents.
I have installed a TRD rear sway-bar and to look at the way it mounts I thought the same would be true about this sway-bar, Placebo! But I must admit I think it really helps remove the sway in the Scion body. I have also changed the tires & wheels, this helped more than the sway-bar. I have Eibach made TRD springs setting in the garage to be installed shortly. I would have changed the springs first but it's too hot in our garage in the AZ summers.
AZ
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266 Posts
Are you telling me that my SR intake doesn't add the 50 HP i feel and hear???
I don't have any suspension modifications, yet but I plan on adding the Hotchkis Sport Suspension Sway Bar Package and some springs.
As for your question, from what I heard and read, the FST Bar is a good looking addition and might be useful of you drive hard on cornering.
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133 Posts
That's what the "Sports" car is for!Are you telling me that my SR intake doesn't add the 50 HP i feel and hear???
I don't have any suspension modifications, yet but I plan on adding the Hotchkis Sport Suspension Sway Bar Package and some springs.
As for your question, from what I heard and read, the FST Bar is a good looking addition and might be useful of you drive hard on cornering.
AZ
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4,314 Posts
A lot on whether something "works" or not depends on the specific vehicle design.Miatae have a very strongly mounted top to the shocks. So, there is little to move anyways. Therefore a Miatae strut bar does little.Placebo effect...
The tendency of any medication or treatment, even an inert or ineffective one, to exhibit results simply because the recipient believes that it will work.
I also own an Miata, a NC model. I have tried many many upgraded shocks, springs, sway-bars! I also have oversized wheels & sticky tires on the 07 GT soft top. When the xB was purchased the Miata turned into my garage queen.:biggrin: At this time I'm having a fabricator install heat shields on a full stainless steel header then it's off to be ceramic coated, got to keep the heat inside the exhaust. The Miata has the full SS exhaust system, CAI and other aftermarket parts. After all the parts are bolted on, it will be time to get the car tuned on the dyno. $$$ :help:
So to get in *my* .02 cents in here. The front strut braces on late model auto's is nothing but underhood bling! The National Champion in the SCCA auto-x runs an NC model Miata with 18x9.5 wheels with 285 Hoosier race tires stuffed under the fenders. He runs aprox. 750 lbs front springs & 500 lbs rear springs. He removed the "Front Shock Tower Brace" on his trailer queen (race car) and when I was changing the susp. on my Miata I took the FSTB off to be powder coated. When it was off being powder coated I would take the car for test drives. I really couldn't tell one bit of difference with or without the FSTB!
Your auto, your money, do as you please! Just my .02 cents.
I have installed a TRD rear sway-bar and to look at the way it mounts I thought the same would be true about this sway-bar, Placebo! But I must admit I think it really helps remove the sway in the Scion body. I have also changed the tires & wheels, this helped more than the sway-bar. I have Eibach made TRD springs setting in the garage to be installed shortly. I would have changed the springs first but it's too hot in our garage in the AZ summers.
AZ
(Technically, a Miata only had shocks, not a strut suspension set-up, anyways)
On a MacPherson Strut vehicle, the top mount often flexes as so much of the suspension geometric forces move though the strut top. Therefore, there is often a need for a brace to work the two together and (I've been told) also work as a bit of a "spring" to transfer the forces from one side to the other (the same way a sway bar works).
On an xB, the strut bar "helps" and tunes the front suspension. On an older Honda Civic a strut bar makes a MASSIVE difference. On a Miata, it makes almost none.
On an xB, one may or may not notice the change, based on how they drive and where. On a mountain twisty, at speed, it is noticeable. On a typical "suburb to work" drive, you won't notice anything unless there is nice bend on the way.
I expected ZERO from my strut bar, but noticed an improvement in road handing.
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The hot az summers is why I've waited till now to really start doing anything to mine. Got a whole bunch of lights ordered and now it's finally nice enough to spend a few hours outside after work tearing it apart
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Picked up a used one yesterday. Wasn't really looking for it as my normal driving style is 'old man' at most. But got a deal on all the parts he had off the car, so i'll try it.
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I was colloquially referring to both parts as "swaybars," but yes, I'm referring to the same TRD parts we're talking about--I have both the "front strut brace" and the "rear swaybar" installed.
Pardon my mistake.
I'm starting to think they're a really good investment. The only downside of a swaybar/strut brace is that it increases bumpiness by virtue of "making a one-wheel bump" into a "two-wheel bump." I've noticed that a couple of times, but I constantly notice the shorter ride motions caused by the stiffer TRD shocks.
Being that the mechanism of the front strut brace seems to improve the steering so much without ride harshness, the brace and swaybar are better values than the shocks, unless you're actually measuring your lateral g.
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I put the front strut brace on and now I have a bad rattle.
Brace is tight. Can't duplicate the rattle/squeek pushing on suspension or by jerking on the brace, only happens while driving.
Did it come new with washers to mount under the bar or something?
Brace is tight. Can't duplicate the rattle/squeek pushing on suspension or by jerking on the brace, only happens while driving.
Did it come new with washers to mount under the bar or something?
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Nevermind. Torqued it down a little more. Seems good now.
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I was going to suggest retorquing the bolts/nuts.
The fact in moves, even when fairly tight shows that it actually does do something . . . besides just look pretty . . .
The fact in moves, even when fairly tight shows that it actually does do something . . . besides just look pretty . . .
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97 Posts
I rocked the car, pulling on the strut brace and couldnt get the noise to happen. But yea, nuts werent tight enough I guess.
I've got a set of lower springs to install too. Hopefully get on it this week
I've got a set of lower springs to install too. Hopefully get on it this week
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My eBay strut tower brace (not TRD) barely clears the stock air intake plumbing. When I first installed it, some of the air intake plumbing was hitting the brace under idle and under certain load conditions. I fixed it by loosening hose clamps and twisting some hoses slightly to clear, then retightened the clamps. No more rattle. Not saying this is your problem, jsut sharing my experience...
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