Write-Up: Installing a Front Strut Tower Brace (STB)

you have a 96 right? Maybe you could have one modded and sell it to someone on here...*hint hint*

when i installed the stb i had to use 1 more washer then everyone elsy siad they had idl why

Mine's a 97. I'd seriously make these if they didn't need to be custom fitted to each car. You pretty much have to do it yourself, or at least leave your car with a fabricator so they can get the fit right. But you can show them these pics and say "make this!"

BTW, I'd leave off the piece on the side, between the front and back bolts, if I had to do it again. I thought for sure it would clear the ridges on the strut tower, but it didn't and bent. At least it bent instead of crushing those ridges.

i had 2 use 2 thick ass washers on each and each side. idk if that efeckts my stuts alittle of what but it handles a little beter.


i got drilled roters last year, and they are alteady wArped. i think it is b/c thr ceramic pads where they heat up faster. but they cool down fatsr. i think the heat warped them. igt is a shame. i am going to go getg them the tires balanced and an 4 weel alinment too. see if that helps. i do get a tire ba;ncesed every 5000 mi.

I had to use a pile of washers on each side, in front, so many my nuts were only hanging on to a couple threads.

I think the unmodded brace and washer pile does not work very well.

Good work. I'll have to try that when I get back to my riv.

Good job, Jack. The only reason I don't have the STB is that whole washer thing. I just can't do it, never could take the step. I like your approach very much, and I have a similar idea that will happen this year. Stay tuned...

Jason, Aaron - I don't think you'll be disappointed with a modded STB. It's worked so well, I may make the rear STB a higher priority. I'm just not sure there's any reason to bother until I've upgraded the tires.

All -

Here's a description of what I did, apparently the photos aren't clear enough -

Quote :

On the front corners there's a tube welded on, and a washer welded on to the bottom of the tube. This lets the force get transferred into the base of the strut mount stud, instead of midway up.

At each end of the big tube that is the main part of the brace, a piece of steel is welded in to partially cap it. Then another piece is welded in between the cap pieces and the corner tubes mentioned earlier. I think this is what's doing all the work. The brackets on the end of the STB are very soft and thin metal, you can bend it by hand. They probably work o.k. when the STB is bolted flat on a Cadillac, but we've got it up in the air where it can bend. With the bracing I put in between the big tube and the end tubes, mine can not be bent. The force goes right into the end tube, and into the base of the strut mount bolt, where it belongs.

There's a diagonal brace - I doubt this does much.

There's a brace from the front mount tubes, to a washer welded under the rear holes. I don't think this does anything, and could be left off. Also, you don't need the washer if you've got enough material around your rear mounting holes after fitting the brace to your car. There was little material left around mine.

What year Caddy is this STB for? From the looks of it, I think I may have a solution that nobody has tried yet.......

I did mine pretty traditionally. I used 2 washers at the front bolt and 1 washer at the back bolt though. As a result, the clearance is still perfect and I have at least one of the two with a very healthy amount of threads.

I came pretty close to welding the bottem washer to the bar but figured it wasn't necessary and I'm not a great welder so it would have looked like shit anyway.

Kustom Kreationz wrote:

What year Caddy is this STB for? From the looks of it, I think I may have a solution that nobody has tried yet.......

It's for the previous generation STS.

i installed a stb brace today. the only modification i hade to make was placing the longer end of the tab,about half way down the tab,and placing it against a vise and giving it a big whack which created a kink. after flattening out the tab,and doing the same on the other side she lined right up with only a little inner grinding of the holes on either side to elongate them. no prob. fits like a glove with no washers or inte3rference with the brake reservoir.

so, is every car different, or is every brace different? the amount of fab involved in making it work varies so much.

robotennis61 - need pics

Mr.Riviera - I'm sure the braces are the same, the problem we have is different model years and maybe different aftermarket strut mounts.

ill get some pics. dont know if i can capture the kink that i hammered in,but had i hammered a little more she would have dropped right in. with only a little inner grinding needed. ....pics coming.....

oops!

just a simple bend. plenty of beef left on the tab too!

dang it! ah did it again! i give up!

No bends in the front?

no. just make a bend on the back elongated tab,over a bench vise,about a inch or there abouts,and flatten the bent tab with a hammer so it lines up with the threaded stud and thats it. if you place the 2 front tab holes on the studs,youl see how much u have to elongate them. i split the elongation between the 2 sides and did the same for the rears. hardly had to take any metal at all. cant tell you guys how much better it can be because ive still not installed my new kyb,s. but the car feels much better now. solid!

just curious? has anyone tried this?.........

My stb bolted on with just a couple washers, and they have not moved a mm since install last summer. I think the earlier model years have more fitment issues than the 97 or 98 to 99 cars. I have a couple mm of clearance to the brake fluid res. Nice upgrade along with the KYB GR2's.

cool!

robo can you put at least the year of your car in your sig? It makes a big difference for the STB.

robotennis61 wrote:

just curious? has anyone tried this?.........
cool!

But you mean going the modifications route, don't you? I modified nothing on the STB, just needed a couple washers for spacing.