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

Jason wrote:

Here is one of the best bang-for-the-buck handling mods you can do to your riv. It's a strut tower brace (STB) designed for the Cadillac seville STS, gm part# 25653157. .

Does the SLS use a different brace? Or no brace?

I don't know 100% if it has one, but if it does, should be the same one used in the STS. The two cars use the same chassis and strut tower locations.

sls's have them, im almost positive thats what i got the one in my for sale thread from.

Maybe someone has a way of confirming the SLS uses the same part # as the STS? I'll find time to take measurements on my own bar this weekend.

This is the one Tyler has from an SLS. Definitely does not look the same as the STS one you guys have posted in this thread. Anyone care to take measurements so I can see if this one is kosher?



edit: Nevermind. I just measured from the bolts on my car and realized the SLS bar is about an inch or more too short. Odd but whatever.

thats what was wrong with it on my car, it was maybe 2-3" too short, i just thought my park ave was a bit wider than the rivs/STSs but i guess the SLS is shorter.
anyone know why the STS seems to be wider with the same body as the SLS?

Seems really odd. I measured ~39" from hole to hole on one the pics you supplied me and the Riv's is more like 43". On the longer set, I eyeballed about 41" and the Riv is probably 44". Weird shit. I noticed on ebay that the Deville STB has the same dimensions as the one you have. Odd again. lol

If you find an STS one kicking around at a yard, give me a holler.

I'll get back to you about the other PM shortly.

Would the SLS one fit the rear of the Riviera? Just a thought.

DEMonte1997 wrote:

Seems really odd. I measured ~39" from hole to hole on one the pics you supplied me and the Riv's is more like 43". On the longer set, I eyeballed about 41" and the Riv is probably 44". Weird shit. I noticed on ebay that the Deville STB has the same dimensions as the one you have. Odd again. lol

If you find an STS one kicking around at a yard, give me a holler.

I'll get back to you about the other PM shortly.

yea now that you mention it i saw bars on the devilles at the yard too and they looked like the one i got off the SLS, i thought i hit a jackpot lol but i guess its just the STS for some odd reason.

LARRY70GS wrote:

Would the SLS one fit the rear of the Riviera? Just a thought.

i would assume not, i held it up to the rear on my park ave after i realized it was too short for the front. in no way will the brackets line up even if it was longer but it could be different on a riv.

Can anyone confirm the years for this part? I put up a request on car-part.com for it and the responses I'm getting are saying there was no STS until 2005 which I know is incorrect. We still talking 98 and 99?

i believe its 98-99, the ones that look like this:


and actually now that ive searched for an 05 sts i dont even think there is one. on ebay it looks like they were only made until 04, and from the looks of it the body stayed the same for the most part from 98-04 so maybe its not just 98-99?

I ordered mine based on the GM P/N posted somewhere previously in this thread.
Others had purchased that P/N before they stopped making them, so I used that number to order on-line.

If you look up that P/N and use it with one of the GM databases it should give you the year range that it was made and for what models. Or the junkyard database will tel you. Forget the name of that book. You all know it.

May only be the STS, but the P/N is the source of all knowledge.!!!!!

P/N is on the second line of the first post, page #1 of this thread, in large, bold letters.

Yeah it is and it doesn't do me a shit of good when I put it into GMP or monster parts' DB and it comes back as "BRACE" without saying what car or year it's for. hahaha

We already know it was for a Cadi STS '98-03. We also know it fits Riviera. What are you trying to figure out?

Maybe that should be put in the OP so that someone looking for this info can save time. To be honest, I waded through 25 pages and did not see one post listing the years for this part aside from Tyler saying he thought it was 98-99.

To make things interesting, I just looked up the STS on ebay and found absolutely none that had this brace within those years (there were about 10-15 listings for them). In fact, none of those had a brace after 1997 until they redesigned them in 2005. So maybe I missed the point of this part but was it an afterthought add-on for those cars or something?

edit: I did find that the earlier STS (pre 98) had the same bar Tyler has so his DOES fit an STS it's just that GM decided to change the configuration of the strut towers and engine bay through the years.

Here's a link from cadillacforums worth reading:

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-forum/t-3105.html

The main point of this thread is to know what brace fits the Riviera, and how to install it. Whether it fits other cars, or what years it was used - it's interesting stuff to know, but not absolutely relevant. Most who come to this thread will find what they are looking for.

AA wrote:

We already know it was for a Cadi STS '98-03. We also know it fits Riviera. What are you trying to figure out?

WE are trying to figure out if its just the 98-99 sts's that came with the bar everyone has or is it 98-04. beacause im almost damn sure the STB i pulled was of a 98+, granted it was an SLS but its still a 98, so when did the bar actually change?

AA wrote:

The main point of this thread is to know what brace fits the Riviera, and how to install it. Whether it fits other cars, or what years it was used - it's interesting stuff to know, but not absolutely relevant. Most who come to this thread will find what they are looking for.

do all you guys have a problem with me just because i dont have a riv? seriously just say it i wont post here anymore im sick of all the attitudes i get here just cause im not always talkin about a riv even though the park avenue is damn close. sorry there isnt a park avenue board....
i wouldnt necessarily say that people coming to this thread find what they were looking for either, cause im lookin for an STB. i have the part number from the first page but what good does that do if theyre not available new anymore? maybe something you should also put in bold letters on the first page is "yea heres the part number but youre going to have to go find one yourself at the junkyard anyway", and now that we know "STB's from SLS's wont work".
i apologize for trying to figure this shit out, keep in mind theyre not as easy to find as when all of you that have them had the option of just ordering and sitting, back so theres a little more work involved. and why not document what we find for anyone else that wants to try and find a bar?

Tyler, I just received my BRAND NEW STB in the box today that I ordered from monsterpartsonline.com. Cost me $46 shipped. It lists for $26, but they had to have it shipped to them from a different dealer (Patriot Buick-GMC). I installed it at work. The P/N from the first page is exactly what fits the Riv. Granted, I had to use 8 washers under each hole to clear the Master Cylinder, but it's a perfect fit. I'm going to make steel spacers (black) in the near future as the washers look like dog sh*t. Also, I'm glad I have a box full of extra parts/bolts/nuts in my top drawer, because I had 4 bolts of the exact thread for the strut, just an inch longer.

Abaddon wrote:

Tyler, I just received my BRAND NEW STB in the box today that I ordered from monsterpartsonline.com. Cost me $46 shipped. It lists for $26, but they had to have it shipped to them from a different dealer (Patriot Buick-GMC). I installed it at work. The P/N from the first page is exactly what fits the Riv. Granted, I had to use 8 washers under each hole to clear the Master Cylinder, but it's a perfect fit. I'm going to make steel spacers (black) in the near future as the washers look like dog sh*t. Also, I'm glad I have a box full of extra parts/bolts/nuts in my top drawer, because I had 4 bolts of the exact thread for the strut, just an inch longer.

why was i told they were no longer being made? and why when i looked for myself they werent available? how long did you have to wait?

Not sure why you were told that....
I ordered it on July 31st. They immediately emailed me explaining that they did not have it in stock, but was still available (another dealer). In the email was a link they already had set up for the extra $9.50 shipping. Now, had he not spelled his email wrong, he would've gotten the money sooner, and I would've gotten my bar a week earlier. But, after all was straightened out, it's here, and it's installed. Make sure you use the exact P/N that is on Page 1 of this thread. I also could not find year/make/model for the P/N, so I was reluctant. But, I trusted it, and it's right.

Put that P/N in the search bar on monsterpartsonline.com and select Cadillac as the make. It shows up with the price.....

Abaddon wrote:

Put that P/N in the search bar on monsterpartsonline.com and select Cadillac as the make. It shows up with the price.....

yea i did that and it looks the same as the last time i tried a few months ago, at which point i was told it wasnt available. i guess ill have to pull the trigger and see what happens...

It's worth a try. I took a stab at it and got one. Just make sure when your filling out the order that you don't fill in the part about your make/model/year. There is a selection box for "no vehicle". The worst that can happen is you get your money back, or the transaction won't happen at all. Use PayPal....they'll get ur money back if anything should happen.

Abaddon wrote:

Tyler, I just received my BRAND NEW STB in the box today that I ordered from monsterpartsonline.com. Cost me $46 shipped. It lists for $26, but they had to have it shipped to them from a different dealer (Patriot Buick-GMC). I installed it at work. The P/N from the first page is exactly what fits the Riv. Granted, I had to use 8 washers under each hole to clear the Master Cylinder, but it's a perfect fit. I'm going to make steel spacers (black) in the near future as the washers look like dog sh*t. Also, I'm glad I have a box full of extra parts/bolts/nuts in my top drawer, because I had 4 bolts of the exact thread for the strut, just an inch longer.

That is great!

Post up some pics when you get a chance, I'd like to see how it looks. Any I did of the thread specs for the longer bolts?

VJD2 wrote:

That is great!
Post up some pics when you get a chance, I'd like to see how it looks. Any I did of the thread specs for the longer bolts?

Will do. When I get the spacers made, I'll take pics. I need to go to Metrics Unlimited (they have every type of fastener on the planet) and get 4 new bolts. They can give me the exact thread size and pitch. There is nothin wrong with the ones I used, but 3 have a 13mm head and 1 has a 15mm head. I'd rather have them all matching....

I'm amazed at the difference it makes too. The Stabilizer/STB combo is light years more stable than the factory setup. I felt the difference (after installing the STB) as soon as I left the parking lot. The car feels sportier, and MUCH more stable side-to-side. I didn't realize how much chassis flex there was between the upper strut mounts until now. The steering wheel gets back to center faster after turns, and actually feels "tighter". The only downside I noticed is that the car is more prone to road crown now. Other than that, I LOVE IT