Which strut brace for use with A/C?

[Ultim8_Evil]

My CTR has A/C. From what I understand, this makes fitting a point-2-point struct brace a bit more difficult.

I haven't got (and don't intend to get) a GruppeM kit so that isn't a problem.

If I can help it, I really don't want to be rerouting brake reservoirs and A/C pipes.

What do the experts suggest?

 

[Gunn79]

I had a J's Racing strut brace on my old CTR with air-con. As you can see from the pic below, the bracket is designed so it avoids the powersteering bits and bobs, and also allows it to fit with air-con. Also if you are thinking about the ETD, then you can get the brackets that allow the J's ETD to fit onto it.

However, point to point regidity is not so good as it arcs the bar forward of the struts. A direct point to point brace would be better, but would need bits moving to fit, so the J's is a good compromise.

There is also the Cusco brace, that also fits without modification, and it looks like the J's, but arcs the bar behind.

 

[TerryCTR]

^^ J's racing aint point to point tho and I read on CTRO that you need point to point for it to be any use?

 

[Ultim8_Evil]

I had also heard that anything but point to point is just for underbonnet bling and doesnt do anything.

 

[Harv]

I have tanabe. Fcuk knows if its point to point

 

[Chris.]

Personally I think the point to point thing is bollox. If not, then why do many manufacturers, Honda Included, use front strut bars that aren't point to point? I'm sure they wouldn't waste money and add weight just for a bar in the engine bay. The DC5 has one and that's far from point to point.

From Wiki:

"A strut bar is designed to reduce this strut tower flex by tying two parallel strut towers together. This transmits the load of each strut tower during cornering via tension and compression of the strut bar which shares the load between both towers and reduces chassis flex."

I don't see why something that is perfectly straight would outperfiorm something that isn't point to point. As long as there is rigidity between the two points then you've got a result.

 

[TerryCTR]

Id say point to point is just a little more rigid so will work better, altho the ones like j's racing do work better for having locations for all the sh*t under the bonnet.