What kind of differences are there between ebay and brand name strutbars? ive found that sometimes ebay parts are fine, but other times im just wasting my money. So my real question is, Are the ebay strut bars worth my time at all? or should i just go ahead and find something nicer?
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http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/announcement.php?f=17
Not too much really. If you get a solid steel one that would be better.
Those generics...most have an aluminum center bar, so if you COULD find one like those generics you'd want it to have reverse threads on one side so you can install it easy, and then tighten it down.
neuspeeds are excellent from what I hear
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=36537__
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The Neuspeed bar is amazing. It won't work with a DOHC swap, though.
I have a Megan Racing bar, which is a knockoff of the DC Sports design. It's very solid. The cheapie bars such as the "Tuned by Matrix" ones are absolute trash.
If you want cheap, get the Megan Racing bar. If you can afford it, Neuspeed is great. ESP (you can find them in their Member Shop here) makes a good multi-point bar too.
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get a solid one piece design for best results.Comment
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Ebay is NOT a brand, it is a store...
carry on....
Disregard females, acquire currency.
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I had a look at some of the 'information' this link leads to, and I have to say that much of it is a very confused (and very poorly written). This page in particular; http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=470 is a mish mash of half understandings and wild misconceptions.Originally posted by bcjammerx View Post
If people are using this page (and other equally suspect ones?) as a resource to further their understaning of suspension systems, then it certainly goes a long way toward explaining many of the persistent mis-understandings that keep cropping up on this board.Regards from Oz,
John.Comment
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Since tower braces work in compression and tension, and not in 'bend', it makes no in principle difference if the brace is comprised of three seperate units that are bolted together (i.e. a bracing tube and the two end brackets that attach the tube to the tower tops), or a single welded together unit.Originally posted by midnightsun View Post
What is important is that the brace is rigidly constructed, and typically this isn't usually a problem with the brace tube, but often is for the end brackets. The brace is only as rigid as it's weakest link, and if the end brackets aren't robustly constructed and well designed then the brace will not work well as it should (i.e. it will flex under load).
End brackets should be made from thick steel plate (5mm would be OK), and be designed in such a manner that the forces acting at the point where the tube attaches are reacted into the top of the tower without flexure, meaning the bracket needs good integral bracing in it's design and not be relying merely upon the metal thickness for strength.Regards from Oz,
John.Comment
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There's quite a lot of variability between the rigidity of the various tower braces. Some are very weak, others very strong...Originally posted by bcjammerx View Post
If you know what you're looking for, you can see this just by the visual appearance of the brace (with particular attention to the end brackets).Regards from Oz,
John.Comment
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beat me to isOriginally posted by CustomLowz View Post
True...but the ones off ebay (generics) are aluminum...not very thick either...and I would believe a steel one would be better...especially if it had reverse threads on one end..then you could tighten it after install...my big gripe with generics. While different steels would give different rigidities, they'd still be better than those generic aluminum ones...and there ARE good aluminum ones...I doubt off ebay though...that was my pointOriginally posted by johnl View Post
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Aluminium would be fine if the OD of the tube is large enough and / or the wall very thick. Having said that, in this application I would agree that steel is probably the best bet most of the time, but this doesn't imply that a thin-walled small OD steel tube will be strong enough (in compression, a thickish wire would be strong enough in tension...).Originally posted by bcjammerx View Post
Useful for fine tuning the fitment, but I have my doubts whether pre-tensioning the brace actually makes it work any better...Originally posted by bcjammerx View Post
No. Different steels will have the same rigidity up to the yield point (elastic limit) of the weakest steel. A stronger steel will be able to deflect more before it becomes permanently deformed (or fractures), but it won't be stiffer before that point. This is the same for steels used in springs and anti-roll bars etc.Originally posted by bcjammerx View Post
Understood. From what I've seen, the vast majority of the braces commercially available through ebay are utter junk.Originally posted by bcjammerx View Postthey'd still be better than those generic aluminum ones...and there ARE good aluminum ones...I doubt off ebay though...that was my pointRegards from Oz,
John.Comment
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You know if cusco make bars for cb7s??? they pretty cool cause alow you to tight it once you have mounted itComment
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word. right now im really leaning toward the megans...they seem to be the best deal out there...thanks for the help everybody.Comment
very true
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