Strut tower reinforcement

[rkntoy]

I know there are pics on here of people developing cracks in their strut towers and bending them out of shape. My issue is contact with them after I welded on the Total Chaos spindle gussets.

If you have SPC arms and set them to move the tire forward the max amount your gussets will contact the strut towers. I got uncomfortable grinding away any more to gain clearance until I came up with a way to reinforce the area.

Here is the contact:

Here is my shaving job. With as thin as the tower metal is I really didn't want to grind too much of the lip off.

So....now I guess you can buy reinforcements so I don't have to make some myself. Just ordered a set. Will post some more once I start installing them.

 

[theesotericone]

So....now I guess you can buy reinforcements so I don't have to make some myself. Just ordered a set. Will post some more once I start installing them.

Looks like [MENTION=28464]eimkeith[/MENTION] is staying busy. Are those the double shear limit strap mounts on the right in the last photo?

 

[jkeith.w]

Looks like [MENTION=28464]eimkeith[/MENTION] is staying busy. Are those the double shear limit strap mounts on the right in the last photo?

Pretty close - as close as you can get with the strap on the outside of the mount:

Welded up, these should protect the coilover lower mounts as well (you-know-who is cracking them..!)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[rkntoy]

Pretty close - as close as you can get with the strap on the outside of the mount:

Welded up, these should protect the coilover lower mounts as well (you-know-who is cracking them..!)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I am sure glad you-know-who is out there showing me where my next failures are going to be before I have them.

 

[crazydubman]

Could you not shave any more of the spindle gusset before welding them in?

Have you had a chance to get the reinforcements plates welded in yet? I am taking my whole front end apart over thanksgiving and adding a bunch of reinforcement. One of the items is the spindle gusset and the other that I have been considering is the tower reinforcement from [MENTION=28464]eimkeith[/MENTION] to go along with the upper coil bucket tower gussets from TC.

Curious to hear your thoughts in the spindle gussets and the tower reinforcements.

 

[rkntoy]

Could you not shave any more of the spindle gusset before welding them in?

Have you had a chance to get the reinforcements plates welded in yet? I am taking my whole from end apart over thanksgiving and adding a bunch of reinforcement. One of the items is the spindle gusset and the other that I have been considering is the tower reinforcement from [MENTION=28464]eimkeith[/MENTION] to go along with the upper coil bucket tower gussets from TC.

Curious to hear your thoughts in the spindle gussets and the tower reinforcements.

If I did it over again I would smooth them out before I put the spindles back in. I think it would be hard to do before welding up.

I have not had a chance to weld the strut tower reinforcements on yet, but I did get them. I have to get my trailer project out of the shop so I can fix my steering rack mounts.

 

[Road Bull]

Interesting. I thought that I remember reading something about this but couldn't recall where.

I just picked up a set of TC spindle gussets as well as LCA cam adjustment gussets. I also have SPC LR UCS's set all the way to G, (most forward), if I recall correctly. This is a bit of an eye opening bummer. I am glad that this thread popped up again. From what you describe, it looks like a bit of a guarantee that the geometry that you describe will put the new gusset in conflict with the shock tower.

Would it be easier to modify the spindle gusset? I am just trying to figure out how I want to proceed. I will be slapping the new 35s on, and plan to lower the front about an inch before getting a good alignment. So I really only want to monkey around with all these parts at one time.

 

[crazydubman]

If I did it over again I would smooth them out before I put the spindles back in. I think it would be hard to do before welding up.

I have not had a chance to weld the strut tower reinforcements on yet, but I did get them. I have to get my trailer project out of the shop so I can fix my steering rack mounts.

That makes sense. Guess a test fit is in order to ensure clearance before painting and final reassembly.

I remember another forum member was complaining about the fit right out of the box with the TC spindle gussets as well. Guess I will see how it works out and have the grinder ready to massage them into place.

Thank you for the input and subscribed to see how the tower reinforcements turn out.

 

[rkntoy]

Interesting. I thought that I remember reading something about this but couldn't recall where.

I just picked up a set of TC spindle gussets as well as LCA cam adjustment gussets. I also have SPC LR UCS's set all the way to G, (most forward), if I recall correctly. This is a bit of an eye opening bummer. I am glad that this thread popped up again. From what you describe, it looks like a bit of a guarantee that the geometry that you describe will put the new gusset in conflict with the shock tower.

Would it be easier to modify the spindle gusset? I am just trying to figure out how I want to proceed. I will be slapping the new 35s on, and plan to lower the front about an inch before getting a good alignment. So I really only want to monkey around with all these parts at one time.

If you look at the pic it is really just the corner area. You might be able to slide the gusset down a little and still get a decent bead welded on it. Maybe do a bit on the inside too.

I was going to back off a setting on my SPC UCAs but I think I am going to weld the coil bucket reinforcements on and let it self clearance.

 

[Road Bull]

If you look at the pic it is really just the corner area. You might be able to slide the gusset down a little and still get a decent bead welded on it. Maybe do a bit on the inside too.

I was going to back off a setting on my SPC UCAs but I think I am going to weld the coil bucket reinforcements on and let it self clearance.

Ugh.. Haha.. What SPC setting are you at right now? I think I am full forward G. I will give resetting a bit more thought as I am about to put 35s on and don't want to finish a tub job just to adjust the SPCs and have to do it again.

 

[rkntoy]

Ugh.. Haha.. What SPC setting are you at right now? I think I am full forward G. I will give resetting a bit more thought as I am about to put 35s on and don't want to finish a tub job just to adjust the SPCs and have to do it again.

I am at G