Front strut brace bar, need some info on fabing one up
 

So i got this itch to fabricate somthing, and notice that i dont have a stut brace :D. So my question is solid or adjustable brace? seeing as building a solid one would be easier, is an adjusable one needed? I see both around, the one on my fathers 911 is adjustable(Weltmeister i think) but we have never adjusted anything on it so...
As far as materials go, i have some 1"/1" tube (forgot the thickness, but its strong) and thought about using that, its left over from when i made my seat frames. Now what do you thin is an aceptable thickness to use for the mounting plates around the strut mounts?

Later
-Jonathan:silly:

Production braces are adjustable so they will fit different chassis, all chassis vary slightly due to wear/tear and production tolerances. A solid bar is stronger/cheaper/just as functional. Do not build pivots on each end at the plates, the most effective strut bars are one piece but if you don't want 1 piece use two bolts on each end with plates on each side of the cross brace tube.

For the plates I would use 5/16" or 3/8" for the strength.

While you are at it fab a rear trans brace, it doesn't need to be adjustable either if you build it to fit YOUR car.

ken

I see, well do you think 1/8" built up in a box configuration would be plenty? im not to sure on how well my welder will do thick stuff (stuff over an 1/8). so im thinking insted of thickness i would use design to gain strength.
Rear brace i dont think i will atempt yet, i have never taken out the motor or trans on a beetle (or any car) so unless i dont need to its not coming out.
But im sure some day it will have to so then might construct a rear one (you are refering to a "Kafer cup style brace right?).

Ill let every one know how it turns out and post some pics, this is going to be this weeks little project :D
-Jonathan

Steel or Aluminum? The plate needs to be fairly thick to support the top of the strut tower and prevent tearing of the sheet metal. 1/8" Aluminum would probably flex causing damage. In steel 1/8" plate might work but I would have the plates cut from 1/4" or 5/16" plate then use 1/8" stock for the pieces to attach the crossbar to the plates. Multiple pass welding works well on steel with a little practice.

ken

Its steel, i think i could sandwich two 1/8th plates to come up with 1/4 for the bottom where it bolts to the body, but i dont think it will be needed. the way i designed it to be ribed and boxed in should keep things from going wacky. but we will see, worse case i could just add those extra plates at the end if needed.

got another question to, Triagulation... think its needed on a beetle? i have seen porsches with a 2nd bar going down from one tower to create triagulation.

Teaser pics, you can see the basic shape of whats to come. this is not even close to done, i still have to box in the top portion to add rigity to the mount.
Im going to do the top section tomorrow after i get more metal, and buy some more gas for my welder (im really really low)
so hopfully i will get more pics tomorow night or saturday.

Later
-Jonathan

sorry, pics are to large!!!!!!!!!!:mad: any one want to tell me how to make them smaller? all the rest of my pics off my digi came work out fine... whats the deal?

open the pix in photo-shop or a program like that, then save them as a 640x480 jpeg at a lower quality so the file size is smaller.

Hi

This is my strut brace, it incorporates a mounting point for the spare wheel which is mounted on top of the fuel tank. the diagonal arms on the brace bolt to the chassis where the spare wheel well bolts in.

I just had some ends flame cut, cut some 1 inch square tube and tacked it in place, then took it out and finished it off.

Steve C



http://www.clubvw.org.au/images/new_strut_brace.jpg

http://www.clubvw.org.au/images/new_strut_brace.1.jpg

mine looks similar, but then again totaly diferent. my ends are way more over built than yours :silly:

I do not have photoshop, just the basic "paint" and such. is there any way to do it without photo shop?

later
Jonathan

Can you adjust your camera be adjusted to take a 640x480 pic in a smaller file size?

ok im trying load the finnal pics of this strut bar...

another

yet another

hehe, another

looks like they all work:D

Super VW

Hmmm...it might just be easier to foward the pics to me and we stuff them into the suspension gallery instead of attaching them.

What do you think?

Alex

O'KAY, O'KAY already!! We get/got the picture:D

Cool super vw. It's always more fun when you make it yourself and it turns out nice like that! I'm not a cheapskate, but an opportunity to save money for some other unneccessary part for my car will not be passed up:p

Looks good super vw. I'm still thinking of how I'm going to fab mine. I'm getting some good ideas from all this. Best part is that a friend of mine just bought a TIG welder and is very good with it. He is a 2 wheel speed freak, building a turbo set-up for his Hayabusa from scratch (all but the turbo charger).

Thank, if you want we could do that Alex.

Im not the best weldor but i think my welds look fairly good... i know they are strong enough for this job at least ;) i only wish i had a TIG machine and was good at it... but some day i will :D.

Myabe some day i will try out aluminum welding and weld up a aluminum strut brace, as aluminum would be much lighter.

BTW if any one was wondering about the paint, its Rustolium Hamorite in silver. kinda gives it a nice heavy duty look... burly!:D

later
Jonathan:silly: