I'd like to have one but don't think it's worth 3 bills especially since these normally offer barely any noticable difference. But if it were cheaper yeah I'd have one.

 

buy one for a new lancer , they fit apperantly,

29 bux off ebay

 

That's a great option if anyone has actually confirmed it.

 

I had one in my Mustang. Not sure what impact it would make for normal high way or street driving or on the trail though.

 

makes a difference on street



and hard driving
does provide less flex,
but in offroading,
you want that flex,

 

i am trying to find a listing for one

 

But you dont want your body to flex you want your suspension to. The strut brace stabalizes your body.

 

The strut brace stabalizes your body.

:icon_rolleyes:Hummmmm, at 6'2" and 275lbs, I could use one of those!!! Just not sure where to attach it.......

 

This would be good for a street Jeep, like mine.

Hey Panda...I received that package BTW.

 

Ef it...just ordered a Lancer Bar to experiment with...should have it by this weekend. Will let yawl know how it feels.

 

link to the lancer bar?

 

Just do a search on ebay for 09 Lancer Front Bar.

Here's the one I bought:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mits...sh=item180346106519&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72:1205|65:12|39:1|240:1318

 

Pix when your done, please.

 

Ay Ay, Cappin'

 

Cant wait to see the results if it works i just might have to get it.

 

Installed the Mopar Strut Brace on my Patriot

Installed the Mopar Strut Brace (part# MP5153565) on my 2008 Patriot yesterday. I used my Jeep Visa Card points to buy it, so it didn't cost me anything. Great way to do it. It was very difficult to install the Strut Tower Brace was not an exact fit and it took 3 1/2 hours of pushing, pulling, prying, drilling to make it fit. It probably had to do with all the Welding they use to put it together. I'm sure the heating and cooling of the welds causes it to change shape. But it does look great. I'll take it out today and see if it was all worth it.

See Photo

 

Put 400 miles on my Strut Brace

Installed the Mopar Strut Brace (part# MP5153565) on my 2008 Patriot yesterday. I used my Jeep Visa Card points to buy it, so it didn't cost me anything. Great way to do it. It was very difficult to install the Strut Tower Brace was not an exact fit and it took 3 1/2 hours of pushing, pulling, prying, drilling to make it fit. It probably had to do with all the Welding they use to put it together. I'm sure the heating and cooling of the welds causes it to change shape. But it does look great. I'll take it out today and see if it was all worth it.

See Photo

I travel nearly 400 miles this weekend after installing the Strut Brace. I am amazed at the difference in the On Road handling. I live in Michigan where we have some of the worst roads in the country and it really makes my Patriot track down the road nicely. It now makes the drive much better. Corners flatter, doesn't jounce over pot holes, tracks straighter on uneven roads. I would recommed this upgrade to all Patriot owners. My wife even noticed the difference......first time ever. I think the Mopar Strut Brace is a good choice if you can afford it. I think the third mounting point on the fire wall makes a big difference in its performance. Not sure if buying a Strut Brace for another Make or Model would prove to be as significant of a change. My nephew commented on how great it looks.

 

people on the avenger forums have installed the strut brace and have said it makes a big difference.

- Dan M

 

people on the avenger forums have installed the strut brace and have said it makes a big difference.

- Dan M

how?

 

Hey pmattscheck that looks awesome i have been wondering what the brace would look like on the car since i saw it in 2007 thanks for the post of the pic. :smiley_thumbs_up:

 

I've received the lancer bar. Install thread will be posted on Sunday.

 

so the lancer bar works?

 

Strut tower braces add torsional stiffness to the vehicles chassis to help reduce flex under high lateral loads. They work, but in reality are most beneficial under said high loads (e.g. aggressive driving).

I've had strut tower braces on 4 different vehicles (1992 Prelude, 1999 Civic, 2002 325xi, 1999 740il) all driven spiritedly. The 325xi and Civic had braces front and rear.

 

albo said it. aggressive driving, especially cornering.

- Dan M

 

Bad news...the lancer spec bar did not fit. It was by far way too long. Looks like I'll offer the next Lancer Driver I meet a cheap bar. Disappointed, but then I only invested $28...

 

bad news on the lancer bar looks like i just have to save up for the mopar one

 

Not neccesarily. The MOPAR part number (MP5153565) is the same for the Patriot, Compass, and Dodge Caliber. There are quite a few strut tower braces offered for the Caliber. Here's one for instance:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mass...4_W0QQitemZ370191256719QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090422?IMSfp=TL090422225008r26387

The Patriot isn't exactly a high performance car like the SRT4, but sitll a little added chassis rigidity can't hurt for extreme off road situations.

 

The cost for a strut tower braces seems reasonable, but i would rather have more tire (bigger size & higher side wall) for better off-road traction.

 

This sounds very promising. I wonder how it would perform on a Patriot that is Trail Rated and has undergone the RRO lift? I am planning on doing the RRO lift this summer vacation.

 

Not all Strut Braces created equal.

Not all Strut Tower Braces are created equal. Compare how the Mopar Brace is built, to the ones on ebay. You need 3 point mounting and multiple bars welded together to get significant rigidity. I would NOT waste my money on the ones listed on ebay. Have these companies selling the Strut Braces done the same type of testing that Mopar has on theirs......NO. The Mopar Strut Brace makes a huge difference on road.....I can confirm that. See my previous post.

Keep in mind that the Strut Tower Brace for the SRT4 is different than the one for standard Calibur, Compass and Patriot.

 

Not all Strut Tower Braces are created equal. Compare how the Mopar Brace is built, to the ones on ebay. You need 3 point mounting and multiple bars welded together to get significant rigidity. I would NOT waste my money on the ones listed on ebay. Have these companies selling the Strut Braces done the same type of testing that Mopar has on theirs......NO. The Mopar Strut Brace makes a huge difference on road.....I can confirm that. See my previous post.

Keep in mind that the Strut Tower Brace for the SRT4 is different than the one for standard Calibur, Compass and Patriot.

I disagree with you to a certain degree...

While the Mopar part is definitely superior in construction and likely will add a great degree of structural integrity, having even a cheap-o bar off of ebay (had the lancer bar fitted) is still beneficial over having none at all.

Further, I had two "cheap"..Taiwan made.. bars (F&R) on a previous car...total investment was approximately $70 for the two and they were superior to a $250 bar I bought from a reputable source for another car that i had at the same time.

That being said...i bought the cheapest "Lancer-Spec" bar i could find for "testing" purposes. I figured someone had to bite the bullet? :smiley_thumbs_up:

 

I have heard braces used alot for street cars. But never thought about it for an offroad application.

It doesn't seem like body stiffness is as critical as street racing, but I can see how it would help reduce long term rattles from appearing and as Pmatt says, could make the Patriot feel more solid.

 

....well, here's the short review after taking the strut-braced Compass on a jaunt on the curvy hills of my home county: even taking a certain placebo effect into consideration, I have to say cornering feels better, w/ less body roll and truer tracking. Since the suspension isn't exactly stiff in the first place, the extra rigidity is noticeable. Is it 300$ worth noticeable? Not in my frugal book, but at 114$ and w/ relative ease of installation, I can recommend it. :Racing: