Suspension Modifications - Strut Tower Questions

bennybutcher

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Hey all,

I was wondering if anyone running BC Racing BR series coilovers have modded their strut towers to allow easier access to the camber adjustment bolts? I did some research but didn't really turn anything up.

Basically I was considering grinding the hole in the strut tower larger or cutting holes in it to allow access to the camber bolts without having to drop the strut.

Has anyone done this before?

17796322_10155756275429881_4624901627982406874_n.jpg
 

Roadracer350

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Vorshlag has a tool you can rent that centers up on the ST and you can use whatever size hole saw you want.
 

Wes06

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I wanted to do something like this when I got my air installed since camber adjustment is hidden under the tower. Ford guy said I shouldn't it would weaken it.
Hadn't thought of it since. Is this a common thing to do?
 

Bingo

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The Saleen coilover kit is similar. I wonder if you can fab up a herky-jerky allen wrench to reach in without cutting up the strut tower.
 

Roadracer350

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I wanted to do something like this when I got my air installed since camber adjustment is hidden under the tower. Ford guy said I shouldn't it would weaken it.
Hadn't thought of it since. Is this a common thing to do?

Road race guys do it all the time
 

pass1over

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Performed this on my car 4 years ago, have 94xxx miles on it and no ill effect at all.
 

Wes06

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Is it fine to do without a strut tower brace?
 

pass1over

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I don't have a strut tower brace. I know i'm not the authority on it, just sharing my experiences. There's plenty of metal up there, make the hole only large enough to access the set screws on the top of the strut, you'll be fine.

I didn't use a STB for a template either.
 

bennybutcher

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Just finished it up. The brace isn't a necessity, useed a 3 inch hole saw, then an angle grinder to smooth out the rough metal and some rough sand paper after that to get rid of the rest of it. I made the guide out of wood, using a 1x4. Bolted the 1x4 to the strut tower and then went to town. I'll post pics when I'm not on my phone.
 

bennybutcher

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Okay, here's the after picture. So far no issues. I'll let y'all know if anything comes up. Touch up paint needs to be applied to the raw metal, but the whole thing takes very little time. It takes longer to get the wheels off and the coilovers out than it does to cut and sand the strut towers.
 

OutlawEvans

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17800399_10155768675829881_6499750657208192861_n.jpg


Okay, here's the after picture. So far no issues. I'll let y'all know if anything comes up. Touch up paint needs to be applied to the raw metal, but the whole thing takes very little time. It takes longer to get the wheels off and the coilovers out than it does to cut and sand the strut towers.

Can you throw up a pic of the guide you made and how it bolts on?
 

bennybutcher

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A strut tower, a 1x4 or 1x6 piece of wood roughly 6 to 7 inches in length. Shit, you probably oughta measure it yourself.
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READ MY HAND WRITING! Or look at the block from the inside the wheel well. Mark bolt holes with a marker.
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Drill out marked holes using a drill bit ever so slightly smaller than the bolts you've got. Make sure you get nuts for adjustability. Insert bolts into holes and screw them in part way. The nut should be threaded onto the bolt.
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Remove bolts > Place wood over strut tower > insert bolts from underneath > secure to the strut tower by adjusting nuts once bolts have been threaded back into guide. Use marker to outline hole on guide from inside the wheel well.
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Once guide is marked remove from strut tower and use hole saw/pilot bit to drill a 3 inch hole from the center of the circle you marked on the guide. Now that there's a 3 inch hole, place the guide over the strut tower and bolt into place once more, secure and adjust using nuts.
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Now you can use the hole saw to cut through the strut tower, please take care even with the guide. Use an angle grinder or dremel to smooth out the edges of the hole and touch up paint to protect the raw metal from rust.
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Don't forget to seal the raw METAL, with touch up paint.
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Don't forget to wear safety glasses.
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pass1over

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You cut the hole out of the wood, then reattached it under the shock tower to drill through the metal?
Wouldn't it make it easier to just mark the exact center and drill through the metal then wood (if you desire to go that far) without removing the hole in the wood first? That way, the wood will hold your pilot bit in the dead center of where you want the hole to be?

I'm not saying you did it wrong, obviously as it worked for you. I did basically the exact same thing, just minus the predrilling of the hole in the wood.
 

bennybutcher

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You cut the hole out of the wood, then reattached it under the shock tower to drill through the metal?
Wouldn't it make it easier to just mark the exact center and drill through the metal then wood (if you desire to go that far) without removing the hole in the wood first? That way, the wood will hold your pilot bit in the dead center of where you want the hole to be?

I'm not saying you did it wrong, obviously as it worked for you. I did basically the exact same thing, just minus the predrilling of the hole in the wood.

Ah, I see what you're saying. The piece of wood is not underneath the strut tower though. Yes, if I had cut it smaller and bolted it on the underside I wouldn't have had to cut the hole through it and I could have sunk the pilot bit into the dead center of the wood.

I was flying by the seat of my pants without a whole lot of input from anyone and basically zero experience with this sort of thing. This is what I came up with. Anyway, the reason I made/posted a guide was so OutlawEvans could see what I did and have something to follow along with since he asked.

Honestly it'll work either way, clearly, I don't know which is easier.

Can you throw up a pic of the guide you made and how it bolts on?
 

bennybutcher

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You cut the hole out of the wood, then reattached it under the shock tower to drill through the metal?
Wouldn't it make it easier to just mark the exact center and drill through the metal then wood (if you desire to go that far) without removing the hole in the wood first? That way, the wood will hold your pilot bit in the dead center of where you want the hole to be?

I'm not saying you did it wrong, obviously as it worked for you. I did basically the exact same thing, just minus the predrilling of the hole in the wood.

Here, I'm trying to clarify. I don't want anyone getting confused and attempting to do this bass ackwards. The wooden guide goes on top of the strut tower. Bolts are screwed in from underneath the strut tower into the pre drilled holes. The addition of the nut is to make adjusting the guide easier and quicker.

17884410_10155782580119881_5494943474619594637_n.jpg


Honestly it'd probably be a lot a lot faster, and easier, to just bolt a piece of 2x4 to the strut tower (from underneath) and drill into it with the pilot bit.
 

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