Custom Strut Brace

[jsimmonstx]

I want to add a strut tower brace to my car, but due to my engine swap, I need to have it custom made. I intend to go with chromoly tubing, but I don't know how big the tubing OD or wall-thickness should be. I was thinking one of the following:

3/4 x 0.049 (0.37 pounds per foot)
3/4 x 0.058 (0.43 pounds per foot)

I was also planning on making two tubing spans and welding a chromoly plate between the spans to add rigidity. The tubing would be welded to plates that bolt onto the strut towers.

Can anyone comment of which of the size above would do the job? The smaller the OD of the tubing, the better (for hood clearance concerns). Could I even use 1/2 tubing, and if so, what wall thickness?

 

[Whiskey11]

All that for a 2 point brace? Why bother? If you are going to weld things to the strut towers at least triangulate to the TRUE firewall (behind the false firewall). If your goal is structural rigidity, chose the thicker wall tubing for more strength in compression.

 

[jayel579]

For what you are using it for, chrome-moly is overkill.

 

[Department Of Boost]

All that for a 2 point brace? Why bother? If you are going to weld things to the strut towers at least triangulate to the TRUE firewall (behind the false firewall). If your goal is structural rigidity, chose the thicker wall tubing for more strength in compression.

I concur.