Thank GOD i have an aftermarket hood!

 

I recently installed an FRPP STB to my GT. I used a round file to run a pair of grooves over my GT plenum cover so that the bar wouldn't rub.....

 

I have the OEM GT500 STB on my 07 GT. It fits over the intake manifold just fine. Flip the bar so you have clearance between the bar and intake runners. Next, use a few SS washers to lift the rear of the bar a bit over the runner. There's more than enough clearance as-is, but the washers help raise it a little more. The engine does move under stress, but it moves in the opposite direction of where you have the least clearance. I bought my GT500 STB new for like $40 shipped, so the eBay deal is a good buy.

 

I'm assuming you mean just the intake manifold, and not the plenum cover, right?

One thing I've been wondering: Does using washers as spacers do anything at all to lessen the effectiveness of the STB's in any way?

 

One thing I've been wondering: Does using washers as spacers do anything at all to lessen the effectiveness of the STB's in any way?[/quote]

No, One thing I did was machine down some stainless steel nuts to take up the slack in the holes of the brace for a tight fit.

 

 

John: I can't use the plenum cover with the STB.
I-70 must be talking about custom made spacers.

I found that there was a slight change in vehicle dynamics with the STB. The cracking sound when turning the wheel at a stop is greatly diminished. I looked at this for a number of months and I think the key with the STB on the S197 is to prevent the struts from flexing/moving within their mounts. The STB is less about preventing the strut towers (as in the unibody structure) from moving, and more about the strut mounts themselves.

To really brace the unibody/chassis, you'd have to weld a triangulated brace assembly between the strut towers and firewall.

I wish I could install a STB for the Cobalt. The turbocharger air inlet and outlet tubes are in the way.

 

The hole in the strut tower brace is larger than the stud it fits over by quite a bit. I took some stainless steel nuts and drilled out the threads to fit securely over the stud and then ground off the wrench holds to fit inside the holes of the strut tower brace for a tight fit !

 

Oh, okay. Now I see what you're saying. I couldn't picture what it was based on your earlier description, but now it makes sense after seeing it. I wish I had the ability to do that to fill in that free space as well.

 

The free space isn't a problem. Just torque down the nuts and it'll be fine.

 

A picture is worth a thousand words

At 15 ft lbs of torque the free space is a concern, the tighter the fit the better. You wouldn`t leave that much space in a shock mount or a sway bar now would you ?

 

It's not a concern because it doesn't move. I have yet to find rub marks from the studs/brace moving around. 15 ft-lb doesn't sound a lot, but when you look at how the brace, stud, and body is bolted together, the movement is a non-concern especially when the other 2 studs for the mounts are bolted tightly to the body/chassis. The spacers wouldn't hurt, but I don't see the need especially when the GT500 doesn't use spacers either.

I didn't feel a HUGE improvement with the GT500 STB, but I did notice a slight improvement when going over speed bumps, spike strips, uneven roads, and when turning the wheels at a stop. Not bad for $40.

 

Not bad for $24.99 either.

 

24.99?
I SO got ripped off
I paid 25.00 flat!

 

Good deal. I bought mine from Yocum Ford a few years ago so I imagine the prices have dropped since then.

 

Sucker! Lol.

 

Finally got around to installing mine. Removed the plenum cover (obviously). Just enough clearance between the top of the engine and the bottom of the bar. I tried mounting it backwards (curvature towards the front instead of the back) for additional clearance and it was pressing up against the hood (left an imprint on the hood liner), so I switched it back. Still satisfied for the price I paid.