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Post by Letitroll98 on Jun 13, 2005 15:55:25 GMT -6
Well I got my long awaited front strut tower brace from GMParts Direct; it's a special order item so it took about a month. Fast forward to the test drive, in a word, great. Not awesome, by definitely great. More tied down feeling in turns transmitting more of the tire feel up through our rather numb Magnasteer system. More connected feel over one wheel bumps. It makes it feel like a more expensive car. For the $18 plus shipping you just can't beat it.  Now for the problem. It doesn't exactly fit. As it comes the bar would press down on the brake fluid reservoir. No problem, it's easy to bend the brackets a touch to make it clear. Now the bar hits the hood, displacing it between an 1/8th" or 1/4". It still closes, but you can see where it's pushing up on the hood. Grrr. I may be able to re-bend it just a touch to cheat enough on all dimensions to just make it work, but it will be close. I'm frustrated and it's too friggin hot to continue right now, so later tonight or tomorrow morning for an update.  Meanwhile, any ideas gentlemen? **Part #s added by staff for ease of reference**Here is a review of the part numbers since they are buried in this thread and kind of difficult to find. For '95-'96 with modification, and '97 and up with lesser modification discussed in the thread.
25653157 (Cadillac Seville 1998-2004?)Front strut tower brace 25653157Confirmed fit for the 3.5 and 4.0 '01-'03 2nd gen Aurora. Unknown, but may also fit all Auroras.
'04-'05 Pontiac Bonneville GXP 4.6 V8 Front strut tower brace 3 pieces.
Bar 25768516
Bracket left 10360987
Bracket right 25768515Bar 25768516Bracket left 10360987Bracket right 257685152nd Gen strut tower brace thread |
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Post by Mr. Javi on Jun 13, 2005 17:37:37 GMT -6
Pics, Pics.
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Post by aurorinz on Jun 13, 2005 20:46:16 GMT -6
i think instead of bending it you should have just put washers on the bolts like the other guy did. i think that makes more sense and is less difficult than bending metal. just put enough washers to get the bar high enough to clear the cannister.
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Post by Custom88 on Jun 13, 2005 21:00:59 GMT -6
i think instead of bending it you should have just put washers on the bolts like the other guy did. i think that makes more sense and is less difficult than bending metal. just put enough washers to get the bar high enough to clear the cannister. if you go that route, shouldn't you be sure to use locking washers? |
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Post by Letitroll98 on Jun 13, 2005 21:14:33 GMT -6
Thanks guys, but remember that this is a '98 and has bolts, not nuts on studs like earlier designs. So every washer shortens the effective bolt length mounting the top of your suspension into the body. Old  New  Of course one uses an additional washer under the strut bracket, but building up washer height on a bolt is not an approved practice. I'll get some pics up tomorrow. I really want to make this work. |
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Post by Aurora40 on Jun 14, 2005 4:19:39 GMT -6
New That's not my car, is it? I hope I never posted a pict of my car being so dirty! |
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Post by oldsauroraman1 on Jun 14, 2005 7:50:09 GMT -6
You could claim the "5th" Aurora40!  |
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Post by Letitroll98 on Jun 14, 2005 10:51:42 GMT -6
Yes 40man, you're busted. No, actually I stole them from Howard's site (again). They're from the grounding kit page, just the two easiest photos with new and old strut assemblies. Well, I think I have it licked. After some time at my high tech metal bender (the heavy trash dumpster across from our condo) and some tweaking with another expensive adjustment tool (Sears adjustable grips), I got the bar to rest a mere millimeter above the brake fluid reservoir, still allowing a pretty good free wiggle on same, and it just barely clears the hood when closed. I did cheat slightly using two washers on the front bolts instead of one, but I don't believe this will cause a problem. All this is knocking on wood pending road testing this afternoon. I am truly a Chevy mechanic par excellence (this is a derogatory term BTW). Pics follow:   |
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Post by oldsauroraman1 on Jun 14, 2005 22:26:42 GMT -6
Wow. Letitroll, sure looks like it has a lot of room for the hood. But you can see on the insulation that it has been pushing in it. This brace is designed for the Aurora?
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Post by oldsauroraman1 on Jun 14, 2005 22:27:30 GMT -6
Well I got my long awaited front strut tower brace from GMParts Direct; it's a special order item so it took about a month. Fast forward to the test drive, in a word, great. Not awesome, by definitely great. More tied down feeling in turns transmitting more of the tire feel up through our rather numb Magnasteer system. More connected feel over one wheel bumps. It makes it feel like a more expensive car. For the $18 plus shipping you just can't beat it. Now for the problem. It doesn't exactly fit. As it comes the bar would press down on the brake fluid reservoir. No problem, it's easy to bend the brackets a touch to make it clear. Now the bar hits the hood, displacing it between an 1/8th" or 1/4". It still closes, but you can see where it's pushing up on the hood. Grrr. I may be able to re-bend it just a touch to cheat enough on all dimensions to just make it work, but it will be close. I'm frustrated and it's too friggin hot to continue right now, so later tonight or tomorrow morning for an update. Meanwhile, any ideas gentlemen? What's the part number for it? |
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Post by Letitroll98 on Jun 14, 2005 22:53:26 GMT -6
GMPartsDirect
Part # 25653157 - BRACE $18.83 + HANDLING CHARGE $2.10 + Freight: $5.85 = Total: $26.78
No, it's not for an Aurora. Don't know what it's for. Somebody on the v2 forum installed it. You have to play with it to make it work and it's still either pushing up a bit or bent the hood previously when I closed it. That "not so you could notice but I do" amount. So only recommended for the couragous.
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Post by Mr. Javi on Jun 15, 2005 6:51:56 GMT -6
GMPartsDirect Part # 25653157 - BRACE $18.83 + HANDLING CHARGE $2.10 + Freight: $5.85 = Total: $26.78 No, it's not for an Aurora. Don't know what it's for. Somebody on the v2 forum installed it. You have to play with it to make it work and it's still either pushing up a bit or bent the hood previously when I closed it. That "not so you could notice but I do" amount. So only recommended for the couragous. It's designed for a Cadillac SLS or STS, I looked up the part and it went back to a Cadillac. |
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Post by 95mushroom on Jun 15, 2005 12:35:58 GMT -6
That's me on the V2 board!! I can't believe you guys forgot me  . Yea, the 95's with the studs made the install a lot easier by just adding a couple washers under the bar. I didn't realize it came that close to hood. Well, actually, maybe. I had problems with the bar heating up and my new paint (painted it silver to match) would get sticky and stick to the felt-type stuff on the bottom of the hood. I solved that problem by using clear packing tape. Letitroll is right on with what I said earlier (v2) about the bar. I felt like mine turns a lot flatter through high speed turns and the suspension soaks up the bumps better. I have new KYBs so the combo really shows. |
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Post by stevensolds on Jun 15, 2005 15:50:08 GMT -6
Hmm....I probably am not inclined enough mechanically to tackle this. Certainly wont pay any labor to have it installed. Sound worth it though from the improvement you said it made. Oh well.
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Post by erw38 on Jun 15, 2005 18:48:24 GMT -6
Steven,
You don't give yourself enough credit. I'm almost certain that you could do it and since it's only $20 dollars you can find out. Order it and I am sure that silverbullet and Dan will help you with it.
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Post by Letitroll98 on Jun 15, 2005 20:07:36 GMT -6
That's me on the V2 board!! I can't believe you guys forgot me . I am soo sorry Shroom. I was trying to remember who it was. Javi? -no. Supa? -no. I mean, it's been a month to 6 weeks or so and we can't check the old board. Anyway, thanks again. You were right when you said special order, wait for it. 4-6 weeks is not bad for special order though so I'm happy. We agree on the effective benefits, but this mod has been well documented on other cars for many decades now, so no surprises. It's a good thing. The best way I've thought of describing it is that the car feels more like a second generation Aurora now. Steering is lighter and more precise, jounce control over uneven surfaces is better. At the same time it makes my passenger car tires handle better, it reveals their flaws. Just what a good suspension should do, reveal the road in a more accurate light. Like removing a veil of dither noise between you and the road. Steven and others, you can make this work with a 15mm socket, a torque wrench or large rachet, a vice (or a heavy dumpster), and some pliers. In extra parts you will need 4-8 washers and some locktite 242. 1-10 scale of difficulty I rank this a low 2. |
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Post by oldsauroraman1 on Jun 15, 2005 21:00:07 GMT -6
GMPartsDirect Part # 25653157 - BRACE $18.83 + HANDLING CHARGE $2.10 + Freight: $5.85 = Total: $26.78 No, it's not for an Aurora. Don't know what it's for. Somebody on the v2 forum installed it. You have to play with it to make it work and it's still either pushing up a bit or bent the hood previously when I closed it. That "not so you could notice but I do" amount. So only recommended for the couragous. AWESOME! I am game for this puppy! THANK YOU Letitroll! |
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urbandaddy
Aurora Watcher
University of Calgary Mens Soccer
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Post by urbandaddy on Jun 16, 2005 1:44:20 GMT -6
Can you put it on a Gen 2?
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Post by Mr. Javi on Jun 16, 2005 8:20:11 GMT -6
That's me on the V2 board!! I can't believe you guys forgot me . I am soo sorry Shroom. I was trying to remember who it was. Javi? -no. Supa? -no. I mean, it's been a month to 6 weeks or so and we can't check the old board. Anyway, thanks again. You were right when you said special order, wait for it. 4-6 weeks is not bad for special order though so I'm happy. We agree on the effective benefits, but this mod has been well documented on other cars for many decades now, so no surprises. It's a good thing. The best way I've thought of describing it is that the car feels more like a second generation Aurora now. Steering is lighter and more precise, jounce control over uneven surfaces is better. At the same time it makes my passenger car tires handle better, it reveals their flaws. Just what a good suspension should do, reveal the road in a more accurate light. Like removing a veil of dither noise between you and the road. Steven and others, you can make this work with a 15mm socket, a torque wrench or large rachet, a vice (or a heavy dumpster), and some pliers. In extra parts you will need 4-8 washers and some locktite 242. 1-10 scale of difficulty I rank this a low 2. Okay so maybe I got it wrong, it's not for the STS or SLS, but it's for the Cadillac Seville 1998-2003 models. That's what the GMPartsDirect.com has it listed for. |
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Post by Letitroll98 on Jun 16, 2005 13:25:34 GMT -6
Can you put it on a Gen 2? No, but you can use a Bonneville one. Don't know the part number but somebody has done it and it bolts right on, no mods. |
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urbandaddy
Aurora Watcher
University of Calgary Mens Soccer
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Post by urbandaddy on Jun 16, 2005 13:46:10 GMT -6
Awesome thanks.
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Post by bLACk AurOrA on Jun 16, 2005 19:25:26 GMT -6
how much lower does it make it? i havent seen any pics of the car with it yet.
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Post by erw38 on Jun 16, 2005 21:01:27 GMT -6
how much lower does it make it? i havent seen any pics of the car with it yet. It doesn't change the height at all, it just makes it handle a little tighter. |
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urbandaddy
Aurora Watcher
University of Calgary Mens Soccer
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Post by urbandaddy on Jun 17, 2005 0:04:20 GMT -6
Anyone have the part number for the Bonneville strut tower?
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Post by Custom88 on Jun 17, 2005 0:14:18 GMT -6
yeah, it was me that installed it.   Bar 25768516 Bracket left 10360987 bracket right 10360988 Total cost was right near $100 for the GXP bar. |
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urbandaddy
Aurora Watcher
University of Calgary Mens Soccer
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Post by urbandaddy on Jun 17, 2005 1:45:25 GMT -6
Perfect thanks!
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Post by aurorinz on Jun 17, 2005 12:05:59 GMT -6
BIG OOPs on my part i didn't realize the 98's had that bolt design  . i thought that wasn't untill 2000 that they changed it. I have a 97 and it has the older design stud and nut combo and that's how i plan on putting the bar on just like shroom put his on. well congrats on getting the bar to fit. i bet the ride is a lot nicer now.  |
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Post by stevensolds on Jun 17, 2005 19:59:04 GMT -6
If its not too hard i am gonna try to do it. Then am goign after the lowering springs if i can get away with a few months of no problems.
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Post by 95mushroom on Jun 22, 2005 0:04:08 GMT -6
steven you should at least try, if not, the worst you'll be is 20 bux lighter...
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Post by joeslark on Jul 24, 2005 12:19:59 GMT -6
I just installed the strut tower brace, from Gm parts direct, on my 2001 Aurora.
it took about ten minutes to install and there was a noticable difference in handling. The car was very flat in the twisties. It also seemed to help smpooth out the ride. It makes a big difference in the dips and swallows the car just does not drop it hold very flat.
2001 aurora with 88,000 miles.
100 total with shipping and handling of $25 33 % of product cost for shipping and handling was stiff but this is an easy and effective upgrade.
JOe
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. Yea, the 95's with the studs made the install a lot easier by just adding a couple washers under the bar.
. i thought that wasn't untill 2000 that they changed it. I have a 97 and it has the older design stud and nut combo and that's how i plan on putting the bar on just like shroom put his on. well congrats on getting the bar to fit. i bet the ride is a lot nicer now. 