Quick question, how much does the ZZP strut tower bar help? I have searched around and some say that since our firewalls are so close, it doesn't make a difference. But the reviews and some other users say otherwise. I got $80 from a craigslist deal in my paypal and this seems like a nice mod.
Edit: This one: http://shop.zzperformance.com/store/...or-Cobalt.aspx

 

i use to have one and i felt it deff worked out good you can hit turns pretty fast and also strenthen ups the front too

 

Useless. So these people think it helps, yet there is no bar on any professionally prepared Cobalt race car? Guess all these folks know something that GM, Powell, and others do not.

If there really was much flex, those studs would all snap. They are pretty small.

 

Your first point is good, I agree completely. GM would have addressed it.

Your second holds no weight. Grade 8 or even Grade 5 bolts sheer strength is in the 10's of thousands and there are several bolts on each side. They would not snap as you say...

 

i have one... since i'm not a professional driver or autox'er its hard for me to lay down a professional opinion but bear with me...

overall i do feel as though it stiffened up the front end. when you are taking quick turns/lane changes i think i can feel the difference. might just be a placebo effect of having the bar, i'm not sure. but i think it did tighten up the feel when ur mowing quickly. understeer is slightly more now when your going slow. slightly.

overall i don't regret getting mine and if nothing else, it definately looks great under the hood in blood red for 80 bucks, i'd say you got nothing to lose... except 80 bucks

 

oh and if the guy from craigslist wants 80 why not just get direct from zzp to make sure you're getting a new, flawless part? either that or offer him less... like 65 or something

and btw most ppl on here like putting rear sways on the car instead to induce 'oversteer'

 

i have customized one, and i do not auto x... i do believe it does help stiffen the front a bit.... i do notice it in corners, and specially with wheel hop or pot holes.... regardless of what the pros think, i do believe any time you tie your suspension and frame in together is for the benefit... and riceburner is right it does look great under the hood more then anything.... specially when its polished....

 

I think he means e has $80 from sellin something on Craigslist lol

 

I got one for free so I put it on, driven with and without it multiple times when I was doing header work. Absolutely no difference with it in, it is a placebo effect that you "think" your feeling.

 

just something to think about

when you put the bar on, did you have to lift up the car a bit or push on one side or the other to get it on, i did. mine didnt line up right. took it off and put it on the exs cobalt ls... same thing but it was more "off" on that car... when i put it back on my ss (car was in diff parking spot) it fit on a lot better.

this all leads me to believe that the chassis does flex, a little bit here and there, so the bar does not hurt anything. now does it move enough to make a difference... who knows, obviously the chasis on these cars is great to begin with. but its cheap and looks great so why not

 

stiffer is not always better. extra rigidity can actually cause an issue believe it or not. a lot of imports from the 90's and all really benefited because by default their unibodies were not as rigid as they are today. my 99 civic had a strut bar installed after i had done most of the other key suspension components....and yea on it i noticed a difference in a positive way....but those cars flexed like hell believe it or not and as such could use the extra rigidity.

so imagine going around a turn - you do want a bit of flex going into the turn with the front end because it creates a bit more bite. on our cars, the bar is not needed. it may feel like rails but that does not mean you have enhanced the handling.

 

110% agreed

 

your advise falls on deft ears around here , js

 

agreed with wang, absolutely useless.