Thread: Rear Strut Tower Brace from Octotat (edit: with pics)

I like the look of it better. I'm thinking of doing the B14 rear seat mod and it will actually fit with this bar. The Active bar, while being awesome makes for a hard spot and is always noticed by the occasional back seat riders that I have.

The look is ones own personal opinion.

Your other statements are facts as I am sure it would be alittle uncomfotable for a back seat rider sometimes because othe the postioning.

As stated up top by someone else I dont see the bar being aby better that the Active tuning one. I feel they will work the same or the nod will go to the active tuning opne because of a stiffer design.

Like you said for the guys that keep the back seat this strut bars is the way to go.

I like the both. It gives us a few choices

I kinda meant that I liked the way it fit. I would love to take out the back seat, but about twice a month I have people in the back. Not bad when its my pre-teen cousins who arent tall enough for the bar to affect them, but guys my size (6'4") definitely feel it.

Haha, you shamed me into painting it I even cleaned the seats with upholstery cleaner, too.



Click here for more photos showing close-in pics of mounting with the seat out, and back in.

Few notes:

- I drilled the gas tank support bolt holes from underneath the car, one side at a time so the gas tank only drops less than an inch. Used a smaller sized drill bit and used my dremel to make the holes the right size and exact locations from above. My car has a hard line (brake?) running right by there, so I was pretty careful.

- Same for the upper bolts for the tops of the braces, drilled a pilot hole so I could see I measured close enough, then rounded it out with the dremel.

- Install the trunk lower mount first, then the 2 bars, they help hold the large bolt in place up top when you tighten it inside the car.

- Absolutely no problem keeping the back seat, you'd never know it's there other than the improved rear chassis stiffness.

Definite improvement driving from no RSTB, then the brace, then later the trunk braces. With a 22 mm Progress RSWB, the rear end is tight. Drove it all three combos, you'll notice the difference.

Thanks Chuck, nice work! Can't wait for next Sunday's AutoX

You'll not even notice it. I tested that out myself, and I'm 5'10" and no lightweight. Since the bar is entirely recessed, there's nothing to feel. Seat fit back in no problem, no hassles at all.

Hth does anyone 6'4" sit back there anyway?

Just curious whats the metal sheet/cover in there for?

You still didn't explain how it improved the handling.
better looks = better handling?

Before many RSTB's were available for the B13, SCC and others welded in a fairly stout gauge piece of sheet metal (Dave Coleman coined the "IKEA" brace after bookshelves) to stiffen up the rear chassis. Pretty inexpensive if you're handy with a welder.

Good thread here:
B13, B14, B15 Suspension Information... - SR20 Community Forum - The Dash


DC put the one in my car before I bought it from him.



When he went to the Sunny bumpers, the rear chassis lost some rigidity removing the USDM hunk of steel, so the new RSTB and triangulated braces are esp big plus. No more flex going on back there, now there's the "box" formed by the Rear Sway, upper RSTB, the "V" makes sort of more of an "X" when you look at the independent rear suspension.

Sunny Bumper Article 2006 SCC

Notice how much box section steel is in the USDM bumper, the JDM is foam with some metal.

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What is with the Gingerman MI. wrote on the Ikea brace ???? are you from down state MI??

For those that are looking for an explanation from me as to why it handles better than my old Active Tuning RSTB I can only relate this to my 94 B13 with no other changes in suspension that the chassis in the rear has less flex in the unibody between the struts, and a more solid feel on the road as I push the car into high corner maneuvers. If you're looking for a more detailed description on why this bar handles better from me this is all I have. If you're looking for data and imperical evidence sorry to disappoint everyone. This is from my own personal experience and since now anyone can choose between the two bars your options are open.