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Fabricated Torque Strut for the 2000+ Northstar

33K views 51 replies 16 participants last post by  vincentm 
#1 ·
I made an attempt at fabricating one today. I used a 13" long piece of 3/4" thin walled conduit. Flatten 4" and bend a 90 at the end. Drill through the strut and the radiator brace (be careful of the radiator hose on the other side). I think I used a 3/8" drill and a 3/8" round headed, square shanked carriage bolt. The round head will prevent any abrasion of the radiator hose should they come in contact as they are pretty close (better safe than sorry). On the other end, drill through the engine lift bracket and the strut at the same time. Insert a screw or bolt and nut it from beneath.

Picture four shows an existing threaded bolt hole in the head that I am going to try to fabricate another one for on the passenger side tomorrow.

2000+ Seville application is slightly different and are the first 2 pics on the top row (drivers side and passengers side respectively). Last one and second row are for the 2000+ Deville application.
 

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#35 ·
"Both of the arm's bushings are shot. And I'm quite sure they need to be replaced."

In the situation pertaining to the Eldorados, I've noticed those "dog bones" wear out from the torque loads. Can you get the "dog bones" or the mounts themselves in polyurethane?

If you can, how much vibration will be actually felt inside the car?
 
#37 ·
I don't know if polyurethane is available, but I doubt you'd feel any vibration. Mine are solid and I feel nothing.

The turn buckle set up you have pictured would certainly work, but seems to me to need a little more fabrication than needed to mount. There is really no need for adjustment once measured and installed.

Your imagination is the only limiting factor on how to do it. I recall one guy who made a very nice set of arms that attached to the strut tower cross brace.
 
#39 ·
??? Heater piping in a torque strut thread ??? ......... and some have adapted the earlier dog bones shown in the first pictures, but they will NOT fit many later models without some real machine work.

I have a set of "Ranger's Rods" installed - for 6 months now - and am a happy camper. (And the 2002 Seville radiator cross brace does not flex .001".)
 
#41 · (Edited)
The driver's side is merely measured, bent, flattened, drilled electrical conduit. A 3/8" stove bolt goes completely through the radiator cross brace. The black loop it attaches to on the engine is one of the factory engine install lifting fixtures. The passenger side uses a machined standoff boss welded or brazed into a curved cutout on the end of the conduit - depending on the car body, the passenger side has a couple of mounting options.The bolt hole in the left cylinder head face is already there and properly threaded.

Doesn't your ETC have dog bones ?

This is from a 2002 Seville, but the idea holds.........as always, measure twice, cut once.

Click to enlarge, use your browser <-- to back out.
 

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#47 ·
Re: 2000+ Torque Strut

No. If you drive the car hard and/or on twisty roads the struts seem to make the front end "tighter" but they have no real effect on engine power, power transmission, or the way the gas pedal "feels". Your SLS would never know the difference.
 
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