[B Hoth]

Hopefully my attachment will work (sorry the pics are from my phone). This should be the start of a load of info from me. First here's the pic of a strut brace on an 06 with the 18" wheels package. It appears the other items are going to be dealer installed. The two CTS's were black and white and didn't as yet have their factory listing stickers. I'll take more photo's of both cars to show the wheels which look like the STS 9 spoke wheels. Neither cars came with the rockers, wing or grille (the bad news). The good news is I should have pricing, part #'s and pics of all the new stuff, as my dealer is going to feature all these items by way of a web site. I'll post all that info as soon as I can get my hands on it. They also have 2 V exhausts sitting their that I'm trying to negotiate a price on(I'll post when he gives it to me) as they are no mileage cast offs from Corsa bolt on's. The Strut Brace loks good and fits under the hood due to a specially designed hood insulation. Looks like we'll all be buying them as well. The Brace was not installed on any of the cars with the 17" pkg. Looks like only from the factory on the 18's. The accessories guys that I spoke to assure me all of these items and others will be factory warrantied and my dealership is one of the first to do this with web access. A lot of talk I know,but I'm anxious to see whats available and the pricing and will it be available as dealer only initially, or will we be able to go to GM Parts Direct. I'm headed to the dealer in the morning and I'll check on the progress. Stay Tuned!!! :yup: :yup:

 

[B Hoth]

Sorry guys! My pics are 248.3 bits which says its beyond the capacity for me to post. Looks like I need some help! Someone chime in and let me know the best way to take care of this. Thanks.

 

[Jon]

http://www.imageshack.us

Upload'em there.

 

[DDS rollin a CTS]

http://www.imageshack.us

Upload'em there.

I think you have to link them here now for us to see them. Or I might be dumb, I've never used imageshack. :bang2:

*EDIT*

http://www.imageshack.us

Upload'em there.

Ahh, it appears my problem is an inability to read (I read as "uploaded'em here")... :headcase:

 

[RobertCTS]

Can you load them onto your computer? Then use your Photo Shop software like "Picture It" and reduce the size.

 

[AsAkAs]

Here it is: What does a sturt bar do exactly? Limit body roll, chassis flex?

 

[RobertCTS]

Here it is: What does a sturt bar do exactly? Limit body roll, chassis flex?

Exactly! Does the engine cover look any different, like maybe a recess in the plastic for clearance?:hmm:

P.S. Nice Pic!!

 

[B Hoth]

I looked at the covers (mine) versus the one in the pic, they looked the same dimensionally. The big difference is the insulation under the hood, it has an indentation where the bar would make contact on ours but allows this brace to fit into it without making a clearance issue. Thats why we'll probably have to buy one if we use the brace.The material on our current insulation I don't think would allow for a good looking mod and I don't think the paint on the hood would hold up if you were to remove it.

 

[odysseus]

Here it is: What does a sturt bar do exactly? Limit body roll, chassis flex?

It limits chassis flex and, more importantly, the alignment changes due to them. Think of the engine bay as an open top box with the front suspension in the middle of two sides. The strut tie brace basically ties the two sides together so when the do flex, they do so in unison, keeping their relative alignments tied together. Some (race) cars also triangulate by putting braces from the same point on top of the strut back to the firewall to keep the flex to just about zero.

For us, it's mostly for looks, since I for one don't push my car to the limits where I'd notice the strut brace. The V strut brace only cost $18 from GMPD, when I got one last year, only to realize it won't fit the V6. I'm curious what this one will run.

 

[RobertCTS]

I looked at the covers (mine) versus the one in the pic, they looked the same dimensionally. The big difference is the insulation under the hood, it has an indentation where the bar would make contact on ours but allows this brace to fit into it without making a clearance issue. Thats why we'll probably have to buy one if we use the brace.The material on our current insulation I don't think would allow for a good looking mod and I don't think the paint on the hood would hold up if you were to remove it.

If you get the brace you should order the new hood insulator as well. Damn we need part numbers. I wonder if the body shops have them yet? The 06 have been out long enough that someone must have wrecked one. Anybody have any Body Shop contacts?:hmm:

 

[canaveral]

I believe that you have to remove the engine cover in order to check the power steering fluid. It looks like you would now have to remove the brace before removing the cover.

 

[RobertCTS]

I believe that you have to remove the engine cover in order to check the power steering fluid. It looks like you would now have to remove the brace before removing the cover.[/quote]

Kinda sucks doesn't it!

 

[B Hoth]

Maybe not Robert, when I was looking at it at the dealer, it looked like you could pop that cover without removing the strut brace. I'm going to the dealer in the morning (tore the rubber part of my front air dam on a piece of re-bar when parking over a concrete stop - ERRR!) I'll see if I can remove it from one of the cars so equipped. I'll take some pics and post them (thru AsAkAs if I'm to dense to figure it out) I'll keep you posted.

 

[RobertCTS]

Maybe not Robert, when I was looking at it at the dealer, it looked like you could pop that cover without removing the strut brace. I'm going to the dealer in the morning (tore the rubber part of my front air dam on a piece of re-bar when parking over a concrete stop - ERRR!) I'll see if I can remove it from one of the cars so equipped. I'll take some pics and post them (thru AsAkAs if I'm to dense to figure it out) I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for the update!:thumbsup:

 

[DDS rollin a CTS]

Maybe not Robert, when I was looking at it at the dealer, it looked like you could pop that cover without removing the strut brace. I'm going to the dealer in the morning (tore the rubber part of my front air dam on a piece of re-bar when parking over a concrete stop - ERRR!) I'll see if I can remove it from one of the cars so equipped. I'll take some pics and post them (thru AsAkAs if I'm to dense to figure it out) I'll keep you posted.

Are you sure the dealer will approve of you dissassembling their new cars? :lildevil:

 

[B Hoth]

Being I'm a liquor rep by trade. It's amazing what a bottle of Goose or C.C. will do when you have it in tow when I'm in the mode to check things out. Maybe a bottle of Dewars will get me a closer look.

 

[DDS rollin a CTS]

Being I'm a liquor rep by trade. It's amazing what a bottle of Goose or C.C. will do when you have it in tow when I'm in the mode to check things out. Maybe a bottle of Dewars will get me a closer look.

As a medical professional (in training), I am concerned about your access to excessive amounts of high-quality alcohol. Therefore I'm going to have to insist that you send any and all high-quality liquor you have on hand to me for safe keeping (especially that Grey Goose ).

 

[IHIeiniken]

hmm. does that strut clear a 3.2L? i bet it would look nice black chromed and a silver chrome cadillac sticker in the middle

 

[odysseus]

If it clears the 3.6L, it will clear the 3.2L. Lund had a strut brace that fit the V and also cleared the 3.2L, but not the 3.6L, which has the cover that is wider and a little higher than the non-covered intake on the smaller V6. In looking at the pics posted above, that brace sits HIGH. Look at the risers for the strut tops. Not that it matters all that much, but my worry is that it might look kinda cheap (which it hopefully will be). I'm hoping the price is under $35 (the stock V was around $18) when it hits GMPD.

The stock V brace is about 1" too low, and sits about 4 to 6" too far forward to clear the hood, even if it cleared the motor. The new brace looks like it sits that distance further aft.

The Lund brace was very nicely designed, but blocked the oil dipstick on the 3.2L, and was too 'bling' for me. I wanted subtle black. For the price, plus powdercoating, I felt it wasn't worth it. I think they cleared the last of them out on EBay for around $200, which was still too pricey for me. The RSM strut brace goes under the front of the intake, but it's also pricey.

 

[pjohnesq]

As a medical professional (in training), I am concerned about your access to excessive amounts of high-quality alcohol. Therefore I'm going to have to insist that you send any and all high-quality liquor you have on hand to me for safe keeping (especially that Grey Goose ).

All that Grey Goose cause you to lose your teeth (bar room brawls)....duh..that's good for you though, huh DDS...mo' money, mo' money, mo' money...