Was Crossmember Bars, now Saltybar's effect on handling

[amalventano1 at tds.net (Allyn)]

the only way this bar could have an impact on handling is if it was fitted 
to a car with a badly cracked front cross member, and in that case, the bar 
would only help to restore the suspension response to that of a scirocco 
with a non-cracked cross member.
also, based on the unibody up front, there would be little to no impact on 
the alignment of the lower suspension parts, but there might be some 
rigidity lost in the upper strut housings - though this is negated if you 
have an upper strut tie bar. only the forward part of the engine bay would 
become more 'flimsy'. i imagine the worst effect would be that the engine 
would have more ability to rock from side to side (taking the body with it). 
this is based on my observations from when i cut the front clip off of the 
twin shell and randomly smacked load bearing parts of the frame with a dead 
blow hammer.
hth
Al

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Pieper" <rapieper@yahoo.com>
To: "Doug C." <carvsdriver@msbx.net>; "Larry Fry" <rocco16@sbcglobal.net>; 
"Scirocco List" <scirocco-l@scirocco.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 10:06 PM
Subject: Was Crossmember Bars, now Saltybar's effect on handling


> --- "Doug C." <carvsdriver@msbx.net> wrote:
>> ...The amount of stiffness it added was easily noticable...The addition 
>> of Eric's bar made a
> world
>> of difference in terms of stiffening up the front end.
>
> OK...now that I've succeeded in keeping quiet about this thread, I feel I 
> can jump in with a
> question about Doug's comments above - what effect on handling has this 
> bar had for those who've
> added it?  What other bars do you already have?
>
> I am sure to get subjective info, that's fine for me, for now.  I hadn't 
> read that it had an
> effect on handling - does it?
>
> AFA this thread's history:  I understand all sides.  I have worked with 
> (capital E) Engineers for
> over 20 years and I know how good engineers often think skeptically, 
> unless objective data are
> gathered from well constructed and executed tests...but in the world of 
> $1000 cars being on the
> pricey side, we aren't going to get FMEAs of the original design and FEA 
> of new vs. old...we get
> what Eric's graciously given us.
>
> Soooo...Saltybar handling observations, please.
>
> Thx
>
> Cheapass Ron
>
>
>
>
>
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