Upper Strut Tie bar Question

[amalventano1 at tds.net (Allyn)]

> I've used the 
> Neuspeed triangulated bar as well and although it had more 
> attachment points, it was biased in its' attachment to one 
> side or the other.  It therefore drove 'funky.'

Yup, an offset triangulated bar like that can surely do more harm than good, as any deflections are redirected to cause
non-symetrical deflections on other axes.

> To put it more simply, I think since we drive simple, 
> inexpensive cars designed twenty-years-plus ago, isn't it 
> possible through age, hard-driving, or a cheap design that 
> the 'box' of the car actually distorts, and therefore these 
> bars help reinforce the car?

I'm with you, but a rear bar tying struts together is simply not helping where the help is needed.  Even with a multi-point bar, the
body is stressed forward and below the bars location, and where the bar does support, there is negligable distortion along the
supported arc of the bars attachment point and orientation.

> Remember most of the time when 
> you jack up our cars, you have difficult either opening or 
> closing (or both) the doors once jacked...

Yup, that's tortional rigidity, which is admittedly weak in our aging cars, but is in no way assisted by any neuspeed rear bar (or
front bar for that matter).  It is caused by compliance of the rocker panels, a,b,c pillars, and roof panel, and can only be
minimized by a full cage.  BTW - well designed cages attach close to the rear beam pivot points, and those that attach at the rear
towers do so in such a way that vertical motion is prevented.

Al