My homemade spreader bar

[norvalwilhelm]

I finally got around to building a spreader bar. I had a special problem because of the 3 inch blower belt. I had to pull the rad and support to get in there for welding
I ended up making brackets from angle iron that slid over the A arm studs and didn’t have to weld on the car at all.
This is one of the brackets after powder coating.
My car is black, everything is black so things don’t show up that well.

For the cross bar I used 1 inch solid aluminum hex and turned the center down for appearance and left the hex at the ends for a wrench.
I used 5/8th rod ends, one left on the left side of the car and one right with locking nuts.
The bar is only 16 inches long. It is strickly bolt on and required no on car welding.

 

[ft laud mike]

very nice and trick looking. well done
mike

 

[norvalwilhelm]

very nice and trick looking. well done
mike

Thank you Mike. It was long overdue. With the 3 inch blower belt it was hard to snake it through. I also run coilovers so I feel the tower are subjected to even more force/deflection.

 

[ruby76]

You look like quite the machinist. I assume the spreader bar helps with handling? Good job.

 

[norvalwilhelm]

You look like quite the machinist. I assume the spreader bar helps with handling? Good job.

The spreader bar allows you to push the top of the shock tower OUT. Under load they deflect in changing the camber. Over time the towers actually creep inward causing camber adjustment problems.
The spreader bar just holds things for rigid, maintaining setting and relieving the frame from fatigue. It is a worthwhile addition.
Alot of new cars come with some form of bracing between the towers.

Machining is not a big deal. It is getting the equipment that costs. Most guys given the chance could make the parts.