Question about strut tower braces

talia713 · Post by **talia713** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 11:28 am

Hi all,

This is my first time ever owning a Dodge neon (2005 SXT). My previous car was a 2001 Grand Prix SE. I loved the way my grand prix hugged the road. The neon on the other hand doesn't.
What can I do to better the handling of the neon?
I was thinking about some strut braces (front & rear) but from reading on here it seems it doesn't help.

Any suggestions?

-Talia

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 11:36 am

Sweet another NY'er....
If you wanted to hug the curbs, you should not have gotten an SXT...
When I had me 03 SXT here is what I did.....
SRT struts and springs
SRT sway bars front and rear
and I did not have them but front and rear strut tower bars
Low profile tires, 40-45series
The car should handle like its on rails then

scneonchic · Post by **scneonchic** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:55 pm

I can feel a difference w/ my Vibrant front and rear strut bars. Im sure once I add sway bars and my coilovers i have sitting here, it will hug the road even better. Mine is alreayd lowered, that helps in the slightest degree, but honestly I felt more from the rear strut bar than I did the front.

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 2:04 pm

Grand Prix's are ugly, good change over dude. Do what Black Rose Racing told you to do.

talia713 · Post by **talia713** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 2:13 pm

My GP was sexy!!

Will the srt-4 strut tower brace fit an 05 SXT? All the strut braces I see on ebay are for the srt-4....

scneonchic · Post by **scneonchic** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 2:25 pm

you might have an issue w/ hood clearance. the srt hood is a bit higher clearance wise than the stock 00-05 hood.

talia713 · Post by **talia713** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 2:32 pm

So where can I find one to fit the 05 SXT?

dblsg · Post by **dblsg** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 2:43 pm

howell and modern

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 1:54 am

I spent 25 dollars on an e-bay one, and bent all the braces, don't buy it.

kirktalife · Post by **kirktalife** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:58 pm

i got both front and rear vibrants and didnt really notice any diff, but to argue against that i put the rear on the day after i bought my car and installed the front in the winter so i couldnt really test it, then kinda got used to it over time before i could try it out better in the nicer weather, but it didnt seem to do much, i would spend the all the money on an $$$, i would ebay it cuz i dont think it would make a diff

Knoxville_R/T · Post by **Knoxville_R/T** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 11:24 pm

I liked the p-werks rear bar I had on the r/t. Soon to go on the srt. I felt a great difference in the handling and off throttle steering. It mounts in 3 places so it does not have much torsion at all compared to the other rear bars.

Mounts to the strut towers and the center seat belt.

dinetuner · Post by **dinetuner** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:43 am

kirktalife wrote:i got both front and rear vibrants and didnt really notice any diff, but to argue against that i put the rear on the day after i bought my car and installed the front in the winter so i couldnt really test it, then kinda got used to it over time before i could try it out better in the nicer weather, but it didnt seem to do much, i would spend the all the money on an $$$, i would ebay it cuz i dont think it would make a diff

you have sway bars though..lol

OB · Post by OB » Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:11 am

fuck ebay buy performance parts from real dealers. go for dc sports rear STB and a vibrant front, or if you go with an srt hood do the dc front too. those are the stiffest and thickest regular bars on the market for our cars. they even come in titanium if you got deep pockets!

dblsg · Post by **dblsg** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:22 am

listen to the 'master neon tuner'

dinetuner · Post by **dinetuner** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 2:27 am

my cheap ass says w/e the fuck you want to get i hear they dont help much soo i say go for ebay cheap and so you could spend money on what helps our cars better SWAYBARS... our you could listen to OB...hehe

Knoxville_R/T · Post by **Knoxville_R/T** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 9:22 am

Go with a Performance Works Rear Bay. Like I said it is the best on the market right now. It bolts in 3 places, so there is no torsion in the bar like everyone else's 2 point bars.

koreysxt · Post by **koreysxt** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 4:19 pm

Buy wider/better tires. Although your GP SE felt like it hugged the road better, I highly doubt it did in terms of numbers.

p8ntballah413 · Post by **p8ntballah413** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 11:21 pm

ive done a decent amount of suspension/handling work to my car, doesnt ever feel like your driving a neon anymore. I have loweing sprins, 40 series tires, hotckis front and rear srt sway bars and a DC sports rear strut bar it all works well together, but id have to say if your looking for one thing that will make the most difference, the hotckis sways are it, little pricy, around 380 shipped, but well worth it IMO

Post by **jonnymopar** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:19 am

When I bought my 2003 SXT, I put a huge subwoofer in and clear tail lights. Thing handled AWESOME after that.

Seriously, I was really surprised when I read that you didn't feel like the Neon handled as well as the Grand Prix. Although I've never driven a stock Neon for a long period of time, I'd expect it to handle far better than a huge boat like a Grand Prix.

Mine? Dropped 1.5" with BF Goodrich g-Sport 195/55R15 tires on stock wheels. Even with just that done, it really does handle quite well. I would like to see what sways would do, but my money is presently channeled elsewhere (see signature). Maybe next year.

Just for the hell of it, I was joking in the first line. I have a stock stereo and stock tails and they will always remain that way

.

Nick Drake · Post by **Nick Drake** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:34 pm

all clears FTL!

Knoxville_R/T · Post by **Knoxville_R/T** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 10:52 pm

I got hotchkis sways for 275 shipped from titanmotorsports. (the supra guys)