Shock-absorbing rack

The shock-absorbing rack gives rigidity to a body. Its installation is recommended after engine tuning, suspension hardening, as well as on older cars.

A shock absorber strut, that is, a metal or aluminum tube between the shock absorber mounts, stiffens the body. Its installation is recommended after engine tuning, suspension hardening, as well as on older cars.

Body rigidity can be significantly increased by installing the so-called. a roll cage, but such an armed corps is completely unsuitable for everyday use. But you can slightly increase the rigidity of the body without sacrificing its versatility.

Just install the suspension strut. Worth wearing, especially after increasing engine power, tightening the suspension or after installing low-profile rubber, because then the vibration on the body is much greater and additional reinforcement is recommended.

Most often, a strut is mounted between the upper shock absorber mounts in the front suspension. It can also be installed in the rear suspension, but in many cases, this procedure will significantly limit the versatility of the car. A strut is also mounted at the bottom of the suspension, connecting the lower arms together.

The installation of this piece of pipe makes sense, since the shock absorbers are then rigidly connected to each other and the rigidity of this part of the body increases accordingly. A stiffer body also means that the suspension geometry changes much less, so handling is better, and therefore driving safety.

This is important not only for fast cornering, but also for normal use on pothole roads. Racks should be installed especially on older cars, because the rigidity of the car body is not as high as it is now. In addition, after several years of operation and a mileage of several hundred thousand. km, the first symptoms of a decrease in stiffness are already appearing in the body.

Spacers are made of steel or aluminum and can be painted or polished. A prettier rack doesn't work better, so there's no need to spend more money on a nice looking one. Racks can be divided into two types. One-piece and twisted, in which the length can be adjusted.

In most vehicles, assembling the strut is very simple, as it uses the protruding shock absorber mounting bolts. So you just need to unscrew those screws, put on the spacer and screw it back on. If we have a removable stand, the assembly is slightly different from the one-piece. The car must be raised to relieve the front suspension. Then install the gasket and unscrew it until it stops.

Estimated prices for suspension struts

Car model	Spacer price
Daewoo lanos	200 PLN (Jackie)
Fiat Seicento	200 PLN (Jackie) 290 (Sparko)
Fiat Punto I	200 PLN (Jackie) PLN 370 (Sparko)
Opel Vectra A	200 PLN (Jackie)
Renault Megane I	200 PLN (Jackie) PLN 370 (Sparko)
Skoda Felicia	170 PLN (Jackie)
Opel Tigra	PLN 500 (Sparko)