Stiffening Plate or Strut Tower Brace?

[BT Tech]

I would not say rubber but the stock plate is very weak. You can literally take the stock plate and bend it!!


Our tower strut brace is a complete bolt-in with no modifications required.

Originally Posted by thepolarcrew

I noticed the stiffening plate bolts on where the stock one is taken off. What's with the factory one, rubber?

The strut stiffener, is it a bolt on or do you have to do a mod?

[thepolarcrew]

The wife referred to the Prius as Your car (Mine) when we bought it. Ya, right.

She puts on up to 200 miles a day for her job so it's been put to good use. Took it in for the second oil change to day. Been going just over 4K on each.

Looking at a few things before wet and cold weather sets in (Just recieved moldings waiting for mud flaps) and these two seem like easy good to do projects for handling.

Thanks

[awai08]

...Handling yes, but also the front strut brace is good for braking.

Since both mods increase predictability and limits of handling, safety during emergency stops and evasive maneuvers is increased too.

The strut brace doesn't require any major modification (except relocation of a small wrapped line attached to the passenger-side strut tower), but does involve taking off the parts that bolt above it (windshield wipers, plastic fairing, windshield wiper motor, and windshield wiper motor tray). There's a DIY step-by-step photo tutorial that another member has generously provided. If you're mechanically inclined, then you may just simply go for it.

The BT stiffener looks incredibly simple to install, though perhaps somebody else can chime in whether or not a lift or jackstand is required.