Strut Tower
A reinforced portion of the vehicle chassis that houses and mounts the top of the suspension strut assembly.
A strut tower is a reinforced structural dome built into a vehicle's unibody chassis, located inside the engine bay for the front suspension and inside the trunk or rear cabin area for the rear suspension. It serves as the mounting anchor point for the top of the strut assembly.
The top mount of the strut is bolted to the ceiling of the strut tower, transferring the forces of road impacts, weight transfer, and cornering directly into the vehicle's structural frame. Strut towers are built with heavy-gauge steel and reinforced welds to withstand these constant stresses.
In areas with high road salt usage, strut towers can suffer from structural rust, which weakens the metal and can cause the strut mount to break through. In high-performance applications, a 'strut tower brace' is often bolted between the two towers to reduce chassis flex and improve handling during hard cornering.