As the subject says, I'm looking for ideas on how to strengthen my strut towers, catch is I'd like to try and do it WITHOUT doing an across the engine brace if possible. Reason being is I have some equipment for my turbo system mounted on a plate on the opening of the strut tower in the engine compartment ( scavenge pump) that would require new oil lines, re wiring etc to re locate. Other side would be a bit easier but I'd still have to relocate some stuff and it becomes a pita just to get at it. Room in the engine comp is at a premium now and I don't have much. I don't jump my Tracker, but do wheel it fairly hard, so I'm just looking for some insurance. Got all the bugs worked out of the front suspension finally and it works great so I just want to protect it. I've been playing around with bracing the strut towers to the frame from both sides, and welding a plate across the front opening of the strut tower, as seen from the wheel well opening, connecting the braces to the plate at the front of the tower. I think the front plate may help prevent the sheet metal from flexing, and the frame to plate braces would make it a bit more ridged. Again, I'm looking for opinions/ideas so lets hear 'em.  If you want to have a look at my engine comp just go to my flickr site, linked in my sig.Thanks guys.

The flickr link, it does not exist! 

You could go straight off the frame, and that might be enough.  But you will be putting a bit of force on the mount as it will work like a giant lever.  But how much additional bracing do you really need?

What about routing the upper brace back behind the engine instead of over the top? 

  Try clicking on the Globe icon ( www.) There's too much crap in the way to do an engine compartment brace, without a major remodeling of stuff. I'm thinking just KISS, brace it from the outside just for peace of mind.

This is what I came up with, using materials I already had in my garage : 6' 1/2 " steel rod, 11" steel bar, 3/16th I think. Bent the rod to contour the front of the upper tower, welded complety across top, couple inches down, each side. Two  brackets , 1 to each leg. Legs welded to frame.  Seems sturdy enough for my general uses. We'll see. Yeah my welds look like snot. Haven't got the upside down, yet. 

Its been my experience that the whole frame bends/rotates in with the tower. I dont see how it would gain any strength without crossing the top in some way. Mabey adding some plating to the frame would make it twist less.

Its been my experience that the whole frame bends/rotates in with the tower.

Sure does,  it happens on pretty much any vehicle except unibodies(which still flex, but differently).  That's why old style GM cars start out with 3/8 to 1/2 inch worth of alignment shims on the upper control arms, then as the years go by, they need less and less shims to get the camber into spec. 
   

You guys are probably right, it doesn't really solve any issue about the towers bending, but it does add some stiffining to the sheet metal of the tower, and I did notice that it doesn't flex around when I turn the wheel (while it's on the jackstands.) Mike, I can see you twisting the frame with the kind of skyshot jumping you do/did with your various Trackicks. My wheels only leave the ground when there's a jack under it, or I'm really cocked up! It's more to stop it from creaking and eventually cracking from flexing the sheetmetal. If one of the legs pull away from the frame, well it's back to the drawing board. BTW, they do cross the top of the tower . They never have bent so far, so I think as long as I drive in the same manner I should be ok.