@neeper I can't comment on the FG shock towers, but as a basher, I won't upgrade anything unless I see a real benefit to my fun. I've run the everloving piss out of my HPI 5t with the stock plastic towers and until I destroy them, I won't upgrade. Even then, I'll probably upgrade to a more robust plastic bit or replace with stock and add a billet brace before I go full on billet towers. They add so much weight without any real benefit.
I've known many a basher who had to have aluminum arms, towers, and other bits. Once they hit a stump, boulder, blind ravine or even had a nasty roll, their billet bits were bent or twisted. The fun was over and they were out quite a bit of money. All of our cars are designed around a few cheap break points. It's usually the suspension. In such a crash situation, if a rear A arm takes a hit and breaks, you might have just saved your transmission. If your shock tower flexes just so much, you will have saved your steering linkages, servo and chassis.
IMHO, there is definitely a place for billet: transmission cases, clutch systems, plates, tower braces, etc. But I tend to calculate the weight, durability and flexibility of any part I run. For me, running the stock or aftermarket plastic towers with a billet brace is the best compromise for flex and rigidity. The brace will add some strength, but will also allow the towers to flex a bit in an impact without breaking anything important. And it will save you some weight over full on billet.
I love the look of billet parts, but the added weight and possibility of losing the insurance of the cheaper stock/plastic bits breaking vs. something more expensive in the car is too much for me to invest in. I'd rather beat the hell out of my truck than worry about breaking expensive billet parts.
That being said, you should definitely get them if you want them! I won't crap on anyone who wants to add more bling to their ride. That's what keeps this hobby going and growing!
