How good is the strut brace? Performance wise?

[m3f_ZiMMie_13f67b8054]

does it actually do the job or it just looks pretty?



http://caragay.net/enginebay.jpg



If anyone has used it or has it could they please post thier experience with it?



I'm more interested on how stiffer the chassis becomes after installing it.



thanks

[m3f_Sammyzuko_f27405666b]

Who makes that? It probably works just fine, but I wouldn't say it's pretty(at least not in that picture).

[m3f_JPoland_e17b491a3d]

I can't feel a difference. I did it mostly to sandwich the metal of the strut tower.



http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr164/JoeRPoe/AST%20Removal%2012-2010/DSCF1488.jpg

[m3f_PurduinaM3_5769f9ad51]

They work better as an extra reinforcement for the shock towers more than anything else..

[m3f_das borgen_362acec4fe]

a reputable racer told me he measured no difference...not felt.........measured


echo on the strut tower reinforcement though :thumbsup:

[m3f_SteveTVM3_88e87a1f3b]

I can't feel a difference. I did it mostly to sandwich the metal of the strut tower.


A lot of people have said the front strut brace does nothing for E36's. On a side note, did you use the reinforcement plates? I just installed my vorshlag plates and modified the plate to allow for the full range of adjustment. I think the reinforcements are a must and work better than the strut brace.

[m3f_JPoland_e17b491a3d]

A lot of people have said the front strut brace does nothing for E36's. On a side note, did you use the reinforcement plates? I just installed my vorshlag plates and modified the plate to allow for the full range of adjustment. I think the reinforcements are a must and work better than the strut brace.



Yes absolutely I kept the plates. As you have done, I modified them to allow the full range of motion of the Vorshlag plates. I have not put strain gauges on the tower to measure any deflection but the reinforcement plates only sit on one side of the tower so for compression of the strut they work very well but for cases of droop they do not help. In that case a brace may be helpful. I say may because I'm not for sure and don't have any proof. However, I also wasn't ready to wait to see if my tower would crack before I reinforced it form the top as well.

Basically, I don't even have any evidence to support that the brace does provide a measure of reinforcement but it might and I don't want to mess with cracks in the tower.

[m3f_///Matthew_66b7d6fd1d]

Who makes that? It probably works just fine, but I wouldn't say it's pretty(at least not in that picture).



ACS :lolhit:

[m3f_hencini_38d4e99411]

By all accounts, x-brace > strut tower brace. That having been said, I would totally add a LTW brace just for cosmetic purposes... :drool:

[m3f_My Old Roc]

It's supposed to keep the shock towers from flexing under load.

I would assume that BMW makes their shock towers to withstand the normal loads it might encounter ( which would include the spirited driving that the car was designed for!)

It probably helps a fraction when auto crossing or racing or something that puts tremendous loads on the suspension components, and there the brace would help keep it from moving.

But how much? Who knows. If it moves, its probably by millimeters and that shouldn't really matter to a daily driver. Racers might need to keep that from happening tho.

Now, on my '78 Scirocco, the shock towers move just leaving the driveway, cause well, let's face it, VW is NOT BMW and they probably have a wee bit different engeneering and materials priority than BMW does

So in my Scirocco, the strut bar makes a WORLD of difference, even tho it doesn't get raced, but in an daily E36, I would guess the towers are stout enough for normal drivers to not move enough to be a problem...unless you are wailing into turns all day long on the track.

So I suspect that the shock towers aren't moving enough to make a difference.

That's my .02 cents.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program

[m3f_ZiMMie_13f67b8054]

I already have both the X-brace and the strut reinforcements.


I have choice between this


http://www.rebmw.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/suspension/stb/acs_600.jpg


and this.


http://www.nexternal.com/bimmerworl/images/E36_Racebrace_500.JPG


For about the same price.


I want that little bit piece of mind.


On my e30 a strut brace made a huge improvement with under-steering.


the problem is the rouge race bar weighs 30lbs and the acs is probably next to nothing since mostly carbon, but most carbon fiber braces Ive seen flexes like crazy under load, but Ive never seen the acs version that why i wanted some opinions on their product.

[m3f_JPoland_e17b491a3d]

It's supposed to keep the shock towers from flexing under load.

I would assume that BMW makes their shock towers to withstand the normal loads it might encounter ( which would include the spirited driving that the car was designed for!)



You would think that BMW would make their shock towers to withstand normal loads wouldn't you... However, with good stock suspension and the reinforcement plates then yes you are probably correct. If you're looking at a strut brace though then that is probably not thing only thing you would, will, or have done.

[m3f_slickfast_363624089e]

Yes absolutely I kept the plates. As you have done, I modified them to allow the full range of motion of the Vorshlag plates. I have not put strain gauges on the tower to measure any deflection but the reinforcement plates only sit on one side of the tower so for compression of the strut they work very well but for cases of droop they do not help. In that case a brace may be helpful. I say may because I'm not for sure and don't have any proof. However, I also wasn't ready to wait to see if my tower would crack before I reinforced it form the top as well.

Basically, I don't even have any evidence to support that the brace does provide a measure of reinforcement but it might and I don't want to mess with cracks in the tower.



I don't think you'd get cracking, but deformation is nothing new to BMW shock towers... here's a MINI with a severe case with no cracks:

http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/500/ebe6dc72.jpg



I know it depends on the alloy/heat treatment, but I think these towers would err on the ductile side rather than the brittle side.

[m3f_JPoland_e17b491a3d]

I already have both the X-brace and the strut reinforcements.



I have choice between this



http://www.rebmw.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/suspension/stb/acs_600.jpg



and this.



http://www.nexternal.com/bimmerworl/images/E36_Racebrace_500.JPG



For about the same price.



I want that little bit piece of mind.



On my e30 a strut brace made a huge improvement with under-steering.



the problem is the rouge race bar weighs 30lbs and the acs is probably next to nothing since mostly carbon, but most carbon fiber braces Ive seen flexes like crazy under load, but Ive never seen the acs version that why i wanted some opinions on their product.



Since it is often said that any deflection which is seen is very small, if any, I don't think the ACS brace would have to contend with much movement. As long as the effective stiffness isn't too low then I wouldn't see that as an issue.



30 lbs? Rogues website says the racebrace is 6.9 lbs

[m3f_fiveightan_7e37700daf]

Doesn't anyone know which strut braces have footprints that conform well to the curvature of the tower...as opposed to the ones that are just kind of sandwiched on there?


I have to pick one of these up, but it will be primarily to protect the towers. I'd like something that had some decent R&D to conform to the tower well.