How good is the strut brace? Performance wise?

[m3f_Roland H_da3d16ded4]

Besides OEM, RallyRoad has a decent one:


http://www.rallyroad.net/content/rally-road-bmw-e36-strut-tower-bar

[m3f_camdinans3_bfa1f49a41]

nick, my dinan one conforms completely to the curvature of the tower, including the raised portions. might not be the BEST brace but it does the job of protecting the towers.

[m3f_Anubis_1a58e4eec0]

I like mine. I don't drive hard enough to notice any difference, but it looks pretty, and I'll take any opportunity I can get to post pics of it.


http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh4/themadrussian/IMG_1320.jpg


http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh4/themadrussian/IMG_1322.jpg

[m3f_Eryan36_6bb224d34f]

I have the AA brace, it has gaps for the ridges in the tower. I don't expect any great stiffness coming from it, it's basically a big washer to me.

[m3f_JPoland_e17b491a3d]

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.


Actually, I would tend to agree with your reasoning and I am betting that under some circumstances the tower is deformed or deforms before tearing. However, I happen to know that cracks are a common issue, well common for strut tower failure.

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/m3newbooty/Ital-shocktoweredited4.jpg

It looks like this person didn't have the reinforcement plates in which probably caused the issue but I just used it as an example of them cracking.

Calvin also had to deal with a crack as well so he can confirm or clarify this better than I.


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.


The Mason brace I have conforms well to the tower. I suppose John Mason would be the best person to comment but my understanding is that he has done his homework very well as is his general reputation. I don't know about other braces though so not trying to promote one over the other. The mount is somewhat compliant though so any small differences from car to car can be compensated for, or that is what I speculate is the reason.


One feature I do like about the Mason brace is that it seems to be designed to ensure that you get very good contact around the strut tower bolt holes.


http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr164/JoeRPoe/Euro%20Expansion%20Tank/DSCF1578.jpg

This was meant to be a picture of the Euro expansion tank mounting but you can see how the area where the nut sits is slightly sunken. I like this since the holes are stress risers in the tower and thus the most likely spot for cracks to start if they aren't supported well.

[m3f_Jvanmater_0ce9a41d55]

Out of those 2 definitely go with the Rogue Race Brace. The ACS piece is closed above the strut mount so if you have top adjustable struts or camber plates there is no way to adjust either. As JPoland said there is no way the race brace weighs 30 lbs, more like < 10 lbs, it is steel.



Another great option that JPoland already stated is the mason engineering bar. Him and I both run it.

[m3f_fiveightan_7e37700daf]

The Mason brace I have conforms well to the tower. I suppose John Mason would be the best person to comment but my understanding is that he has done his homework very well as is his general reputation. I don't know about other braces though so not trying to promote one over the other. The mount is somewhat compliant though so any small differences from car to car can be compensated for, or that is what I speculate is the reason.


One feature I do like about the Mason brace is that it seems to be designed to ensure that you get very good contact around the strut tower bolt holes.


This was meant to be a picture of the Euro expansion tank mounting but you can see how the area where the nut sits is slightly sunken. I like this since the holes are stress risers in the tower and thus the most likely spot for cracks to start if they aren't supported well.

Thanks Joe. I like the look of the fitment on that. That's exactly what i'm talking about. I've seen bars that don't conform to the towers well, and just wind up transferring stress to the ridges around the tower...as opposed to making it uniform.


Mason is on the short list. I'll have to see what else is out there that fits the bill :beer:


EDIT: Actually, in looking at the pics on the Mason site, it doesn't look like the fitment in the pic you posted. Maybe it's the angles :clueless:


http://www.masonengineering.net/images/E36AFCfrontAl.gif

[m3f_epj3_d2e882815a]

+2 internet to those who said use it for reinforcement.

[m3f_ASC FTL_ccd289122e]

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



The x brace made a nice difference.



I don't have a strut brace, but would like one for many reasons... It keeps the towers from mushrooming out and the more triangulation in the suspension the better! Someone mentioned that it has been MEASURED ineffective but i just don't believe it.



Have you guys ever seen pics of the busted e46 M3 strut bar?



There's obviously tension and compression going on. Strut bars made a VERY noticeable difference at turn in on my Integra, and a HUGE difference in my vette (it doesn't have struts, but instead a true aluminum double wishbone :thumbsup2: - there's still a top brace for them)



I kept looking for a Motorsport piece, but will probably have to give up on that since they are so god damn rare and get something generic.

[m3f_OahuMPower_17503f01cd]

My dinan brace (same as Andjoo's) conforms to the strut tower as well. I have modified OEM plates on the bottom, and the car has had BOTH since I've owned the car. (Bought Dinan brace within first 6 months of ownership)



Even with BOTH of these reinforcement plates being present, I STILL cracked BOTH of my front strut housings

[m3f_SteveTVM3_88e87a1f3b]

I believe that rogue brace is magnesium and weighs less than 7 lbs. I was looking into it a while back and it seemed like one of the best options next to the pricey oem one.

[m3f_slickfast_363624089e]

Actually, I would tend to agree with your reasoning and I am betting that under some circumstances the tower is deformed or deforms before tearing. However, I happen to know that cracks are a common issue, well common for strut tower failure.

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/m3newbooty/Ital-shocktoweredited4.jpg

It looks like this person didn't have the reinforcement plates in which probably caused the issue but I just used it as an example of them cracking.

Calvin also had to deal with a crack as well so he can confirm or clarify this better than I.


Interesting. I wonder if it's a case of metal fatigue which would cause a brittle fracture to the fatigued area. Either way, that's not a good thing to have.


I really wish people made just straight-up reinforcement plates... I haven't seen any for our cars, but I feel like a number of us would spring for them if they were available. Reinforcement plates are WAY better than just using a strut brace... they're uber thick, cover the ENTIRE strut tower, and are made to withstand deformation (unlike a brace which is primarily meant to fix the distance between the two towers). In the MINI world, these are among the FIRST mods one should make for preventative maintenance:


M7 Strut Tower Reinforcement Plates: (http://www.waymotorworks.com/m7-strut-tower-reinforcement-plates.html)

http://www.waymotorworks.com/images/P/stp1-01.jpg

[m3f_SteveTVM3_88e87a1f3b]

^ i would definitely buy a set of those if they were available.

[m3f_ASC FTL_ccd289122e]

Dang.







Oahu - were you running some really brutal springs? I'm scared all over again!

[m3f_slickfast_363624089e]

yeah, see? Reinforcement plates are REINFORCEMENT plates. :thumbsup2: