How good is the strut brace? Performance wise?

[m3f_PurduinaM3_5769f9ad51]

I am currently looking for a Sparco tower brace for my M, but as someone mentioned they seem to be hard to find for some reason. They are a nice, solid one piece unit, and can be painted to body color. They are not really much good on the reinforcement bit as they only bolt to 2 of the 3 points on the tower.



Wait, what?? :shifty:



http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu76/bdbello/AST%20install/SANY0242_Medium.jpg

[m3f_Jvanmater_0ce9a41d55]

I am currently looking for a Sparco tower brace for my M, but as someone mentioned they seem to be hard to find for some reason. They are a nice, solid one piece unit, and can be painted to body color. They are not really much good on the reinforcement bit as they only bolt to 2 of the 3 points on the tower.



yea that is only on E30's and maybe some other older gen models.

[m3f_///Mvon3_184b5071af]

Yea, all 3 bolts here and I did paint it black to match the engine bay better. I need to get some pictures and post and see what you all think (Is there an info thread on braces?). Sparco is the way to go, cheap, functional and out of the way for the most part. I got mine a few years back for a 100 bucks.

[m3f_RoodAwaken_c5ff96f5a6]

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





I have the Racebrace. While it blocks access to the dipstick slightly, it's a quality piece and looks awesome, too. Oh...and while the Racebrace is sold by Rogue, it's actually designed and manufactured by none other than Mason Engineering.:thumbsup2:

[m3f_white-hot_43c6fde783]

Wait, what?? :shifty:



http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu76/bdbello/AST%20install/SANY0242_Medium.jpg



OK, Ok, so I am thinking of the E30, my bad!!:raspberry:



http://www.nexternal.com/bimmerworl/images/sparcobrace_e30_med.jpg



You are of course correct, I think the last one I saw was on an E30 and it threw me off. In any case, I WANT ONE!!!:thumbsup2:

[m3f_PurduinaM3_5769f9ad51]

Ahh, gotcha, I didn't know that they were different on other cars - learn something new everyday!! :thumbsup2:


Wanna buy mine? I'll sell it to you for $250, powder coated any color that you want! :rofl3:

[m3f_white-hot_43c6fde783]

Ahh, gotcha, I didn't know that they were different on other cars - learn something new everyday!! :thumbsup2:



Wanna buy mine? I'll sell it to you for $250, powder coated any color that you want! :rofl3:



LOL, slight mark up there, huh? I have been on the bimmerworld waiting list for a while. Not sure if there is any other good place to get one. I would be happy to buy yours but you can leave it the stock orange. If you are serious send me a PM and I am sure we can do business. :thumbsup2:

[m3f_ZiMMie_13f67b8054]

ended up getting the acs bar. it weights next to nothing and very very strong when installed. I had to modify the idle control valve piping for it to fit.



It barely clears the fuel rail. it has exactly 5.3MM clearance between the top of the rail and bar.



after installing it last weekend, I've put on 3,500 hard KM and it i don't see and signs of the bar touching the rail.



the front end of the car feels more solid during "Turing in".



well worth it :thumbsup2:



http://oi56.tinypic.com/295wd0.jpg

[m3f_Petrucci_b9bf1bcab1]

ended up getting the acs bar. it weights next to nothing and very very strong when installed. I had to modify the idle control valve piping for it to fit.


It barely clears the fuel rail. it has exactly 5.3MM clearance between the top of the rail and bar.


after installing it last weekend, I've put on 3,500 hard KM and it i don't see and signs of the bar touching the rail.


the front end of the car feels more solid during "Turing in".


well worth it :thumbsup2:


http://oi56.tinypic.com/295wd0.jpg


http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhgqomUNqw1qeukm9o1_500.jpg


:drool:

[m3f_cracky_88af6b7d5a]

5.3mm is plenty and i bet anything you feel is placebo


still looks decent.

[m3f_ASC FTL_ccd289122e]

Hey guys I found the pic I was thinking of earlier.



Here's how much "it doesn't matter" - this guy's factory brace broke. There's clearly movement in the area under stress and keeping the geometry is more important than what kind of alignment you got as it changes under load - when it matters the most. So I'll stick with thinking they help especially in the front where the heavy engine is and a wide open field of nothing as far as support because of the hood. :twocents: It certainly made a nice difference on my integra - I used a factory R brace after i swapped over the R suspension.



having said that i don't have one right now. I wanted an OEM e36 one but those things are harder to find than a real picture of dead Bin Laden :shifty:

[m3f_OahuMPower_17503f01cd]

Get one that does not have hinges.



not that shiet again :facepalm:

[m3f_Jvanmater_0ce9a41d55]

Just got an email about a week ago from Bimmerworld saying the Sparco strut bars are back in stock.

:twocents:

[m3f_PurduinaM3_5769f9ad51]

Hey guys I found the pic I was thinking of earlier.



Here's how much "it doesn't matter" - this guy's factory brace broke. There's clearly movement in the area under stress and keeping the geometry is more important than what kind of alignment you got as it changes under load - when it matters the most. So I'll stick with thinking they help especially in the front where the heavy engine is and a wide open field of nothing as far as support because of the hood. :twocents: It certainly made a nice difference on my integra - I used a factory R brace after i swapped over the R suspension.



having said that i don't have one right now. I wanted an OEM e36 one but those things are harder to find than a real picture of dead Bin Laden :shifty:



Are you sure that car wasn't in an accident? i broke my old factory strut bar on my old car, but the car was in a huge front end impact that totaled it... if that's just some picture from the internet then who knows what the story was.



Just got an email about a week ago from Bimmerworld saying the Sparco strut bars are back in stock.

:twocents:



Damn, really?? That sucks bro, I know how much you wanted one!

[m3f_eatsleepla_cd8297af17]

fyi theres a sparco strut brace on bimmerforums for $115