E30 Zone

Hello, this might seem an odd question, but is it possible anti roll bars make handling worse? A BMW I'm working on for PBMWC (http://racing.cookieonline.net/e30-320- ... ld-project) next year has lowered suspension (will be replaced) and a front anti roll strut attached to the suspenstion strut tops.

After enduring what seems like crazy stiffness with no benefit, I bravely decided to try it without the front brace. Wasn't sure if it was under any tension so I carefuly took the thing off (just the bar not the mounts), and the improvement is massive. I feel so much more confidence in the thing. Is it possible chavtastic mods get thrown at these cars to bad effect?

Any experience and feedback greatly appreciated!

As a rule a front Strut Brace stiffens up the front by reducing the amount of flex. You will probably notice a difference on track and also on lap times.

Your working on a BMW for racing and are calling a strut bar an antiroll bar?!

I ran my car without a brace, then with. The improvement of adding the strut bar was huge. Much sharper front end and better turn in.

It is possible the rest of the chassis setup is crap..

I have to start learning somewhere Johnno!

and a front anti roll strut attached to the suspenstion strut tops.

so a strut brace then, not an anti-roll bar.

they do make a difference, you can normally even feel it while driving on the road (depending on how hard you drive of course).

When it comes to anti-roll bars i would never think about driving a car without them fitted, you are asking for trouble.

Yeah fair one, a strut brace (I can;t change the topic title I don't think).

Johnno might be right I think it's the chassis setup, as in the lowering springs fitted that have combined with the strut brace make it feel horrible with no feel for the road. But then again maybe that's me with all my experience of normal road cars...

By the time it reaches the track it will have new suspension and I'll try it with / without the strut and may report back.

The only time I can imagine a strut brace making something handle worse is if it's an adjustable one and has been wound the wrong way to force the turrets out reducing negative camber and encouraging the towers to spread further under load.

As a rule you want the strongest stiffest base for all of the suspension to work off, to allow it to work as it should without chassis flex altering the basic geometry as loads change.

Even on a good strong modern car where they don't actually need any extra bracing they shouldn't affect te handling in a negative way.

milescook wrote:I have to start learning somewhere Johnno!

Hadn't connected your 2 threads up..

There is other issues, the strut brace only adds a stiffer/better base for the suspension to work with. Could be bushes being knackered and being shown up with a stiffer shell?

Ok cheers, that at least gives credibility to me being just not used to it. It handles more directly but I just "feel" so much less confidence. Needs to go to a track not the road I guess.

I've got uprated anti-roll bars, strut braces and coilovers on my car and you could feel the benefit of each part as I added them.

I see you're in St Ives, give me a shout if you need a hand.

Cheers Dan, that would be really appreciated. Don't want to put you out too much so PM sent! (Soon).

Ur bad handling with a strut bar will either be the bar is non uniform, ur suspension systym is set up so badly that the flex in the chassis is improving geometry,,,,, or ur cars been in an accident and the chassis is twisted,,. Also it could just be as likely to be all the above.