Front Strut Braces - Worth Fitting?
Moderator: martauto
-
LondonTom
- E30 Zone Camper

- Posts: 1431
- Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:00 pm
Car is running Gaz golds up front and gaz adjustables at the rear, polybushed etc, but standard arb's.
Is the money better spent elsewhere?
Is the money better spent elsewhere?
-
MillRat
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 249
- Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: Santiago, Chile
My strut towers are starting to show signs of cracking at the welds, and I believe that if I didn't have the big strut brace fitted, they would have cracked a long time ago.
My answer is that strut braces are good on a race car (as a fatigue limiting add on). I cannot say whether the strut brace has improved the car handling however.
My answer is that strut braces are good on a race car (as a fatigue limiting add on). I cannot say whether the strut brace has improved the car handling however.

Cheers,
Michael.
-
TouringTash
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 3804
- Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2010 11:00 pm
- Location: Kent
not a lot of money and would help tie up the front end a bit.
Fronm what I have read on here that the rears are best left alone and use oem bushes and not poly as having a little give on the rear is always handy
Fronm what I have read on here that the rears are best left alone and use oem bushes and not poly as having a little give on the rear is always handy
318i Touring
-
thebigfella
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 16
- Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2010 11:00 pm
tell me more about the rear .TouringTash wrote:not a lot of money and would help tie up the front end a bit.
Fronm what I have read on here that the rears are best left alone and use oem bushes and not poly as having a little give on the rear is always handy
-
UweM3
- E30 Zone Squatter

- Posts: 1657
- Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2005 11:00 pm
always thought you won't need them on a rear wheel driven E30 but changed my mind after seeing a lot of stress cracked front suspension turrets over the years.
Sparco Steel bar is not a lot of money and well worth it IMHO
Sparco Steel bar is not a lot of money and well worth it IMHO
-
RPM
- E30 Zone Regular

- Posts: 307
- Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: Essex
-
Barx325i
- Engaged to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 6493
- Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:00 pm
spacco is good - a bit harsh on the road, I'd imagine it's good on track - alloy twin tube is perfect for road use, it has a springiness to it which is nice - I'm about to fit a cab arb & see what happens
-
UweM3
- E30 Zone Squatter

- Posts: 1657
- Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2005 11:00 pm
?? harsh on the road? I bet you wouldn't feel a difference in a blind folded test with the bar on and offBarx325i wrote:spacco is good - a bit harsh on the road, I'd imagine it's good on track - alloy twin tube is perfect for road use, it has a springiness to it which is nice - I'm about to fit a cab arb & see what happens
-
Barx325i
- Engaged to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 6493
- Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:00 pm
you're on 
what sort of a comment is that anyway?
Are you saying there's no difference, or are you implying I wouldn't know?
I could tell you what psi each of your tires has.... just by getting in and closing the door
what sort of a comment is that anyway?
Are you saying there's no difference, or are you implying I wouldn't know?
I could tell you what psi each of your tires has.... just by getting in and closing the door
-
TouringTash
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 3804
- Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2010 11:00 pm
- Location: Kent
Barx325i wrote: I could tell you what psi each of your tires has.... just by getting in and closing the door
318i Touring
-
N00b
- E30 Zone Addict

- Posts: 3954
- Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2008 11:00 pm
- Location: Purgatory
Strut braces are probably the cheapest way to sharpen up your chassis possible. Rear braces don't really do anything as the rear turrets aren't affected anywhere near as much as the fronts are by bodyshell flex.....but a rear brace may improve things on an old car as the shell has lost some rigidity compared to when it left the factory. If we were talking about newer cars though the rear brace is more cosmetic than functional.
-
djs325
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 248
- Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 11:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
A rear brace on an E30 is basically cosmetic, unless you do a rear coilover conversion; in which case you would combine a rear brace with some turret reinforcing.
E30racing.com.au - Like Production BMW Cup, but upside down!
-
UweM3
- E30 Zone Squatter

- Posts: 1657
- Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2005 11:00 pm
Ok Luis, I admire your abilities. Can't wait to see you in action demonstrating. I am going to call you the tyre wisperer after you prooved it.Barx325i wrote:you're on
what sort of a comment is that anyway?
Are you saying there's no difference, or are you implying I wouldn't know?
I could tell you what psi each of your tires has.... just by getting in and closing the door
The F1 teams must bombard you with job offers. I am jealous
Last edited by UweM3 on Wed Sep 22, 2010 3:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
Mikey_Boy
- E30 Zone Regular

- Posts: 996
- Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:00 pm
- Location: Cheshire - trying to avoid the bling!
Sparco strut front brace worked for me a treat - I have Gaz coilovers as well. Car mainly used on track but driven to and from the circuits.
Also found that Eibach ARB's work really well with Gaz coilovers...
Also found that Eibach ARB's work really well with Gaz coilovers...
-
Francisco
- E30 Zone Regular

- Posts: 441
- Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:00 pm
@RPM, have you trial fitted your bars on a CF Airbox fitted S14 in the end?

