Strutt braces (are they worth it?)

[William]

Thinking of getting a strut brace for my cab. Firstly are they a good way to spend >Ԛ£100 and if so what should I go for? Andrew (Demlotcrew) suggested a double sparco to me ages ago, just wondered if that was the general concensus or if other people have other ideas?

thanks

[kam-325i]

They can tighten the front end up on cornering, But i dont know about the cab's because the lack of a roof. Where does the stress go ?

[NIX]

Hi mate,

I've got a twin tubed sparco strut brace, and to be honest with you, due to the fact that my car has a few handling issues at the moment I haven't really been able to notice a huge difference and haven't really ragged it round bends too much. Waiting to get a few bits and pieces sorted first. But will say that in the mean time it has atleast made the engine bay look tastier. I'm sure it has stiffened the car up somewhat and is worth Ԛ£100, but beware, as mine can be a bit of a bitch to put on and take off as its not aligned for a snug fit between the turrets - bit tight. Just means a bit more swearing when working around it or changing the suspension.

[kam-325i]

The tightness of the fit can be caused by the turrets "sagging" over time.

[orangecurry]

in other peoples opinions that I've read, no not worth it... doubly-so not worth it with a cab, because you already have strengthening sections welded on both sides of your front turrets... the strut brace will add very very little

however, I'm sure someone will disagree; that's the great thing about the 'zone

[NIX]

Kam-325i

That would make sence since I had to have some welding done below the turrets due to rust/holes of which would have reduced the stiffness before I got it sorted.

[Simon13]

a strut brace on it's own does not make a massive difference, but when u add it to a car which has all the other good suspension parts on it, it fine tunes it even more, if u get me.

Like a 6 branch manifold will help alot more a tuned 6 pot engine, than a standard engine with the 6 branch fitted on it's own

[NIX]

in other peoples opinions that I've read, no not worth it... doubly-so not worth it with a cab, because you already have strengthening sections welded on both sides of your front turrets... the strut brace will add very very little

however, I'm sure someone will disagree; that's the great thing about the 'zone

Even though I've got a twin tubed brace, I do think it is a bit uneccessary, single would have done fine. But its not a great deal more expensive than a single brace and looks meaty...ggrrrr!

[orangecurry]

here's a picture I took of my cab turret for another thread!



note the triangle-ish plate welded on the outer-side and the long box-section welded on the inner-side of the turret running down to the chassis - these are not present on non-cabs

[William]

a strut brace on it's own does not make a massive difference, but when u add it to a car which has all the other good suspension parts on it, it fine tunes it even more, if u get me.

Like a 6 branch manifold will help alot more a tuned 6 pot engine, than a standard engine with the 6 branch fitted on it's own

I see, I guess standard Mtech suspension probably doesn't fall into this bracket, whereas maybe an H&R Cup kit might?

orange, I didnt realise those bits were not present in non-cabs, there are so many differences all over the car in pretty much every aspect, shows how much of a 'designed' cab the e30 was for its time, rather than just an after thought of chopping the roof off!

[zaust]

here's a picture I took of my cab turret for another thread!



note the triangle-ish plate welded on the outer-side and the long box-section welded on the inner-side of the turret running down to the chassis - these are not present on non-cabs

looks like you had a big whack m8..

strut braces are to stop over flexing under extreem conditions ie trak use.
which in turn will cause under or over steer depending on corner/drift.

[Demlotcrew]

looks like you had a big whack m8..

What makes you say that?

Andrew

[zaust]

Thats how i made mine stronger after replacing the wing, flitch and having
had a jig. still got ripples too..

[ian332isport]

the long box-section welded on the inner-side of the turret running down to the chassis - these are not present on non-cabs

Yes they are

Here's a picture of the one on my Sport.



Ian.

[Simon13]

Ian is that your flintstones E30? wheres Barny?

[ian332isport]

Ian is that your flintstones E30? wheres Barny?

[herman]

Did'nt have them on my last M3, got them front (twin) and back on Herman M3, do make a difference. I think single are just as good.

[Chaos]

a strut brace on it's own does not make a massive difference, but when u add it to a car which has all the other good suspension parts on it, it fine tunes it even more, if u get me.

Like a 6 branch manifold will help alot more a tuned 6 pot engine, than a standard engine with the 6 branch fitted on it's own

not quite.

i used to know a guy who was a suspension engineer for Ford r&d.
he stated that a strut brace "should" do nothing, but in reality simply allows the suspension to do what its desinged to do.
the problems occur due to the production cars not being as torsionally stiff as the prototypes where the suspension is developed - in this instance adding a strut brace then helps to bring everything back to how it should be.

[nikos]

on the cab you will see a huge difference if you use the cross brace to the bridge, see mine

[orangecurry]

here's a picture I took of my cab turret for another thread!

note the triangle-ish plate welded on the outer-side and the long box-section welded on the inner-side of the turret running down to the chassis - these are not present on non-cabs

looks like you had a big whack m8..

strut braces are to stop over flexing under extreem conditions ie trak use.
which in turn will cause under or over steer depending on corner/drift.

no whacks of any kind - I've had 2 cabs and the factory-welding was identical

I haven't seen these extras on any other E30, and was told they never were - obviously that is wrong... are they on every Sport as well?

[ian332isport]

As far as I'm aware, all E30's have the brace running up the long side of the strut tower. You are correct about the ones that go from the strut tower to the inner wing though. This was a cabrio specific thing.

Ian.

[orangecurry]

strange... I must be going mad.... again

anyway, cabs also have an extra wodge of metal behind the dash from one side of the car to the other - see MrLees pictures on another thread

that'll be doing as good a job as any strut brace

[nikos]

yes, but you forget they are cabs

[orangecurry]

yes, but you forget they are cabs

in what way? If there is already extra stengthening at the front, a strut brace can't really make much difference if any; if something is braced, it's braced.

what WOULD make a difference on a cab is, say, oooh I don't know... something higher up... that ran somehow overhead.. say...erm... a roof

[mrLEE30]

here you go, will save you the searching!


reckon in a cab the difference will be mainly imaginary, plenty of bracing there, but then again why are they on race/rally cars?? personallly the 100 quid would be better spent on a new set of shock absorbers or bushes, that would improve the car

[nikos]

then why bmw used the cross brace for the later cabrio? and why is a standart bmw item?

[Demlotcrew]

then why bmw used the cross brace for the later cabrio? and why is a standart bmw item?

What cross brace?

Andrew

[Demlotcrew]

Thats how i made mine stronger after replacing the wing, flitch and having
had a jig. still got ripples too..

Ha ha, thats not welds! its pannel sealent many E30's have the same!

Andrew

[d6dph]

well having just got back from a good (if a little slippery) thrash around the backroads of colchester. i can say my car feels a lot better for having a brace fitted.

the car is sound, no rust or knackered bushes, and its made it loads nicer to push hard. worth the bucks i'd say

[stevetigger]

here you go, will save you the searching!


reckon in a cab the difference will be mainly imaginary, plenty of bracing there, but then again why are they on race/rally cars?? personallly the 100 quid would be better spent on a new set of shock absorbers or bushes, that would improve the car

Normal E30's have that!

[mrLEE30]

cabs must just be thicker, i know that cause i tried putting a coupe dash in a cab and it wouldn't fit (four fckin hours of pi55in about) then i had to cut about two inches off each end.

[Chaos]

cabs must just be thicker, i know that cause i tried putting a coupe dash in a cab and it wouldn't fit (four fckin hours of pi55in about) then i had to cut about two inches off each end.

the windscreens are the same.

[Cotty]

Well I dont care if it does anything or not but the one I bought from the Zone Shop is going on anyway.

Suspension is being done at the same time so not sure if I wil be able to see a difference as it not bing changed on its own

[M5pilot]

Strut braces make a difference. There are lots of people who have tried them and come back saying they feel the front to ride better and turn in alot better.

[stevetigger]

Strut braces make a difference. There are lots of people who have tried them and come back saying they feel the front to ride better and turn in alot better.

But what about on a convertible?