Strut Brace advice!

[Cypriotgeeza]

I'm looking to get a strut brace but from peoples experiences I'd like to ask if the 1 piece ones are better and more stronger then the adjustable 3 piece ones?
Or do you really not notice the difference?

I ask because you can get a 3 piece for around £30-£50 but the 1 piece ones are around the £100 mark..
Is this a case of getting what you pay for?

1 Piece:


3 Piece:


I know I'm driving a cabby and the body flex is alot.. I'm not looking for a le-mans racer..I just want to stiffen it up a bit!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[steve_k]

top one, fixed is the one you want.

hinged one's are purely for looks/show & serve no purpose.

also, change your script color can't see it lol.

[Cypriotgeeza]

top one, fixed is the one you want.

hinged one's are purely for looks/show & serve no purpose.

also, change your script color can't see it lol.

I thought so!

Do these benefit from rear strut braces aswell or can they not be fitted to cabby's?

Can anyone recommend / show pics of ones they have? Would they clear the big 6 (M30) lump in the bay?

Thanx as always

[daimlerman]

Rear strut brace fits across the top of the damper mounts,so you is going to struggle with a cabbie!



( the bottom of the hood compartment serves the same purpose)

[steve_k]

If you really want a good strut brace then go for the sparco twin tube one,

Very stiff but not cheap.

[Cypriotgeeza]

If you really want a good strut brace then go for the sparco twin tube one,

Very stiff but not cheap.

Cheers man! Im going to look into this further now i know what track to go down

[bosers]

I got a smart black one piece one from GC Fabrication, about 90 quid I think.

[Cypriotgeeza]

I got a smart black one piece one from GC Fabrication, about 90 quid I think.

Do you have pics mate?

[daimlerman]

Please post up your results after fitting,I'm yet to be convinced that a front strut will make a significant difference to a cabbie shell.
Afterall,BMW fitted those flitch plates between the strut top and the inner wing....

[Cypriotgeeza]

Please post up your results after fitting,I'm yet to be convinced that a front strut will make a significant difference to a cabbie shell.
Afterall,BMW fitted those flitch plates between the strut top and the inner wing....

Ill be honest im a bit skeptical myself but fu*# it! Cant really go wrong with it tbh lol

I will let you all know how i get on when i get one

[bosers]

I'll try post some tomorrow mate.

[bosers]

Look at the website, GCFabrications. Easier than me trying to upload to this bloody thing!

[steve_k]

sparco must be good as they seemed to be fitted to hargte's car's.

[Rav335uk]

Get one Eren, I've had one on the cab since the M30 conversion, and you do notice the difference.

[daimlerman]

Please excuse the silly 4 cylinder engine and the general scruffiness,it's a 6 year old photo at best!

But the plating I refered to above can be clearly seen.

I have no doubt that a decent quality brace will stiffen a 25 year old saloon/touring,but I have doubts if one will improve a cabbie.....but I'm happy to be proved wrong...

[bosers]

Those webbed feet won't stop the tops of the towers moving towards each other in a corner. I noticed a difference when I fitted one to my touring. Feels more like a rollerskate than before!

[daimlerman]

Those webbed feet won't stop the tops of the towers moving towards each other in a corner. I noticed a difference when I fitted one to my touring. Feels more like a rollerskate than before!

My feeling is that if you added those flitch plates to a saloon/touring shell,you would not need to obstruct the engine bay with a brace....but I'm happy to be proved wrong...

[BHadley]

Ultra racing do a cab lower brace. Upper and lower = very taught feeling chassis

[Cypriotgeeza]

Get one Eren, I've had one on the cab since the M30 conversion, and you do notice the difference.

Will do Rav thanks for the input!

Which one do you have?

Ultra racing do a cab lower brace. Upper and lower = very taught feeling chassis

This is tempting

Im thinking definantly an upper brace and possibly a lower one too. .
The E46 clubsport rack + the m3 eccentric bushes (which are already fitted) should tighten it up a bit for the time being (untill I overhaul the suspension)

[Cypriotgeeza]

Look at the website, GCFabrications. Easier than me trying to upload to this bloody thing!

GCFabrications £80 quid

Looks cool in the bay!


Ultra racing Lower brace £133.67


I would like to see how and where that secures onto as it looks like its just floating there in the pic

Ultra racing Strut brace £94.86


Hmmm...

[clarko74]

The Ultra Racing ones have slotted holes which I didn't like the look of.

[Motorhole]

Feel free to correct me if you think I'm wrong, but I'm not convinced that lower brace would do a great deal in that position except add unnecessary weight as the mounting points (assuming it's using the redundant rack holes) and there's too much scope for flex in the tubing leading to the rear mounting points.

Look at the OEM E36 one for comparison:

[pacerpete]

A FIXED brace makes a noticeable difference on a convertible as it ties the strut towers together. As the front lower chassis rails have the cross member tying them together, I cannot see the lower brace one being of much benefit.

[Cypriotgeeza]

As always thanks for the input guys its much appreciated!

I will get a Top one for sure, use it until I get used to the way it feels then maybe get a lower one to see if it makes any more difference. If it doesn't I could always sell it on!

[bss325i]

A rear strut brace is of no benefit as the rear shocks to mounts (which is where the brace bolts to) is not a geometrical critical position.

[Kos]

A rear strut brace is of no benefit as the rear shocks to mounts (which is where the brace bolts to) is not a geometrical critical position.

But it helps re enforce the turret which will can crack

[pacerpete]

A rear strut brace is of no benefit as the rear shocks to mounts (which is where the brace bolts to) is not a geometrical critical position.

But it helps re enforce the turret which will can crack

I would highly recommend a rear brace if proper coil over rear suspension units are used as the turret was never designed to handle that kind of load / force. On normally suspended cars they are pointless (reinforcement plates are obviously worthwhile ) on convertibles, impossible and not needed due to the hood well.

[bss325i]

A rear strut brace is of no benefit as the rear shocks to mounts (which is where the brace bolts to) is not a geometrical critical position.

But it helps re enforce the turret which will can crack

I would highly recommend a rear brace if proper coil over rear suspension units are used as the turret was never designed to handle that kind of load / force. On normally suspended cars they are pointless (reinforcement plates are obviously worthwhile ) on convertibles, impossible and not needed due to the hood well.

If you want reinforcement, just use some Z3 reinforcement plates.

The purpose of a strut brace is to stop flex which gives geometry changes, camber being the main one.

As said, the rear shock top mounts are not geometrically critical, you could change the angle of the shock and camber, toe and caster would remain the same for the rear wheels.

[polsta]

I don't know about a cab but front braces made lovely difference to both my e30s I fitted too

Avoid any cheap/alloy/eBay junk , I bought a £50 one once sent it straight back

Fitted a RPM one to my old IS, decent brace looked great in a black car, very solid good value

I fitted a brand new sparco twin tube a couple of months ago to the tech 1, looks super and well made im happy with it,they are £240 , BUT this is what I did ...

I was googling and found this place , I think it was this place , they are listed £130 odd then the vat or whatever it comes in at about 160 I think

But you can't order them , final checkout to put in payment details is disabled, phone was dead, I presume company went bust years ago but left website up or something , that was my expirience/thoughts anyway

http://www.autotintdesign.com/Strut%20Brace/strut.htm

But I phoned demon Tweeks who is £240 , but price match , I asked gave him the website , he checked it whilst on phone just look at listed price , then said well yeah we price match (lol) and sold me one for £160 delivered , bargain !! Give it a go[/list]

[steve_k]

let me get this straight, £240+ for a twin tube sparco strut brace?? is that just for the front? or rear as well??

fook me sideways, i only paid £160 for mine incl the rear one, mind you that was nearly 10yr's ago, but feck me that is a hell of a mark up.

[polsta]

I know !! Not that many places sell them either , once you look at various priced + vat or and + delivery or all in etc they are around the same, I was chuffed to pay 160 with the above slight scam teqnique

[steve_k]

I know !! Not that many places sell them either , once you look at various priced + vat or and + delivery or all in etc they are around the same, I was chuffed to pay 160 with the above slight scam teqnique

can't fault you

[minesapint]

I've been looking at these for a while now, has anyone any experiences or views on them?
http://www.masonengineering.net/Subpages/E30.htm

Cheers

[Demlotcrew]

On the rear, what kills the towers is not compression, but the rebound forces from the damper, I run a rear and front bar (for compression and rebound support) even the slightest flex means the dampers have to work so much harder - very critical on the rear for an E30.