Strut tower bars?

[McDani3coupe]

This may sound dumb but is there any difference in brands when it comes to strut bars? I mean, is a racing dynamics one really worth the extra $100 over a no name brand? Just seeing what you guys know about these?

[BraveUlysses]

Generally not a real difference. Some ebay stuff may not have the best fit and finish, and they may or may not clear the traction control unit.

Personally, I would never spend the money for the brand name stuff--these things just don't justify the 200-300 price difference.

[Quailane]

Don't go for that ebay crap. I think Mason Engineering is the best. I have the aluminum one on my car. When the box came I thought it was empty the thing is so light.

[EgHatch93]

Quality is very KEY. Not only is the cheap ebay crap heavy, but the actual support it gives is far less aswell... Paying the extra 200-300 can make ALL the diff. in the world.

Check ours out... Its light and constructed from billet aluminum, and has a fair price tag! Lemme know if you would like to order one.
http://www.bmpdesign.com/product-exec/product_id/752/search_year/1997/search_model/56

[gimp]

I used the Sparco one. The cost was reasonable and it's fairly light for steel. The other clincher is that is used all three mounting bolts with a full ring, adding strut tower re-enforecment.

[kxl77]

Hinged < Non-Hinged

That's the biggest thing you should be concerned about when purchasing a strut bar.

[McDani3coupe]

WOW thank you guys so much for the feedback...I feel very informed!

[McDani3coupe]

is the bmp kit hinged? How can you tell?

[BraveUlysses]

Wow big shock someone selling the expensive bars shows up to plug their products!

These don't make that much of a difference--you'll find in the track subforum that nationally-competitive autocrossers can't tell any meaningful difference with them on or off the car.

[spoonerDee]

My last car i bought some ebay cheapie struts put them on... and it was like night and day. I honestly noticed a huge difference in the handling right away.

They were hinged by the way.

Havent put any on the bimmer yet. though i see alot of people say on bimmer's they dont do much, but an x brace does wonders... just food for thought.

[kxl77]

by the way, the largest difference you'll notice in terms of strut bars and what-not, is an x-brace. Take a look into those before getting a strut bar.

[McDani3coupe]

hmmmm...my brain is eating! Thanks guys!

[coosk8er55]

i wanna engineer my own .. COST would be my main focus .. its a damn piece of metal or carbon fiber when it boils down to it!!!

[metale]

X-brace FTW.

[gimp]

X-brace FTW.

Unless you are racing in a class that doesn't permit one.

The true effect of these bars is negligible at best, but it tends to be "one of those things you do" (especially in SCCA classes that permit them). I've never noticed a real effect on handling, but any little bit of chassis bracing helps. Grassroots spent over $450 on titanium braces for their Saabaru and showed no improvement in handling.

Materials don't really matter either. Steel is strong enough and cheap enough, and most people here still run stock batteries, so don't worry so much about weight.

I really don't feel there is much difference between hinged and unhinged. The primary purpose of a stress bar is the keep the strut towers from spreading under load. Either style will do this task just fine. People look to the unhinged to keep one side from rising up over the other, but those are some pretty serious forces not likely encountered very often.

[jasonf860]

Hell yes, x-brace is the best bolt on I've purchased for my ride. Improved turn in substantially and stability through the turn was dramatically improved. Anyone who buys a strut bar BEFORE an x-brace should be shot on the spot.

[metale]

Unless you are racing in a class that doesn't permit one.

I'm not ;) Mine's a DD :)


Also I don't get why some classes don't permit it. It came stock on the LTW M3.

[gimp]

I'm not ;) Mine's a DD :)


Also I don't get why some classes don't permit it. It came stock on the LTW M3.

That would be why. It would be okay on a LTW M3, but then you get excluded from some other classes just for having that car. It didn't come on my car and additional chassis bracing isn't allowed for anyone (in STS).