Strut Braces

[ADAz3M]

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...g-it-tech-dept

interesting, but not that much information aside from that one quote there.

Would be interesting to see some actual test results, especially on older cars.

The machine is expensive, but not THAT expensive that other shops/places shouldn't have one. Surprised others aren't out there.

[Bcar]

interesting, but not that much information aside from that one quote there.

Would be interesting to see some actual test results, especially on older cars.

The machine is expensive, but not THAT expensive that other shops/places shouldn't have one. Surprised others aren't out there.

I don’t know, $3m is a pretty steep capital investment for any non-OEM tuner or shop. Ive gotten to play with two of them, and they're really, really neat machines. Still not as cool as the MTS roadway simulator though!

I wonder if his results are from racecars (already stiffened up a lot), modern cars, older cars, convertibles vs. coupes, etc. very interesting comment though. I would "guess" the benefits of any bracing on an already stiffened up sports car would be less than on something like a Focus.

BMW put them on the E46 M3 remember, I wouldn’t think they'd waste the money w/o any benefit, might not be a lot though...

[ADAz3M]

I wonder if his results are from racecars (already stiffened up a lot), modern cars, older cars, convertibles vs. coupes, etc. very interesting comment though. I would "guess" the benefits of any bracing on an already stiffened up sports car would be less than on something like a Focus.

BMW put them on the E46 M3 remember, I wouldn’t think they'd waste the money w/o any benefit, might not be a lot though...

Right, that's what I'm getting at. From that article, I don't know what was tested and how. Would be great to know.

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Whether they are all beneficial or all not seems like a rough generalization.

Can we say they definitively do nothing?
I'd offer my own evidence of the strut brace in my e30 (albeit a shitty one) shearing apart at one of the welds. I'd assume that wouldn't happen if there were no forces ever acting on it.

[rf900rkw]

There is a large gulf between forces being applied and being beneficial. Likewise, there is a big difference between NVH and handling. The quote was very specific about no improvement in handling.

Handling is about keeping the wheels/tires at the ideal position. Quantify the loads. Quantify the vectors. Then tell me putting a Popsicle stick between the strut towers of a chassis that is already pretty stiff in that area is going to do much of anything when compared to the flex and deflection of the suspension bushings and arms themselves.

[ADAz3M]

There is a large gulf between forces being applied and being beneficial. Likewise, there is a big difference between NVH and handling. The quote was very specific about no improvement in handling.

Handling is about keeping the wheels/tires at the ideal position. Quantify the loads. Quantify the vectors. Then tell me putting a Popsicle stick between the strut towers of a chassis that is already pretty stiff in that area is going to do much of anything when compared to the flex and deflection of the suspension bushings and arms themselves.

I don't disagree.

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would just like to see the evidence and what was tested