[stardustin86]

Anyone here has actual experience with a strut brace? I've read online that apart from aesthetics there's nothing much this item offers.

But of course companies who sell them tell me there is are actual benefits in terms of stability, the chassis not deforming over time etc.

Thoughts on this?

[M Fifty]

Buying one for a car that already has one from the factory is - as you say - not going to make much difference.

The setup for the M2C does offer quite a difference compared to the one in the OG and LCI though, but that is a multi-part item that attaches in many more places around the engine bay and suspension towers.

HTH

[DanG]

I have a strut brace. I feel that it improve the steering feel.

[M Fifty]

Originally Posted by DanG

I have a strut brace. I feel that it improve the steering feel.

Technically, you have an additional strut brace. Interesting to hear it helps though.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by M Fifty

Technically, you have an additional strut brace. Interesting to hear it helps though.

Technically it had corner braces from the factory but no strut brace, I also upgraded the corner braces with Turner carbon braces.

[F87source]

I have an aluminum strut brace as well, personally I personally haven't noticed any drastic improvements in steering feel. I have tried hitting the curbs and my drive way at different angles to have just one wheel go up at a time to see if there is any improvements but I don't notice any extra stiffness. Same goes with steering improvements, and I have removed and reinstalled the bar many times.


Also compared to the F30 guys who notice large improvements in steering feel I doubt us F87 guys will get the same results because we have an enormous stiffening plate under the car which really tightens up the front end and we have a lot of extra stiffening components and bracing that the normal F30's don't have.

[M Fifty]

Originally Posted by DanG

Technically it had corner braces from the factory but no strut brace, I also upgraded the corner braces with Turner carbon braces.

Under the plastic covers below the windscreen - it bolts between the strut top caps and the middle of the firewall.

HTH

[stardustin86]

Originally Posted by F87source

I have an aluminum strut brace as well, personally I personally haven't noticed any drastic improvements in steering feel. I have tried hitting the curbs and my drive way at different angles to have just one wheel go up at a time to see if there is any improvements but I don't notice any extra stiffness. Same goes with steering improvements, and I have removed and reinstalled the bar many times.


Also compared to the F30 guys who notice large improvements in steering feel I doubt us F87 guys will get the same results because we have an enormous stiffening plate under the car which really tightens up the front end and we have a lot of extra stiffening components and bracing that the normal F30's don't have.

That's a good point on the stiffening plate. I feel in the end I will probably just go for it for aesthetics purposes LOL

Which brand are you currently on?

[stardustin86]

Originally Posted by M Fifty

Buying one for a car that already has one from the factory is - as you say - not going to make much difference.

The setup for the M2C does offer quite a difference compared to the one in the OG and LCI though, but that is a multi-part item that attaches in many more places around the engine bay and suspension towers.

HTH

Cheers dude, brand wise any recommendations?

One of the lads above has a Racing Dynamics one (pure aluminium, no black coating), have also seen the Masata one online which has a black coating.

There's also the Wiechers one, but that doesn't have a black coating again.

You lot know any other brands who have a black coating or is it just Masata who does them?

[stardustin86]

Originally Posted by DanG

I have a strut brace. I feel that it improve the steering feel.

Defo interesting to see how some feel it helps steering while some don't really feel it - I guess this sort of boils down to personal driving style etc in the end.

The carbon corner braces do look good though!

I wonder if there is a reason all the strut bars I've found so far are aluminium and not carbon? Perhaps it needs to be in aluminium due to the stress etc.?

If any of you know where one can find carbon strut bars (not the corner ones, the one that goes from left to right) let me know lol

[robbieboi70]

Originally Posted by stardustin86

Anyone here has actual experience with a strut brace? I've read online that apart from aesthetics there's nothing much this item offers.

But of course companies who sell them tell me there is are actual benefits in terms of stability, the chassis not deforming over time etc.

Thoughts on this?

I've got the Racing Dynamics one installed too - personally I don't feel a difference

[F87source]

Originally Posted by stardustin86

That's a good point on the stiffening plate. I feel in the end I will probably just go for it for aesthetics purposes LOL

Which brand are you currently on?

The stiffening plate will help torsional rigidity (you can jack up one corner of the car and lift the other wheel on the same side of the car up too with very minimal chassis flex, the corner brace + firewall brace will help prevent the strut towers from flexing. Overall I really doubt there is too too much to gain with a strut tower brace. You'll probably even further eliminate strut tower movement and even slightly stiffen the chassis since the stock corner braces are pretty flimsy. But overall likely not too much more to gain as the stock car is quite stiff. So like I said before any gains will not be as noticable as on an f30.

Despite this I wouldn't call the brave useless, just because you don't feel it doesn't mean it isn't making a difference in stopping any minor flexing. Every tiny bit counts in the overall game of reducing lap times.

I think better corner braces would be more beneficial in helping further make the chassis more rigid as the stock ones are flimsy.


In terms of steering feel I tested it alot, and with alot of rapid steering inputs. I don't feel anything noticable.

[EDWYER]

Originally Posted by M Fifty

not going to make much difference.

Agreed.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by stardustin86

Defo interesting to see how some feel it helps steering while some don't really feel it - I guess this sort of boils down to personal driving style etc in the end.

The carbon corner braces do look good though!

I wonder if there is a reason all the strut bars I've found so far are aluminium and not carbon? Perhaps it needs to be in aluminium due to the stress etc.?

If any of you know where one can find carbon strut bars (not the corner ones, the one that goes from left to right) let me know lol

Here is a carbon strut brace for you: https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-5...-carbon-fiber/

[M Fifty]

Originally Posted by stardustin86

I wonder if there is a reason all the strut bars I've found so far are aluminium and not carbon? Perhaps it needs to be in aluminium due to the stress etc.?

:

At a guess, price to manufacture.

Properly made CF structural parts are expensive - but will be stronger than the bits of metal bonded to them. As this picture may indicate.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by M Fifty

Under the plastic covers below the windscreen - it bolts between the strut top caps and the middle of the firewall.

HTH

More of a corner brace than a strut brace and made of very weak aluminum.

[M Fifty]

Originally Posted by DanG

More of a corner brace than a strut brace and made of very weak aluminum.

Made of f*cking heavy gauge square section steel tube.

And bolted directly to the struts, rather than the strut towers.

[stardustin86]

Originally Posted by DanG

Here is a carbon strut brace for you: https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-5...-carbon-fiber/

Thanks for this dude you've been most helpful! As expected the CF is almost double the price of the aluminium one.

Now torn between this CF Wiechers one (which still seems to have an aluminium core actually) and the Masata one (which I think is pure aluminium with simply a black coating).

Funny how it always takes me forever to decide on which brands to go for on my mods

[stardustin86]

Originally Posted by M Fifty

At a guess, price to manufacture.

Properly made CF structural parts are expensive - but will be stronger than the bits of metal bonded to them. As this picture may indicate.

Yeah that makes sense, a bit like how Eventuri sells CF intakes at some ungodly prices compared to normal intakes I reckon