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Thread: strut tower brace(s)

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Central NJ - USA
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    Default strut tower brace(s)

    who has a strut tower brace? do you like it?
    how much did you pay?

    i've found a few vendors that sell some

    MSRP: $275.00
    Your Price: $247.50
    Code: 196.99.34.011
    Front strut brace, BMW 535 and M5 89-96/525 91-96 with M50 motor E34. Each Racing Dynamics strut brace was design by professional race car engineers for chassis stiffness and ease of mounting. Each strut brace is designed using our specially designed extrusion for increased stiffness and properties to allow bending of the alloy without crimping at the bends or need to cut and weld multiple pieces (an inherently weaker design). End plates are machined on high speed CNC machining centers for exactness and repeatability ensuring the BMW owner of the finest strut brace available anywhere.
    Shipping Weight:8.00 pounds
    this one is from http://www.electrodyne.cc/Merchant2/...=196.99.34.011






    the second one i found
    Stress Bars - Front

    The BMP stress bars have been our most popular sellers for over 10 years. Constructed of high quality aircraft aluminum, and jig welded, the light weight all aluminum* construction and reasonable pricing makes these our most popular bars.



    MSRP $250.95 Your Price: $189.95
    is from bmpd....





    and the last one, from bav auto (but its a racdyn one)

    Improve handling and stability in spirited driving. Racing Dynamics stress bars are essential if you have larger wheels and tires, have stiffened your suspension or tend to drive hard. They tie the tops of your strut towers together to augment structural rigidity, minimize chassis distortion and can prevent damage from potholes or curbing at the edge of the track. Made of strong, lightweight aluminum alloy.

    Part Number Description Price
    196 99 34 011 Racing Dynamics Front Stressbar
    $224.95


    for these prices do u think its worth it?
    might it be better to have a shop make a nice sturdy
    stiff bar?

    what do you all think?

  2. #2
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    Dec 2003
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    PA
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    Default

    Front strut bars do contraversially nothing. Sway bars are a much better investment.

  3. #3
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    Default

    well, i'm sure they do something, and i think that in a chassis as old a mine it
    should help, but perhaps you're right. sways first.

    so then, who has sways on thier car? where did u buy them from?
    is rd my best bet?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    1,235

    Default I've got the RD strut bar on my car...

    I don't know how much it adds in stiffness. BMW's are pretty well built as it is... BUT.. contrary to Jon's comment, the strut bars probably do *something* or else the ///M's wouldn't have come with them from the factory. AFAIK, Euro E34 ///M's and and US E36 and later had them as a factory option.

    I'd sure put the sways on first, then the strut bar if you feel you need it. But unless you're hitting the track, I doubt the brace would do more than add weight. My PO put it on and it looks cool enough so I kept it.

    I have dinan adjustable sways and they kick a$$. RD's are probably fine too, as are ///M tech non-adjustables. I don't think you can get too stiff on a car as heavy as ours (too stiff and your inside wheel can lift in a hard turn - Jeff N. might know if this ever really happens on our cars) . Adjustable is a really good idea to maximize front/rear balance.

    HTH
    Robin

    72 Chevy K10
    01 E39 M5

  5. #5
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    Dec 2003
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    Default

    i've read in more than one source that the strut tower brace is really felt when
    you run larger wheels/tires. it helps turn in a little better and it does make sense
    thinking of it logically. those towers take a lot of load, and are very far apart...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    193

    Default

    It depends, it make a big difference in my touring, you can really felt the stiffness they add to the chasis, but on my 540, the difference is very small, if it can be felt at all. And if you interest, I still have a new RD bar sitting in my garage.

  7. #7
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    Apr 2004
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    Reston Va
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    Default

    I am running the RD Strut Brace and Sways. The car has virtually no push anymore. I can feel a significant difference. - JT
    Johntee540
    1994 540/6 Black - Tan - 199k
    Cardomain Site: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/737181/1

  8. #8
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    Default

    well push is avoided by adjusting tire pressure on my car, i want less body roll and the sways should provide that =]
    i sent u a pm jjw

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    558

    Default I got the RD strut brace purchased...

    from Colin (Cacatfish). I also have RRS style 245/45/17" wheels, and I can feel the difference. It's not a huge difference but is noticeable. You are right, you get the biggest bang for the buck with bigger wheels and wider tires. Essentially, there is more torque exerted on the strut towers as a result of the extra width of the tire. This is actually small, about a 4% increase in torque. If you go to wider tires, say, 245 or 255, then you'll get more chasis flex and the difference between whether you use a brace or not will be more noticeable, specifically, if you like to frequent the track. Tire wall stiffness and improper inflation will add to chasis flex.

    If you want to improve handling, the order of which components should be changed/modified are:

    1) Tires
    2) Larger diameter wheels and lower aspect ratio tires
    3) Shocks
    4) Sway bars
    5) Strut braces
    6) Other related vehicle and suspension stiffeners

    but the order can vary depending on driving conditons, suspension integrity...

    I read from other forums that people with phenomenologically acute vision can actually see the 1/4" gap or so in the hoodline grow to 3/8" without a strut brace while cornering -- that's a 50% increase!! If you can look straight down the gap without killing yourself in the process when cornering, some say this gap is virtually unchanged when you have a strut brace. Don't know about this but I haven't gotten that wild hair to do such a test.
    Last edited by Hector; 03-01-2006 at 04:51 PM.

  10. #10
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    Dec 2003
    Location
    Austin, TX
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    1,181

    Default

    strut braces do virtually nothing on an already well designed suspension (e34).....on a honda, they simply make a shitty handling car handle a tad better.
    1995 540iA M-Sport - 76k miles. 1 of 1 auto AW3 cars.
    1995 540i/6 - Misc Parts donor for above.

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