Steel VS Aluminum Strut Bars

[mexocutioner]

I am looing at getting Mason Engineering front and rear strut bars, but I am having trouble deciding between steel or aluminum. I have seen the typical arguments for rigidity being an issue with the aluminum, but it seems as though mason is a quality piece. What are you guys running, and do you prefer steel or aluminum? Do you think it is worth it to spend the extra for the lighter weight?

[Northern]

I have a black IE bar I bought ~7 years ago because, 1: I'm cheap. 2: I'm a fan of the single, large diameter, thin wall tube approach - which should have the highest rigidity/lowest mass.

It does have issues with M20 fitment though, so unfortunately I couldn't run it until I swapped in an M52.

[jjmtools]

strut bar materials

I am looing at getting Mason Engineering front and rear strut bars, but I am having trouble deciding between steel or aluminum. I have seen the typical arguments for rigidity being an issue with the aluminum, but it seems as though mason is a quality piece. What are you guys running, and do you prefer steel or aluminum? Do you think it is worth it to spend the extra for the lighter weight?

go to our site and read PHYSICAL PROPERTIES of chosen alloys/materials used for our strut bars - READ graph of strength of materials tensile, deflection,etc.


JM

[earthwormjim]

1 pound savings is nothing, especially on a street car. Even a track car, it's nothing.

Aluminum does not have a fatigue limit like steel does, and is almost $100 more expensive, so seems like steel is a no brainer.

Aluminum suspension components don't make sense on street cars. Minimal weight savings, way more cost, with guaranteed eventual cracks.