Sparco rear stress bar mounting

[bmwpower]

Q1: Is the Sparco bar for the E30 M3 the same one as for the E30 325is?

Q2: Which way is it supposed to be mounted? I figured the ends have to be pointing "upward", but on which side should the "bar" portion of the unit be flipped? To the rear or to the front of the car?

[jlevie]

Q1... Don't know.

Q2... Given the integrity of the rear body section it doesn't matter how you install the bar. In other words it isn't needed.

[bmwpower]

Q1... Don't know.

Q2... Given the integrity of the rear body section it doesn't matter how you install the bar. In other words it isn't needed.

A rear bar isn't needed? If it's not needed, why is it that a bunch of vendors make one and owners I've read about/talked to say that you definitely notice a difference?

[bmwpower]

bump....

[JGood]

A rear bar isn't needed? If it's not needed, why is it that a bunch of vendors make one and owners I've read about/talked to say that you definitely notice a difference?

Placebo effect.

The main benefit would be rear shock tower reinforcement when using a true rear coil-over setup that puts the spring under the shock tower so you don't blow right through it.

[Need4Speed]

The rear braces really do add integrity to the body back there. Nobody thought so for a long time until video recorders were as prolific as they have become. Using a piece of string between the shock towers it was seen that there is a large amount of flex in hard cornering.

[JGood]

The rear braces really do add integrity to the body back there. Nobody thought so for a long time until video recorders were as prolific as they have become. Using a piece of string between the shock towers it was seen that there is a large amount of flex in hard cornering.

OK, but not to the point that people are noticing on the street, in their street cars, on street tires, rubber bushings, etc...

That's just a placebo effect.

[StereoInstaller1]

A rear bar isn't needed? If it's not needed, why is it that a bunch of vendors make one

What the hell...sleep through marketing 101? They make them because they can sell them

and owners I've read about/talked to say that you definitely notice a difference?

See above Placebo post.

[bmwpower]

FYI...this is for a TRACK CAR.

[JGood]

FYI...this is for a TRACK CAR.

Will it have a cage?

And I never doubted your need for one. I was just trying to answer your question.

[bmwpower]

Will it have a cage?

And I never doubted your need for one. I was just trying to answer your question.

No problem.

Guys on here (maybe you partly) recommended to get a rollbar first , so I'm in the process of getting one. When/if I move forward, I'll look into getting a cage.

Along my travels I found this rear bar for a good price so I bought it.

[Need4Speed]

Get a little video camera and try it for yourself.

[bmwpower]

Get a little video camera and try it for yourself.

I'm going to put it in whether it needs it or not since I already bought it. Plus it has the built in rear shock mount reinforcement "plates" built-in.

I was just wondering about the any model fitment issues and or which way to mount is ala my original post.

[DCColegrove]

I was a naysayer on rear shock braces until late 1997, my thinking was that the shocks would not transmit the kind of forces that the brace seemed to be designed to mitigate...

Then I had to concede that they had some effect after it was demonstrated for me that there was compliance in that area...

Then... In 2005 (after doing some extensive testing on my own) I found that there was a very good reason for lateral reinforcement in this part of the chassis... It mitigates flex transmitted from the sub-frame causing twisting around the axis of the rear "Bulk head"... Even in moderate driving conditions.

Of course I am going to say that "our braces" are the best bolt in solution for this... But honestly any thing in there is better than nothing....Well almost any thing, because some designs are so deficient that they cause other problems.

[GotCone?]

you should check out this thread w/ some debate to the need or not of a rear STB.

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39038

There is more flex than you might realize back there.