Strut Bars - 3 Piece vs. 1 Piece

[DarkWing6]

I see these made as multi-piece units with some flexibility at the joints and as just 1 piece. I've always been curious, what is better and why? I've got a couple guesses, but what does everyone else think/know?

[DCColegrove]

Solid Form Design (1 piece) is better...

Considering their purpose (to reduce compliance)... it's not too hard to see why.

[asubimmer]

3 piece is so that its easier to work on your car. The "best" bar imho would be a 3 piece that was properly secured at its joints with two holes instead of one.

kinda like O**---------**O

[MikeK]

there was a guy on S14.net that had a three piece, came back from a track day only to see his strut bar break into three pieces.

[DCColegrove]

3 piece is so that its easier to work on your car. The "best" bar imho would be a 3 piece that was properly secured at its joints with two holes instead of one.

kinda like O**---------**O

like this:



The only reason this is built this way rather than solid form is because it would not be easily possible to install (a lot of manufactured and age caused variance in there.

We can get away with over building at it's attaching points because there is room and weight is not such a factor in the back end of an e30.

[asubimmer]

yes sir!

[DCColegrove]

yes sir!

No need to "Sir" me...

I'm just another old BMW fanatic. ;)

[Jean]

1 piece for less "movement" as it's purpose is to stiffen things up. I mean how difficult is it to remove the bar when you need to work on the engine if needed... imho

But I don't know if e30s benefit from the strut bars much. (I haven't tried one on e30 and my previous car was stiff enough stock where a front bar was useless.)

[twothrees]

I think cabrio owners benefit from a front stress bar. Anything to tighten up my cabrio with almost 300k on it;which is why I just ordered the LCAB from Daniel.

[DCColegrove]

The e30 be it an M, Cabriolet, Coupe or Sedan will benefit from a front strut tower brace...

The amount of chassis compliance under loads is... Well... Shocking.

The Cabriolets really have needs in this area even under "normal" driving conditions.

[-Jelko-]

So guys it isnt bad thing to get front strut,i was thinking about it,mine engine is m40(same porportions like m42),will cause hard to work on engine in some situations?

[Jean]

Strut bar is not going to make your engine work harder, if that's what you are asking.

[asubimmer]

Strut bar is not going to make your engine work harder, if that's what you are asking.

I think he ment hard to work on, like hard to get off the IM etc

[gearheadE30]

The strut brace will make it a bit more difficult to get to anything on the rear part of the engine. I have an M42, which, height-wise, is about the same as the M40. The only bar that will fit this engine without mods, at least of the ones availiable in amrica, is the Zen bar. The Sparco bar will also fit with minor mods (read:hammer).

Strut braces are fairly easy to install and remove, so difficulty working on the motor really isn't an issue.

[-Jelko-]

I think he ment hard to work on, like hard to get off the IM etc

yes,to work on engine,i dont know how strut can make engine work harder :p