[NorwegianDude]

Will a strucktower brace do anything noticeable to an everyday drive?
is it for the looks or do people actually recommend getting one?

[NorwegianDude]

would you guys recommend getting a strucktower brace for everyday drive or is it just for decoration?

[Sleeper]

Strut tower brace. And no. Decoration.

[zxtman]

Your car should already come with a strut brace from factory: I believe all F30s do.

[Zel335]

Originally Posted by zxtman

Your car should already come with a strut brace from factory: I believe all F30s do.

If it does they hid it, but the only ones I've seen are on the m3/m4 with that carbon fiber one.

Like most said if you add one it is mostly for looks, I would say most newer cars are built pretty ridged from the factory.

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

The improvement in torsional stiffness is very easy to demonstrate. Just load a corner of the chassis by approaching a driveway ramp/curb cut diagonally. You should immediately feel the difference, but you can absolutely prove it to yourself by rolling the window down and feeling the A pillar flex (less) against the door frame while doing this test.

[MickAv8r]

Originally Posted by Zel335

If it does they hid it, but the only ones I've seen are on the m3/m4 with that carbon fiber one.

Like most said if you add one it is mostly for looks, I would say most newer cars are built pretty ridged from the factory.

Its there. It runs from each shock mount back in a V following the plastic partition trim at the back of the engine bay.

So yeah adding another strut brace would likely do very little.

[pjkbrit]

Originally Posted by NorwegianDude

Will a strucktower brace do anything noticeable to an everyday drive?
is it for the looks or do people actually recommend getting one?

You already have one.....so it would be for dress up only. Further....the Bentley Manual states in bold letters that you must not move or drive the car with the factory strut tower brace removed....(you undo it when changing from shocks) which tells me that it's structural as is.

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

I don't dispute that F30s have a structural brace near the firewall but that does nothing to prove that an additional structural component is just for appearance. Talk like this is simply false assumption. Considering the F80 has the same brace near the firewall as the F30, yet BMW still added a brace is evidence that there are benefits of improving chassis stiffness via additional bracing. Add my real-world experience and please understand there are real, legitimate benefits of stiffening the chassis. The real question is only if you find value in such an improvement.

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by MickAv8r

Its there. It runs from each shock mount back in a V following the plastic partition trim at the back of the engine bay.

So yeah adding another strut brace would likely do very little.

Originally Posted by pjkbrit

You already have one.....so it would be for dress up only. Further....the Bentley Manual states in bold letters that you must not move or drive the car with the factory strut tower brace removed....(you undo it when changing from shocks) which tells me that it's structural as is.

+1.

OP, when you do your spark plug change, you'll have to remove the strut bars to reach the 2 cylinders closest to the firewall.

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1226053

[Bee Pee]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

I don't dispute that F30s have a structural brace near the firewall but that does nothing to prove that an additional structural component is just for appearance. Talk like this is simply false assumption. Considering the F80 has the same brace near the firewall as the F30, yet BMW still added a brace is evidence that there are benefits of improving chassis stiffness via additional bracing. Add my real-world experience and please understand there are real, legitimate benefits of stiffening the chassis. The real question is only if you find value in such an improvement.

Glenn

The alloy brace part of F80 is far more robust than F3x brace at tying firewall to strut tops.

BP

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by Bee Pee

Glenn

The alloy brace part of F80 is far more robust than F3x brace at tying firewall to strut tops.

BP

If the F80's firewall-shock tower brace is stronger than the F30's; and BMW's Motorsport engineers STILL saw the need to add the carbon shock tower brace... It sounds like you just reinforced my point!

I'll try one more time before I move on... Adding a strut tower brace absolutely, positively stiffens the chassis. The only issue is if any particular driver sees value in this improvement.

[HP Autosport]

A proper brace can improve turn-in response and give the driver better feed back from the road.

[Bee Pee]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

If the F80's firewall-shock tower brace is stronger than the F30's; and BMW's Motorsport engineers STILL saw the need to add the carbon shock tower brace... It sounds like you just reinforced my point!

I'll try one more time before I move on... Adding a strut tower brace absolutely, positively stiffens the chassis. The only issue is if any particular driver sees value in this improvement.

FWIW - I agree with your sentiment entirely as there much more better ways to spend money on than swapping one brace for another. My point was solely that f80 and f3x don't have same firewall bracing.

F2x/f3x


F80/2/3


No need to reply as I have left already.

[etinifni]

I'm getting the consensus that strut braces won't help with body roll in non-sports suspension F30's?

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by etinifni

I'm getting the consensus that strut braces won't help with body roll in non-sports suspension F30's?

Chassis bracing will not improve body roll.

[etinifni]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

Chassis bracing will not improve body roll.

I've driven a buddies same spec car but he installed the H & R sway braces and it definitely has less body roll than mine. Are you saying that's a placebo effect?

[MickAv8r]

Originally Posted by etinifni

I've driven a buddies same spec car but he installed the H & R sway braces and it definitely has less body roll than mine. Are you saying that's a placebo effect?

a strut brace (or any other chassis bracing) and an anti-sway bar are COMPLETELY different things.

No, a strut brace is not going to affect body roll. Yes, absolutely a stiffer anti-sway bar will affect body roll.

[etinifni]

Originally Posted by MickAv8r

a strut brace (or any other chassis bracing) and an anti-sway bar are COMPLETELY different things.

No, a strut brace is not going to affect body roll. Yes, absolutely a stiffer anti-sway bar will affect body roll.

Thanks.

Does anyone else use this setup from H & R? Is it necessary/recommended to install both front and rear? Is there any reason not to do this upgrade with base (non M-Sport) suspension?

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by etinifni

Thanks.

Does anyone else use this setup from H & R? Is it necessary/recommended to install both front and rear? Is there any reason not to do this upgrade with base (non M-Sport) suspension?

[Dmitry83]

If you are interested in strut brace, I've installed a Wiechers Alu Racing Line, and I can absolutely recommend this.

http://www.drive2.ru/l/7963435/

In daily driving it immediately makes steering heavier (still cannot decribe the reason, but a technician explained me quite logically this phenomenon), the reaction on steering wheel movement is faster and more precise, the feedback is also improved.

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by Dmitry83

If you are interested in strut brace, I've installed a Wiechers Alu Racing Line, and I can absolutely recommend this.

http://www.drive2.ru/l/7963435/

In daily driving it immediately makes steering heavier (still cannot decribe the reason, but a technician explained me quite logically this phenomenon), the reaction on steering wheel movement is faster and more precise, the feedback is also improved.

Looks like the Turner bar I put on my F30.