After installing three different braces in the front of my S, I've been wondering about those behind-the-seat interior rear body braces, and wondering if they do anything useful. I'm referring to the rear-seat-attachment braces sold by M7, Cusco, Racing Dynamics, on eBay etc., at prices from almost $300 down as low as $40.

I'm having trouble believing that they would do anything much for the suspension, due to the location, but wondering if perhaps they would serve to tighten up the body at all?

I've been tempted to buy one of the eBay variety and try it out, but thought I'd ask for opinions from anyone who has actually used one?

Also, has anyone tried installing the rear bracing used on the Cabrio? Apparently the cross piece would need to be modified to fit the tailpipe, but does it do anything as useful as the Cabrio front diagonal braces?
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...93&hg=51&fg=80

 

I have the rear brace you are talking about. I bought mine on here, but I believe that www.outmotoring.com still has them and maybe www.minimania.com I did notice a difference in the suspension. But, then I added front and rear sway bars and removed the brace. Then, I put it back in to see if I noticed it and it was much less of a difference with the H-Sports installed. I like it overall. I paid $90 shipped if I remember right and I still have it in. It also doubles as a device to hold my subs in place...Also, looks good in my opinion

This the one?
http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...tress_bar.html

I have pics in my gallery of it installed

 

Thanks Chris - is that an M7 rear brace with the amp on it?

 

No, it is the PiloRacing rear stress bar. Same one that is sold at www.outmotoring.com
IMO a good investment(for looks, and function- even if it is more audio than suspension)

m7's is much more costly and may stiffen a bit more. I thought about it, but I am happy with what I have

 

This is exactly what I have and that is Randy from m7's car in the photo...man he has a great ride check out his homepage plenty of pics and info

http://www.piloracing.com/proddetail...=PILOSTRESSBAR

 

Works about as well as the front cabrio braces do...............

 

I noticed some stiffness when I installed mine while my suspension was stock. After all the suspension mods, I can't see where it helps that much, however, anything that acts a brace has some sort of benefit.

 

Unless, of course, there is no relative motion between the parts that get braced.

I may order one of the under $20 variety from eBay to experiment with a brace in this location. I can't see it having much, if any, effect on the suspension, but perhaps it would brace the body and reduce the plastic tics and cricks over bumps.

 

And you felt the cabrio braces were a good value when they do the exact same thing/...........

 

I'm w/ Scott on this one.
If you take a look at what they attach to you'll know that you get no extra support. What I got in the long run once I removed the brace was more squeaks :-(

 

I have the pilo one. I can't honestly can't say that it is providing any real support, but I like the way it looks and it gives me piece of mind that it's helping to keep things from sqeaking a bit.
If you want real support, just have a steel tube welded from B-pillar to B-pillar, and another from C-Pillar to C-pillar. That shoudl stiffen it up a bit.

 

Less interior noise is attractive to me. If a $20 rear bar reduced squeaks noticeably, I'd consider it reasonable - I've spent lots more than that on Dynamat.

I'd be even more pleased if it had any effect on handling, but I'm not optimistic about that. I can't imagine that a rear brace of this design would be anywhere nearly as effective as the Cabrio front braces, since the interior brace does not hook up anywhere near the suspension attachments.

I'm not hearing a lot of love for rear interior braces...

 

...if the brace attached to the upper shock pick up point we might feel a bigger difference. These braces are pretty far away from the rear shocks...and the convertable have a need for as much bracing as possible given the lack of one of its biggest braces, a roof.

 

The only true way to brace the rear struts would be to make your own bar connecting the "towers"...here are some pictures from COR BLMY that I pulled to give you an idea of where exactly it would have to be...

 

I have the said brace but have not installed it yet. I would be interested in selling it if someone wanted it for sure !

 

Well, it looks like a nice place to install a fire extinguisher...

 

I use my CF rear brace to push my car around with (kind of like a toboggan). I'm not sure of the structural value, but I like the carbon fiber goodness and the way it looks in my no-back-seat Mini

 

I bought the one on eBay just to have something to attach my spare tire to when I go to the Dragon. I didn't want the tire moving around on those mountain roads. Because of this I didn't want to spend much money for it.

I did not buy it for performance.

I did notice when I hit a bump the rear of the car is tighter than before, it feels more solid. There is not as much noise as far as squeaks and the like coming from the back now.

I would not buy one thinking you are going to see a difference in handling, because you won't.

BTW the rear seats sit more upright with this brace which could be uncomfortable to some.

 

buy it for bling, but don't buy it for a performance gain. i autox and go canyon carving with it on and with it off and i felt no difference... but it looks cool when you remove the back seats.

 

It'll add weight!

 

I purchased the jcw front bar $$$$ because I liked the way the front strut mounts were captured. For the rear I did the e-bay "cheapie" but I have to say it looks decent, really decent. I'm sure the weak point is the attachment location in the rear. It looks like it should be faster! ;-)

 

do any of these bars alter the positio of the rar seat back?

 

See Post 18 above.

 

ok not a big deal passangers can work on their posture. has anyone made one of these?

 

The only one I saw that does not affect the position of the seat-back is the Cusco, for over $200.