Looking to spend around $200.00:smile:
The Alta Rear sway bar goes on this week, along with brembo rotors and Greenstuff pads

 

Both of these cost a bit more than $200, but I like the way they look the best... and the consensus around here is that the bar offers no performance enhancement, so its all about the Bling.
Dinan's @ $250

http://www.dinancars.com/Mini.asp?Se...is=40&Model=91

Benfer @ $300

http://www.benferperformance.com/mai...oduct=BFP-CFSB

Keith

 

I have the genuine OEM stealth invisible strut bar. You would not believe how stiff the chassis is with this thing!

For pure "bling" I would go with that sharp looking carbon fiber unit from BFP!

 

Hi guys! I just noticed that our ad said that it was on back-order. That's no longer the case. Also, each strut bar comes with a low profile ECU cover that matches the factory underhood plastics. It looks like it came that way from the factory! (Not shown in our pic. We're taking new ones shortly)

-DanB

www.benferperformance.com

 

Do you guys make/gonna make a rear bar, or what?

 

If I were going to buy one it would be the Dinan or Helix. - probably Helix

I have no use for hinged bars, although others disagree.

 

We made a prototype, however we're not 100% sure if we can get the demand going for production.

-DanB

 

Whatcha doin with the prototype?

 

Someone I know on this board outfitted your front bar to the rear. Looks pretty sweet. I would have him post pics....but I'm sure you know what it looks like

 

Those rear bars serve no purpose except a bling factor. You need to study your rear suspension and then look at where these rear bars attach. Not to mention that there is very little stress at the top of the rear shocks anyway.

 

I tend to agree with that. The MC/MCS chassis is really rigid. The only kind of bracing that I think would do a significant amount of good in the rear is a full X brace that attaches at the top/bottom corners to prevent diagonal flex.

-DanB

 

Anyone think a front strut brace might help prevent windshield stress fractures by reducing flex?

 

Benfer Perfromance

I like this one the best - but the Dinan is a nice unit also.


Dinan

I agree that they are mainly bling - I have tested with a slider, and the chassis is very rigid out of the box. Take a look at where the gearbox mount attaches as well as the motor mount - very high on the strut mount in the chassis. This makes the drivetrain act as a pretty good strut brace.

Hope that helps!

Randy

 

anyone know if the Dinan strut tower bar will fit on an MC? Ive asked my MA and he said it would. Figure I would ask the people who actually drive the car.

 

See
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=22537

No, I'm still not convinced. That's not where the windshield is flexing and there isn't much flex at the point of the strut towers in the first place. Better location to add strength is in the windshield frame and "A" pillar.

"Coolest" strut bar? How would you define that? Most "bling" vs most "unique" vs most "costly" vs other.

The Benfer strut bar is nice because it is Carbon fiber so if you have alot of CF in the engine bay then that definitely is cool.

BMP has both powercoated and polished aluminum strut bars for the MC or MCS in the $240 range. While the aluminum bar is light (3.5 pounds) the steel bar isn't. If the bar itself doesn't add much stiffness to the already stiff chassis then try not to add much extra weight.

Some ideas- Get a strut bar and customize it. Paint it an OEM body color or two. Airbrush it with a custom logo or pattern. Set rhinestones in it or drill the surface if it is aluminum. Make one out of very hard and light composite material (Kevlar?)-if it's custom then design some blinking lights into it like on cell phones. Might as well have some fun.

There are already alot of past threads on this subject of tower strut bars with pictures.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=17548
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=29120
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=10151

 

you have a ferrari, but can only drop 200 bucks on a strut bar?

 

Maybe he can afford the ferrari because he is careful with his spending

 

requesting pics of ferrari

 

So go with what makes you happy! But maybe save the $ towards another Ferrarri!

Hinging can be very strong, it all depends on how the forces go, materials properties and the play in the hinges.

 

I don't know about chassis flex, but check out this guy's blown out moon roof. He said it happened while he was taking a hard turn...

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=245367

-DanB

 

He posted about it here as well:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=40005

I may be missing something but I do not see him saying anything about taking a hard turn at the time? From the thread:

"Going about 90 mph, no cars around, moonroof and all windows closed, AC on LO, fan position 1, 2003 MC, no traffic opposite side. MOONROOF BLEW OUTWARDS FROM CABIN."

 

Wierd, I interpreted this from the E46fanatics thread as a turn:

"was going down the Loop 101 just coming up to Peoria and all of a sudden in my right ear....boooomm!!!!"

Is the Loop 101 just the name of the freeway?

-DanB

 

The coolest strut brace is leaving the cash in your pocket for mods that make a difference to lap times or driving skill.

 

The drivetrain mounting is resilient, so I'm having difficulty seeing how it would contribute much to chassis rigidity.

There's another potential benefit to a front strut brace: depending on the mounting plate design it may help to reinforce the strut tower sheet metal against deformation of the kind that's been reported. The full circle plate design of the Dinan looks as if it would be best, followed by the Helix's 3-point but no full circle. The pictured CF brace with its minimal 2-point mounting wouldn't do much at all.

Neil
05 MCS

 

Yes, we have mentioned in past threads that the strut tower brace can:
- Reinforce the front end against damage sustained to the strut towers when a pothole is hit at speed and the runflats/stiff suspension transmits force upward-we have seen mushrooming damage to the tower plates.
-Help to reduce metal fatigue on the chassis over time which would keep the front end a bit tighter

Another Strut tower with a full circle mount is the BMP brace- it's pretty solid. It has a slight indention in the circle that follows the ridge on the MINI's tower.