I've heard it makes your chassis stiff, makes your handling better, and your hair smoother, but seriously, to those that have one did it make *that* much of a difference to make it worth $200 odd? I mean does the chassis bend that much around a turn that the strut brace would totally blow me out of this world?

couldn't tell any difference when mine went on. lucky i got it for free(i wouldn't have bought one, better things to buy with $200). saying that, there was a noticable difference on my mates old lancer. i reckon it depends on how rigid the car is. magnas are pretty well built compared to 15 year old lancers.

could tell any difference
Hehe sorry to be a pedantic noob but did you mean couldn't? Coz thats what I deducted from the tone of the post. :cool:

I only paid something like $120 for mine, but for the amount of money I spent on my Magna over all I would say yes it was worth it in my case... I believe I noticed a difference in handling.

Unfortunately, this was the last I saw of mine... but on the off chance it contributed in any slight way of reducing my injuries from being any worse then I would have paid $200, of course I don't know if it helped in any way... but who knows.
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/8231/mag1smlbik6.jpg

he said strutbrace...not banana.... :bowrofl:

he said strutbrace...not banana.... :bowrofl:
ha ha yeah

I mean does the chassis bend that much around a turn that the strut brace would totally blow me out of this world?

no


in a verada unless you have some lowering bigger rims with lower rubber better shocks rear swaybar then have nothing else you can think of getting then get one... if not get the other stuff first!

i noticed a difference cos i had ZERO suspension travel and it reduced the chassis flex when going into my driveway, did noting else

I only paid something like $120 for mine, but for the amount of money I spent on my Magna over all I would say yes it was worth it in my case... I believe I noticed a difference in handling.

Unfortunately, this was the last I saw of mine... but on the off chance it contributed in any slight way of reducing my injuries from being any worse then I would have paid $200, of course I don't know if it helped in any way... but who knows.
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/8231/mag1smlbik6.jpg
I still reckon it took alot of the impact neil, definitely didn't hurt!

That strut bar in the pic could still buff out alright if you have it.. I'd just bend it the way it was and use it.:cool:

Btw thats a nastier shunt than it seems, everytime i look at it i shiver thinking about what might have been.

Definitely a bee's dick of improvement IMO, money better spent towards koni shocks or adjustable swaybar.

Yeah, from reading here on AMC, most people seem to say that the strut brace offers some improvement but not much and that's IF you have the ability to notice the difference.
So most say that good shocks and sway bars offer greater improvements.
But I guess the strut brace wouldn't hurt and looks nice too. :roll: :D

I bought Phonic's old strut and put in my car about a month ago, i cant tell any difference... but hey, it looks pretty cool :P

it's been said that a strutbrace on a magna is worth about 3-5seconds at the ring.... it's also a known fact that a magna wouldnt make it around the ring without needing an oil change or reco lol


i would have given you mine OP, but i left it on the car when i got rid of it...... i know a car yard that has a cheap AWD with heaps of goodies, many many many more mods than you could ever immagine.... glad im not buying that car, it's proabaly rooted HAHAHA lol

It looks pretty :shhhh: lol

Noticed sweet **** all difference with mine but who cares, it's shiny and makes your engine bay look pro.

i noticed it BIG time... turn in was sooo much better. reduced understeer too....

example.. i would be coming into a turn at high speed and when in that turn i would be turning the wheel more than i really needed to steer the car. This is because i was used to it understeering at that speed... whereas when i had the strut brace on, i actually nearly drove into the inside gutter because there was no need for the extra turning!

i love it..

i suggest you borrow someones n try it out?

i noticed it BIG time... turn in was sooo much better. reduced understeer too....

example.. i would be coming into a turn at high speed and when in that turn i would be turning the wheel more than i really needed to steer the car. This is because i was used to it understeering at that speed... whereas when i had the strut brace on, i actually nearly drove into the inside gutter because there was no need for the extra turning!

i love it..

i suggest you borrow someones n try it out?


:stoopid:

i agree 100% have one on my TF and the front end is much more stable through corners

i noticed it BIG time... turn in was sooo much better. reduced understeer too....

example.. i would be coming into a turn at high speed and when in that turn i would be turning the wheel more than i really needed to steer the car. This is because i was used to it understeering at that speed... whereas when i had the strut brace on, i actually nearly drove into the inside gutter because there was no need for the extra turning!

i love it..

i suggest you borrow someones n try it out?

:stoopid:

yeap never had it in my magna but been in choongas car when he didnt have the brace and when he did and ye being a pessenger you could feel the car handle better. in my rice line when i got it it had stiff suspension and it handled ok but after getting the front and rear strut brace i noticed a big improvment.

Don't waste your money!!

Best bang for the buck is to do the rear sway bar, anti-roll bar first.
Your car currently as standard does not have one fitted.

When Mitsu got around to the TL TW series they started to fit rear sway bars as standard. Up to then they were only fitted to sports, VRX and AWD cars.

Frankly you'll be surprised at the substantial difference that it will make to how the car handles.

As you turn the steering wheel to go into a corner, at the moment you should feel the car lurch and tilt to the outside front wheel.
What the rear sway bar does is to reduce the weight transfer to the outside wheel.

My advice would be to buy the adjustable bar and try the weakest and centre settings.
Possie at Philcom Rally is your friend for a good price.
Gerry

I have a TH Sports, which supposably has a 'Sports' suspension. I think its just a little lower from factory, but when I installed my strut brace I noticed a fair bit of difference, but only when pushing the car. For general driving to work sedately you wont notice anything.

But yeah when enjoying a spin through the hills, I can definately feel the difference.

Imagine if you DIDNT have that strut brace HyperTF, could have been worse! :P

It all depends on the type of car and the suspension setup you have. I put a brace on my lowered and Bilstein equipped 535i and was stunned at the difference on turn-in into a corner. When I sold that and got a 635CSi I first fitted the same suspenions as I had on the 535. Later I added the strut brace and there was almost no difference in turn-in - the 635 was just so much stiffer in the chassis than the 535.

When I did the Magna it was after I had fitted Low King Springs, Koni Yellows and a camber kit. Fitting the strut brace after that made no diff at all.

So, as others have said, spend your money on other bits that directly affect suspension gemotry and funtcion - dampers, springs, sway bars, bushes, camber kits etc etc.

My rallying/drifting days through tight turns are over from now on I probably will spend 99% of my driving time below 30km/h. So in short, no need for it :D

To be honest If they do make any difference, IMO it's a minor one, and not tangible to most people. Around a track with a good suspension setup and in the hands of an experienced driver I'd say yes, it would be noticed. Driving around roundabouts by you average joe? I seriously doubt any percieved difference is anything but placebo effect.

With stock or street-oriented suspension, there's ALOT of dynamic geometry change and body movement under cornering. I severely doubt you average punter with street suspension on the road can geniunely feel any difference a strutbrace might make. There's so much compliance in the car's chassis a little bit of flex between the strut towers doesn't seem significant.

Of course it does vary from car to car and person to person. In a "floppy" car like an old lancer the difference would probably be much more likely to be noticed than in say a 3rd gen magna, where AFAIK there's not all that movement there to being with. A strutbrace isn't some kind of magic handling mod on it's own like a larger rear swaybay, it's really a minor part of your overall suspension/chassis setup.

Sorry to be skeptical/realistic, but the bottom line is placebo effect after buying a product is often very strong, and IMO often confused with genuine tangible differences.

When I got mine I didn't notice any difference with enthusiastic street driving. Next time I hit the track I'll try to remember to remove mine for a session and see if it makes any tangible difference.

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/8231/mag1smlbik6.jpg
lol nice camber and i recon the strut bar is just like "i aint gettin no pain"

its actually "I ain't getting on no plane" kthnxbai

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mr._T

its actually "I ain't getting on no plane" kthnxbai

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mr._T
shut up fool

everybody is saying to get rear sway bars. now ive got a TL which comes with a standard swaybar stock. now if i upgrade that to heavy duty would it be noticeable, or would it be about the same as getting the strut brace.

If you go too stiff at the rear you will get a bit of oversteer too!!!:D

everybody is saying to get rear sway bars. now ive got a TL which comes with a standard swaybar stock. now if i upgrade that to heavy duty would it be noticeable, or would it be about the same as getting the strut brace.

Upgrade the rear swaybar. Even as a standalone mod, it does make a tangible difference to how your car feels - a little more responsive and less plough-like at the front.

I have opted to go with the front whiteline sway bar and see what difference that will make on my TL.

Anyone notice much difference with the front sway bars?

I have opted to go with the front whiteline sway bar and see what difference that will make on my TL.

Anyone notice much difference with the front sway bars?


yeah just installing a heavier front swaybar alone will ruin your handling!


return it and get a rear swaybar man!

not to mention front swaybars cost a fair bit to get installed because you have to lift the motor a bit to install it

why would you get a front sway bar. lol
rear swaybar ftw. ive got the stock TL one. does a pretty good job.
my car holds really well. would like to make it a bit better but.

Now im confused.

I have the stock TL as well with the 18mm sway bar already on it.

How can just putting a front sway bar in ruin the handling? :shock:
Dave at RPW reckons he was more impressed with the front sway bar...

I am going to be lowering with superlows on front and lows at the back also.

Birchy,
If you do the thicker front sway bar on it's own then you will find that the car will understeer more.
No you don't have to lift the engine, but is not an easy install. Reckon on the best part of a day to get the old one out and the new one in. For an AWD it takes even longer as you have to disconnect the front prop shaft and drop the exhaust system.

Best bang for the buck is to go even thicker on the rear bar.
Whiteline do 2 versions of a 22 mm diameter bar. BMR70 is the plain drop in one with 2 new bushes, or BMR70Z for the 3 point adjustable 22 mm diameter one.

If you intend to go ahead with the front bar, then get the adjustable rear bar first. Set it on the lowest or middle setting.
Then get and fit the front bar, get used to it and then reset the rear bar to the middle or hardest setting.

I have an AWD with front and rear bars. AWD's originally came with 16mm rear bars. In my opinion the 18 mm Adjustable rear bar for the AWD is just not strong enough.

Most of the advice I have seen is that the first thing to do to a FWD car is to really beef up the rear bar to reduce the front to rear weight transfer as much as possible.
Have a look at the size of rear sway bars that are now offered for mid size European FWD cars. e.g. Ford Focus or the latest Holden Astra.
Whitelne now offer bars in the 22 to 24 mm range for them!!


Summary. Rear bar first - very quick to change- should take about 1 hour.
Then do the front bar.
Then if you haven't already- 17's or bigger.

Gerry

why would you get a front sway bar. lol
rear swaybar ftw. ive got the stock TL one. does a pretty good job.
my car holds really well. would like to make it a bit better but.

anyone with a TL upgraded the stock rear sway bar? i'd like to know if there's a decent improvement because if i do anything to the car that's what it'll be.

Summary. Rear bar first - very quick to change- should take about 1 hour.
Then do the front bar.
Then if you haven't already- 17's or bigger.

Gerry

Cheers Gerry

I that case i will get the rear sway bar done first and then the front.
I have 18's

I will do the front bar a little later, will see how this one beds-in for now.