Strut Bracing

[tone]

Hi. Just a quick question or two. Are their any negatives with installing a front strut bar such as the :

Whiteline Automotive - performance handling and suspension products. car spring coil shock damper swaybar sway bar anti-sway bush bushes australia australian whiteline automotive performance road holding turn-in camber caster toe in vehicle hot 4 v8

without doing the rear? will it throw out any balance the car has or are rear strut braces not that needed in a FWD car. Its for a MPS3.

The mps3 already has one i believe, so my second question is would an aftermarket one do anything, apart from giving the engine bay a different look.

[tricache]

IMO and from what I have seen in front strut braces in Non-MPS 3's the front strut brace isn't really needed.

The Strut towers are so close to the firewall that the front of the body doesn't swap enough or flex enough to cause any dramas.

I would spend the money on a rear lower sway bar which you will benifit from alot more, you will corner alot better and keep the car flatter in the bends.

Also you will have to see if they do a MPS version as the TMIC will get in the way if you try and fit a Non-MPS one.

[Doc]

These cars are braced to hell underneath... IMO you dont need any more bracing

[shakespeare]

Doc and tricache are probably right, though when I installed coilovers, my 6 didn't quite feel right, so I got a Corksport brace (fairly low cost!) and found it to be a little tighter, particularly with turning in, so for me it made some improvement.

[rd415]

I fitted a Strut Brace to the my MPS 6 - although the towers are close to the firewall and have a light metal brace anyway - a strut brace will certainly do no harm. Although almost un-noticeable I do believe it is a fraction tighter on corner exit.

Beside all the technical stuff - it looks pretty with the bonnet open.

[Jmac]

Hi. Just a quick question or two. Are their any negatives with installing a front strut bar such as the :

Whiteline Automotive - performance handling and suspension products. car spring coil shock damper swaybar sway bar anti-sway bush bushes australia australian whiteline automotive performance road holding turn-in camber caster toe in vehicle hot 4 v8

without doing the rear? will it throw out any balance the car has or are rear strut braces not that needed in a FWD car. Its for a MPS3.

The mps3 already has one i believe, so my second question is would an aftermarket one do anything, apart from giving the engine bay a different look.

I am still looking to do the rear.. If I ever get any suspension or handling work done, it will be through East Coast Suspensions..

[tricache]

The rear will definitely benefit more and yes Chris is right when he put better suspension in the MPS6, the more aggressive nature of these will push more on the stock strut towers so anything holding them in will help but as for the stock suspension you wont notice too much.

[Ranton]

you realise your mps will have tower to fire wall bracing from factory.. thats what those ugly yellow bits of metal are..

imo any more bracing is a complete waste of time..

to a rear brace if you want the arse end to be even more torsionally stiffer.. but other than that dont bother... its a look thing

[tone]

Yeah we didn't end up going with the strut bracing. Just stuck to the sway bars.

[Doc]

good choice

[rd415]

you realise your mps will have tower to fire wall bracing from factory.. thats what those ugly yellow bits of metal are..

imo any more bracing is a complete waste of time..

to a rear brace if you want the arse end to be even more torsionally stiffer.. but other than that dont bother... its a look thing

I don't suppose you have any proof of your comments about the strut brace being a complete waste of time. Pretty rash statement if you don't have a strut brace fitted.

My MPS6 is fitted with a strut brace - my sons stock MPS3 lifts a rear wheel when turning into our street, even at slow speeds - why would you want "the arse end to be even more torsionally stiffer" Some strange opinions you make.

[Ranton]

I don't suppose you have any proof of your comments about the strut brace being a complete waste of time. Pretty rash statement if you don't have a strut brace fitted.

My MPS6 is fitted with a strut brace - my sons stock MPS3 lifts a rear wheel when turning into our street, even at slow speeds - why would you want "the arse end to be even more torsionally stiffer" Some strange opinions you make.

your kidding right? did you read what i said..

they have a Factory Strut brace in the 3MPS

My Car cocks its rear leg left right and centre.. Basic FWD Tuning Dictate Stiffer rear Softer front.. unless of course say its a soaking wet day at the track then you would be better off getting under your car and unhooking one end of your sway bar at the rear so the back end becomes a little less lively.

I always have tuned my Front Wheel Drive Suspention Setup Softer in the Front and Super Stiff in the rear.. weather you do this thru spring rates / more intense rebound on your shocks or purely thru basic tyre pressures..

i still think doing either end of the car is a waste of time.. its more of a Aesthetic than anything.. i used to make strut bracing for my cars.. front and rear i think they serve no purpose especially in a car that already has the ability to have one side lifted up nearly dead level even when jacking from the front most jack point..

[rd415]

your kidding right? did you read what i said..

they have a Factory Strut brace in the 3MPS

My Car cocks its rear leg left right and centre.. Basic FWD Tuning Dictate Stiffer rear Softer front.. unless of course say its a soaking wet day at the track then you would be better off getting under your car and unhooking one end of your sway bar at the rear so the back end becomes a little less lively.

I always have tuned my Front Wheel Drive Suspention Setup Softer in the Front and Super Stiff in the rear.. weather you do this thru spring rates / more intense rebound on your shocks or purely thru basic tyre pressures..

i still think doing either end of the car is a waste of time.. its more of a Aesthetic than anything.. i used to make strut bracing for my cars.. front and rear i think they serve no purpose especially in a car that already has the ability to have one side lifted up nearly dead level even when jacking from the front most jack point..

Not kidding - strut braces prevent flexing of the strut towers, not a REAL problem in MPS's as the close proximity to the firewall and the plates to the firewall, but the plates are pretty thin.
I have had huge improvements in my old 200SX with a brace then the SS Commodore and now the MPS6. Over the years also have made strut braces, in particular for Auto apprentice students Commodores - mainly to stop the towers from leaning in and creating huge negative camber. Made one for my Rally Escort for the same reasons - made a huge difference. Escort kept good camber readings until a jump on Kangaroo Island bent a strut, but the towers never moved.

[Doc]

I have no idea about the MPS6.. but my car is like a see-saw going into steep driveways on an angle.. its braced from factory to the hills.

And the OP is an mps3 driver....

[shakespeare]

I have no idea about the MPS6.. but my car is like a see-saw going into steep driveways on an angle.. its braced from factory to the hills.

And the OP is an mps3 driver....

The 6 doesn't have the see-saw effect! - I think Doc you could register that

See-Saw Effect ® by Doc

Anyway back on topic, the 6 has more give (even with the coilovers) maybe because it's some 200kg+ heavier than the 3 and whilst Mazda added more bracing see pic, it still felt like there was some flex in the body.

Sorry don't have a pic for the 3

[Dark Authority]

Personally, i dont have an MPS but i did add a whiteline strut.. and found very little difference in the way the car handled [the car turned in marginally better.. but i got more of an effect with my rear swaybar]... so i sold the part and used the cash to spend on springs + shocks... and its AWESOME.

I also doubt the car needs more bracing.. my car in my gfs garage can be a dualpod? .. dunno the word... the front left + rear right wheel can be in the air at times which is scary..

[Ranton]

Not kidding - strut braces prevent flexing of the strut towers, not a REAL problem in MPS's as the close proximity to the firewall and the plates to the firewall, but the plates are pretty thin.
I have had huge improvements in my old 200SX with a brace then the SS Commodore and now the MPS6. Over the years also have made strut braces, in particular for Auto apprentice students Commodores - mainly to stop the towers from leaning in and creating huge negative camber. Made one for my Rally Escort for the same reasons - made a huge difference. Escort kept good camber readings until a jump on Kangaroo Island bent a strut, but the towers never moved.

I think the Difference of opinion here is mainly due to me speaking for Mazda3/Tight Hatch Specific...

In Sedan type cars the Towers Flex Very Much so.. and not many are factory braced any way?

if we were talking ford falcons Holdens etc than its a different story..

[Doc]

Apples... Meet oranges...