ac schnitzer rear strut brace installed pics

Blake · 03-24-2009, 06:40 PM

here are the pics of my ACS rear strut brace installed. installation was a little difficult, but fitment was perfect. suspension definitely feels more rigid on the rear, but i'll get everyone a full review after this weekend. got 2 full days of tracking on saturday and sunday!

sorry for some blur in some of those pics, i just took a few quick point and shoot shots.

swamp2 · 03-24-2009, 07:02 PM

I have never understood the benefits of a multiple piece strut brace with mechanical pivots in its construction. Your rear mounting points can still move significantly relative to each other in the vertical direction. Not a mod I would waste any money on.

gthirtyfizle · 03-24-2009, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swamp2

I have never understood the benefits of a multiple piece strut brace with mechanical pivots in its construction. Your rear mounting points can still move significantly relative to each other in the vertical direction. Not a mod I would waste any money on.

lucid · 03-24-2009, 07:07 PM

I was about to voice the same concern. You might be able to get around the problem by drilling a through hole an inch away from the pivot (toward the wheel), and sticking a bolt through that to restrict rotation around the pivot, but there isn't much space, and the part might develop cracks.

swamp2 · 03-24-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucid

the part might develop cracks.

I'd be willing to bet it would at least elongate the hole.

lucid · 03-24-2009, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swamp2

I'd be willing to bet it would at least elongate the hole.

Possible...

sparkyg · 03-24-2009, 07:30 PM

Nice work Blake

Let us know on the track test.

endofanera7 · 03-25-2009, 12:42 AM

Nice work Blake...

... keep us posted on how it performs on the track....

FrankieP · 03-25-2009, 10:27 AM

Nice! You beat me to it!

I want one too. We installed one here on a customer's car. You can feel a substantial difference in the handling of the car. Feels more flat with less roll. Let us know how it feels on the track this weekend.

Congrats!

Nate@IND · 03-25-2009, 11:37 AM

Congrats

Blake · 03-25-2009, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank@CEC

Nice! You beat me to it!

I want one too. We installed one here on a customer's car. You can feel a substantial difference in the handling of the car. Feels more flat with less roll. Let us know how it feels on the track this weekend.

Congrates!

was that customer TK by chance?

the car feels very much so more flat. the roll is virtually eliminated. so far, just based on zipping around streets and highways near me, the difference in handling is worth the cost, but i'm sure it will really pay dividends this weekend.

daltonnnn · 03-26-2009, 10:54 AM

Nice.... Can't wait for the review! Have fun!

skoot3r · 03-26-2009, 12:11 PM

Looks good!

doba_s · 03-26-2009, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swamp2

I have never understood the benefits of a multiple piece strut brace with mechanical pivots in its construction. Your rear mounting points can still move significantly relative to each other in the vertical direction. Not a mod I would waste any money on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucid

I was about to voice the same concern. You might be able to get around the problem by drilling a through hole an inch away from the pivot (toward the wheel), and sticking a bolt through that to restrict rotation around the pivot, but there isn't much space, and the part might develop cracks.

it might work for a street driving but definitely crack under heavy driving on the track ...

The design ACS went with is very simple and not very practical ...

schnell325 · 03-26-2009, 02:24 PM

We shall know by the end of the weekend if it does not hold up. I am sure Blake will update us as to the results from his track day.

Blake · 03-26-2009, 04:06 PM

that's completely asinine to think that's it's simply just going to break because it's made in more than one piece. i don't think acs would put out a product that is designed to fail. i'm going to put it through 2 full days of hard use and i don't have any intentions of seeing it break. it's a very solid, well machined part. it fits very well in there and won't be going anywhere.

lucid · 03-26-2009, 05:48 PM

There is probably no reason for it to break the way it is now. The failing part discussion was about what might happen if you were to constrain rotational movement around the pivots with another hole and a bolt.

MrHarris · 03-27-2009, 04:14 AM

price?

schnell325 · 03-27-2009, 09:45 AM

From his other thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blake

It retails around $700. Bump...does anyone have it?!

Blake · 03-28-2009, 05:17 PM

well i was never passed today if that means anything

car handled beautifully in the corners, a lot more planted with a ton less roll versus my last event.

swamp2 · 03-29-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blake

well i was never passed today if that means anything

car handled beautifully in the corners, a lot more planted with a ton less roll versus my last event.

No disrepsect but I challenge this observation. For one not being passed is entirely irrelevant. Secondly, we all have a tendency to feel what we want or expect with any modifications. A similar phenomena happens with intake/exhaust mods. Your butt dyno (and obviously brain dyno) gets very confused with a louder and sportier sounding car and then it really feels faster, when in reality the car could be performing identically or even worse.

The design of the particular component looks way too flimsy in bending and torsion to offer any stiffness improvement to an already stiff chassis. Furthermore the kinematic joint we already discussed earlier produces a clear pivot point that simply can not resist a key type of movement that such a design should.

The picture below shows an example of a front strut brack that has no kinematic joint - said simply it is a solid one piece design. Such a design can resist many types of relative motion between the front strut towers. I would guarantee a measurable stiffness change when using such a design. However, detecting it in a totally blind test would still be difficult.

The second pic shows a similar solid design rear strut bar.

FrankieP · 03-30-2009, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swamp2

No disrepsect but I challenge this observation. For one not being passed is entirely irrelevant. Secondly, we all have a tendency to feel what we want or expect with any modifications. A similar phenomena happens with intake/exhaust mods. Your butt dyno (and obviously brain dyno) gets very confused with a louder and sportier sounding car and then it really feels faster, when in reality the car could be performing identically or even worse.

The design of the particular component looks way too flimsy in bending and torsion to offer any stiffness improvement to an already stiff chassis.

Hi swamp2,

Not trying to start an opinion war or anything, but this topic has been discussed for years...remember Neuspeed? They made a solid construction strut brace for the GTI crowd with this claim. Tests were done, and the benefits over a pivoting or multi-piece strut brace could not be concluded.

The fact is that you do feel a difference it the roll and flatness of the car after installing the rear strut brace. Not like you "feel" horsepower gains. It ties the body together between the upper end of the strut towers. This fact alone makes the body stiffer. Now can a solid bar make it stiffer? How much stiffer? Will a triangle bar welded between both struts and the rear of the truck be even stiffer? At the end of the day, with this bar you have an easy disconnect feature which is not available with the solid bar design. No need to remove all of your interior as in the picture above. Some of us still need our trunk sometimes.

IMO this is the perfect solution for a rear strut brace.

Again, just giving the benefit of why ACS made the bar this way.

03-24-2009, 06:40 PM	#1
Blake Banned 752 Rep 4,649 Posts Drives: Chevy Aveo Join Date: May 2008 Location: Parent's Basement iTrader: (7)	ac schnitzer rear strut brace installed pics here are the pics of my ACS rear strut brace installed. installation was a little difficult, but fitment was perfect. suspension definitely feels more rigid on the rear, but i'll get everyone a full review after this weekend. got 2 full days of tracking on saturday and sunday! sorry for some blur in some of those pics, i just took a few quick point and shoot shots. Attached Images
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03-24-2009, 07:02 PM	#2
swamp2 Lieutenant General 609 Rep 10,407 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Diego, CA USA iTrader: (3)	I have never understood the benefits of a multiple piece strut brace with mechanical pivots in its construction. Your rear mounting points can still move significantly relative to each other in the vertical direction. Not a mod I would waste any money on.
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03-24-2009, 07:07 PM	#4
lucid Major General 374 Rep 8,033 Posts Drives: E30 M3; Expedition Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	I was about to voice the same concern. You might be able to get around the problem by drilling a through hole an inch away from the pivot (toward the wheel), and sticking a bolt through that to restrict rotation around the pivot, but there isn't much space, and the part might develop cracks. __________________
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03-24-2009, 07:30 PM	#7
sparkyg Brigadier General 142 Rep 3,522 Posts Drives: work truck Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Oil Country iTrader: (5)	Nice work Blake Let us know on the track test.
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03-25-2009, 12:42 AM	#8
endofanera7 Major General 514 Rep 5,392 Posts Drives: 08 JB E92 M3 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (16) Garage List 2018 Porsche GT3 [9.50]	Nice work Blake...... keep us posted on how it performs on the track....
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03-25-2009, 10:27 AM	#9
FrankieP 47 Rep 410 Posts Drives: E92 M3 AW/BLK Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Miami, FL iTrader: (0)	Nice! You beat me to it! I want one too. We installed one here on a customer's car. You can feel a substantial difference in the handling of the car. Feels more flat with less roll. Let us know how it feels on the track this weekend. Congrats! Last edited by FrankieP; 03-25-2009 at 01:46 PM..
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03-25-2009, 11:37 AM	#10
Nate@IND BimmerPost Supporting Vendor 2866 Rep 11,374 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chicago iTrader: (19)	Congrats __________________ IND DISTRIBUTION \| 866-963-4520 • FACEBOOK • INSTAGRAM • FLICKR
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03-26-2009, 10:54 AM	#12
daltonnnn Driver 17 Rep 505 Posts Drives: F80 M3, MSM, Clubman S Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (2)	Nice.... Can't wait for the review! Have fun! __________________ Go Navy! Go SF 49ers!!! Go SF Giants!!! Go Warriors!!!!!
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03-26-2009, 12:11 PM	#13
skoot3r BMW n00b 50 Rep 1,143 Posts Drives: 09 e92 M3/ 2013 GMC 2500hd Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Jose iTrader: (4)	Looks good! __________________ 09 SpaceGray M3 DCT Power: Dinan 3.62, Gintani Race Mufflers, Dinan Intake, Gintani Xpipe, RPi Scoops Cosmetic: Vrs Poly-Lip, CSL Trunk, LED Interior Lights, LUX H8, Smoked Tails, Challenge Diffuser
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03-26-2009, 02:24 PM	#15
schnell325 Bored at work.... 890 Rep 5,389 Posts Drives: 2016 F82 M4 GTS//2022 M235iGC Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Comox Valley iTrader: (8)	We shall know by the end of the weekend if it does not hold up. I am sure Blake will update us as to the results from his track day. __________________ Grey Matter:2008 E92 M3:608/425. SG/PS SOLD! Dark Matter:2015 F80 M3:495/505. SOLD! Anti Matter :2016 F82 M4 GTS What next?!? A 2022 M235i GC- I must be getting old
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03-26-2009, 04:06 PM	#16
Blake Banned 752 Rep 4,649 Posts Drives: Chevy Aveo Join Date: May 2008 Location: Parent's Basement iTrader: (7)	that's completely asinine to think that's it's simply just going to break because it's made in more than one piece. i don't think acs would put out a product that is designed to fail. i'm going to put it through 2 full days of hard use and i don't have any intentions of seeing it break. it's a very solid, well machined part. it fits very well in there and won't be going anywhere.
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03-26-2009, 05:48 PM	#17
lucid Major General 374 Rep 8,033 Posts Drives: E30 M3; Expedition Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	There is probably no reason for it to break the way it is now. The failing part discussion was about what might happen if you were to constrain rotational movement around the pivots with another hole and a bolt. __________________
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03-27-2009, 04:14 AM	#18
MrHarris yodog 197 Rep 5,026 Posts Drives: '86 Corolla Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Diamond Bar, Ca iTrader: (5) Garage List 2009 BMW [10.00]	price? __________________ 2009 E92 M3 \| Alpine White \| Black Extended \| Advan RS \| Turner Test Pipes \| Dinan Axle-Back \| OETuning \| Eibach Springs \| UUC SSK \| VRS Front Lip \| VRS Type I Diffuser \| Matte Black \| RPi Scoops \| MS Filter \| Yokohama AD08 \| F1 Pinnacle Special Thanks: Gintani \| OETuning \| eAs
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03-28-2009, 05:17 PM	#20
Blake Banned 752 Rep 4,649 Posts Drives: Chevy Aveo Join Date: May 2008 Location: Parent's Basement iTrader: (7)	well i was never passed today if that means anything car handled beautifully in the corners, a lot more planted with a ton less roll versus my last event.
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