Strut Tower Brace...What do you prefer?
06-04-2002, 09:36 PM
#2
Rennlist Member
I had my suspension shop put in a Weltmeister, specifically because they could fit it under the carpet.
06-04-2002, 09:55 PM
#3
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Like Kim, i went with oem for fitment, weight and under the carpet. AJUSA offered special price on strut bars for Rennlist memeber ($169 vs. $250 regular?)
06-05-2002, 01:53 AM
#7
If you want the strut brace primarily for show, the OEM Type 993 brace is the answer and it also serves as a reasonably good brace. If, on the other hand, you want maximum utility, want OEM, and are less cost sensitive, call Porsche Motorsports North America and ask for the one piece strut brace used on the GT2 Race Car. It might not look as beautiful, might not fit perfectly with the carpet, but in terms of fuctionality, it is far, far better than anything else currently commercially available for Type 993 and Type 964. And I have no affiliation with PMNA other than I am honored to call certain of its employees friends.
Bob
Bob
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06-05-2002, 02:22 AM
#8
Rennlist Member
I am certain Bob is right on with the above post. ANDIAL, Santa Ana, CA (No affiliation) sold me a OEM knock off for $225. It fits under the carpet. Maybe you should buy my ANDIAL strut brace and I'll get one from PMCNA? 
06-05-2002, 07:01 AM
#11
Mr. Squadron:
Good Morning!
Forgetting the fact that, in general, the three-piece design by definition reduces the stiffness of a strut brace such as the Brey-Krause unit, approximately a year ago I called Brey-Krause because I was interested in the engineering behind their carbon fiber model. In particular, I was interested in how Brey-Krause arrived at the diameter, wall thickness and particular lay up of the carbon fiber tube used and the tests performed thereon. To the credit of the person with whom I spoke, he told me that the carbon fiber tube used was simply a matter of what tube was readily available, that it was not a matter of engineering but a matter of appearance and that there were no calculations to be given as no tests were made. In short, it seemed to me that the Brey-Krause carbon fiber strut brace was a waste of money -- indeed, I would opine that the Porsche OEM unit for approximately the $200 to $250 noted above would perform at least the same function (probably better as Porsche has proper testing facilities) for far less money.
Having said this, this morning I did a bit of investigation and found that the aluminum one-piece strut brace from the GT2 Race Car (part number 993 343 045 80) might cost approximately $300 in the U.S. and, if this is so, not only would this be a bargain compared to the Brey-Krause carbon fiber piece but it would dramtically out perform it and given it is a genuine Porsche factory race piece, would be significantly higher on the "cool scale".
Finally, let me note that, in principle, if a properly engineered one-piece carbon fiber strut brace was commercially available (which it is not), it would, indeed, be preferable to anything in that it would be stiffer than aluminum, and lighter.
Bob
P.S. Some years ago, on one of the special editions of the Type 993 Twin Turbo, a "carbon fiber" strut brace was included. This, too, was a decorative piece in that it merely clothed the three-piece aluminum tube in carbon fiber -- much the same as the carbon fiber kits for the interior wherein a sheet of carbon fiber material is applied to the existing interior pieces (which, by the way, actually adds weight as the carbon fiber sheet adds mass).
Good Morning!
Forgetting the fact that, in general, the three-piece design by definition reduces the stiffness of a strut brace such as the Brey-Krause unit, approximately a year ago I called Brey-Krause because I was interested in the engineering behind their carbon fiber model. In particular, I was interested in how Brey-Krause arrived at the diameter, wall thickness and particular lay up of the carbon fiber tube used and the tests performed thereon. To the credit of the person with whom I spoke, he told me that the carbon fiber tube used was simply a matter of what tube was readily available, that it was not a matter of engineering but a matter of appearance and that there were no calculations to be given as no tests were made. In short, it seemed to me that the Brey-Krause carbon fiber strut brace was a waste of money -- indeed, I would opine that the Porsche OEM unit for approximately the $200 to $250 noted above would perform at least the same function (probably better as Porsche has proper testing facilities) for far less money.
Having said this, this morning I did a bit of investigation and found that the aluminum one-piece strut brace from the GT2 Race Car (part number 993 343 045 80) might cost approximately $300 in the U.S. and, if this is so, not only would this be a bargain compared to the Brey-Krause carbon fiber piece but it would dramtically out perform it and given it is a genuine Porsche factory race piece, would be significantly higher on the "cool scale".
Finally, let me note that, in principle, if a properly engineered one-piece carbon fiber strut brace was commercially available (which it is not), it would, indeed, be preferable to anything in that it would be stiffer than aluminum, and lighter.
Bob
P.S. Some years ago, on one of the special editions of the Type 993 Twin Turbo, a "carbon fiber" strut brace was included. This, too, was a decorative piece in that it merely clothed the three-piece aluminum tube in carbon fiber -- much the same as the carbon fiber kits for the interior wherein a sheet of carbon fiber material is applied to the existing interior pieces (which, by the way, actually adds weight as the carbon fiber sheet adds mass).
06-05-2002, 08:35 AM
#12
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Why hide your lovely new strut brace under the carpet? As well as stiffening up the front end they look fantastic when you open the bonnet (hood).
I purchased the FVD brace and fitted over the carpet deliberately (it will just about fit under it).
The FVD unit is very nicely made and simply bolts onto existing struct towers. See a pic at.... <a href="http://www.fvd.de/katalog/katalog/tuning%20stabi%20kits_en.htm" target="_blank">http://www.fvd.de/katalog/katalog/tuning%20stabi%20kits_en.htm</a>
I purchased the FVD brace and fitted over the carpet deliberately (it will just about fit under it).
The FVD unit is very nicely made and simply bolts onto existing struct towers. See a pic at.... <a href="http://www.fvd.de/katalog/katalog/tuning%20stabi%20kits_en.htm" target="_blank">http://www.fvd.de/katalog/katalog/tuning%20stabi%20kits_en.htm</a>
06-05-2002, 01:19 PM
#13
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Please allow me to correct my mistake. AJUSA offered non-oem bars to Rennist members and i don't know if they still do. I was trying to give MalibuSteve another option.
06-05-2002, 08:25 PM
#14
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I have an AJUSA strut brace in my 930 and a rennline strut brace in my 993TT.
Quick question - should the brace push the towers out or pull them in (or neither - is just the physical connection of the 2 the main point)? The reason I ask is the AJUSA brace has you widen the brace after it is installed to stiffen it, thereby widening the distance, whereas the rennline brace you have to just adjust it best you can before install (meaning you can't get it any stiffer than that). Sorry if this makes no sense -
Quick question - should the brace push the towers out or pull them in (or neither - is just the physical connection of the 2 the main point)? The reason I ask is the AJUSA brace has you widen the brace after it is installed to stiffen it, thereby widening the distance, whereas the rennline brace you have to just adjust it best you can before install (meaning you can't get it any stiffer than that). Sorry if this makes no sense -
06-05-2002, 09:55 PM
#15
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I guess if you widen the brace after installation, at the same time you take away any looseness between the towers you also create a small force pushing against the towers and therefore stiffen up the bar. It doesn't sound like a bad idea. With the oem bar, i guess i could get the same result by turning the bar counterclockwise (increase the overall length).
I have a stupid question though. I know it's obvious how to install the bar but i just want to make sure. Does it matter which side of the bar facing the front? because it'd fit either way.
thx
I have a stupid question though. I know it's obvious how to install the bar but i just want to make sure. Does it matter which side of the bar facing the front? because it'd fit either way.
thx