I have a 2003 3-liter x5 with manual transmission equipped with the sport package. It handles great already, its what I had always wanted; a true BMW. I had a 330 ci w/ sport package too, the coupe handled like a dream. But when it came time to get rid of one I chose to keep my x5. I live in D.C. where the roads are 3rd world like and can get bogged down with ice and snow, so the x5 has given me the best of both worlds when it came to real world utility and a great sporty ride.
I like to DRIVE my x5, I don’t put put around in it like a soccer mom. I’m not talking blistering speed here. I enjoy the handling of my x5 more than anything else. Accelerating out of corners, taking good hard turns. So what were my options when looking to add to the performance of my x5 without spending too much money ("too much" is of course relative)?
I could have gone and bought an intake system for just a few hundreds dollars, but then I would have had to get my engine reprogrammed to take advantage of the increased airflow. That cost much more than the intake itself. It’s no longer worth it. I have a K&N filter installed in the stock box, that’s good enough for me, its just a higher quality filter slightly more breathable using the same amount of air as stock.
An exhaust system is another option but I didn’t want to spend the money on it. Its going on 3 years old now and I figure ill be getting a new vehicle in the near future, so that idea was done for.
Then came the Front Strut Tower Brace. It’s not cheap, about $600 from your local certified Dinan installer. Labor is minimal, you shouldn’t even have to pay for an entire hour. So...600 bucks for a piece of metal that just bolts on, sounds like a rip off. But when I though about it more I came to the conclusion that its exactly what I wanted, this strut bar SHOULD increase the performance of the chassis/ride. Creating a stiffer structure that will turn and corner better than it did when stock. The great part is that the strut bar just bolts in, its completely passive, no need to modify or reprogram anything.
The part came in and was installed in 45 minutes. I stood there looking at it, OK it looks cool, but that’s going to be under the hood. I didn’t think it was going to make a huge difference; I was ready for some subtle changes in ride dynamics. To my surprise the differences became apparent as I was pulling out of the garage parking lot. WOW. I immediately noticed that the entire vehicle didn’t flex as it traversed the badly constructed slopping parking lot exit. On a simple level the best statement to make is that the vehicle simply feels stronger. That’s a primitive way to explain it but its simple and gives a good sense of the overall effect of what the strut tower brace does. Then there are the deeper effects or what I call symptoms of the strengthened structure.
To start off the x5 no longer leans into potholes or imperfections in the road surface due to chassis flex. Instead, the suspension is able to work more effectively and the vehicle stays a truer path through the imperfections. In other words the chassis has given up some of its control to the suspension. Bye Bye Chassis flex, or at least see you latter.
Next is the strut tower braces all-important effect on cornering. Let me start with a disclaimer, if you install this in your x5 it does not turn into a Ferrari. With that said; the vehicle corners much better than it used to. I’m not saying that I’m going faster through the corners, the x5 is just much more stable or sure-footed though all kinds of cornering.
Steering input and response, my x5 now has a much quicker response time to steering inputs. It also reacts slightly differently, giving you a little bit more turn for your buck (or input). Before the tower brace was installed the chassis would absorb a little bit of your turning force and absorb it as chassis flex. (Once again all of the things I am talking about here are symptoms or results of simply strengthening the entire vehicles structure) I was driving down the highway, not paying particular attention to anything at all when I made what I thought to be a normal lane adjustment, just trying to center myself, one of the things you do almost subconsciously while driving. Anyway, I almost ended up in the lane next to me. The message is, the vehicle now responds faster and more sharply to steering inputs.
Braking, I didn’t see this one coming. And Im still not sure if its only in my head or what. My x5 now seems to brake better. What is better? Its not stopping faster or in less space, that’s what makes better brakes right? Wrong. Now my x5 has a more stable and linear reaction to breaking inputs. At any speed that puts significant force on the vehicle while braking. You can feel the vehicle staying on track and being more authoritative in it’s braking. So what’s going on? The strengthened chassis is resisting more of the peripheral forces being placed on the vehicle while under moderate to strong braking effort. Because of this, the suspension is once again given more authority over what is happening and holds the vehicle on track better. So I guess I should have said the brakes aren’t any better, but the breaking experience is better enhanced.
All in all, the front strut tower brace is an expensive piece of metal and all it does is sit there. But what a difference it makes, I can’t think of any other piece of bolt on after market parts that can change the x5 so much. A difference that I call an improvement.
Please not that the vehicle used in this article is a X5 3.0 w/ sport package and the article only speaks to the effect of the Dinan Front Strut Tower Brace on that vehicle.
