Strut tower brace question

[StanF18]

I was thinking of adding on a strut tower brace from Dinan.

But somebody mentioned on one of the threads (recently) that it may be unsafe in a crash, beacause it adds too much body rigidity, or maybe compromises crumple zones, or something to that effect? Has anyone heard anything like that? Also, if that is true, then why does a strut bar come "standard" in my friend's 2004 M3?

[mrbmwx5]

i had it in my X,but i dont know about unsafe in a crash,crumple zones,but i fill not thing different.

[primetime]

Originally Posted by StanF18

I was thinking of adding on a strut tower brace from Dinan.

But somebody mentioned on one of the threads (recently) that it may be unsafe in a crash, beacause it adds too much body rigidity, or maybe compromises crumple zones, or something to that effect? Has anyone heard anything like that? Also, if that is true, then why does a strut bar come "standard" in my friend's 2004 M3?

I've never heard of that..That sounds awfully suspect....The strut bar will do you no harm...

[acitydweller]

Strut tower reinforcement will always inhibit the vehicle's ability to crumple and absorb an impact as intended by design. This isnt limited to the x5. I dont know if "unsafe" is the correct term.

Strut tower bars came standard in the M3 after 2002. My 01 came without so i had to purchase mine separately. Having this come OEM was a godsend as there was no benefit paying 500+ clams for the same thing going aftermarket.

On a separate note, does anyone with an X5 and front strut tower brace feel any benefit in having one. I installed one on my Mini Cooper S and felt absolutely no difference since the car by design was structuraly rigid from the factory.

thanks

Originally Posted by StanF18

I was thinking of adding on a strut tower brace from Dinan.

But somebody mentioned on one of the threads (recently) that it may be unsafe in a crash, beacause it adds too much body rigidity, or maybe compromises crumple zones, or something to that effect? Has anyone heard anything like that? Also, if that is true, then why does a strut bar come "standard" in my friend's 2004 M3?

[01blacks4]

i have one 4.6 with and one 4.6 without....it does make a small difference

[Arudge]

Strut tower braces have long been seen as a cosmetic enhancement on the majority of vehicles. For the price you will likely feel nothing, but you will have something shiny to look at under the hood. If you want an imporvement upgrade your suspension.

[01blacks4]

Originally Posted by Arudge

Strut tower braces have long been seen as a cosmetic enhancement on the majority of vehicles. For the price you will likely feel nothing, but you will have something shiny to look at under the hood. If you want an imporvement upgrade your suspension.

this is not 100% true, they do offer a triangled support to thr front towers of most vehicals....
on the X% you have to really be pushing to feel any difference, and most people do not drive thier SUV this way.

better tires and or suspention will make a more noticable difference.

and FWIW the strut bar for the X5 IS NOT SHINY


how ohio, still have snow? i grew up in chardon....

[Tomaz]

Originally Posted by Arudge

Strut tower braces have long been seen as a cosmetic enhancement on the majority of vehicles. For the price you will likely feel nothing, but you will have something shiny to look at under the hood. If you want an imporvement upgrade your suspension.

Right, so the BMW engineers said, "well, lets not make it too rigid".

[Arudge]

Originally Posted by 01blacks4

this is not 100% true, they do offer a triangled support to thr front towers of most vehicals....
on the X% you have to really be pushing to feel any difference, and most people do not drive thier SUV this way.

better tires and or suspention will make a more noticable difference.

and FWIW the strut bar for the X5 IS NOT SHINY


how ohio, still have snow? i grew up in chardon....

The weather blows, literally. In the process of relocated because I hate it so much. Two weeks ago I had 20in fall in 36hrs.

My post is refencing vehicle that do not have a factory installed strut bar*****

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by StanF18

I was thinking of adding on a strut tower brace from Dinan.

But somebody mentioned on one of the threads (recently) that it may be unsafe in a crash, beacause it adds too much body rigidity, or maybe compromises crumple zones, or something to that effect? Has anyone heard anything like that? Also, if that is true, then why does a strut bar come "standard" in my friend's 2004 M3?

StanF18, I think you may be talking about my post in a thread on options to increase the handling on a 4.8is. I may have made it sound worse than I originally meant to. I didn't mean to make anyone think that strapping in a strut brace would turn your X5 into a Ford Pinto death wagon. I think acitydweller did a better job of explaining what I was trying to say. A car is designed to crumple in an accident and tying both sides of the car together with a brace can alter how it absorbs the energy. I didn't mean to make it sound like you were going to die if you got into an accident with a strut brace.

Besides any structural safety issues, you would have to be pushin the X awefully hard to notice a difference. The X5 has a fairly rigid frame to begin with. I do not have a strut brace, but from what I have heard you really cant take full advantage of a strut brace unless you are tracking the car or driving really aggressivly on the open road. IMO it is engine jewelry for newer road cars and if there is any chance it can alter the way a car crumples and absorbs energy in an accident any slight performance benefits gained would not be worth it.

To give you an example of how far structural regidity has come in recent times read this.

On to the new E70 chassis. Chassis rigidity has been improved, it’s 15% higher now at 27,000Nm per degree. As a reference to show you how good this is, the old BMW M3 E30 race car fully equipped with a roll cage has 22,500Nm per degree chassis rigidity, that’s less than the new E70 2007 BMW X5!

According to this, if you subtract 15% off of the e70 the e53 chassis was still as strong, if not stronger, than the e30 M3 race car. I am not sure how much a strut brace would actually help.