Gus 5 Report post Posted April 21, 2005 as the title says...i got a bit carried away at lunch time today with the angle grinder and now have bits of CF to use as strut bracing....gonna try copy grants front strut tower mounts (any idea if i give to a machine shop to copy they could do it without costing the earth) but any ideas for the back? damn why do i get into these things Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cainchapman 0 Report post Posted April 21, 2005 That doesn't sound very easy at all. Carbon fibre is quite brittle, if the fibre is not running in the same plane as the impact. I'm sure you can make one. How long it will last is another thing. Why would you want to? There are much heavier things to find a weight saving. Get a light weight rear window. You'll see more of a performance increase (in acceleration, not cornering) I will look forward to seeing your new brace thoug. Gus :thumb: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted April 21, 2005 more because i can work with carbon fibre....dont have a welder so cant weld....yet and i want a strut brace lots.......im pretty sure it would be strong enough, i just wonder if the strut towers move enough for something to worry about Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScD 0 Report post Posted April 21, 2005 Carbon deforms very little before it lets go, so you need to make sure you over-design your brace. You don't want it to go bang halfway through a fast corner Really the only reason you would use carbon would be to save weight. Using a good alloy would make more sense. You could always buy a cheap steel one and cover it with carbon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted April 21, 2005 all the CF ones ive seen pictures of look thin......mine would be pretty chunky.....haha no such thing as a cheap steel one.......otherwise i would be doing that.....carbon is just easier....wouldnt mind too much if it let go round a corner....just remake it, hoping it doesnt damage anything else! e46 brace Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carl 3 Report post Posted April 22, 2005 Carbon fibre... Cain, you say replace rear window with something lighter, does removing all the weight from the rear end of the car without matching it with weight gains from the front not have negative impact on the cars balance...don't the E30's already have a front bias weight balance??? Go with the CF strut brace Gus and let us know how it goes, perhaps you could make a few sets just in case they go and if they don't then hook em off... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CaM 0 Report post Posted April 22, 2005 take the windscreen out, that'll balance her out again, plus you wont get damn bugs all over it blocking your vision!!!!! gus, why dont you just get one made up, can't be that expensive, surely..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pussytamer 0 Report post Posted April 22, 2005 Gus Check this guy out,, he's at 109 CookSt CBD and imports strut braces for Jappa's but has blanks that we are able to use and drill to suit. I have given him a photo and a template of the holes around the strut for the E30, but he would prefer to see the car. As for the brace he claims that he will be able to get one made by the end of thr month but I'm a little concerned as they are made of alloy tubing.... I can understand if it's straight, but if it has bends... how strong would it be? They are all adjustable as well, allowing up to 5mm each side. If we were able to get one made to suit, maybe he would look at a group deal!!!!!! Also he has rear ones as well, but need to get the car in to measure shock to shock. Retail for a front one $141.00, with a number of colours. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
m325i 709 Report post Posted April 22, 2005 i may be keen also Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted April 22, 2005 actually been thinking about stuff.......my biggest worry would be heat.....so i would be keen to get one made up, especially as carbon isnt cheap, and i would need to get the end plates made up anyway.....the alloy even with bends should be sweet...im borrowing grants RD one at the mo, so if he needs to have a look at his that would be no prob...they dont move much so stress cracking wouldnt be too much of a worry (im kinda lost so might not have that right but you get the idea), i could also show him my car if he needs a strut tower template im keen for rears as well, but making those wouldnt be as difficult, that would be dependent on price $141 is a good strut brace price Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pussytamer 0 Report post Posted April 22, 2005 If you can se him he's open 7 days, his name is Jason, and if can get a template all the better to speed things up. As for the rear Brace, all we need is the dimenssions of the shock studs and the length between the two . The other option he has is where the brace mounts onto the top of the shock which is a waste of time, e30's need it on the shock bolts to get any effect. Tell him that you were speaking to me as he has my Bus, card along with the cardboard templateof the stud pattern and photo's of a Sparco brace on a M3. Wayne. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1N STYL 0 Report post Posted April 22, 2005 what do u actually have? cf tube to go accross the car, or bits to make the plate? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
downlow 0 Report post Posted April 22, 2005 Im in for a group bye of strut braces. im keen as. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cainchapman 0 Report post Posted April 22, 2005 Yes, pulling weight out of the back will make a difference. But not a significance one in this case. It was more a point of removing weight from a high point of the car. Lowering the centre of gravity and point of inertia. That's why you get CF bonnets and boots. Get a decent battery, i.e an Odyssey or the like, which has a great power density and place it in the rear foot well and you've moved even more weight to the bottom & centre of the car. Sorry about the off topic. If someone does look into the strut braces. Ask for E34 ones too please. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted April 23, 2005 well i bought two.....good price and the guy seems cool....will let you guys know how it goes, cant do pics at the moment cos no camera around but i will when i can, the mounting process shouldnt be too hard, a little drilling but nothing that isnt fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted April 23, 2005 they fitted in with a bit of light modification, nothing an angle grinder cant fix. they at 109 cook st, dont have the number on me but its a little import sorta shop.....thanks to wayne for the info on it, would never have found it otherwise! will take pics when i can, the rear im really happy with, the front, engine clearance is a little tight but should be ok and on a side note, im a dumbarse, spent ages getting my jamex seat in, got it all bolted up...only to realise that the e30 seat has the seat belt holder on the actual seat. my bad Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
