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      11-09-2018, 06:37 PM   #1
Anthony1s
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KC Design Strut Bars

What are everyone's thoughts on these strut bars? I don't know their cost or availability, but they make a matching rear bar and seem like great quality so would be my first choice.

http://www.tw-kcdesign.com/products_6_32.htm



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      11-10-2018, 02:26 AM   #2
M Fifty
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Have you noticed that your car already has a front strut bar?
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      11-10-2018, 06:20 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M Fifty View Post
Have you noticed that your car already has a front strut bar?
There is no front strut bar on the OG M2. There are front corner braces. The strut bar further prevents the chassis flexing during cornering. This one is attractive.
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      11-10-2018, 06:47 AM   #4
M Fifty
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I guess that's a no then.

Have a look under the the plastic covers at the rear of the engine bay. It bolts directly to the strut tops and the firewall.
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      11-10-2018, 06:55 AM   #5
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So additional chassis rigidity by preventing further flexing of the strut towers is a bad thing. 🤔
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      11-10-2018, 10:00 AM   #6
M Fifty
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Nope - a good thing. Hence the approach adapted from the M3/M4 used by the M2C.
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      11-10-2018, 01:05 PM   #7
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No, I did not know that. Anyway, the stock M2 one is a big piece of steel, the stock m3/m4 is aluminum. Maybe could ditch the stock one for the one in the OP to save weight. Then again, maybe the stock one works good enough. I dunno. That's why I was asking for thoughts.



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      11-18-2018, 03:38 AM   #8
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The weird thing is I pulled the corner braces from the m2 the other day and it was really really flexible, like you could bend it without too much force with your bare hands (torsionally), so I don't know if it actually does anything, it might help but I don't know if it does alot since it's so flexible.
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      11-18-2018, 04:34 AM   #9
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Possibly they're mostly doing their thing in tension. I'd be worried if they were there to resist twist.

1 post, two sentences, all three versions*.

*they're, their, there...
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      11-18-2018, 01:46 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M Fifty View Post
Possibly they're mostly doing their thing in tension. I'd be worried if they were there to resist twist.

1 post, two sentences, all three versions*.

*they're, their, there...
I doubt it's for helping the chassis resist tenional stress. The bolt holes have a bit of a gap to them so you can put the bolt into the chassis without too much of an issue. So if it was for tensional stress that would mean the chassis would have to stretch alot.

Lol if you're talking about my grammar it's pretty hard to make sure I write correctly, and have proper sentences. I'm typing on a phone so when I type alot the text box goes up and I can't even see part of what I'm typing. Then auto correct is also an issue making it hard to even type the correct words. If I was doing it on a PC I would be able to make sure it all sounds good, but not on a phone.
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      11-18-2018, 01:52 PM   #11
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He was referring to his own post
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      11-18-2018, 03:14 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by larry.beck View Post
He was referring to his own post
Lol
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      11-19-2018, 01:33 PM   #13
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Slackening the bolts off slightly, marking their location with a chinagraph pencil and driving over some cobbles (AKA Belgian Pave) would be an interesting experiment.
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      11-19-2018, 01:34 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by larry.beck View Post
He was referring to his own post
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      11-19-2018, 01:53 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M Fifty View Post
Slackening the bolts off slightly, marking their location with a chinagraph pencil and driving over some cobbles (AKA Belgian Pave) would be an interesting experiment.
There's not that much space for it to shift, but just enough where the brace imo won't be that effect in preventing chassis stretching. I wonder if the after market replacements are stiffer.
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      12-01-2018, 02:22 AM   #16
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Looks like a nice clean set up for the front without a 'hinged' joint by the strut mounts. Not sure about the rear as shown but it looks like they have two other options in the works.

I'll be at Essen next week, maybe someone will have this on show.
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      12-01-2018, 05:31 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F87source View Post
The weird thing is I pulled the corner braces from the m2 the other day and it was really really flexible, like you could bend it without too much force with your bare hands (torsionally), so I don't know if it actually does anything, it might help but I don't know if it does alot since it's so flexible.
In isolation the brace is flexible. This is not how it works when assembled. If it was only bolted at each end then your concern would be valid but it’s bolted in 4 places along it’s length effectively making it a stiff member.
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      12-01-2018, 02:44 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Japper69 View Post
In isolation the brace is flexible. This is not how it works when assembled. If it was only bolted at each end then your concern would be valid but it’s bolted in 4 places along it’s length effectively making it a stiff member.
That's true, but it's pretty flexible, I don't know if it was because I was bending it super hard or if mine has an issue, but to me it had the same flexibility as a metal garbage can. Even small sections of it could flex if I bent it hard with my hands.

Maybe with all four bolts in at different angles it would feel stiffer, I really hope that's the case otherwise this brace isn't doing much and there aren't any cheaper after market parts.
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      02-21-2019, 06:14 PM   #19
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Do M2s have this structural reinforcement?
Part#51648054327

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      02-21-2019, 06:39 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by williesm View Post
Do M2s have this structural reinforcement?
Part#51648054327

Yeah I believe that's behind the front bumper.
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      02-08-2024, 12:24 AM   #21
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Bump anyone selling the a front kc design bar?
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