[agentr31]

does anyone on here have a strut brace fitted up to there i30?

if so is there any noticeable difference to the handling characteristics?

pics, comments, thoughts on the subject!

[Dazzler]

Hey Ian.. If you search strut you will find a couple of threads including this one..

https://i30ownersclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,1983.msg49641.html#msg49641

[agentr31]

durr *face palms* why didnt i think of the search button...

[Mutley]

TBH I don't think it's worth it on the i30 unless your going to keep modding it further so that it's actually useful, ie suspension work.

Is there an identified weakness in the rigidity at the front to warrant this?

With the greatest of respect, this is probably as useful as a rear spoiler which I always assumed got its name from its unfortunate aesthetics, in most cases.

Surely there would be greater priorities? I wonder whether Razy used one (if allowed)?

I'm sure many here would like your feedback on its effectiveness if you have one fitted.

[2i30s]

IMHO i don't think an i30 needs a strut brace because the strut towers are virtually joined to the fire wall. you would get more stiffness out of an x shaped chassis brace,but i don't think in a day to day drive it would be a practical idea as you would lift a wheel off the ground each time you entered and exited a driveway. in a race car yes,but not a road car. will your insurance allow a strut brace.? I lowered my car and used a slightly stiffer spring rating and it corners like its on rails,but going in or out of a drive way the body creaks like mad because the springs are stiffer. my insurance allowed the springs because i had them fitted and supplied by pedders and are a legal height. have a look at MY HATCH PICS AND MODS the car looks like its dumped on its guts [so to speak] but its only got a 35mm lowered spring.i can throw her into a corner with almost no understeer and no oversteer,unless i make it.   every mod on my car is insurance approved and allowed as long as I've asked the approval prior to the work being done and have a receipt to prove its professionally done. and last thing is that any mods I've had done have also been OK,ed by my dealer as not to void my warranty.   PS. i have the pedders part # if anyones interested for the lowered springs.           

[agentr31]

ill go futher with the suspention, dont worry about that, might take a bit of time tho, my other car needs suspention work, its getting sloppy... but that will cost a fortune, where the hell do you get stuff for a J31 maxima?

 i would like a nice set of coil overs, or KONI shokies and deacent springs, some sway bars and a bit of camber and caster might also if you can do that with them... i need to look into it tho

[eyecon]

Yes part # please. You may have mentioned it elsewhere and my apologies if you did, but how much did they cost?

[agentr31]

search for koni shokies didnt turn up enything but there are coil overs on EBAY...

strut brace cost me $115AUD from ebay...

[2i30s]

Yes part # please. You may have mentioned it elsewhere and my apologies if you did, but how much did they cost?

at pedders $600 supplied and fitted with a 4 wheel alignment. the part # are, front 2990a and rear 2991a. hope this helps.  sorry about hijacking your topic Ian. 

[agentr31]

not bad... i might have to look at getting a rear one now!! are the pedders ones adjuatable?

*edit, 2i30s your not really hijacking my thread, i did ask for comments and thoughts!

i know where your coming from with the brace that goes to the fire wall, would be much better again, but then a cage that joins everything up would be best... but thats going too far on a road car! by rights i should be getting bigger alluminium wheels, and smaller profile tyres that would make more of a difference, but for now ill have to live with the "gay" steel wheels and uber massive profile tyres

meh there is no rush, the car is new and the suspention gets by "ok" could be a lot firmer (old skyline had konis, lowered springs in the front and chopped lowered springs in the back) NOW that handled like it was on rails...

[Mutley]

lol chopped springs...that sure sounds like a skyline...

TBH if you were to go as far as coilovers, sway bars, under braces, strut braces, caster and camber adjustment, wheels and tyres, the first port of call would be to do the springs/shocks or wheels/tyres.
Also there are different quality strut braces, however I'm not sure whats available for i30's but a 'generic ebay' one isn't going to benefit you as much as a 'proper brand' one.

All that being said it's up to you what you want to do while the car is under warranty...

In regards to pedders...they are 'generally' overpriced for what they give...

[Lorian]

I put some duct tape on mine. They are much stiffer now. I'm thinking of welding up the doors too 

[2i30s]

 

[eyecon]

 
Hey 2i30s with the lowered setup how are the tires wearing? Do you find you're getting even tire wear. I'm just wondering if I need to get a camber kit for it.

[agentr31]

I put some duct tape on mine. They are much stiffer now. I'm thinking of welding up the doors too 

thats the spirit! the more welding you do the the body the stiffer it becomes! unless you just run lines down the bonnet, roof and boot then well...

[2i30s]

Hey 2i30s with the lowered setup how are the tires wearing? Do you find you're getting even tire wear. I'm just wondering if I need to get a camber kit for it.

the front only has about 1 deg of negative camber because i haven't fitted eccentric bolts in the bottom of the struts were they bolt to the knuckle. and the rear is at the moment 5 deg negative camber.you can buy adjustable arms to change the camber on the rear . the eccentric bolts i mentioned are the cheapest and easyest way to do camber on the front.to adjust caster on the front you need to loosten of the bolts on the crossmember and you can shuffle it around a little bit but not much.the rear caster is adjustable and also toe in and out.I'm not noticing any abnormal wear because i rotate the wheels from front to back every 4000-5000kms.i hope I'm not confusing anyone that reads this info,for 6 years i worked as a suspension mechanic for an automotive engineer.

[agentr31]

-tive camber is a good thing on the front, don't know about the back on a FWD tho... 5 degrees might cause adverse affects on tyre wear tho but seeing as there is only 490kgs on the back axle it shouldnt be too bad

[2i30s]

neg camber on the rear takes some of the oversteer away.

[agentr31]

orly!! as you can see i havent ever really played with the suspention on a FWD good thing to know 2i30s

[agentr31]

the strut brace came today! i trial fitted it...

seems i need to make a bracket to relocate the clutch reservoir but besides that its all good!

[2i30s]

is it on yet Ian.? 

[agentr31]

its almost fitted! ive done some work to it! it wasnt up to my standards!!!

basically i just gave it a quick buff, but the drill broke so i had to get a new one, hence the quick buff (did it last night) then i fitted stainless steel M10 bolts and nuts to it

i ground the numbers off the heads of the satinless bolts, then polished them to mirror finish LOL

anyways im currently putting stainless dome head cap screws all over the engine bay!! it looks like i should have bought the box of 100 as im drastically short... when im finished ill post some photos of what i had to do to make it work... and how pretty it looks

[agentr31]

all on.. pics are coming, look in my other thread in diesel pics! soon!

[2i30s]

just had a look,neat job. 

[Paolo5]

I agree with 2i30s....a really neat job. Well done, agentr31!

[agentr31]

thanks guys!!