By: Brian Lin

A car's handling can be greatly improved if it is fitted with a strut brace. A car will flex when driven hard, especially on tight mountain roads. You might be thinking that a car is made of metal and is not subject to this flexing. But then why do all race and rally cars are equipped with strut braces? Go figure.
So what exactly is a strut brace? A strut brace is a sturdy metal bar which connects the top of the strut towers (suspension pillars) together. This reduces the flexing and twisting of the body, under heavy cornering, and on roads with steep cambers.

The Advantages of Installing a Strut Brace
Strut braces will reduce body flexing allowing better cornering and enhanced driver feedback. Together with a roll cage a very rigid car can be created. The front of the car is more subject to flexing than the rear, so most people fit a strut brace in  front of the car.
The strut braces need to be precision made, and many allow fine tuning adjustments after fitting. Also, they need to be strong and light, so many are constructed from aluminum or carbon fiber, but steel rods are also suitable.

When fitted as strut brace will improve the handling of the car by maintaining the angles in the suspension geometry, even under heavy load. You will also get better feedback from the chassis, and cornering grip will be greatly increased.

There are many aftermarket strut braces available on the market today. For easy installation, make sure you choose the right one for your car model because each vehicle's engine compartment is designed differently from one another.

Fitting a strut brace is simple and straightforward, and can be accomplished in a short period of time. Firstly, lay the strut brace over the struts and ensure they fit (you will be really stuck if they are too short/long or the bolt holes are in the wrong place.) Secondly, ensure they will not interfere or touch the engine or components.

Before you begin, you must ensure that the car is on a level surface, use a spirit level and check for vertical and horizontal level. You need to undo the bolts on the top of the suspension, fit the strut brace and refit the bolts. Don't overtighten them, they will snap easily so use the Torque Wrench to get a measure for the amount of force to use. (Some cars/strut brace kits may require drilling, so check the instructions before you start! If the strut only has one nut you will typically need to drill new holes around the top in order to connect the strut brace.)

Adjust the strut brace when it is on to straighten out the tops of the struts. (Over time the strusts will have started to pull in so you are looking to correct this and restore the cars original geometry.)
The lower strut requires removal of the lower part of the suspension, but again is a simple job. It is easier to do this on axle stands or ramps but you must ensure that the car is on a level surface.