Picked up a Schnell front strut brace this morning from Vertex. The bar portion has been revised and is now tapered at the ends and is substantially thicker. A few months ago I replaced the front suspension components (Bilsteins, strut mounts, controls arms, tie rod ends, links, bushings, etc.). In the end however I never got the firm but smooth steering wheel feeling I was expecting, but my car does have 97K miles. Thinking about strut braces, I found numerous threads stating that these braces were nothing more than a panacea for those wanting to spend money on the car. I kept reading the 996 body is solid, has factory strut braces up front, etc., but none of the opinions had ever installed one in their cars.
At the advice of one of the Vertex guys I purchased it. Took the plunge and installed it in less than 10 minutes. Got the black one to match the other stuff going on in that compartment. Loosened the two strut mount nuts on each side and installed the brace. Torqued each of the nuts to 24lb. Took the car for a test drive and reality check. I drove through a route that I take daily and am very familiar with the noises my car makes over the terrain.
I noticed a difference after a few moments of driving. The car felt more planted, less creaks were coming from the dashboard, and at higher speeds a stability and firmness was felt through the steering wheel that was not as prominent before. The change I’m describing was not “dramatic” but it was a noticeable improvement and made the car feel newer. I’m sure these improvements only worked on my car, but wanted to share with others interested in investigating whether a strut brace may be worth the investment.

 

On some cars, yes, others, no.

You will notice it more on a mk1 c2 model more than anything else. Some might notice it that have upgraded to a more aggressive suspension package as well. But like tires, everyone's perception and sensitivity may vary.

 

My car has one too, tucks nicely under all the f-runk plastic. Good to hear it worked for you

 

Alpine003, I agree that it may be car dependent, but I have installed it and can speak first hand about its effects on my car. MK2 owners will have to report about their experiences. I also have no feedback to provide about other brands of "front" strut braces.
Having driven the car over the weekend and this morning to work I can confirm that the body and steering continue to feel firmer. The driving dynamics have changed for the better.
I installed a Racing Dynamics rear strut bar a few months back, then a four point roll bar. Noticeable improvements with both with the roll bar being the most significant improvement. I also installed Function First motor mounts. That upped the vibration factor especially at about 3000 RPMs, but also made the shifting more precise. The roll bar attenuated that.
Cheers

 

The reason why I said mk1 c2 owners will notice it the most is because that is the chassis that is the least reinforced up front and the least stiffest chassis from the factory with room for improvement. Is yours a c2 or c4?

 

Sorry for sounding defensive in the first place. 6Speedonline has but mostly the “other” forum has a loud minority voice that seem to react derisively to potential improvements solely on the basis of emotion, opinion, and bias without having first-hand knowledge, authority, experience, logic, science or even common sense about the subject. The effect of this is that it misleads earnest 996 owners who are interested in improving their cars for performance, safety or reliability.
We all know that the 996 along with other 911s have design and engineering flaws. How many threads have you read presenting sound ideas about improving the motor, cooling or suspension only to get trashed by those who claim the car’s engineering is perfect. However, if you were to visit your local indie dealer you’d see those very upgrades or additives being sold and recommended in person.
Dan189, thank you for sharing your experiences with the strut brace. I too would like to know if it is a C2 or C4 or MK1 or MK2.
Cheers

 

Hey all,

Car is a 2004 MK2 C2.

I dont have a lot to input to this as my car came with a front strut brace installed so I dont have much to compart it to.

 

No Man, I'm asking YOU if your car is a c2 or c4?

 

Mine is a 1999 MK1 narrow-body C2 manufactured on 3-1998

 

I rest my case. Mk1 C4 owners won't notice it as much as the front tub is reinforced and uses the same chassis as the mk1 gt3 which is stiffer.

 

I think what will close the case is hearing from C4 owners who actually installed a front brace for their empirical reactions. We also need to pressure dan189 to remove his brace drive it and then drive it again with the brace installed. You up for that?

 

Had I read this a few months ago I might have been more skeptical. I installed a very beefy OEM tow hitch on my daily driver. (Acura MDX) and it made a noticeable difference in reduction of chassis twist. It makes sense too. You are tying two large frame members together with a very stiff piece of steel and several large bolts. You notice it more when you hit a bump on one side while the other is on smooth pavement. This is one scenario when you would induce chassis twist. In this case I didn't even think about it strengthening the rear frame area but was really pleased to experience the result.

Just in driving my 996 I do sometimes feel like the front end has a bit of twist or cowl shake. You figure hitting a bump on any one side is creating that flex that is passed along through the steering column to you. It certainly can't hurt to tie up the shock towers with a strong strut brace on a car that does exhibit this twist. Interesting to hear more from others on this. I would add this to my car if I knew it would tighten things up a bit.

 

FWIW, all 996's come with a factory front brace. Triangulated one at that, which is the most effective kind too.

These kinds of discussions are useless IMO as every case is going to be different based on how sensitive each individual is to certain inputs and how their specific car is setup in addition to the condition of each component.

Sorta like pre digital days when there would be arguments on if the $200 RCA cables were that much better or noticeable than the $5 ones. YMMV