Strut bars are a common performance upgrade that reduce the amount of twisting and flexing that a car’s chassis experiences during cornering.
By bracing the chassis between the tops of the struts where they mount to the body, a strut brace reduces the amount of flex that a vehicle experiences during cornering.
A strut brace is a piece of metal that is bolted to the tops of the strut towers and goes across the engine from one strut tower to the other. Some strut braces are triangulated, with a third bar angling away and bolting to the chassis at a third point for added rigidity. Strut bars can be used at the front and at the back of a vehicle.
A strut bar makes a vehicle feel more stable by reducing chassis flex. Steering in particular is improved, with a quicker response during fast cornering.
Strut braces are usually easy to install. The nuts that hold the upper part of the strut to the chassis are removed, the strut brace is put in place and then the nuts are refitted. Race cars often use welded-in strut bars.
Strut braces are made by companies that specialize in high-performance parts for cars, particularly suspension parts. Some auto manufacturers make strut braces for some of their models as well.
