Here's a pic from L.A. auto show. I see it's black and the one from the optional accessory is silver. Does anyone know if the stock is steel and the optional one is aluminum? Or the only difference is the strength?

 

Here's the optional one.

 

if its steel mitsu is hypocritical about weight savings.

 

It's probably steel, because in this case, I'd rather give up the weight for the increased stability of steel vs aluminum.

 

If engineered properly aluminum can have more rigidity per pound than steel.(aluminum tubing is more rigid than solid steel of the same weight)

 

So your saying the steel is more ridgid than the aluminum? So why would anybody get the optional aluminum one's

My old M3 strut bar was aluminum but for being as thick as it was steel of equal wt will be probably still be as strong.

I'm starting to think the optional strut is for appearence only and perhaps thicker but, just as strong as the steel one it replaces

edit: Didn't know aluminum tubing is stronger than steel if the weight is the same. I guess i take my comment back

Maybe 7075 aluminum would be nice?

 

ther are other more ridgid/stronger metals than steel or aluminum.

 

alum would probably be lighter/stiffer then steel in this case....
Titanium would probably be better, but it's expensive, and diffictult to work with...

As I understand it the steel braces are standard, and the alum ones are dealer options. depending on the price, these could be a cool deal - but it might just be a scam for the dealers to rape us out of more money over the sub $29k sticker. Hopefully my fears are groundless, but don't be surprised to show up to your dealer and have a bunch of crap slapped on it even though it is fresh off the trailer....

 

Structural aluminum like a tube, can be very strong. Since the force on the strut bar is parallel to the bar, you would be fine, and the aluminum would be lighter. If the force were perpendicular to the bar, it would bend pretty easily.
All a strut tower bar is supposed to do is prevent the shock towers from moving, so the geometry of the car does not change as much while cornering.

 

Anyone who has owned a mountain bike knows the basic properties of the metals. And, for the record, rigidity is probably almost as important as strength. Steel is fairly rigid, although it flexes a little. Aluminium. No flex, but it fatigues over time. Titanium. Very strong steel like strength but more forgiving than steel and aluminium and lighter. Has some flex. This is of course written from a mountain bike POV. Carbon fibre, BTW, is like aluminium but without the fatigue factor. However, carbon fibre can be prone to catastrophic failure otherwise known as "blowing up." (Or at least it was when it first came out, which was the last time I bought a frame--ended up with aluminium). If I've been wrong in anyway, please correct me.

BTW, If I had a choice for a strut bar, mine would be carbon fibre.

Erik in LA

 

You can pretty much assume the aluminum will be more rigid than the steel strut brace (I use an aluminum safety hook at work; weighs about 2/3 of a pound and is rated to hold 8,000lbs), but honestly I think it's biggest selling point for most people point will be its aesthetic value.

 

Notice that the design of both bars is nearly identical as far as the angles are concerned. i would bet that the biggest difference between the two is simply looks. think ill order one anyway if the price is right since it looks dope.