MATSU Front Strut Bar (Review)

[sshole]

Originally Posted by CSG David

I would advise against the STI bar. A flexible strut bar does not make sense. Someone has to provide me that engineering data to explain the reason behind that interesting concept.

Koenigsegg utilizes a similar concept in their Triplex suspension for their Agera. It's essentially the floppy STI bar, but in a much more expensive package. You get the benefit of lateral load sharing between both sides of the car, but bound/rebound is still independent of each wheel instead of connected by the bar.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbgjRBT4ltM"]Triplex Suspension Explained - /Inside Koenigsegg - YouTube[/ame]

[SubieNate]

Originally Posted by sshole

Koenigsegg utilizes a similar concept in their Triplex suspension for their Agera. It's essentially the floppy STI bar, but in a much more expensive package. You get the benefit of lateral load sharing between both sides of the car, but bound/rebound is still independent of each wheel instead of connected by the bar.

Not at all the same thing.

[sshole]

Originally Posted by SubieNate

Not at all the same thing.

Similar in theory. I never said they were the same thing. Separate the forces acting on the axles.

[SubieNate]

The koenigsegg setup is completely different as it's an actual part of the suspension. It actuates with compression, extension, roll etc. A bar mounted to the chassis can't even begin to do the same thing, dampers and flexibility don't make it magical.

Nathan

[cdrazic93]

Originally Posted by CSG David

A flexible strut bar does not make sense. Someone has to provide me that engineering data to explain the reason behind that interesting concept.

http://www.saabsunited.com/2012/08/d...rut-brace.html

It's all in the physics.

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by cdrazic93

http://www.saabsunited.com/2012/08/d...rut-brace.html

It's all in the physics.

That article just stated what a rigid bar would do to the system. Also the fact that he neglected that wheels actually travel vertically goes to show how simplified the model he was describing. Well that is unless he's saying you're running some suspension kit that sucks in general...

[xwd]

It's not that hard to understand why the flexible STi bar work like it does. Compresses during corners but retains independence in vertical movement.

That being said I got a Grimmspeed bar during their GB and I'm happy with it. It's simple, does what it's supposed to do, and won't get in the way of any camber plates. And it makes a handy place to mount my reservoirs to.

The bar in the OP honestly looks a little too convoluted and more for show than actual performance with all the sections bolted together. There are a number of camber plates which also wouldn't work with it.

[Kostamojen]

Which camber plates are you refering to? Ive never seen a subaru front strut top camber plate that goes outside of the strut top hole so there must be something I don't know about.

And the convoluted design keeps it away from the A/C line. The material thickness they used for this bar also makes it look a bit strange, but its much beefier than something like a Cusco bar that has 1/8" steel strut top mounts. The mounts on this MATSU bar are 1/2" thick excluding the recessed bolt holes.

[SubieNate]

Well. Ground control for one. It's likely many of the job raising type would have an issue.

[jumbaco]

Strut bars effectiveness has always been a debate on car forums. BUt the bar does look good, I like that it's all black, price is good too

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by dwx

It's not that hard to understand why the flexible STi bar work like it does. Compresses during corners but retains independence in vertical movement.

That being said I got a Grimmspeed bar during their GB and I'm happy with it. It's simple, does what it's supposed to do, and won't get in the way of any camber plates. And it makes a handy place to mount my reservoirs to.

The bar in the OP honestly looks a little too convoluted and more for show than actual performance with all the sections bolted together. There are a number of camber plates which also wouldn't work with it.

Yea...except you can bend it laterally too...

Suspension is there for a reason so it can absorb those bumps.

[cdrazic93]

Originally Posted by CSG David

That article just stated what a rigid bar would do to the system. Also the fact that he neglected that wheels actually travel vertically goes to show how simplified the model he was describing. Well that is unless he's saying you're running some suspension kit that sucks in general...

Lol, I found it on a 10 second google search, so no harm no foul.

[solidONE]

Originally Posted by Kostamojen

Just for reference, this strut bar was a compromise for me. Its not the best one out there, nor is it my ideal solution. I couldn't justify spending huge amount of money on one, nor could I find one I like I really wanted.

I also would normally state buy a quality suspension first, but even the stock struts/springs are extremely well sorted on this car, I don't plan on making the move to coilovers. Plus the STI tS model comes stock with the STI bar, which tells me something, and one of the first engine bay photos we ever saw under the hood looked like this:



That triangulated super-beefy welded in bar is my IDEAL solution, but not practical and I have no interest in permanently changing the chassis of this car, I plan on keeping it forever in as good of shape as I can.

If I were to design one myself, it would probably look like this:



The lateral bar as far back as possible, triangulated, using ALL the strut tower bolts including the extra ones on each side that the factory supports use, and preferably of a lighter weight. The hotchkis bar is close, but not quite there, and was up there on my list but price and not-using-enough-strut-bolts were downsides for me.

We had thorough discussion about front strutbars and concluded that this design is ideal.

[major quicknap]

Originally Posted by solidONE

We had thorough discussion about front strutbars and concluded that this design is ideal.

I don't believe there was consensus. There was some support for this design as well.