CR15 vs 034Motorsports Strut Brace

[Twitchgixxer]

I'm planning to get the 034 rear sway bar, and pair it with either the CR15 or the 034 front strut brace.

Is the CR15 hollow aluminum? I can't tell from the pictures I've been able to find so far. The 034 strut brace looks so much more substantial, I would think it would offer a stiffer front end feel when compared to the CR15.

Has anyone compared the two in real life driving?

Also, is the 034 really worth 3X the amount that the CR15 sells for?

[bakedziti]

I'm planning to get the 034 rear sway bar, and pair it with either the CR15 or the 034 front strut brace.

Is the CR15 hollow aluminum? I can't tell from the pictures I've been able to find so far. The 034 strut brace looks so much more substantial, I would think it would offer a stiffer front end feel when compared to the CR15.

Has anyone compared the two in real life driving?

Also, is the 034 really worth 3X the amount that the CR15 sells for?

The CR15 is hollow, but have you actually reviewed the 034 strut brace install guide?

The ~8 hours of labor and removing the front strut towers is enough to deter most people. I just replaced my whole suspension and still went with a CR15, but if I have to remove the front struts again for replacement, I’d consider the 034 unit if I had extra time and cash.

https://www.034motorsport.com/docs/0...structions.pdf

[nhracecraft]

^^^I don't have either of these, but the 034 Brace appears to be Quite Substantial, and FAR superior to the CR15. I guess it all depends on what level of improvement you want to achieve. Looking at the linked instructions, while the install in certainly 'involved', especially the removal of the Upper Control Arms/Carriers, I wouldn't describe it a 'so daunting' that I'd be deterred to choose the 034 Brace. Wrench away, I say!

Not sure what you mean about 'removing the Strut Towers' though...

[Twitchgixxer]

The CR15 is hollow, but have you actually reviewed the 034 strut brace install guide?

The ~8 hours of labor and removing the front strut towers is enough to deter most people. I just replaced my whole suspension and still went with a CR15, but if I have to remove the front struts again for replacement, I’d consider the 034 unit if I had extra time and cash.

https://www.034motorsport.com/docs/0...structions.pdf

Wow! I had not actually looked at the install instructions. Looks like quite the process.

[Fishface5]

Reviews of CR15 are good, it's cheap and takes minutes to install, and you could always sell it later if you decided to upgrade. It is hollow but it is much more substantial than OEM. I had one on my V8 S5 and it made a small but worthwhile difference, worth the price IMO - in fact I'll be ordering one next month for the V6 S5 I just got.

[bakedziti]

^^^I don't have either of these, but the 034 Brace appears to be Quite Substantial, and FAR superior to the CR15. I guess it all depends on what level of improvement you want to achieve. Looking at the linked instructions, while the install in certainly 'involved', especially the removal of the Upper Control Arms/Carriers, I wouldn't describe it a 'so daunting' that I'd be deterred to choose the 034 Brace. Wrench away, I say!

Not sure what you mean about 'removing the Strut Towers' though...

Call it a carrier or a strut tower; doesn’t matter, you’re removing them both to drill holes and install a brace that you’re basically fabbing up yourself in that 30+ step/8hour estimated guide.

I don’t know man, to each their own but for $500 I want a more complete solution without needing another alignment with ACC. I could link you a similar strut brace for a quarter of the cost and it’s at least welded into a single piece rather than a bunch of fasteners but OP asked specifically about these two options; neither of which do you have any experience with per your own statements.

Last, refrain from incorrectly paraphrasing my posts; nothing in your faux quotes did I post or say so it’s clear to me that you’re reading whatever you want here rather than the words in my post.

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

Will this fit on a B8.5 RS5?

[old guy]

Will this fit on a B8.5 RS5?

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

The CR yes, but I was actually referring to the 034. Thanks.

[Iceman502]

From a third party, I'd vouch for ECS's carbon strut bar. Made a noticeable difference on my A4, and then again when I transferred it over to my S5 - less body roll in the case of both. The install is much simpler and shorter than 034's. I'm sure the nature of monoblock aluminum will provide overall greater stiffness, but what's that margin really look like, ya know? Enough to justify cost, time and effort? Especially since an alignment is a good idea after pulling the strut assembly, and all those fasteners (which aren't mentioned in the install guide) are TTY, i.e. replace them. Tack on more money for both of those.

OP, I'm not trying to deter from the CR15 option, I know nothing about it. Just sharing my experience

[034Motorsport]

The 034Motorsport Strut Brace for the B8 platform is the single most substantive solution on the market. Our brace links the two strut towers and firewall and is extremely rigid.

The end result is a significantly more rigid front end that provides precise, consistent feedback through the steering wheel and ensures that you enjoy a more connected driving experience.

Other options on the market simply use one or two existing bolt holes to add in a mostly aesthetic brace to hide empty space. The 034Motorsport option is a true substantive upgrade to your vehicle.

Unfortunately, it will not clear the dual TB's of the RS5, though it will fit with a 4.0T swap and all TB's on the market for the 3.0T.

https://www.034motorsport.com/034mot...-aluminum.html

-Sean@034

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

Thanks for feedback, still trying to determine if the 034 (or ECS's) will fit on an RS5.

[034Motorsport]

Thanks for feedback, still trying to determine if the 034 (or ECS's) will fit on an RS5.

As stated in my reply:

Unfortunately, it will not clear the dual TB's of the RS5, though it will fit with a 4.0T swap and all TB's on the market for the 3.0T.

[Twitchgixxer]

From a third party, I'd vouch for ECS's carbon strut bar. Made a noticeable difference on my A4, and then again when I transferred it over to my S5 - less body roll in the case of both. The install is much simpler and shorter than 034's. I'm sure the nature of monoblock aluminum will provide overall greater stiffness, but what's that margin really look like, ya know? Enough to justify cost, time and effort? Especially since an alignment is a good idea after pulling the strut assembly, and all those fasteners (which aren't mentioned in the install guide) are TTY, i.e. replace them. Tack on more money for both of those.

OP, I'm not trying to deter from the CR15 option, I know nothing about it. Just sharing my experience

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll look into the ecs version as well.

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

Thanks

[nhracecraft]

Call it a carrier or a strut tower; doesn’t matter, you’re removing them both to drill holes and install a brace that you’re basically fabbing up yourself in that 30+ step/8hour estimated guide.

I don’t know man, to each their own but for $500 I want a more complete solution without needing another alignment with ACC. I could link you a similar strut brace for a quarter of the cost and it’s at least welded into a single piece rather than a bunch of fasteners but OP asked specifically about these two options; neither of which do you have any experience with per your own statements.

Last, refrain from incorrectly paraphrasing my posts; nothing in your faux quotes did I post or say so it’s clear to me that you’re reading whatever you want here rather than the words in my post.

Not sure why you took such offense to my post, but that certainly wasn't my intent. I was simply offering my opinion, which happened to differ from yours. You seemed to indicate that the 034 Brace was not worth the labor/time/money, while IMO it is FAR superior to the CR-15, and worth the effort, with the qualifier that it depends on what level of improvement you're trying to achieve. The OP asked if anyone had "compared the two in real life driving", and no one yet has offered him that. I offered my opinion and, as he hasn't provided any details, we don't know if he intends to track the car a Brainerd, or will never leave the urban/suburban streets around Minneapolis. In that case, a multiple opinions might be helpful in his decision making as the specifics of his application are unknown.

Regarding the 'faux quotes', they weren't that at all, but rather an effort to emphasize certain points in explaining the justification of MY opinion, and that I would not be deterred in undertaking this install, as you assume most would. Maybe I should have used quotes regarding your reference to "removing the front strut towers", which honestly I thought was either a typo or the result of an auto-correct fail that had somehow slipped by w/o being noticed. Regardless, my comments certainly weren't an affront in any way, nor were they intended to be!

All that said, I agree with your statement that, based on the level of perceived difficulty, this install could/would deter most people. Many accomplished DIYers draw the line at suspension work, which involves stored energy components, and especially in the case of Audi, often things that are overly complex and hard to get apart. I was in that camp for a long time, but had a change of heart on that position, and came to realize that most things are not as hard as they would otherwise seem, especially with air tools! Plus, I'm tired of paying for work, only to discover later that things weren't done correctly. Out of that frustration, I expanded my comfort zone such that. at this point, the only limitation is time and tools. And if I don't have the tools, it's worth the investment to buy them, which can often be justified by the cost savings on the labor I'm NOT paying for anyway. Ultimately, I refuse to pay someone to do work, when I know would do a better job, and know it's done right! Currently, I draw the line at Transmission/ Gearbox and Differential rebuilds, and I don't 'currently' have a lift, so I'm unable to drop the Engine/Drivetrain out of the bottom of an Audi. YMMV

[Iceman502]

The 034Motorsport Strut Brace for the B8 platform is the single most substantive solution on the market. Our brace links the two strut towers and firewall and is extremely rigid.

The end result is a significantly more rigid front end that provides precise, consistent feedback through the steering wheel and ensures that you enjoy a more connected driving experience.

Other options on the market simply use one or two existing bolt holes to add in a mostly aesthetic brace to hide empty space. The 034Motorsport option is a true substantive upgrade to your vehicle.

Unfortunately, it will not clear the dual TB's of the RS5, though it will fit with a 4.0T swap and all TB's on the market for the 3.0T.

https://www.034motorsport.com/034mot...-aluminum.html

-Sean@034

Saw this coming

My comments only questioned if the juice was worth the extra squeeze. Does yours do more? It is highly likely. More points of attachment, larger cross section through the load path, more material to deflect. However, "mostly aesthetic" other options seems disingenuous. CF has a higher tensile strength and specific stiffness, in addition to being lighter (not that a few grams matters in the context of 2000kg + cars). It mounts to some of the same strut hardware and gets torqued under a preload, bridging an otherwise open gap subject to deflection. So, aesthetic? I'd strongly argue no - but it is not on the same level as 034's.

[nhracecraft]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll look into the ecs version as well.

Just FYI - In case you're leaning towards a much less involved install than the 'Level 4 Thermonuclear' rating install the 034 Brace dictates, (Seriously, removing the Strut Assembly, which 034 refers to as a 'carrier', is probably a ten step process all by itself, plus the issue of TTY fasteners mentioned by Iceman502), when I looked at the ECS option I noticed they also offer a hollow square bar similar to the CR-15. I say this because ECS indicates that you can run both their Carbon Fiber Strut Bar AND the square tube Strut Tower/Chassis Brace at the same time, which would tie the Strut Towers together on BOTH sides of the (false) firewall.

It would seem there's no reason you could mix-n-match either...You could go with the CR-15 (at a slightly lower cost vs the similar ECS Brace) in a dual brace install, OR all ECS if you prefer to go w/ one manufacturer. Incrementally, you could install your first choice option, and if you weren't satisfied, follow up with the install of your second choice option...OR you could just decide to do both up front! Total cost (if you chose to go with both braces in the end) would basically be the same as the cost for the 034 Brace, and involve a MUCH easier Bolt-on Installation!


ETA - It turns out the ECS Tuning 'Square Bar' Strut/Chassis Brace is NOT a Hollow Tubing design but rather a Solid Billet of 6061-T6 Anodized Aluminum!

[Twitchgixxer]

Just FYI - In case you're leaning towards a much less involved install than the 'Level 4 Thermonuclear' rating install the 034 Brace dictates, (Seriously, removing the Strut Assembly, which 034 refers to as a 'carrier', is probably a ten step process all by itself, plus the issue of TTY fasteners mentioned by Iceman502), when I looked at the ECS option I noticed they also offer a hollow square bar similar to the CR-15. I say this because ECS indicates that you can run both their Carbon Fiber Strut Bar AND the square tube Strut Tower/Chassis Brace at the same time, which would tie the Strut Towers together on BOTH sides of the (false) firewall.

It would seem there's no reason you could mix-n-match either...You could go with the CR-15 (at a slightly lower cost vs the similar ECS Brace) in a dual brace install, OR all ECS if you prefer to go w/ one manufacturer. Incrementally, you could install your first choice option, and if you weren't satisfied, follow up with the install of your second choice option...OR you could just decide to do both up front! Total cost (if you chose to go with both braces in the end) would basically be the same as the cost for the 034 Brace, and involve a MUCH easier Bolt-on Installation!

It's like you've been reading my mind since I made my last post, lol. I was wondering, ever since looking at the ECS version, about combining it with the CR-15.

That install process of the 034 is a big deterrent for me.

[nhracecraft]

^^^Honestly, the 034 Brace makes a lot of sense if you're gonna 'Track the Car'! As previously posted, "The 034Motorsport Strut Brace for the B8 platform is the single most substantive solution on the market!" But the more I think about it, if the track is not the primary consideration, the 034 Brace is really one of those 'While You're In There' mods. If you're gonna do Coilovers, or Air Suspension, and you'll have it apart anyway, 'while you're in there' you might as well do it. However, if nothing's broke or needs replacing, do you 'really' want to sign up for that...Maybe not!

[nhracecraft]

It's like you've been reading my mind since I made my last post, lol. I was wondering, ever since looking at the ECS version, about combining it with the CR-15.

That install process of the 034 is a big deterrent for me.

I edited my previous post to reflect that the ECS Tuning 'Square Bar' Strut Tower / Chassis Brace is NOT a Hollow Tubing design, but rather a Solid Billet of 6061-T6 Anodized Aluminum! Not sure if that influences your decision in any way, but I figured I'd pass it along just in case...

[M’s RS5]

I have the ECS firewall bar installed. It’s nice and I like it. Can’t say how much it affected the front end though as I have sway bars, bushing inserts, JHM springs, Alu Kreuz, and 285 square MPS4S. Probably helps a little.

[Twitchgixxer]

I edited my previous post to reflect that the ECS Tuning 'Square Bar' Strut Tower / Chassis Brace is NOT a Hollow Tubing design, but rather a Solid Billet of 6061-T6 Anodized Aluminum! Not sure if that influences your decision in any way, but I figured I'd pass it along just in case...

Even better!

[nhracecraft]

Sooo, what did you decide? Did you buy yourself any Christmas presents?

[Twitchgixxer]

Sooo, what did you decide? Did you buy yourself any Christmas presents?

I haven't yet, as it's very much still Winter here in MN and the roads are extra rough with pot holes that reveal themselves this time of year, and I haven't had any itch to add to my "to-do" list as we also ride snowmobiles, and those are an always ongoing project. When I do get around it, I expect it will be April/May.

I have been wondering how the extra bracing will affect my Winter driving characteristics of the car though. When I do start to slide sideways when taking icy/snow covered corners, the car likes to push the front currently. I hope the extra braces will help to balance that out a little bit and help to bring the front around the corner better, even in terrible road conditions.

[Twitchgixxer]

Post update: I'm ordering the ECS aluminum bar. My S5 isn't capable of having the carbon fiber strut brace installed as it doesn't have the M8 stud ECS refers to in their listing on the passenger side of the car as being essential for install.