Belgian Rear Strut Brace

Forum member TheBelgian is at it again!  This time, helping me make a custom rear strut brace to stiffen up the car's back end.

Though nothing more than a 1.5" steel bar, welded to two end plates... It has provided a significant improvement in handling, as well as a functional mounting spot for my Sabelt racing harnesses.  This really makes you question how much the car body flexes in order for such a simple support to have such noticeable results.

Rear strut bar

The bar was bolted to the frame in place of the back seat mounting points.

Serves as a functional harness bar

Bolts in place of back seat mounting points

For only $25 in materials, I was astonished at just how big of a difference this bar has actually made.  Even though all suspension components on this car have been upgraded, I found the back end to be very unpredictable through a turn.  This rear strut bar has perfected the handling, making it eerily similar to my S40.

The problem with hatchbacks is the lack support through the body as a whole.  Technically speaking, a hatchback is nothing more than an empty box sitting on wheels.  My S40 maintained better handling because of the rigid trunk deck and rear glass windscreen, both sitting over the rear axle.

By adding this new brace, the C30 now has that rigid support which decreases body flex.  I can tell exactly when the back end is about to break loose, making the car a lot more predictable.  Unlike upgrade sway bars, which only give noticeable improvement when a car is pushed to its limits, the outcome of this bar can be felt in every turn.

While it may limit my cargo space, it does provides a barrier which helps prevent large items from sliding around in the cabin.  Once again, it's a modification that serves both practicality and performance.