The majority of strut braces we are aware of, even many leading brands, have major flaws of one kind or another that fail to fill the basic characteristics of a product that is designed to reinforce a vehicle chassis. Here is a list of items not recommended for an effective strut brace: Any component that is not absolutely rigid, detracts in some measure from the intended function of the strut brace. Some brands of strut braces include almost every one of these undesirable features. Some high end brands contain two or more of these flaws.
1) thin shock tower plates of soft, stamped materials (allows flex and movement)
2) thin hollow tubes that make up the cross bar (lacks the strength required to do the job)
3) multiple bends and angles of the cross bar (each bend or angle imparts a weakness and point of flex to the brace)
4) pivot points where the cross bar attaches to the shock tower rings. (this is 5 year old technology and negates any improvement the strut brace may otherwise have) As the chassis twists and flexes from side to side, the pivot points simply allow the strut brace to "float" with the movement rather that stop it.
5) small diameter hardware, a structure is only as strong as its weakest component. You could have a cross bar of solid 2 inch thick steel but if it attaches to the rings with a 1/4 inch bolt, its only as strong as the quarter inch bolt.
6) lack of reasonable heft and girth (assuming reasonably priced materials, not "super alloys)
7) both cosmetic and functional, some strut braces look like they were manufactured from old lawn chairs and provide little if any rigidity. We refer to these as "feel good" accessories. They do nothing, but the owner feels good about his new accessory. These are usually the economy models, and, others that sell anywhere from $150 to $250. Any improvement in actual rigidity realized from these economy models is a result of the owners imagination and expectation.
8) And finally, appearance, if that is important to any individual buyer and we find in most cases it is. Without exception, the economy models all appear cheaply made because they are. The moderately priced brands $250 to $350, appear more substantial to the casual observer and in some cases they are better. The quality brands running anywhere from $350 to $1600 are obvious showpieces of quality, function, design and execution. Yes, there is a $1695 strut brace for the BMW M5, an AC Schnitzer model. No, it's not made of solid gold, its 6061 T6 alloy just like the Strong-Strut, here is a picture of it
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