Just got a set of Titanium strut bar for my FD. Will put them on this week. Here are some pics.

 

where'd you find it?

 

Why Titanium? Did you bend other types?

 

Isn't the top one for a S2000? I've seen the bottom style but the burned center makes no sense to me. Maybe if you wanted to match a burned tail pipe? I don't like it and I love titanium. The end peices look weak and I can't tell if they are aluminum or not. I prefer the clean Cusco (titanium) version with beefy end peices, but everyone has their own taste.

 

Cusco has a Ti front brace now?

Tim

 

^ yes, you can view it on takakaira's web site. It's about $300 + maybe $50 shipping. I was going to have a custome one made but mine would just have been a round tube and not as nice as the Custco version.

 

Wonder what it weighs compared to the aluminum ones. Seems like most of the weight is in the strut pieces and not the bar. On the web site, says 570g for the Ti front bar. I weighed my cork sport and it was 3lb 2 ounces. 570g is equal to 1.26 pounds.

Tim

 

yes, sorry first one is for S2000. These are super light weight. I'll weight them and install on my car soon.

 

Has it really come down to the point that we need to save weight on strut bars?? LOL

Titanium tho...mmm...yummy. As for the burned center...I think they're trying to imitate the titanium exhausts w/ burned tips...(which looks good IMO). Burned center on a strut bar...ehh...not my taste

 

I don't think its exactly for weight savings. Titanium is stronger than aluminum, so it'd be harder to bend and so on. It'd kinda be like having a full steel strut bar, but at the weight of an aluminum one.

-Alex

 

Alex, I considered that for a sec, but from my *limited* knowledge, I have yet to hear of someone actually bending their strut bar??

 

You might not actually bend it, but a titanium strut bar would distort less than an aluminum strut bar while going through a turn.

-Alex

 

its not that you would bend it per say. but the bar will flex less! a lot less. and its not for the weight savings. Aluminum is actually much LIGHTER than titanium.

density of aluminum: 2700 kg/m3
density of titanium: 4500 kg/m3

 

damnit you beat me to it!!!

 

Aluminum is lighter, but the aluminum strut bar will require alot more stock on it to have enough strength to even work. A titanium strut bar can have little stock on it, and still be alot stronger than the aluminum one, therefore the titanium strut bar will usually weight less. That is if its a high quality aluminum strut bar.

-Alex

 

Yes but the titanium bar would have to be equal in size to the aluminum bar to be stronger. If it was built to be just as strong as the aluminum, then yes it would be lighter since you'd be using less material. But if you want to increase rigidity, you would need to use more than that amount.

 

No because aluminum is alot weaker. The strength of titanium is about the same as steel. Read my last post again, I edited it.

-Alex

 

the rigidity modulus of titanium is 44/GPa as opposed to 27/Gpa for aluminum. So titanium is about 1.5 times as rigid. However these things don't scale linearly so you would probably need about half as much titanium for the same strenght as an aluminum bar. I think for bars it scales quadratically.

 

You have to take into consideration the diffrent grades of titanium. The aluminum strut bars are 6061, but not sure on the grade of titanium.

-Alex

Edit: I think its grade 2 titanium. Either way, if these guys are weighting their aluminum strut bars, and they are heavier than the titanium ones, that pretty much sums it all up right there.

 

aluminum is not a lot weaker, especially 6061. Even if you needed twice as much aluminum to make a bar as strong as the titanium one, you would only save 20% on weight.

quicky calc:
2units of aluminum * 2700kg/m3 = 5400
1unit of titanium * 4500kg/m3 = 4500

20% weight savings....big whoop. if you wanna trim 1 lb off of your car then lose some weight yourself. but I will state again that the titanium bar is not for weight savings, it is for the rigidity.

 

I know what it's for, and already stated that before you. I was just simply saying that it will be lighter regardless.

-Alex

 

It wasn't directed solely at you Alex, just other members who would try to justify spending 300+ dollars for a weight savings of 1lb. I mean if you want a titanium bar for the looks/brags thats cool. I personally think it looks good too. But 300 bucks??? i need apex seals

 

I totally agree. There's really no reason for titanium strut bars unless you see quite a bit of track time, and want something a little stronger, while saving a couple pounds or atleast maintain the same weight. I guess if you have the money to burn, why not?!

-Alex

 

dont burn money!!! give it to me!!!

 

People pay this much for a strut bar? Good lord people. I await to see the day in which

a. Someone bends a strut bar without getting into an accident
b. You see advantages from saving 1 pound.