If you have modified your Kia Optima suspension to improve your performance, it's a good idea to make sure that the suspension isn't being compromised by excessive chassis flex. Installing Kia Optima strut bars is a good way to help eliminate this flex, and will contribute to your suspension behaving the way it was designed to. The price differences in Kia Optima strut bars often reflect the quality of materials and unique designs, although the less expensive bars are often also of very good quality.

Strut bars are available in both adjustable and non-adjustable types depending on the manufacturer. Since the purpose of the Kia Optima strut bar is to stiffen up the vehicle's strut towers during hard cornering and braking (and keep the towers in their stock position), the type of Kia Optima strut bar you purchase has a lot to do with personal preference. As long as the bar is stiff and attached securely, it will do its job. The most effective type of strut bars, however, also tie in to the firewall to create a rigid triangle. Separate attachments are available from certain manufacturers to allow you to convert your Kia Optima strut bar to a tri-bar setup.

Also, Kia Optima strut bars are sometimes also referred to Kia Optima strut braces or Kia Optima strut tower braces. Those are all terms that refer to the same thing.

Q: How do you install a strut bar?
A: Strut bars take mere minutes to install with normal hand tools. First remove your factory strut tower bolts and brace, and then simply re-install them with the new strut bar.

Q: Are strut bars available for the front and rear of each vehicle?
A: Strut bars are offered for the front and rear tower braces on vehicles, since your car has struts inside each tire. Buying front and rear strut tower bars will dramatically improve your suspension.

Q: What is a strut bar? Why buy a strut bar?
A: Strut bars (also referred to as strut braces or strut tower braces) are used to reduce the amount of flex in the factory strut towers. Under hard cornering loads, the strut assembly is pulled laterally at the strut top. A strut bar ties together the strut towers and, braces them against flex and movement. So in other words, if you want to be able to accelerate through some turns instead of being forced to brake, a strut bar can help you do that since strut bars help reduce body roll during turns.