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front strut brace - an alternative take

Specific discussion about the E89 2009 Z4 (sDrive35is, sDrive35i, sDrive30i, sDrive23i)
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tintoverano
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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by tintoverano » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:02 am

Pbondar wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 9:50 am Am I correct in saying that the N20 engined E89s are the only ones with a set of front strut braces in the engine bay and the 6 pot motors do not?
there are two braces connecting the firewall and the towers
Screen Shot 03-23-20 at 10.00 AM.PNG
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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by Pbondar » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:35 am

tintoverano wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:02 am
Pbondar wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 9:50 am Am I correct in saying that the N20 engined E89s are the only ones with a set of front strut braces in the engine bay and the 6 pot motors do not?
there are two braces connecting the firewall and the towers

Screen Shot 03-23-20 at 10.00 AM.PNG
Ah well bang goes that theory.. :thumbsup:

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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by Tinker15 » Mon Mar 23, 2020 11:01 am

What does this strut do that the other two don’t? I can’t say I have experienced any handling problems on mine.
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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by tintoverano » Mon Mar 23, 2020 11:09 am

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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by scootr » Mon Mar 23, 2020 2:22 pm

The 2010 E89 3.0 had the V braces. I added the strut brace and it did tighten up the car a bit.
The improvement may not be noticed if the car is not pushed hard.
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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by Busterboo » Mon Mar 23, 2020 2:36 pm

That Luxon tower brace looks high. Is it clear of the bonnet?
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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by Rassi » Mon Mar 23, 2020 4:14 pm

Busterboo wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 2:36 pm That Luxon tower brace looks high. Is it clear of the bonnet?
Just takes a few forceful closings of the bonnet and then all clear :D
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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by Busterboo » Mon Mar 23, 2020 9:47 pm

:D
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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by tintoverano » Tue Apr 14, 2020 9:23 am

update after 3 weeks having the brace on

the theory, that spreading the load between the struts actually works, is proved to me

on several roads, same spots, where earlier the suspension suffered a hit and had the terrible knocking sound, there's no such "result" anymore

addressing the floaty front in turns, was not my goal, but it improved a lot with the brace on as well
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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by flybobbie » Tue Apr 14, 2020 10:47 am

tintoverano wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 9:23 am update after 3 weeks having the brace on

the theory, that spreading the load between the struts actually works, is proved to me

on several roads, same spots, where earlier the suspension suffered a hit and had the terrible knocking sound, there's no such "result" anymore

addressing the floaty front in turns, was not my goal, but it improved a lot with the brace on as well
What tyres are you running on, as i know the rft on my car felt like tramlining and i was going to collide with other cars on bumpy country lanes i regularly have to travel along. That was all cured by non rft Goodyears.

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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by john-e89 » Tue Apr 14, 2020 11:02 am

Busterboo wrote: Sun Mar 22, 2020 1:21 pm A forum search suggests that a front strut brace is like a K&N Filter. One adds weight, the other noise, but both to no benefit.
As I can’t be bothered to search I’ll assume most, if not all of those are on the E85/6 though Buster..? I put an OEM option brace on my M a few weeks before the restrictions and I have to say I can feel a difference and it’s not placebo, front end just feels a little tighter, it’s not night and day but I can tell a difference, this is on winding country roads. It’s a toss up between that and the GruppeM that would go last if I had to sell some trinkets. It won’t be coming off until the car is sold. Ideally the 35is will be going to make way for an M40i at some point later in the year, however if I was keeping it I’d be fitting a brace ASAP as I bet they tighten up the E89 nicely, hardly the last word in “stiff” are they.... :lol:

As ever some will deny them, others will be for them, but on the evidence of the M I’d 100% buy one for the E89. :thumbsup:
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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by tintoverano » Tue Apr 14, 2020 11:12 am

flybobbie wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 10:47 am What tyres are you running on, as i know the rft on my car felt like tramlining and i was going to collide with other cars on bumpy country lanes i regularly have to travel along. That was all cured by non rft Goodyears.
non-rft pirellis 19"
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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by Busterboo » Tue Apr 14, 2020 12:07 pm

Read the label on the B pillar and, for 50p, you can stiffen the car at the air pump.

A strut brace on marshmallow tyres is a waste of time & money.
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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by tintoverano » Tue Apr 14, 2020 12:12 pm

it is pumped up as suggested on the pillar, exact
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front strut brace - an alternative take

Post by flybobbie » Tue Apr 14, 2020 12:26 pm

Too high a pressure they might run like wagon wheels, a bit lower on pressure might let them flex a bit and stop jiggle.
Door post pressures are for rft, anything else is a different beast.
Even the 18 inch rft tyres the side walls were about half inch thick when i cut through one. Just no flex.

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