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front strut brace - an alternative take
- tintoverano
- Member
- Posts: 666
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 4:33 pm
front strut brace - an alternative take
when I got the car more than a year ago, I looked at potential mods and saw the strut brace one too, for sure - I didn't felt that I needed one, not going on the track etc.
this changed since then, as many times, when driving on bumpy roads, layered with smaller/bigger potholes all over the place, I felt myself in danger - tyres start to make jumps, car going into limbo, not good at all, even at lower speeds
too many roads are in bad shape around here, and I started to hate this daily feeling
learning earlier how the strut brace does its job, I figured it might help with these roads, not only with cornering and potentially I could feel safer ...perhaps it could also save suspensions a bit (distributing forces from one strut to the other, decreasing the impact the tyre hitting the bump, bla bla)
then I saw early this month a good promotion on the Ultra Racing front brace https://ultraracingeurope.com/bmw-z4-e8 ... pe_english, decided to give it a try
arrived this week, put it on today and went back to these bad roads to test this thing
the experience went way over my expectations: I felt safe and had to speed up (a lot) to feel it even more
it did help with cornering as well as advertised (but not believed so much )
I enjoyed the car so much again, good stuff
this changed since then, as many times, when driving on bumpy roads, layered with smaller/bigger potholes all over the place, I felt myself in danger - tyres start to make jumps, car going into limbo, not good at all, even at lower speeds
too many roads are in bad shape around here, and I started to hate this daily feeling
learning earlier how the strut brace does its job, I figured it might help with these roads, not only with cornering and potentially I could feel safer ...perhaps it could also save suspensions a bit (distributing forces from one strut to the other, decreasing the impact the tyre hitting the bump, bla bla)
then I saw early this month a good promotion on the Ultra Racing front brace https://ultraracingeurope.com/bmw-z4-e8 ... pe_english, decided to give it a try
arrived this week, put it on today and went back to these bad roads to test this thing
the experience went way over my expectations: I felt safe and had to speed up (a lot) to feel it even more
it did help with cornering as well as advertised (but not believed so much )
I enjoyed the car so much again, good stuff
mSport 23i
Coding Help, Stubby, Remap, K&N filter, Cruise Ctrl, Reverse cam, Instrument Cluster Color, UR front brace, CDV delete, Android on CIC, Roof Module, LSD
Coding Help, Stubby, Remap, K&N filter, Cruise Ctrl, Reverse cam, Instrument Cluster Color, UR front brace, CDV delete, Android on CIC, Roof Module, LSD
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- Senior Member
- Posts: 2738
- Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 10:06 am
- Location: Costa Del Sol
front strut brace - an alternative take
I often wondered about these, if they actually were of any benefit so it's good to hear about your experience with it. Was it easy to fit and does it fit well?
2009 sdrive30i auto Sapphire Black / Coral Red
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4048
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
front strut brace - an alternative take
I think you have to be careful not to make the car to ridged. Someone told me how the Ford Sierra was made rigid and they shook themselves to bits. So they made the body more flexible by leaving some strengthening out, allowing the body to flex.
- RichieP
- Member
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 7:40 pm
front strut brace - an alternative take
My Strong Strut brace arrived from Arizona on Friday, I’m fitting tomorrow morning then taking the M for a spin, I’m looking forward to feeling a different drive that everyone talks about.
2008 Z4MC SG/Imola / Hel brake lines / Pagid RS29 / Strong Strut / VT mounts / Carbon trim / stubby.
- tintoverano
- Member
- Posts: 666
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 4:33 pm
front strut brace - an alternative take
5-minute job, fit perfectlySilverstar wrote: ↑Sat Mar 21, 2020 8:25 pm I often wondered about these, if they actually were of any benefit so it's good to hear about your experience with it. Was it easy to fit and does it fit well?
need to replace the self-locking nuts, buy them upfront and torque them (34Nm)
mSport 23i
Coding Help, Stubby, Remap, K&N filter, Cruise Ctrl, Reverse cam, Instrument Cluster Color, UR front brace, CDV delete, Android on CIC, Roof Module, LSD
Coding Help, Stubby, Remap, K&N filter, Cruise Ctrl, Reverse cam, Instrument Cluster Color, UR front brace, CDV delete, Android on CIC, Roof Module, LSD
- tintoverano
- Member
- Posts: 666
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 4:33 pm
front strut brace - an alternative take
it still flexes, same rattles and noises, perhaps less often
mSport 23i
Coding Help, Stubby, Remap, K&N filter, Cruise Ctrl, Reverse cam, Instrument Cluster Color, UR front brace, CDV delete, Android on CIC, Roof Module, LSD
Coding Help, Stubby, Remap, K&N filter, Cruise Ctrl, Reverse cam, Instrument Cluster Color, UR front brace, CDV delete, Android on CIC, Roof Module, LSD
- tintoverano
- Member
- Posts: 666
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 4:33 pm
front strut brace - an alternative take
let us know
mSport 23i
Coding Help, Stubby, Remap, K&N filter, Cruise Ctrl, Reverse cam, Instrument Cluster Color, UR front brace, CDV delete, Android on CIC, Roof Module, LSD
Coding Help, Stubby, Remap, K&N filter, Cruise Ctrl, Reverse cam, Instrument Cluster Color, UR front brace, CDV delete, Android on CIC, Roof Module, LSD
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2812
- Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2016 2:49 am
front strut brace - an alternative take
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.
Vidi, vici, veni
- RichieP
- Member
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 7:40 pm
front strut brace - an alternative take
Fitted the brace morning 10 minutes job with the right tools, I’ve taken the MC out for a spin and the front no longer lifts on hard acceleration, front end dip has disappeared, it has sharpened up the steering, all in all I’m happy
2008 Z4MC SG/Imola / Hel brake lines / Pagid RS29 / Strong Strut / VT mounts / Carbon trim / stubby.
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- Senior Member
- Posts: 2738
- Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 10:06 am
- Location: Costa Del Sol
front strut brace - an alternative take
Excuse my ignorance but what are these self locking nuts? are you referring to the three nuts on top of each strut tower?tintoverano wrote: ↑Sat Mar 21, 2020 9:40 pm5-minute job, fit perfectlySilverstar wrote: ↑Sat Mar 21, 2020 8:25 pm I often wondered about these, if they actually were of any benefit so it's good to hear about your experience with it. Was it easy to fit and does it fit well?
need to replace the self-locking nuts, buy them upfront and torque them (34Nm)
2009 sdrive30i auto Sapphire Black / Coral Red
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2738
- Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 10:06 am
- Location: Costa Del Sol
front strut brace - an alternative take
Now I am confused there are members here saying they have seen a benefit of having the strut brace and you say others have seen no benefit. Who is right then? I guess the only way to find out is to fit one and see for yourself, I wonder if the vendor will accept a return in case you find there is no difference.
2009 sdrive30i auto Sapphire Black / Coral Red
- RichieP
- Member
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 7:40 pm
front strut brace - an alternative take
Just a note to the above, my Z4MC was like riding a wild horse the first day I drove the car, the brace had enabled me to control it a little bit more. Still loads more to do, in time.Silverstar wrote: ↑Sun Mar 22, 2020 4:31 pmNow I am confused there are members here saying they have seen a benefit of having the strut brace and you say others have seen no benefit. Who is right then? I guess the only way to find out is to fit one and see for yourself, I wonder if the vendor will accept a return in case you find there is no difference.
2008 Z4MC SG/Imola / Hel brake lines / Pagid RS29 / Strong Strut / VT mounts / Carbon trim / stubby.
- tintoverano
- Member
- Posts: 666
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 4:33 pm
front strut brace - an alternative take
item #2 https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpa ... Id=31_0695Silverstar wrote: ↑Sun Mar 22, 2020 4:28 pmExcuse my ignorance but what are these self locking nuts? are you referring to the three nuts on top of each strut tower?tintoverano wrote: ↑Sat Mar 21, 2020 9:40 pm5-minute job, fit perfectlySilverstar wrote: ↑Sat Mar 21, 2020 8:25 pm I often wondered about these, if they actually were of any benefit so it's good to hear about your experience with it. Was it easy to fit and does it fit well?
need to replace the self-locking nuts, buy them upfront and torque them (34Nm)
mSport 23i
Coding Help, Stubby, Remap, K&N filter, Cruise Ctrl, Reverse cam, Instrument Cluster Color, UR front brace, CDV delete, Android on CIC, Roof Module, LSD
Coding Help, Stubby, Remap, K&N filter, Cruise Ctrl, Reverse cam, Instrument Cluster Color, UR front brace, CDV delete, Android on CIC, Roof Module, LSD
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4048
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
front strut brace - an alternative take
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?