I'm looking at a front strut brace for my E86 Coupe. Noticed they aren't listed for mine, but fine for E85 Roadsters and M Coupe? Anyone fitted one to their non M ? Or any other recommendations. I'm thinking that the Gen one will have a decent resale value, if I sell up or move on to M Coupe later! Anyone know who's selling at the best price at the moment? Cheers !
Bmw strut brace
- Thread starter cossie si
- Start date
London. pirate
Member
Hi,
If you search Strut Brace Fitted To Coupe Today, or look at my posts I fitted one last year,
hope this helps.
If you search Strut Brace Fitted To Coupe Today, or look at my posts I fitted one last year,
hope this helps.
***k it ! Just ordered the BMW brace, 
before i read the M3 posts. Did get 10% off though, with the old "if you don't ask you don't get" routine ! Also said they were on Ebay from Poland for less even with Postage. So that's £285 with VAT. I'm on lettuce and "Corporation pop" for the rest of the month 
before i read the M3 posts. Did get 10% off though, with the old "if you don't ask you don't get" routine ! Also said they were on Ebay from Poland for less even with Postage. So that's £285 with VAT. I'm on lettuce and "Corporation pop" for the rest of the month Collected and fitted new gen BMW brace on saturday!
Had to open up the holes on the top plates so it would fit. It would go over the strut studs, but the sleeves on the supplied nuts wouldn't fit. Also to note, tighten each nut gradually after nipping them up, as the plates don't sit 100% true. I'm wondering if this is how the "stud snapping" is happening. If you fully tighten down one, the other nuts will have to then force down the plate, causing more stress on the stud. If you keep nipping them up in turn until the feet on the plates all touch the strut tops, you can then go ahead and torque them down. Also if you hadn't opened up the holes, you'd place lateral force on the studs, again possibly causing one to snap!
Can't say i can notice much difference though. Maybe if i'd done it before the front M3 anti roll bar/poly lolipop bushes, i'd have noticed more! Car does corner lovely and flat though!
Had to open up the holes on the top plates so it would fit. It would go over the strut studs, but the sleeves on the supplied nuts wouldn't fit. Also to note, tighten each nut gradually after nipping them up, as the plates don't sit 100% true. I'm wondering if this is how the "stud snapping" is happening. If you fully tighten down one, the other nuts will have to then force down the plate, causing more stress on the stud. If you keep nipping them up in turn until the feet on the plates all touch the strut tops, you can then go ahead and torque them down. Also if you hadn't opened up the holes, you'd place lateral force on the studs, again possibly causing one to snap!
Can't say i can notice much difference though. Maybe if i'd done it before the front M3 anti roll bar/poly lolipop bushes, i'd have noticed more! Car does corner lovely and flat though!
didn't need to do any of that with mine, it sat neatly on the strut tops and the supplied nut with the added shank fitted perfectly into the given bolt locations, mine sat squarely and loosely onto the strut top with the 3 feet of the SB at touching the where they should on the suspension turret top, nice and loose and fitted like it was always their. You really shouldn't have had to open the holes up further on the stock SB, never once seen that in my near decade of z4m ownership.
Beedub said:
Needed to open one of the stud locating holes on the plate on each side of my BMW strut as well Beedub to make it fit flush - maybe an issue for 3.0si.
Are the strut towers the same in the M Coupe as the Si Coupe?
I'm looking at:
http://www.wiechers-sport.de/en/sho...2-5l---3-0l-domstrebe-stahl-vorne-oben-detail
or
http://www.wiechers-sport.de/en/sho...-e86---3-2l-domstrebe-stahl-vorne-oben-detail.
The 3.2 version looks like it will clear the N52 engine better as it bends away from the oil filler and air intake but I'm not sure if the 3 bolts on the strut tower are the same?
Thanks
I'm looking at:
http://www.wiechers-sport.de/en/sho...2-5l---3-0l-domstrebe-stahl-vorne-oben-detail
or
http://www.wiechers-sport.de/en/sho...-e86---3-2l-domstrebe-stahl-vorne-oben-detail.
The 3.2 version looks like it will clear the N52 engine better as it bends away from the oil filler and air intake but I'm not sure if the 3 bolts on the strut tower are the same?
Thanks
Tried plates both ways, they wouldn't fit. I have over 25 years experience in car modification and i've come across many examples of poor fit genuine products. From gen body panels on Fords, Porsche, to basic things like poor threads on bolts etc, etc. Unless it's a specific 3.0 Coupe issue, i'm going with poor production from whoever BM have them made by. I've been around the Mini factory with a mate who does work there and seen tubs full of parts not fit for use.
Not a problem opening the holes out (although you could argue at the price it should fit 100%) and it won't make any difference to it's performance.
I suppose i could've taken it back, but far easier for me to mod it than having to drive back to the dealer!
The plate would sit on the towers and the studs would come through, it's just the sleeved nuts wouldn't drop into the holes. There's also the chance that my strut studs were at fault.
Not a problem opening the holes out (although you could argue at the price it should fit 100%) and it won't make any difference to it's performance.
I suppose i could've taken it back, but far easier for me to mod it than having to drive back to the dealer!
The plate would sit on the towers and the studs would come through, it's just the sleeved nuts wouldn't drop into the holes. There's also the chance that my strut studs were at fault.
elevensies
Member
pictures pain a 1000 words
please
please