M strut brace
- Thread starter bigwinn
- Start date
The best front strut brace is probably no strut brace. The strut towers triangulate through the slam panel structure.
But, if you must have one, the best one would be, shocker...... the z4 one.
Side by side with the e46 version, whilst visually similar are actually quite different.
That said, they do fit (ish), so if it's just for the looks they're cheap as chips really vs the z4 one.
But, if you must have one, the best one would be, shocker...... the z4 one.
Side by side with the e46 version, whilst visually similar are actually quite different.
That said, they do fit (ish), so if it's just for the looks they're cheap as chips really vs the z4 one.
North West Surrey
3002 tii
Active member
NLA from dealers but a used one pops up on the classifieds every once in while. Truth be told, the E86 chassis does not require it. The chassis is plenty stiff and you won't notice a difference with it. The only benefit is it reinforces the strut towers which are known to crack/mushroom. But you could just throw on some reinforcement plates for fraction of price.
If you were keen on getting one for the bling (don't blame you), the E46 m3 bar can be made to work. It's just matter of removing the strut tower pin. The hood rub I mentioned will 'work itself' out lol.
Liverpool
You can get medicine for itchin in the rear!
I think if you do it to the coupe, you really need to sort out the suspension/alignment first, or it makes it understeer.
No it doesn't, I have one fitted.
3002 tii
Active member
Glad it worked out for you but few members confirmed there is indeed contacting the bracket. Is it leaving a giant dent? No but there’s clearly contact (see below).
I bought the Z4 OEM brace more than a decade ago when they were ten-a-penny. If only I'd had the foresight to buy ten!
I've been known to take a few liberties over kerbs and have a very firmly-damped car, so I have camber plates, strut tower reinforcement plates and a strut brace fitted to mine.
Mine did, like in the photo above. They're also uncomfortably close to a csl style airbox if you put one of those on.
I don't think they do a whole lot for reinforcement given they're situated on the top of the tower.
Certainly didn't help mine, and I have the reinforcement plates as well underneath (which I believe should help a little by spreading the load).
The strut brace will increase torsional stiffness of the chassis, not reinforce the towers, in fact, they would create stress concentration as you load the towers more.
I actually think if you have the brace is best to have the reinforcement plates.
I also think those cracks are present when tracking heavily the car, which would be understandable as the car is not a race car.
I actually think if you have the brace is best to have the reinforcement plates.
I also think those cracks are present when tracking heavily the car, which would be understandable as the car is not a race car.
InterlagosMC
Member
I too have noticed a crack starting very similar to the photo above after running just the oem z4 brace, I need to get this rectified and now have ready to install the reinforcement plates for the underside. Myself and the previous owner have not tracked the car.
Just be mindful that a lot of insurance companies won't offer you a policy with a strut brace fitted.
...and probably a similar number will.
I've never had a problem getting insurance via the big name insurers (Allianz, LV, Admiral, NFU, Aviva, etc.) for any of my modified cars.