OEM Strut brace

[Attilio]

Hello there,

I come across an E85/86 strut brace thanks to a friend who had it on his E85 (now gone to a new owner).

I fitted it to my Z4M Coupe and while the attachment "rings" fit perfectly and the crossbar clears the top of the engine and fuel rail with plenty of clearance, the angle between the crossbar and the supports seems to be somewhat incompatible. (see the red arrows in the pictures below)

What I mean is that I can connect the strut towers with the crossbar but only by tightening the 4 nuts, once done it is then impossible to separate the crossbar from the rings (for example for servicing) without removing the whole lot from the strut towers.

Do anyone of you know if the Z4 and Z4M strut braces are interchangeable? Are in fact two different items? Am I making some mistake while fitting it?

Thanks in advance for your input!
Attilio

 

[markplant]

Turn it round

 

[mac27040]

the part code for e85 Z4m & non M - 51710305114 are the same.

 

[Attilio]

Thanks for the responses

I saw the suggestion from Markplant. Did I really fit it the wrong way?

 

[AndyBeech]

Thanks for the responses

I saw the suggestion from Markplant. Did I really fit it the wrong way?

:lol: No you fitted it the right way, it should point forward unless the Z4M one is different to the M3 one. Either way, I've got the M3 one on mine and it's basically the same design. If you mean it gets a bit stuck fitting it over the bolts and subsequently taking it off the bolts then I'd say that's fairly normal, it's a tight fight over them and I usually have to give it a bit of a bash with my hand to loosen it off or fit it back on. I'd say normal unless anyone else knows different.

You shouldn't need to touch the rings unless working on the suspension, removing them could knock out your alignment for a start (I should add only if your manage to knock the wheels about while they're off or touch the steering wheel) hence why it comes apart at the points you've highlighted.

 

[tomscott]

The strut brace is the correct way round.

Link to the instructions
https://www.zpost.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=139200&d=1206237883

 

[Attilio]

Thanks for the responses

I saw the suggestion from Markplant. Did I really fit it the wrong way?

:lol: No you fitted it the right way, it should point forward unless the Z4M one is different to the M3 one. Either way, I've got the M3 one on mine and it's basically the same design. If you mean it gets a bit stuck fitting it over the bolts and subsequently taking it off the bolts then I'd say that's fairly normal, it's a tight fight over them and I usually have to give it a bit of a bash with my hand to loosen it off or fit it back on. I'd say normal unless anyone else knows different.

Phew! I feel it could have been an embarrassing situation

Thanks for rescuing my reputation on this Forum :lol:

I did have an E46 M3 one but it was interfering slightly with the bonnet so I removed it and sold it to an acquaintance of mine.

it needs more than a fair whack to remove the "bar" from the anchoring points, that's why I started thinking that there may be differences between the "M" and "non-M" parts. I guess I will fit it again trying to see if there is anything I was doing wrong.

A

 

[enuff_zed]

Well I never had one so I'll bow to the experts.
But I did wonder if the two mounting rings were on the wrong sides?
If you swapped them left and right wouldn't the mounting lugs point in the same direction as the brace does?

 

[JamesClements]

I use this one which is excellent although the shape different https://www.wiechers-sport.de/en/shop/dom-fahrwerkstreben/produkte/df--bmw-z4-e85---e86---2-5l---3-0l-domstrebe-stahl-vorne-oben-detail now you've got me wondering if mines fitted upside down!

 

[Attilio]

Well I never had one so I'll bow to the experts.
But I did wonder if the two mounting rings were on the wrong sides?
If you swapped them left and right wouldn't the mounting lugs point in the same direction as the brace does?

will give it a go this evening - if it stops raining!

 

[Attilio]

I use this one which is excellent although the shape different https://www.wiechers-sport.de/en/shop/dom-fahrwerkstreben/produkte/df--bmw-z4-e85---e86---2-5l---3-0l-domstrebe-stahl-vorne-oben-detail now you've got me wondering if mines fitted upside down!

:lol: sorry!

 

[JamesClements]

I use this one which is excellent although the shape different https://www.wiechers-sport.de/en/shop/dom-fahrwerkstreben/produkte/df--bmw-z4-e85---e86---2-5l---3-0l-domstrebe-stahl-vorne-oben-detail now you've got me wondering if mines fitted upside down!
[/quote

:lol: sorry!

no worries

 

[mac27040]

Something not right are you sure this one isn’t the M3 bar!!

Heres mine fitted

 

[enuff_zed]

Well I never had one so I'll bow to the experts.
But I did wonder if the two mounting rings were on the wrong sides?
If you swapped them left and right wouldn't the mounting lugs point in the same direction as the brace does?

will give it a go this evening - if it stops raining!

Having seen the last post, I don't think I'm right.
Have you push the strut tops in to get more negative camber? Maybe just enough to get it out of line?

 

[Attilio]

Well I never had one so I'll bow to the experts.
But I did wonder if the two mounting rings were on the wrong sides?
If you swapped them left and right wouldn't the mounting lugs point in the same direction as the brace does?

will give it a go this evening - if it stops raining!

Having seen the last post, I don't think I'm right.
Have you push the strut tops in to get more negative camber? Maybe just enough to get it out of line?

Hi,
the strut tops are still in the "original" position: I can still put the camber pins in without any trouble... so it would appear that the strut tops haven't moved... puzzling! :scratchhead:

 

[Attilio]

Something not right are you sure this one isn’t the M3 bar!!

Heres mine fitted

Thanks for the pics, and congratulations for the supercharged Z4!!!

Yes, I am positive it is a Z4: it comes from a Z4 and I also used to have the E46 M3 bar and it looks very different:

 

[AndyBeech]

Honestly it looks fine to me, you've fitted it all correctly, nothing is the wrong way around from the pictures you've shown. If your only issue is the bar is a bit difficult getting it off the lug bolts then you can see by the holes on the bar that its quite a tight fit over them, which is how it should be otherwise it'll move about under load, bearing in mind the nuts only torque to about 25nm from memory?

Try taking it off and moving it about a bit / see if it will fit slightly better if it'll ease your mind but I really don't think there's anything wrong here. If it helps, a local specialist installed mine for me originally while some other work was being done and it's been off / on again since by myself and others and no one has ever mentioned it being an issue or not being correct.

If you're concerned whip it over to your local specialist for a quick look, will take them minutes to see if anything's wrong but I really don't think there is unless missing something from your pictures.

 

[mac27040]

defo something not 100% right with how the bar sits below the 2 bolts, it should sit level

 

[mmm-five]

Can the bar itself be flipped over - so still pointing to the front, but flip it left to right - or is there a slot underneath the bar to fit into?

There's some close up pictures of this bar on the ECS Tuning website - and they all seem to be flush and at the correct angle.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-bmw-parts/strut-tower-brace-no-longer-available/51710305114/

Otherwise, has it been bent in an accident?

I'd measure/photo mine, but it's 300 miles away...still!

 

[AndyBeech]

defo something not 100% right with how the bar sits below the 2 bolts, it should sit level

I can only suggest it's something to do with the camber / alignment he's running? There is only one way to install the strut bar and he's done it correctly so don't know what else to suggest. Need someone else with an M running this bar to confirm really.

The bar doesn't flip it only fits one way mmm-five.