Stock seats ...

Yeah I don't want to make one for a harness. What I make won't be for a harness!!! Don't want to get into making safety systems!!

Ok then when I make them I need at least 3 to be detachable and aluminium. Light weight strong are we bothered about looking pretty? Not saying they will look bad but do we want function over form or is it going to be visible gift you coupe fellas?
 
I have been thinking about a lift in lift out cage option for a roadster. It's only an idea so don't know if the mounts are up to it. But basically it would clip in to the roof locking mounts and into the hard top position at the rear!! Any thoughts from you cleaver guys??
 
If you are considering using the rear top mounts as the points of attachment for a rear strut brace, I would suggest that many people who might be interested in fitting one, might have upgraded their suspension and at the same time also fitted Rogue Engineering (or similar) rear top mounts, where the mounting plate is inverted and the bolts point into the wheel arches so that the rear shocks can be removed without having to dismantle the boot trim. Consequently, you would lose these points of attachment for a strut brace unless you fabricate a mounting plate which has threaded bolts extending upwards into the boot as well as downwards into the wheel arch.

As Tertius says, a rear strut brace on its own, without triangulation fixings to other parts of the car would be unsuitable to use for fixing harnesses.

In any event, bearing in mind how stiff the Z4 chassis is, particularly the Coupe, would a rear strut brace, as a simple bar located between the tops of the rear wheel arches, actually serve any significant purpose? Personally, I doubt it.
 
i really cant see a rear brace doing anything on these cars, anyone who's taken the carpet out and actually looked at the rear setup i genuinely cant see it doing a thing....

on the roadster, i mentioned about a year ago having something that locks into the hardtop mounting points but was quickly dismissed on zpost..... i still think it could work imo.
 
I've not dismantled the boot trim yet. For me, it was more an assumption that if the front strut towers can flex, so can the rear. Are the rear strut towers more robust? I'm back at the end of the month so I'll have a look at what's hiding under the carpet....
 
BMWZ4MC said:
I've not dismantled the boot trim yet. For me, it was more an assumption that if the front strut towers can flex, so can the rear. Are the rear strut towers more robust? I'm back at the end of the month so I'll have a look at what's hiding under the carpet....
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i noticed it was all tied together by what ill describe as a rear bulkhead..... it isnt an open space from the cabin to the rear space.
 
BMWZ4MC said:
Are the rear strut towers more robust?
Click to expand...

Yes. The front suspension towers are located some distance in front of the bulkhead, and because the bonnet opens there is no other structure which joins the left and right wings together at the top of the wings until the very front of the car, so there is nothing to keep the front suspension towers in absolutely fixed positions unless a transverse strut-brace is fitted. Because the front wheels steer the car, the loading on the front suspension will place different forces on the suspension towers when the front wheels are turned at different angles and when lateral loading changes with lateral bodyroll: this creates an element of flex which prevents the front suspension from operating from an absolutely rigid platform.

In comparison, the rear top mounts are located immediately behind the bulkhead behind the seats, and that bulkhead will keep the top of the rear suspension mounts in fixed locations. Additionally, the boot floor, the boot lip and roof add to the rigidity of the rear end of the chassis. Further, the rear suspension is designed to restrict the vertical movement of the dampers to essentially 2 dimensions (apart from 3D movement in the bushes), therefore the forces on the rear strut towers should be a simple upwards force when the suspension on either/both sides are in compression and this should not change the distance between the two towers, relative to each other, during driving. As such, I see no need for a rear strut-brace.
 
Its a on going project at the moment which is why I have not said much about it yet, when everything is sorted I will post some info up, I don't think it will ever be fixed enough to ever mount anything to or do anything to the stiffness of body shell which on the coupe is not an issue any way, It will be more for looks really.
 
Thanks guys. I realised the rear bulkhead is a structural member but I'd not considered its proximity to the strut towers. An element of a rear strut brace would be cosmetic so I might talk to MM about it once I've seen beneath the carpet for myself. As you mentioned Exdos, the rear top mount bolt length would need to be considered, so it's not something I'll do if the RE top mounts I've bought can't accommodate a strut brace.
On which subject, I'll be starting work on my mods in three weeks if jet lag allows :trampoline:


Oh, and sorry for the thread hijack!
 
I agree that adding a rear brace won't do much, if anything for chassis stiffness, however, I think it would add strength to the suspension towers, especially relevant for those of us with rear coil overs ... ;). Though I'm swapping mine back to barrel springs anyway.
 
no no no i love the chatter in here!! no hijacking at all... crack on... i like it when a thread decends into chat about everything and anything....
 
tertius said:
I agree that adding a rear brace won't do much, if anything for chassis stiffness, however, I think it would add strength to the suspension towers, especially relevant for those of us with rear coil overs ... ;). Though I'm swapping mine back to barrel springs anyway.
Click to expand...


definitely... full coilover on this era of bmw, e46 m3, e36m, CSL, z4m... full coilover is a big no no.... the turret is simply not designed to deal with those forces.... i would guess after the miles you've done and track work theirs probably some deformation already, the CSL race cars were still ran with a sperate barrel spring so it performs just as good imo....
 
BMWZ4MC said:
Thanks guys. I realised the rear bulkhead is a structural member but I'd not considered its proximity to the strut towers. An element of a rear strut brace would be cosmetic so I might talk to MM about it once I've seen beneath the carpet for myself. As you mentioned Exdos, the rear top mount bolt length would need to be considered, so it's not something I'll do if the RE top mounts I've bought can't accommodate a strut brace.
On which subject, I'll be starting work on my mods in three weeks if jet lag allows :trampoline:


Oh, and sorry for the thread hijack!
Click to expand...

you got the suspension on yet??? you are going to love it!!!!
 
Beedub said:
tertius said:
I agree that adding a rear brace won't do much, if anything for chassis stiffness, however, I think it would add strength to the suspension towers, especially relevant for those of us with rear coil overs ... ;). Though I'm swapping mine back to barrel springs anyway.
Click to expand...


definitely... full coilover on this era of bmw, e46 m3, e36m, CSL, z4m... full coilover is a big no no.... the turret is simply not designed to deal with those forces.... i would guess after the miles you've done and track work theirs probably some deformation already, the CSL race cars were still ran with a sperate barrel spring so it performs just as good imo....
Click to expand...

Actually no, they are all fine, though they do have some strengthening in place already. Nevertheless, I'll be changing it back to barrel springs later this month.

Which reminds me I need to get hold of some RTAB limiters to fit at the same time.
 
Beedub said:
BMWZ4MC said:
Thanks guys. I realised the rear bulkhead is a structural member but I'd not considered its proximity to the strut towers. An element of a rear strut brace would be cosmetic so I might talk to MM about it once I've seen beneath the carpet for myself. As you mentioned Exdos, the rear top mount bolt length would need to be considered, so it's not something I'll do if the RE top mounts I've bought can't accommodate a strut brace.
On which subject, I'll be starting work on my mods in three weeks if jet lag allows :trampoline:


Oh, and sorry for the thread hijack!
Click to expand...

you got the suspension on yet??? you are going to love it!!!!
Click to expand...

Not fitted anything yet as I'm still in the sunshine until the end of the month 8) I just need to order my BBK so I can fit that at the same time. I have front and rear ARBs, new engine mounts, and a RTAB limiting kit as well as the suspension, so I've a fair few hours of spanner work to do before I can drive it again...but I think it will be worth the wait :D
 
Beedub said:
the CSL race cars were still ran with a sperate barrel spring so it performs just as good imo....
Click to expand...

I agree. The main advantage of a coilover that I can see is that they use linear rather than progressive springs, but the barrel springs which come with aftermarket suspension seem to have coils made from uniform thickness wire, so there shouldn't be too much difference in performance between those and linear springs.
 
Jonny essex said:
Beedub said:
What's the going used prices for stock ///m seats ..... ?? They have the little logo and are black nappa, the car has 11600 miles , the seats are perfect, not a blemish or mark on them. Any advice on this would be mucho appreciated ..

Byron.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I will take the seats if there heated and bases not marked either ( i mean perfect ) if you decide to do so and will outbid anyone if it comes to it fella.
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they are heated, electric mem and elec movement, they are PERFECT, not a blemish, no bolster wear, not a mark..... if i decide to sell them ill PM you..... i could really do with off setting some of the new seat cost as tbh its a-little more than i thought it would be after tottling it all up..... its the little accessories that had made the price so high.... but really wanted oem bolt in style solution without messing around...

Im not even going to think about insurance, Tax and MOT.... which are all due.... :headbang:

oh well..... boys and our toys huh?
 
JE has GOT to buy these. They'll have less wear than his seats, less mileage on them etc.

Match.com


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Jonny essex said:
Beedub said:
What's the going used prices for stock ///m seats ..... ?? They have the little logo and are black nappa, the car has 11600 miles , the seats are perfect, not a blemish or mark on them. Any advice on this would be mucho appreciated ..

Byron.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I will take the seats if there heated and bases not marked either ( i mean perfect ) if you decide to do so and will outbid anyone if it comes to it fella.
Click to expand...

epuratu3.jpg
 
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