Wanted OEM strut brace

[srhutch]

This one is a more palatable price :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-3-SERIES-E46-M3-COUPE-CONVERTIBLE-GENUINE-FRONT-STRUT-BRACE-BAR-7895141/263329744736?fits=Plat_Gen%3AE46%7CCars+Type%3AM3+3.2&epid=12009808267&hash=item3d4fad0760:g:MQMAAOSwRbtaKThE

I’d prefer it in black as it would match the firewall braces already in place. I assume this is the same as the silver one above ?

Comes with the nice ///M covers too 8)

It is, but it needs a full respray, it’s scratched to buggery.

 

[Anonymous]

I really don't understand the desire for or the prices of these BMW braces. They look no stronger than the Weichers ones which you can have new for a lot less money.

Am i missing something?

 

[srhutch]

I don’t like the look of the weichers one, the oem/e46 one looks better to me.

And I bought for looks not for performance.

 

[paulgs1000]

Crikey! Sold mine far too cheaply. . .

Fitting a strut brace put my insurance policy up (by £60!!) - changed my insurance company come renewal time

 

[Anonymous]

I like the look of the racing dynamics one. It is proper chunky. Shame it is about £300 by the time its got here.

 

[Anonymous]

Crikey! Sold mine far too cheaply. . .

Fitting a strut brace put my insurance policy up (by £60!!) - changed my insurance company come renewal time

Is that because they increase damage in a crash or becuase they think you'll drive faster?

 

[Truth]

Crikey! Sold mine far too cheaply. . .

Fitting a strut brace put my insurance policy up (by £60!!) - changed my insurance company come renewal time

Is that because they increase damage in a crash or becuase they think you'll drive faster?

Because they increase damage if u get crashed into on one side more of the damage is transferred to the other side.

 

[VRSteve]

Only that Fishy Dave listed his ///M brace as not fitting 3.0si

As I said, the oil filler clearance might be an issue.

If you already know the answer why ask the question???

Just for clarity...(might be a stupid question but anyway...), are you saying an e46 six cylinder strut bar will fit a z4 (ignoring the oil cap issue)? The e46 bars are a fraction of the price of a z4 one

Yes

I have an E46 M3 strut bar on my M. Had to take the camber pins out but thats really not hard.

 

[Coffee331]

As I said, the oil filler clearance might be an issue.

If you already know the answer why ask the question???

Just for clarity...(might be a stupid question but anyway...), are you saying an e46 six cylinder strut bar will fit a z4 (ignoring the oil cap issue)? The e46 bars are a fraction of the price of a z4 one

Yes

I have an E46 M3 strut bar on my M. Had to take the camber pins out but thats really not hard.

Thanks

 

[paulgs1000]

Crikey! Sold mine far too cheaply. . .

Fitting a strut brace put my insurance policy up (by £60!!) - changed my insurance company come renewal time

Is that because they increase damage in a crash or becuase they think you'll drive faster?

Because they increase damage if u get crashed into on one side more of the damage is transferred to the other side.

I was told it was a suspension modification! Hence the increase in policy - to be honest whoever I spoke with didn't even know what a strutbrace was . . . . Later, another company told me it would increase my policy as any crash damage would be transfered to the other side.
In the end I didn't bother fitting it to my M . . .

 

[jpeeters]

I tried the E46 M3 strut brace on my Z4M and it didn't fit. I believe it's related to the amount of neg camber you're running whether it works or not. I'm at max neg camber.

@VRSteve what's your setup?

 

[Truth]

I tried the E46 M3 strut brace on my Z4M and it didn't fit. I believe it's related to the amount of neg camber you're running whether it works or not. I'm at max neg camber.

@VRSteve what's your setup?

Your amount of camber moved your strut tops?? :scratchhead: :scratchhead:

 

[jpeeters]

You can get up to ˜-2º camber without camber plates by pushing the bolts in. Since the nuts of the strut brace connect to those bolts you have about 1cm play on each side. At least this is how I understand it

When at max neg camber the E46 M3 strut brace didn't fit. I haven't tried to change the camber settings to try if it would help, as I didn't want to change my alignment.

 

[srhutch]

I tried the E46 M3 strut brace on my Z4M and it didn't fit. I believe it's related to the amount of neg camber you're running whether it works or not. I'm at max neg camber.

@VRSteve what's your setup?

I doubt the Z4 one would fir either then.

I have an M3 one which fits fine with the top of the camber pins removed.

 

[jpeeters]

I tried the E46 M3 strut brace on my Z4M and it didn't fit. I believe it's related to the amount of neg camber you're running whether it works or not. I'm at max neg camber.

@VRSteve what's your setup?

I doubt the Z4 one would fir either then.

I have an M3 one which fits fine with the top of the camber pins removed.

The one I tested came direct off an E46 M3 and was, according to my indy, the original one for that car. After failing to fit it on my Z4M he bolted the strut brace back on the E46 M3 and it fitted like a glove.

 

[srhutch]

I tried the E46 M3 strut brace on my Z4M and it didn't fit. I believe it's related to the amount of neg camber you're running whether it works or not. I'm at max neg camber.

@VRSteve what's your setup?

I doubt the Z4 one would fir either then.

I have an M3 one which fits fine with the top of the camber pins removed.

The one I tested came direct off an E46 M3 and was, according to my indy, the original one for that car. After failing to fit it on my Z4M he bolted the strut brace back on the E46 M3 and it fitted like a glove.

The M3 was running the same camber as your Z4?

 

[jpeeters]

I doubt the Z4 one would fir either then.

I have an M3 one which fits fine with the top of the camber pins removed.

The one I tested came direct off an E46 M3 and was, according to my indy, the original one for that car. After failing to fit it on my Z4M he bolted the strut brace back on the E46 M3 and it fitted like a glove.

The M3 was running the same camber as your Z4?

I don't remember unfortunately. I *think* it was not a track driven one, so might have been running a less aggressive alignment.