front strut bar

[mti]

Can someone clear up a question I have about which strut bars will fit on a ti. I've heard the ones for the 6 cylinders will not fit. However, one ti owner said he used the stock m3 strut bar, and another owner used one from eibach. I have a 96ti without traction control. Thanks for the help.

[maurolin]

on the 6 cyl the difference is the ASC (traction control). Some strut bars won't clear ASC. so before you buy your bar, make sure it works for your applicaion.

[mti]

So a strut bar that will fit a 6 cylinder without traction control will fit a ti with the m44 4 cylinder engine?

[KIRASIR]

Nope. The m44 valve cover won't clear the 6cyl bar. Eibach, Hartge, etc. they all make 4 cyl strut bars which are different from the 6cyl ones.


SL


So a strut bar that will fit a 6 cylinder without traction control will fit a ti with the m44 4 cylinder engine?

[mti]

Do you have any advice about a strut bar with hinges vs one without hinges?

[1996 328ti]

I don't see a hinged strut being of any use.
Don't you want a rigid support?

[KIRASIR]

Think of what happens in terms of forces when a car makes a sharp turn. The purpose of the strut bar is to prevent the horizontal movement of the strut towers with relation to each other. The marginal vertical movement will still occur no matter what bar you use.

SL

I don't see a hinged strut being of any use.
Don't you want a rigid support?

[JedzE36/5]

both will prevent the horizontal movement, but i would think that the load would be dissipated more evenly through out a solid bar, as opposed to the load being transferred to a few points on a hinged bar, prolonging the life of the bar.

[ZeroG]

It is true stiffer is better. IAAS currently makes a rear bace that is a single piece custruction for E36's. Take a look. If the demand is high enough I might be able to coax them into making a front one for a TI

http://www.itsallaboutspeed.com

-Chad

[JedzE36/5]

that would be nice