Rear strut brace
 

ti'ers,

If you have a rear shock tower strut brace and still have the rear carpet cut in place over the brace, can you please respond with a picture of the cuts you made in the carpet? I have a rear brace courtesy of Dan and would like to remove the smallest amount of carpet material while still fitting the bar correctly.

http://i402.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps7bfcc0vr.jpg

Thanks! Rich :cool:

Got it installed. If it helps anyone, I basically cut a hole behind (towards the rear) of where the bracket should pop out. If the cover is level with the deck, the height is the same. Perfect on one side, a little larger on the first side I cut. :cool:

http://i402.photobucket.com/albums/p...psxjxej66t.jpg

Nice!

Can you feel a difference in handling with the rear brace? John

Hi John, Yes, definitely more planted. The one I put in is not as beefy as the Mason bar, but it dosen't take as much space either. (I would have went with the Mason bar if my pockets were deeper. ) Now I do have a lower front BMW x-brace, a mason front strut brace and now this no name rear bar.

I put one of these bars on my 325i sedan and it definitely made a difference in that it feels tighter in corners.

Not a bad thing for $40. :cool:

Thanks for answering my question. I want a rear brace now. Where did you get yours? John

I have two. for my TI, I received that one used in great shape from Danny here on the forum for $40 shipped.

I picked up another for my 325i on ebay new for $39.99 plus shipping.

Danny's bar is a little beefier, both work well. :cool:

is your rear upper brace something specific for the TI, or a generic bar thats fits other models?

It fits my TI and my E36 sedan. Prolly would fit a E36 coupe


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So would like a E36 325 rear brace fit u think? Pm me brotha

I'm interested in a rear brace as well. Let me know what you fin & where. Need to stiffen up the rear for auto-X next year!

Rear strut brace
 

Hi Joe, Estil shared a $37 bar I use on most of my TIs, but for the car I track, I use a Mason rear bar. 10x the price tho but way more stiff and solid.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...bf84748572.jpg

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Black, same question as Estii, do you know if a regular e36 bar will fit in a ti?

It will for the ones I have come across on. eBay. Be careful for the front bars tho for fittiment


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Alright brothers. I bought an E36 rear strur bar that me and Black BMW's talked about. Ill be the guinea pig and see if it fits. It comes in 4 or 5 days so Ill be back with the results. And if I can figure out how ill post pics too haha.

Estii, Thanks man! I am looking forward to seeing if it works! good luck & keep us posted!

Joe

Nice! the one Estil is purchasing is similiar to the one in the photo at the top of the thread. That is the one that fits the E36 Compact and Sedan for sure. :cool:

Alright so the brace came in, and it fits perfectly. Its very strange how these companies specifically say there product does not fit the TI but it does. Both my front and rear brace were labeled as "NON TI" and both fit perfectly. heres the link for my rear brace.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/262636422198...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

So, how does it feel now that the brace is in?


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It feels awesome. Its a huge noticable difference. I used to drive an aufi tt mk1 quattro, and it is comparable to the feel of the quattto Audi now. I suggest both front AND rear braces. Not just 1 alone. Hope this helps.

Estii, just ordered my rear brace. Do you have a link to the front one that works as well? We have an auto x next weekend and am hoping to have it installed by then. Will keep you updated and post pics as soon as I can!
Thanks!
Joe

Rear strut brace
 

Yup, you notice the rear brace more than the front as far as difference feel. The eBay bar is great for me for street.

For track, the Mason front and rears are even more stable. Perhaps overkill for street, but I notice the difference for AutoX and Track days. But it is 10x the cost.

For all of my five TIs, I run front and rear tower strut bars and lower x-braces up front. All have increased fun and stability factors.

They are after all, 20 year old chassis and could use the stiffening.

Glad you got it in and enjoy it.


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Heres the front brace. Im interested to get a front lower x brace though now :D

http://www.ebay.com/itm/122014903019...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

is this what u have up front BLACK?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E36-LOWE...pX-OxO&vxp=mtr

Yes, I have this bar on my S52 TI. It does not clear the M44 tho.http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...1b92f34a7c.jpg


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Rear strut brace
 

How much is the mason rear bar? I run a Rouge Engineering front bar and love ithttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...0400a07492.jpg

No Black, im talking about the lower x-brace. What does it look like. Can u link me an image?

Cool, the Mason front bar looks the same except in Aluminum.http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...25a3c4ac9a.jpg


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http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...dded8e03fc.jpg

Nice. Thanks Deez. Are the mounting holes already present or do u have to create them?

Thanks Deez! I was going to take a pic of one in my storage when I head over later. BTW, I did a DIY on installing one of these for the mounting hole question.

Estil, is use this one rather than the one you pictured from eBay for the oil pan protection. I know as mine are scarred up and oil pans intact aside from firming up the front. There are two types. Get the later one Deez shows as you can to the oil plug easier. Totally worth it alone if you do nothing else...


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When I did my swap I sourced a e36 M3 subframe that already had reinforcements and the holes come stock on m3, didn't feel like welding and installing the threaded nuts in the subframe

Black, So am I correct in the fact that that front brace that Estii listed will not fit on my M44 ti?

Joe, here is the one he posted.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/122014903019...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I have one. It will mount, but had no clearance on the top of the Intake manifold and rested/pressed on the top. It would prolly restrict any engine twist, but that is not what it was designed to do.

It fits perfectly for my S52 in the TI and M52 on my Z3 tho.

I usually watch for bars made for a M42/M22 E36. They don't pop up too often.

There is an eBay vendor that sells a bar the he claims to fit a 318ti, but I believe it is the Euro E46 version. I have one, it does not fit our cars. :cool:

Thanks Black, can you send me the links for the mason bars that you use both front & back? I am thinking I will need the beefier ones for auto x next year.

Just catching up here.

Interesting that the bar that's the subject of this thread fits both the ti and the standard E36. I measured years ago and I could have sworn the RSM bolts were different distances between the cars. Maybe because that bar is adjustable length wise it works?

Last I heard, Mason was making the bars for RE. That should explain the similar look.

The E36 6 cylinder straight front bar will fit a DASC'd M44.

The holes in the front subframe for the x brace are already there. They just need to be enlarged and have the factory nutserts installed. No welding needed. I actually sell kits for this.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E36-X-Br...item1c71eb9ba0

Yup, the overall DASC / blower is lower and clears that bar.

As far as these rear bars, the width is adjustable. The Mason rear bar is specific to the TI only. There are other bars for other models.

The nutserts are easy to install. I like your kits BTW, Ed.

Cheers! Rich


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Wow, this thread really took off. Thanks for all the info. As for my front brace, I do have a DASC. Didnt think to mension it, but I can see how clearance might be an issue with the big stock intake manifold sticking up. My bad on that one. The rear brace I posted is good though.

Then the front brace you listed will work


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Installed the brace Saturday evening, Auto-X'd it Sunday. Couldn't tell too much difference driving the car, did feel more stable and it looked much more stable while watching it. Cant go wrong for 35 bucks!