 » Site Navigation | | | | » Recent Threads | | | |  |  |  | |  12-16-2005, 11:51 PM | #1 | | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Portugal - Lisboa Posts: 205 |  Best strut brace for the ti?
Hello... How are you doing? I'm looking to buy a strut brace for the front of my ti. I did some research and found out that braces for the 6 cilinders E36 don't fit the TI, because the M42 valve cover is higher, so the brace need to have a small bend to go around the engine. I found an OMP specific M42 strut bar made of alluminium:  But I don't know if this is any good? What is, in your opinion, the best front strut brace for the ti? Thank you! regards! __________________ Portuguese 318ti
MODS: Staggered M Kontours; Mtec Side Trim with M3 badges; Mtec Steering wheel with Airbag; M3 Modified Shift Lever; M3 Leather Shift Knob, Leather Centre Arm Rest; Euro Clear turn signals; M3 Electric and Heated Side Mirrors; Cat replaced by straight pipe; Mtec Rear Bumper; E36 M3 Front Brakes with EBC Drilled and Slotted Rotors and EBC Red Stuff Pads; Vader Seats. More to come!
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http://www.318ti.org/gallery/showgal...r=1407&cat=500 |  |  | | 12-16-2005, 11:54 PM | #2 | | Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Watford, herts, England Posts: 805 |
i've heard that OMP stuff is pretty good. fraid i dont know any more.... __________________ 
'96 318ti in Montreal Blue :m-tec sideskirts,m-bootspoiler,clear corners & repeaters .m-tech side mouldings, Magnex Exhaust System, leather armrest, F-15 gear Knob, 18" Evo 2's. Not Finished Yet......
http://www.myspace.com/davep_uk | | | | | 12-19-2005, 01:52 PM | #3 | | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Portugal - Lisboa Posts: 205 |
I didi some more research and found out that the omp one is not the best solution because it is adjustable and so it looses some rigidity. I browsed a lot of online shops and catalogues but only found bars for 6cil E36...  What strut bars are you M42 people running? __________________ Portuguese 318ti
MODS: Staggered M Kontours; Mtec Side Trim with M3 badges; Mtec Steering wheel with Airbag; M3 Modified Shift Lever; M3 Leather Shift Knob, Leather Centre Arm Rest; Euro Clear turn signals; M3 Electric and Heated Side Mirrors; Cat replaced by straight pipe; Mtec Rear Bumper; E36 M3 Front Brakes with EBC Drilled and Slotted Rotors and EBC Red Stuff Pads; Vader Seats. More to come!
My Picture Gallery:
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/showgal...r=1407&cat=500 | | | | | 12-23-2005, 08:05 PM | #4 | | Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bouncing off the rev limiter in CT! Posts: 3,156 |
I have the M3 LTW strut brace. When I had the 1.9l motor installed, I had made some offset pieces to clear the intake manifold (not the rocker cover- that's not a problem) and it worked perfectly.
If you go with the DASC, I THINK you will not have clearance problems any longer.
Anyone with a blower want to confirm this?? | | | | | 12-23-2005, 08:40 PM | #5 | | doesn't care about you. Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 3,925 |
Quote: | Originally Posted by J!m I have the M3 LTW strut brace. When I had the 1.9l motor installed, I had made some offset pieces to clear the intake manifold (not the rocker cover- that's not a problem) and it worked perfectly.
If you go with the DASC, I THINK you will not have clearance problems any longer.
Anyone with a blower want to confirm this?? | It's a tight fit with the DASC. I'm using an ebay special strut bar. I had to add a 1/2" riser to get it to clear the throttle body. __________________ 
'99 Dinan M3 | | | | | 12-24-2005, 07:45 AM | #6 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 3,244 |
Nubee question here- are most strut bars aluminum or steel? I'd love to find a rectangular aluminum tube bar in anodized red with polished mounts. Mmmmm....too sexy. __________________
My Former Rides
1999 318ti Alpine White, Cali Roof, Dinan goodies
1996 318ti Hellrot California Edition
| | | | | 12-24-2005, 07:45 AM | #7 | | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Plano Texas Posts: 206 |
Check with racing dynamics, that what i have | | | | | 12-24-2005, 08:04 AM | #8 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 3,244 |
Quote: | Originally Posted by 318tiRedLeather Check with racing dynamics, that what i have | Is that a reply to me or 318tiPotrugal? __________________
My Former Rides
1999 318ti Alpine White, Cali Roof, Dinan goodies
1996 318ti Hellrot California Edition
| | | | | 12-24-2005, 08:07 AM | #9 | | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Plano Texas Posts: 206 |
318tiPotrugal | | | | | 01-03-2006, 12:12 AM | #10 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greece Athens Posts: 302 |
Ι can say the best choice is the OMP. I have the OMP u r looking for installed in my car and it is perfect. Ofcourse it doesn't loose any rigidity cause it is adjustable. EXACTLY the opposite. It is far more rigid cause u "preload" the strut towers.and it is the only one two point adjustable. It can help u correct the camber too and it doesn't cover the whole strut tower so u can still adjust your konis (in case u have them  ) | | | | | 02-28-2006, 08:10 PM | #11 | | Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: So Cal Posts: 70 |
What's the part number on the OMP strut bar that you bought? | | | | | 02-28-2006, 09:24 PM | #12 | | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Port St. Johns, Florida Posts: 2,242 |
OMP is decent but it's not a fixed bar, and if it's not fixed than it's not strong.
Spraco(100ish for a red one) and BMP(250ish) make the best 4 banger bars
for the 6 cyl i'd say the LTW, UUC(2lbs!) and BMP are the best. | | | | | 02-28-2006, 10:02 PM | #13 | | Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: So Cal Posts: 70 |
Spraco? website por favor | | | | | 02-28-2006, 11:01 PM | #14 | | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Port St. Johns, Florida Posts: 2,242 |
| | | | | 02-28-2006, 11:04 PM | #15 | | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 |
http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthrea...t=sparco+strut damn ... we need a KB article ... i'll start it and people can add info in posts to follow (which will then be added to the original post to clean it up). i'm getting tired of reliving all this stuff over and over again  __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles
current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray
acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts
2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles
Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | | | |
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