Strut Brace for 330ci - Where can I get one fast?

[photek]

Do you guys know which manufacturers/dealers make a strut brace for a 2001 330ci? I will lower my car next week - so I need to find a strut brace ASAP. I know that ACS have one but it doesn't come cheap... are there any alternatives?

If I take the ACS route, how can I get it fast? Can I go and see any BMW dealer which will order it for me? Sorry for asking - I'm not too familiar with this!

Thanks

[kris d]

I've got an ACS replica one from Teddy. It's 98% the same, and 100% same to the naked eye!
Much cheaper than buying from BMW for the same thing!
I'm sure Teddy will bring you along one to the meet, or alternatively he posts them out pretty quick.

[Chaos]

Yup, wot Kris said. [ok

http://www.ssdd-motorsport.com/show_prod.php?prod_id=39

[BigFas]

why do you think you MUST have a strut brace if you lower the car?

[photek]

Thanks for your answers

This is interesting even if I think I would prefer a "straight" strut brace, like this one:

http://www.ultracar.com/ACSchnitzer/SCHNITZER%20STRESS%20BAR.JPG

Kris> when is that meet?

BigFas> I need one because I don't want to twist my chassis!

[paulm3]

i have my acs strut brace (genuine) still...off my old 330.. pm me :)):)
http://images5.fotki.com/v73/photos/2/249152/893858/DSC01767-vi.jpg

[paulm3]

now sold!!!!

[lee330sport]

Thanks for your answers

This is interesting even if I think I would prefer a "straight" strut brace, like this one:

http://www.ultracar.com/ACSchnitzer/SCHNITZER%20STRESS%20BAR.JPG

Kris> when is that meet?

BigFas> I need one because I don't want to twist my chassis!
Lowering your car, wont make your chassis flex anymore than it does with standard suspension.

[Raj]

Sounds like you have purchased one already, but as Lee has said, lowering a car will not make your car more prone to flexing. But in any event it will help keep the front more rigid now.

[photek]

Sounds like you have purchased one already, but as Lee has said, lowering a car will not make your car more prone to flexing. But in any event it will help keep the front more rigid now.

Are you guys sure of this? Since the suspension will be way more harder than stock, it won't absorb as much shock so the chassis will have to cope a lot more... especially for track use!

[BigFas]

A strut bar has absolutely nothing to do with absorbing damping from the suspension. All it does it reduces body roll under hard cornering

[lee330sport]

Are you guys sure of this? Since the suspension will be way more harder than stock, it won't absorb as much shock so the chassis will have to cope a lot more... especially for track use!
Chassis will only start taking abuse when your suspension starts hitting the bumpstops. You may have shorter travel in your shocks but your springs will be harder than stock to accomodate it.

As Fas says, a strut brace will improve turn-in and reduce body roll.

[photek]

Chassis will only start taking abuse when your suspension starts hitting the bumpstops. You may have shorter travel in your shocks but your springs will be harder than stock to accomodate it.

As Fas says, a strut brace will improve turn-in and reduce body roll.

I've always heard that when you lower a car, you need to put a strut brace since you greatly increase the stress on the chassis.

Just had my car lowered today and the mechanics confirmed that to me ;)

[danch]

There is no need to put a strut brace on as soon as you lower but many people like to to tighten the front end up.

I think the Garage are telling porkies as I have lowered many a car that I have owned and had them fitted by different garages (Demon Tweeks, Motorsport centre in Manchester to name a couple), never once have I been told that you MUST fit a strut brace.... [bang


Cheers

Daniel

[peppernick]

I drove my old 330 with coilovers without a front strut for nearly 4 months. You will not damage the chassis without fitting one but IMO no engine bay is complete without one either :D

Go for it......strut bar ;)

[photek]

Thanks to PaulM3 it is now fitted with an ACS strut bar. Will post pics soon ;)

[Two_Stripes]

Saw on the realoem site that BMW do one, guessing its costly.

[lee330sport]

No, you can get them quite cheap as most M3 owners tend to sell them anyway.

[Mikedav]

How much is an M3 one?

£280 for the ACS one seems a lot to me...

[peppernick]

OEM one is approximately £200 from a dealer but honest m8, it looks terrible. You can get better looking aftermarket ones for that money.

If you're going down the OEM aftermarket route, £250-£300 is the usual price. The original ACS Racing strut goes for £450 new. Hver, you can get a replica ACS Racing strut that looks very close to the OEM from Teddy at a fraction of the cost.

[CA Automotive UK]

sorry to stir guys ...but technically Phototek is correct in that lowering a car ( ie by definition increasing the poundage of the coil springs ) WILL additionally flex the chassis , up to a point , and at all compression heights not just on the bumpstops .

Reason is that the stress/ movement that would normally be taken up by the OEM softer spring initially compressing over a bump say , will instead be transfered to the chassis as the new harder springs will not absorb this movement as much , or at all , depending on severity of the bump etc .

The harder the spring the more flex will be transferred to the chassis . Under extreme conditions in this case then a strut bar will indeed allow the front geometry to alter less under load .

HOWEVER , in most cases we are talking marginal effects here ...but if the budget can take it then a good strut brace will only improve matters regardless .

[CA Automotive UK]

Teddys strut bars are excellent , see him first , but if not then take a look at our range on :

http://www.ca-automotive.co.uk/strut-braces-cages-wiecher.shtml
http://www.ca-automotive.co.uk/strut-braces-cages-aa.shtml
http://www.ca-automotive.co.uk/strut-braces-cages-bmw-other.shtml

[ANT MAN]

To add, genuine E46 M3 strut braces are £160 inc vat from the $tealers. Cooks Ferry charges the same. :)

[Raj]

I stand corrected Roy (you learn something new everyday ;) ).

[CA Automotive UK]

and yes ...I own SEVEARAL anoraks :p

[Ade]

and yes ...I own SEVEARAL anoraks :p

But no dictionary LOL [crackmeup

Cheers

Ade

[CA Automotive UK]

bastid ...I couldnt hit the EDIT button in time :rolleyes:

[peppernick]

[crackmeup [crackmeup [crackmeup [crackmeup