Strut Brace/Poly bushes etc - worthy upgrades?

[BobKen74]

Afternoon all, hail, rain and driving rain in Lancashire today which often gets me thinking about additions/improvements to my pride and joy.

I am a complete novice in all things mechanical and maintenance so bear with me!

Will a top strut brace from a 3 series fit my Z3 as the ones sold a a specific for the Z3 seem a lot more expensive. I have the 6 cylinder 2.8l wide body so it would be the straight brace type. Is this a worthy upgrade in people’s opinion?

Also looking at under bracing and poly bushes.

Looking to sharpen things up ready for the ‘summer’ and reduce the scuttle shake, rattle and roll.

All thoughts welcome!!

Thanks

RobK

 

[t-tony]

The strut you have will fit, until you try to close the bonnet. Then you will discover the difference. I made one for a 3 series fit my 2000 Z3 2.0 (6 Cyl ). Quite simple and easy to do.

Tony.

 

[BobKen74]

Thanks @t-tony ! What tweaks did you have to do please?

 

[Ianmc]

Strut brace is just bling, don't bother unless you like such.

 

[AntStark]

Obviously it depends what type of driving you intend to do but just replacing 20 odd year old bushes with stock rubber ones will help a lot.

 

[GazHyde]

replacing 20 odd year old bushes with stock rubber ones will help a lot.

100% this ^

If you haven’t replaced or checked every suspension component you’re just decreasing your power to weight ratio with shiny things. No shame in fitting shiny things if You fancy but thats all they are

 

[Delk]

All depends what you are doing.
Just driving refreshed rubber is fine. But polybushes are easier to fit.
Polybushes are a little stiffer. My misses is fully bushed and is still nice.
Mine is more on the extreme side. Fully bushed, stiff coilovers and wide rubber. The strut brace was noticable on bumpy Norfolk roads but maybe not so much on standard suspension.

 

[Ianmc]

My misses is fully bushed and is still nice.

O dear!

 

[Nodzed]

A full re-bush will transform the car, strut brace, for normal driving its bling.

 

[BobKen74]

O dear!

I decided to let that one go

 

[BobKen74]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I think replacing all the bushes will be my first task then. I’ll leave attaching any bling until I’ve gone through all the ‘will actually make a difference’ upgrades!! Just got to decide between OEM or poly bushes now as most of my driving is A and B road twisty stuff between here in East Lancs and The Lakes and North Yorks.

 

[AntStark]

If you are going OEM it’s worth while still Polybushing the lower control arm ones (The lollipops). Reduces bump steer. Either that or get the solid rubber ones from the M

 

[Andyboy]

The only bushes worth replacing are the rear beam bushes (genuine BMW only) and the front wishbone rear bushes. Solid ones from BMW or the offset (eccentric) ones from the E30 M3 give a bit more steering castor angle. The diff bush is worth replacing if knackered obviously.

The trailing arm bushes have very little 'give' whether new or old. Don't waste your time.

Strut braces make very little difference, if any. The Z3 shell is already very stiff. If you must have one it has to be a solid one piece brace.

 

[BobKen74]

This is why I love this group - great advice that really helps

 

[Delk]

O dear!

I wrote that while she was sitting next to me going "what are you saying!!"

 

[the Nefyn cat]

And if you've still got the original dampers on there there's no point changing other bits. A new set all round will make a hell of a difference, and having matching tyres helps a lot, too. Trust me, I know.

 

[BobKen74]

And if you've still got the original dampers on there there's no point changing other bits. A new set all round will make a hell of a difference, and having matching tyres helps a lot, too. Trust me, I know.

from experience by the sounds of it!!

cheers

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Yep. Three different makes of tyre when I bought it, swapping them for four matching Avons made a huge difference.
Other tyre makes are available.

 

[BobKen74]

Yep. Three different makes of tyre when I bought it, swapping them for four matching Avons made a huge difference.
Other tyre makes are available

 

[Mike Fishwick]

My car has lots of suspension mods, but I would say that the best of them was to fit poly bushes on the rears of the front wishbones, and to inflate the tyres (Falken) to 2.5 bars all round.