Z3 Strut Brace Fitted then removed

[t-tony]

I know mate but there's also the front cross member which transfers energy one side to the other.

Tony .

 

[Bazza]

Glad I mentioned it now

 

[Dino D]

Blimey a lot happened here since last night...

Anyway I’ve disconnected the sub frame and sawn windscreen and brace through. No problem with an impact damaging the other side now!

Car feels a bit wobbly and clunky though...maybe I need to start a new thread

 

[Alan Slade]

What did I start?
Well, yesterday I sent a email to the vendor, this morning I received an apologetic reply, asking for photographs of the fitment showing the problem. They also said they would arrange the collection of the brace.
So I am hopeful that this maybe resolved. If and when it is, I will start looking for another.

 

[Bonzeau]

But what if you want to repair the car, want to have to deal with two sides?

I'll strip it and sell it for spares ( )....and buy another!

 

[Bonzeau]

It does appear to sit quite high the E36 is alot squarer than the zed. Is it not the strut towers that are high is it mine sits mm off the engine and alot lower at the turrets.The bar angled more in keeping with the zeds bonnet.
Frustrating when it clearly states it will fit !!
View attachment 75553

That's an ACS strut brace. I have fitted one of those, no clearance problems at all!



Bonzo.

 

[Paul M]

Mine

 

[Pingu]

I've said the same as @hard top in the past. It is true that the strut brace will increase any damage, but the car would be an insurance write-off from strut damage to one side. So if you want the extra stiffness, just fit the brace. It's not a bling thing - it's a performance thing. Unlike poly bushes, there will not be any problems from failure transference.

If you had enough damage to wreck a corner and you had to pay someone, the cost to repair would be several thousand. Even DIY, it would be in the many hundreds.

If I felt that I wanted one, I'd fit one.

 

[Grumps]

Mine sits fine.

 

[smiffy]

I've got one fitted and it did feel like the front end was tighter and more precise after fitting. But how you "measure" that is another thing! It could be the placebo effect! Either way it will stay.

Accident damage, any shunt that deforms the chassis and I don't want it back anyway regardless of age. Panel damage I would accept but if a car needs to be strapped into a jig and yanking straight, it is never going to be right again. I don't care about your lovely laser alignment tool telling me it is straight, if it has been bent and then bent straight, it is weakened.

 

[Dino D]

I've got one fitted and it did feel like the front end was tighter and more precise after fitting. But how you "measure" that is another thing! It could be the placebo effect! Either way it will stay.

Accident damage, any shunt that deforms the chassis and I don't want it back anyway regardless of age. Panel damage I would accept but if a car needs to be strapped into a jig and yanking straight, it is never going to be right again. I don't care about your lovely laser alignment tool telling me it is straight, if it has been bent and then bent straight, it is weakened.

The Z3 is one of the most flexible roadsters out there - i think putting your seat belt on helps stiffen it!

Some stats:
BMW E36 Z3 - 5,600 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Sedan (w/o folding seats) - 18,000 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Sedan (w/folding seats) - 13,000 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Wagon (w/folding seats) - 14,000 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Coupe (w/folding seats) - 12,500 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Convertible - 10,500 Nm/deg
BMW E53 X5 (2004) - 23,100 Nm/deg
BMW E90 - 22,500 Nm/deg
BMW Z4 Coupe - 32,000 Nm/deg
BMW Z4 Roadster - 14,500 Nm/deg

From here:
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1786165-Torsional-Rigidity-Humor-me

 

[smiffy]

maybe that brace does make a noticeable difference! Maybe I'll add the other ones to the shopping list as well.

 

[Bonzeau]

I'm sure I noticed a difference after fitting the Butt Strut and body braces from Strong - Strut in the U.S.A., with my ACS front strut already on!

 

[smiffy]

its almost something you'd need to do on a track day. Half a dozen laps without them, then fit them all and do another half a dozen laps and look at the times.

 

[Pingu]

The Z3 is one of the most flexible roadsters out there - i think putting your seat belt on helps stiffen it!

Some stats:
BMW E36 Z3 - 5,600 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Sedan (w/o folding seats) - 18,000 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Sedan (w/folding seats) - 13,000 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Wagon (w/folding seats) - 14,000 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Coupe (w/folding seats) - 12,500 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Convertible - 10,500 Nm/deg
BMW E53 X5 (2004) - 23,100 Nm/deg
BMW E90 - 22,500 Nm/deg
BMW Z4 Coupe - 32,000 Nm/deg
BMW Z4 Roadster - 14,500 Nm/deg

From here:
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1786165-Torsional-Rigidity-Humor-me

I think a strut brace will be one of the next toys that I make

 

[g8jka]

That's an ACS strut brace. I have fitted one of those, no clearance problems at all!



Bonzo.

I have the same one on mine as Ant's but it definitely not an AC Schnitzer one. It pretty much touches the DISA valve, had to make a slight modification to it to get it to clear.

 

[t-tony]

The one I put on my Z3 was for the E46 saloon. I had to make it fit but was easy enough to do.

Tony.

 

[Rha]

Here's a pic of the Chromiumtec front strut brace I bought for my Z3 2.8L after considering the risk of damage to both sides. It looks a bit like it was made to negate some of the collision stress to the opposite side by going towards the bulkhead (also giving it more room as the bonnet rises towards the windscreen)before going straight across a bit like the ones fitted to the Z4 (plus it's got a cutout on the cross bar), hoping it just might break where it joins the bar going across. That's the reason I bought this one. Fingers crossed as it's not an exact science. The differance in handling wasn't noticed as I fitted Poli bushes at the same time. Paid £120+ for it though so reackon this type are overpriced and maybe still allow just a morsel more flex than the ones going straight over. Had to make up a bracket for the underbonnet multi diagnostic plug to allow me to use it without removing the strut bar( easy enough). Also bought Bertini rear top and bottom strong strut.

This pic shows the cutout for the neg connector.

RHA,Roy.

 

[Bonzeau]

I have the same one on mine as Ant's but it definitely not an AC Schnitzer one. It pretty much touches the DISA valve, had to make a slight modification to it to get it to clear.

Sorry, I should have said it's an ASC strut brace, not an ACS....

Bonzo.

 

[Bonzeau]

View attachment 75783 Here's a pic of the Chromiumtec front strut brace I bought for my Z3 2.8L after considering the risk of damage to both sides. It looks a bit like it was made to negate some of the collision stress to the opposite side by going towards the bulkhead (also giving it more room as the bonnet rises towards the windscreen)before going straight across a bit like the ones fitted to the Z4 (plus it's got a cutout on the cross bar), hoping it just might break where it joins the bar going across. That's the reason I bought this one. Fingers crossed as it's not an exact science. The differance in handling wasn't noticed as I fitted Poli bushes at the same time. Paid £120+ for it though so reackon this type are overpriced and maybe still allow just a morsel more flex than the ones going straight over. Had to make up a bracket for the underbonnet multi diagnostic plug to allow me to use it without removing the strut bar( easy enough). Also bought Bertini rear top and bottom strong strut.
View attachment 75781
View attachment 75780
This pic shows the cutout for the neg connector.

RHA,Roy.

I think it's shaped like that to fit the 1.9 litre engine! I would think not as torsionally rigid as a straight one, what with all those bolted connections.

Bonzo.