Front Strut Bar

[tongsatriani]

Yo All Enthusiast,Was wondering where can I get the above item. Averagely, how much per piece will cost?

 

[Lionel_Koh]

Try to Pm Fabian....he got the item.......

 

[tongsatriani]

Thanx Lionel, hey! Been wanting to meet u up @ Showru TT..

 

[Lionel_Koh]

Originally posted by tongsatriani@Sep 5 2005, 01:21 PM
Thanx Lionel, hey! Been wanting to meet u up @ Showru TT..

Sorry...too busy to attend TT .....But will attend the Puchong TT this coming Wednesday...come to join us.....

 

[tongsatriani]

Originally posted by Lionel_Koh+Sep 5 2005, 02:41 PM-->QUOTE (Lionel_Koh @ Sep 5 2005, 02:41 PM)

 

[E34EuroTouring]

Do you really need the strut bar ?. It has no functional advantages as far as I know. You are better off getting M5 springs for the front!. That will make a huge difference in handling!.

Other suggestions: Iridium spark plug to give you better throttle response and more top-end.

Better pair of front tires so you can corner like on rails ....

New pair of brake pads up front, so you can brake till you scare the pants off the car behind...

Plenty others than can be done, compared to having a cosmetic peice in the engine and adding weight unnecessarily.

 

[tongsatriani]

Iridium plugs? Never heard of it :unsure: Does Bosch carries it? Muz be costly. My current plugs oredi cost RM90 But if it improves, why not give it a try :nyehehe: Brake pads are standard aren't they? Tyres.....hmmm

 

[fabianyee]

they have been discussions on the subject of strut bars before and there's always 2 schools of thots even in the E30 camp.

For me, it improved lots on the handling.. it reduced understeer especially on long fast sweeper..

E34EuroTouring, have u personally tried fitting on the strut bar and whack ur regular corners and then repeat it without the strut bar?

 

[Jipster]

Like fabian I agree strut braces have an effect on handling ..... only that I did not feel any immediate difference when the FRONT one was installed (sparco design)..... but I can definitely confirm the "....especially on long fast sweeper...." bit when I installed the REAR brace (no brand design).....

 

[fabianyee]

Originally posted by Jipster@Sep 6 2005, 09:04 AM
Like fabian I agree strut braces have an effect on handling ..... only that I did not feel any immediate difference when the FRONT one was installed (sparco design).....

looks like u're not driving it hard enuf to feel the difference..... maybe u can try removing it and see if there's any difference without it... I felt the difference upon installing especially doing the 12 o'clock roundabout turn (left-rightsweeper-left), of cos, got to do it at speed to feel the effects.
That said, the strut bars will gives significant difference when given hard.

Another advantage of strut bar is that it can protect the strut tower from getting deformed. this is true for the E30 where the towers collapsed inwards towards each other.
I have also seen slightly deformed strut tower top in the E36, most probably due to hitting a pothole hard. Using a strut bar with a full cover top plate would have helped in this instance. We are know how 'efficient' is the JKR in digging holes...

 

[MeanStreak]

I absolutely agree with Fab, you might not feel the difference when you fit them, but try taking them off, you'll know what you are missing B)

 

[Jipster]

Originally posted by fabianyee+Sep 5 2005, 09:03 PM-->QUOTE (fabianyee @ Sep 5 2005, 09:03 PM)

 

[E34EuroTouring]

Fab,

For E30 strut bar is useful, not for E34 525 though (maybe real E34 M5 driven real hard). Chassis of E34 much much stiffer than E30. Power-to-weight poorer in E34 too, damn 3600lbs to lug around!.

I have tested it on the track in my car. Used the Bimmer Forum test , Put 3 hairlines of glue on the struct housing area both sides. Drive that thru the track for several laps really hard (ie more than 10 hot laps), See if the dired hairline glue strip actually break. If the chassis flex, it WILL break.

Mine stayed on well. Got some guy to video the chacane which we lift the inner rear wheel by 6 inches taking it at the right angle and speed. Basically my car has not got enough power (tweaked to 190Hp on the crank) to drive it harder than possible. Also, the track distance somewhat limits it as well.

I got withn 0.2 sec consistency which my instructor (Professional Touring car racer) said is as good as it gets in my car. He said an E30M3 will shave at least 5 seconds per lap off my time!. My search for that elusive car is pending after the 3rd failed attempt to acquire one!.

PS: With Eibach ProKits and Bilstein Sports and 17inch M-parallels (with good tires), the setup is almost identical to an E34 M5. It only lacks the HP and torque to push it!.

 

[Jipster]

Originally posted by E34EuroTouring@Sep 6 2005, 12:05 AM
Fab,

For E30 strut bar is useful, not for E34 525 though (maybe real E34 M5 driven real hard). Chassis of E34 much much stiffer than E30. Power-to-weight poorer in E34 too, damn 3600lbs to lug around!.

I have tested it on the track in my car. Used the Bimmer Forum test , Put 3 hairlines of glue on the struct housing area both sides. Drive that thru the track for several laps really hard (ie more than 10 hot laps), See if the dired hairline glue strip actually break. If the chassis flex, it WILL break.

Mine stayed on well. Got some guy to video the chacane which we lift the inner rear wheel by 6 inches taking it at the right angle and speed. Basically my car has not got enough power (tweaked to 190Hp on the crank) to drive it harder than possible. Also, the track distance somewhat limits it as well.

I got withn 0.2 sec consistency which my instructor (Professional Touring car racer) said is as good as it gets in my car. He said an E30M3 will shave at least 5 seconds per lap off my time!. My search for that elusive car is pending after the 3rd failed attempt to acquire one!.

PS: With Eibach ProKits and Bilstein Sports and 17inch M-parallels (with good tires), the setup is almost identical to an E34 M5. It only lacks the HP and torque to push it!.

u da man dude! :yes:

 

[E34EuroTouring]

Retired from track now... kinda missed it. Waiting patiently for that "magical" E30M3 to get my a$$ back to track. Meantime enjoying my touring very much.

I wanted to sell my red sedan soon. Just could not have the energy to undo the mods I put in there since tracks days of a couple of years back. Work just drains most of my daylight energy..... waiting for a long holiday weekend to do that hopefully.

 

[Jules]

e34eurotouring,

where r u located? never heard ppl used hair as "strain gauges" but ur da first! ( full marks for being resourceful....)

cheers n a meet one day would be good.

 

[E34EuroTouring]

Philippines!.

I have been hanging around the US gurus in Bimmer info for years since I got my first 525. My red E34 with Zender body kit. This car has pretty wild mods I did myself.

RD headers, 535 AFM with Apexi SAFC2 controller. It came from Bruno of BMWe34.net who got that from Justin (of Justin RedFive). EibachProKits came from an M5 in Boston. Other bits I sourced from here.

I am also one of the members in BMWclub Philippines.
Take a look: http://www.bmwcarclub.org.ph/

Cheers.