Triangular Carbon Reinforcement strut bar kit - New Development

[Slonik]

Slon, this is awesome.

So a "mount" must be glued to the firewall, essentially? Am I reading that right?

Once the mount is glued, it looks like the triangle bar can be unbolted from the mount and the strut towers, so you can perform maintenance on the top of the motor.

Super interesting.

I think this few pics from my phone will help a little
first pic - bonding preparation process:

center mount, which is bonded

glueing process




so this mount bonded to the chassis right under the windscreen (or above the a/c fan, if its easer)

[heinzboehmer]

I think this few pics from my phone will help a little
first pic - bonding preparation process:

center mount, which is bonded

glueing process




so this mount bonded to the chassis right under the windscreen (or above the a/c fan, if its easer)

Thanks for those pics! Makes everything much clearer in my mind.

What needs to come off to work on the engine? Does the entire brace come off or can just the carbon section come off?

I haven't considered moving away from the stock brace because I take it off a lot. Those one piece braces seem like more a hassle. I guess you could take it off with the car on the ground, put the stock end pieces back on and then lift the car, but still.

[Slonik]

Thanks for those pics! Makes everything much clearer in my mind.

What needs to come off to work on the engine? Does the entire brace come off or can just the carbon section come off?

I haven't considered moving away from the stock brace because I take it off a lot. Those one piece braces seem like more a hassle. I guess you could take it off with the car on the ground, put the stock end pieces back on and then lift the car, but still.

i know what you write about, and of course, there are some difference between unscrewing 4 nuts of the straight brace and leaving turret mounts on their places and to unscrewing 6 nuts of the top mounts. in our case with present design for removal the strut brace you need to unscrew 6 nuts of the top mounts and to unscrew 2 bolts of the center bracket.
(removing of the cabin filter case goes in both options anyway).

during developing i was faced with the choice, to get maximum usability during works under the hood, or, to move little bit far from OEM, but get more rigid design.
i preferred to get last one, cause i'm targeting with this kit more for the street cars, rather than race cars, which more time stays in workshop disassembled .
so, even if you doing works, which needs to remove the strut brace one time per month for example, to spend 5 minutes more, but have +20% of rigidity - for me the choice is obvious.

[heinzboehmer]

i know what you write about, and of course, there are some difference between unscrewing 4 nuts of the straight brace and leaving turret mounts on their places and to unscrewing 6 nuts of the top mounts. in our case with present design for removal the strut brace you need to unscrew 6 nuts of the top mounts and to unscrew 2 bolts of the center bracket.
(removing of the cabin filter case goes in both options anyway).

during developing i was faced with the choice, to get maximum usability during works under the hood, or, to move little bit far from OEM, but get more rigid design.
i preferred to get last one, cause i'm targeting with this kit more for the street cars, rather than race cars, which more time stays in workshop disassembled .
so, even if you doing works, which needs to remove the strut brace one time per month for example, to spend 5 minutes more, but have +20% of rigidity - for me the choice is obvious.

Yeah, fair enough! Probably remove that thing one or twice per week. But like you said, not a ton more time, especially if the car isn't going up in the air.

[Bry5on]

I'm in for one of these on my touring when they're ready! Thanks for the photos of the support bracket, that really helps clear up the last open questions.

[bigjae46]

Cool product and looks well thought out! I can't believe how much is being developed for the E46 17 years after it ended production.

Any data on connecting to the front cross member? I am going to tie the strut towers into my rollcage so this setup isn't necessarily for me. I have been considering doing a triangular strut bar except connecting above the radiator.

[usdmej]

can't believe how much is being developed for the E46 17 years after it ended production.

lately it seems like the only things available for our platform have been replicas or uninspired cf versions of stock parts, which is generally a sign that enthusiasts/groundbreaking companies are moving on from a platform. mods like this personally keep me excited about keeping this car for the long term
Ive been waiting to see how the forum trunk drama with Slon plays out before making a purchase from them, their cf hood seems to be a quality lightweight piece as well

[Obioban]

lately it seems like the only things available for our platform have been replicas or uninspired cf versions of stock parts, which is generally a sign that enthusiasts/groundbreaking companies are moving on from a platform. mods like this personally keep me excited about keeping this car for the long term
Ive been waiting to see how the forum trunk drama with Slon plays out before making a purchase from them, their cf hood seems to be a quality lightweight piece as well

Seems like the trunk may have been... install error. Slon posted a video of taking the trunk out of the box, upon getting it back from the customer, and installing it on a car... and it fit perfectly.

[bjz!]

Price will be crazy.

[01SG]

I thought strut bars hardly did anything anyway? I also cannot see how a weight difference will matter. An aluminum Mason is 3.5 whole pounds.

The Karb strut bar seems like a big waste as well. I do not see any benefit to carbon fiber in this application. It is just burning money-unless this is cheaper than Rogue/Mason, which I doubt.

And what about that thing with the trunk. Did they tape the entire process from unboxing to installation in real time?

[Jickel180]

Oh boy following this. I have an early 02 build so it never came with a strut tower bar and for various reasons I've never installed one. Love that there's a quantifiable increase in stiffness with this beauty AND a decrease in overall weight combined with the filter housing. Great job!

[Casa de Mesa]

I thought strut bars hardly did anything anyway? I also cannot see how a weight difference will matter. An aluminum Mason is 3.5 whole pounds.

Tying the strut towers into the firewall / bulkhead will have a massive impact on stiffness. You create a triangle. It's significantly different than joining only the two points of attachment as is done with the factory brace.

The weight savings comes from part numbers 3 and 4 in the diagram I posted in one of the early posts. They are very heavy for what they are. I'm sure they dampen vibration and block noise from entering the cabin.

So just thought of another benefit to this setup - MORE INDUCTION NOISE!!!!

[Obioban]

I thought strut bars hardly did anything anyway? I also cannot see how a weight difference will matter. An aluminum Mason is 3.5 whole pounds.

The Karb strut bar seems like a big waste as well. I do not see any benefit to carbon fiber in this application. It is just burning money-unless this is cheaper than Rogue/Mason, which I doubt.

They measured the results on a chassis twister, so it does do something. Don't think Mason ever did that. 😋
(and almost certainly it would provide far less benefit, since it doesn't tie into the firewall)

Also, my recollection is that the Mason bar is heavier than stock

Being carbon allows it to be a shape that fits in the available area. Triangulating into the firewall, which is space restricted, is what should allow this bar to be so much more effective than anything offered on this chassis thus far. There's a reason BMW has done similar things on... every M3 sold sine the e46.

And what about that thing with the trunk. Did they tape the entire process from unboxing to installation in real time?

Yes, they did.

[Will]

Does the center mount bonded onto the firewall affect removal of the blower motor?

[Casa de Mesa]

FWIW, this brace is effectively doing something very similar to these two cars.