Slon Workshop E46 M3 Carbon Front Triangulating Reinforcement Kit

[Slideways]

You could put a notch where the panel is raised. If someone could bend a metal bracket that fits against the X and CMP brace, I could make a carbon part from it. I'd charge anyone in this thread about $20 plus shipping. Unless you're an a$$hole then you pay the a$$hole tax on top of it which is $10000000.00.

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[heinzboehmer]

What would you recommend to get a close as possible to the rear stiffness gain from the Slon panel …

Hard to say cause, as far as I know, only Slon provides chassis twister data along with their products. But yeah, some kind of tubular brace is likely the easiest way to stiffen up the chassis.

You could put a notch where the panel is raised. If someone could bend a metal bracket that fits against the X and CMP brace, I could make a carbon part from it. I'd charge anyone in this thread about $20 plus shipping. Unless you're an a$$hole then you pay the a$$hole tax on top of it which is $10000000.00.

So notch the panel and then bond an extra part to it? I don't think I'd trust myself to be able to do that and keep all the stiffness gains from the original Slon panel

[bigjae46]

Hard to say cause, as far as I know, only Slon provides chassis twister data along with their products. But yeah, some kind of tubular brace is likely the easiest way to stiffen up the chassis.



So notch the panel and then bond an extra part to it? I don't think I'd trust myself to be able to do that and keep all the stiffness gains from the original Slon panel

You could. Or just notch it and leave it. I don't think it will make much of a difference.

[dukeofchen]

Is there a three point brace option that isn’t carbon fiber and 4k?

Given enough time surely someone here will fab one...

If aesthetics / maximum weight savings are of lesser concern, it doesn't seem like rocket science to tie a strut bar to the firewall and achieve a sizeable rigidity gain. I imagine working around the cabin air filter housing would be the trickier part to figure out?

Absolutely no shade towards Slon or the value / quality proposition of their piece, but at that price I'd really have to have run out of modifications to throw at the car to consider it.

[Maxhouse97]

bigjae46 - Assume you mean notch out the CMP brace such that the Slon panel could be bonded in untouched and whole. This I agree would probably not make much of a difference to the CMP brace, I think it’s quite sturdy.

On the other hand the other option of going to a body shop and having them weld in a steel panel where the Slon panel would go (could weld straight to the CMP brace as well) in my mind would replicate the E46 sedan with no pass through configuration that is documented to increase stiffness. So that I believe is a third option.

[bigjae46]

bigjae46 - Assume you mean notch out the CMP brace such that the Slon panel could be bonded in untouched and whole. This I agree would probably not make much of a difference to the CMP brace, I think it’s quite sturdy.

On the other hand the other option of going to a body shop and having them weld in a steel panel where the Slon panel would go (could weld straight to the CMP brace as well) in my mind would replicate the E46 sedan with no pass through configuration that is documented to increase stiffness. So that I believe is a third option.

Yes. Welding would be a massive PIA. The cost is in setup and you’d have to cover up so much stuff for a small job. This is a great case for rivets and epoxy. For the inside of the trunk, maybe use some black coated rivets into the Slon panel so it looks good.

EDIT: might want to use a urethane adhesive since it’s a little more flexible and I think has a higher peel strength.

[Maxhouse97]

This makes sense - I had a shop quote me welding a steel panel in. The shop owner attempted to sell me real hard on bolting it in vs welding. I was concerned that a bolted joint would not deliver the same stiffness as a welded joint. Maybe he was pushing that way because of what you mentioned on weld prep.

When you say epoxy were you referring to the steel or welded panel?

[old///MFanatic]

Ok maybe I don’t have a path to install. I’m certainly not taking my CMP brace out. What would you recommend to get a close as possible to the rear stiffness gain from the Slon panel … buy a GTR type rear brace or weld in a metal panel similar to a E46 sedan with no pass through?

I really hate to cross post as you should have your own thread since this is unrelated to their front brace.
Obvious choice since you already have CMP floor brace is their integrated triangulated top shock tower brace. And probably their front 1/4 panel. These actually tie in the shock towers points to the subframe mounting points. This should far exceed any benefits of that panel, especially on an M3 that already has that C-pillar area strengthened from the factory beyond what the sedan achieves. As you mentioned, along the rigidity gains of a GTR engineered designed brace

[bigjae46]

This makes sense - I had a shop quote me welding a steel panel in. The shop owner attempted to sell me real hard on bolting it in vs welding. I was concerned that a bolted joint would not deliver the same stiffness as a welded joint. Maybe he was pushing that way because of what you mentioned on weld prep.

When you say epoxy were you referring to the steel or welded panel?

Both. Bolt/epoxy to the steel and rivet/urethane to the carbon. Steel to steel...epoxy might be superior to a urethane but not sure it would make much of a difference. As long as it is prepped well.

Yeah, it would be such a pain to weld for many reasons. Setup and prep. Also its going to be a VERY awkward position.