Slon Workshop E46 M3 Carbon Front Triangulating Reinforcement Kit

[slavik1988]

Hey Slavik, awesome. Can't wait to hear your impressions of it and hopefully see it in person someday.

Hey Bryan,

Looking forward to another drive. Just trimmed it out this weekend. Here are some pictures.



Last view before the seats go in.



Seats are in



...and since I no longer need the pass through ski bag, I left a little surprise for myself in case I want to see the wall. 😊

[Casa de Mesa]

Hey Bryan,

Looking forward to another drive.

We'll get another drive planned and it will be with more then 2 weeks notice 😁

Last view before the seats go in.

This state of reassembly looks pretty good to me actually. Removing the rear vertical seats for a track weekend wouldn't look out of place at all. I strangely like this a lot!

[slavik1988]

Definitely for track it will be in this configuration, but since I take my kids for mountain drives most of the time, I need the use of rear seats.

[Surge709]

Amazing product, sharing some views and feedback:

Conclusion: both the front and rear end upgrades make a HUGE difference. Car feels much more on its toes, the time of "setting up" the suspension to make a turn is greatly decreased, front end feels excited and ready to turn in, and significant improvement in decrease in road noise.

Background: I spent 3 hours driving my M3 down to PA and then spent 30 minutes driving Ian's back. Our cars are virtually identical in setup with the exception of the Slon strut brace and trunk plate (suspension settings and mods in particular are virtually the same, done by the same two people). I can't think of a better back to back comparison.

[siamkazi]

Amazing product, sharing some views and feedback:

Conclusion: both the front and rear end upgrades make a HUGE difference. Car feels much more on its toes, the time of "setting up" the suspension to make a turn is greatly decreased, front end feels excited and ready to turn in, and significant improvement in decrease in road noise.

Background: I spent 3 hours driving my M3 down to PA and then spent 30 minutes driving Ian's back. Our cars are virtually identical in setup with the exception of the Slon strut brace and trunk plate (suspension settings and mods in particular are virtually the same, done by the same two people). I can't think of a better back to back comparison.

This has been so cool to observe, watching everyone install these and offer their POV is fascinating. Days like these are when I wish I had bought a coupe (sometimes).

[simonnim]

This has been so cool to observe, watching everyone install these and offer their POV is fascinating. Days like these are when I wish I had bought a coupe (sometimes).

I love verts. The problem is that it's like a 5-10 year replacement added cost on top of rod bearings. The e90/f82 hard top verts seems like best of both worlds though. I had an e46m vert too as my first M car like 9 years ago. Since then I've also had a z3m so definitely got love for the verts. I did the replacement with friends and it was a pain in the butt.
They just feel right, but don't like stomaching the extra cost.

[Obioban]

I love verts. The problem is that it's like a 5-10 year added cost on top of rod bearings. The e90/f82 hard top verts seems like best of both worlds though.

But the hardtop verts are m5 weight..

[siamkazi]

But the hardtop verts are m5 weight..

I really liked your analysis at the beginning of the thread in terms of putting a numerical value in the changes felt. This part had me thinking: "Maybe I can have it all..."

"I’ve been racking my brain to figure out how to convey what the experience change is like, and I came to what I think is the perfect analogy.
BMW E46 Convertible 10,500
BMW E46 Coupe (w/folding seats) 12,500
According to BMW, the non M coupe is 19% more torsionally rigid than the non M vert. We don’t have numbers for the M vert (we know the M3 coupe is 18,500 nm/deg), but it’s probably a safe assumption that it’s also ~19% less rigid than the M3 coupe.

This brace has measured an increase of 18-20%, depending on the car—so it’s bang-on identical to the increase in going from a vert to a coupe.
If you’ve driven both vert and coupe e46s, you know the exact difference this brace makes, and you’ll know it’s not at all subtle—the more rigid chassis car rides better, handles better, turns in better, has better feedback, is quieter, and is more responsive."

[Obioban]

Amazing product, sharing some views and feedback:

Conclusion: both the front and rear end upgrades make a HUGE difference. Car feels much more on its toes, the time of "setting up" the suspension to make a turn is greatly decreased, front end feels excited and ready to turn in, and significant improvement in decrease in road noise.

Background: I spent 3 hours driving my M3 down to PA and then spent 30 minutes driving Ian's back. Our cars are virtually identical in setup with the exception of the Slon strut brace and trunk plate (suspension settings and mods in particular are virtually the same, done by the same two people). I can't think of a better back to back comparison.

Just for some context here-- Sergei's car is set up as identically as you can imagine to my car, other than the Slon parts (which will likely be going in shortly, after driving my car with them). He has been working on my cars, and I have been working on his cars, for almost 20 years.

He drove 3 hours to where I was, and then almost immediately drove my car. The most back to back possible back to back comparison.

He does point out something I think I failed to fully put into works in my original post. With a stock car, you kind of turn in, wait for the car to take a set, and then drive the car through the corner. I previously had assumed that waiting for the car to take a set was the tires rolling over. With the Slon parts, that taking a set period is significantly reduced-- which makes me think what I was actually feeling was the chassis loading up/flexing as far as it was going to flex for the load being applied by the corner.

[Obioban]

I really liked your analysis at the beginning of the thread in terms of putting a numerical value in the changes felt. This part had me thinking: "Maybe I can have it all..."

"I’ve been racking my brain to figure out how to convey what the experience change is like, and I came to what I think is the perfect analogy.
BMW E46 Convertible 10,500
BMW E46 Coupe (w/folding seats) 12,500
According to BMW, the non M coupe is 19% more torsionally rigid than the non M vert. We don’t have numbers for the M vert (we know the M3 coupe is 18,500 nm/deg), but it’s probably a safe assumption that it’s also ~19% less rigid than the M3 coupe.

This brace has measured an increase of 18-20%, depending on the car—so it’s bang-on identical to the increase in going from a vert to a coupe.
If you’ve driven both vert and coupe e46s, you know the exact difference this brace makes, and you’ll know it’s not at all subtle—the more rigid chassis car rides better, handles better, turns in better, has better feedback, is quieter, and is more responsive."

I know I'd do it

[siamkazi]

I love verts. The problem is that it's like a 5-10 year replacement added cost on top of rod bearings. The e90/f82 hard top verts seems like best of both worlds though. I had an e46m vert too as my first M car like 9 years ago. Since then I've also had a z3m so definitely got love for the verts. I did the replacement with friends and it was a pain in the butt.
They just feel right, but don't like stomaching the extra cost.

Agreed, it's a bittersweet relationship but love them nonetheless!

[old///MFanatic]

Our cars are virtually identical in setup with the exception of the Slon strut brace and trunk plate (suspension settings and mods in particular are virtually the same, done by the same two people). I can't think of a better back to back comparison.

I’m surprised someone else hasn’t mentioned this. If the cars were brand new and absolutely identical down to tires, tire pressures, weight, suspension it might be a close comparison. Otherwise just many variables change things.
Sadly on a worn twenty year old chassis, with respect, it doesn’t work that way.
My background with chassis testing is with Dan Gurney’s race teams decades ago. I’m sure others know this aswell.

[Obioban]

I’m surprised someone else hasn’t mentioned this. If the cars were brand new and absolutely identical down to tires, tire pressures, weight, suspension it might be a close comparison. Otherwise just many variables change things.
Sadly on a worn twenty year old chassis, with respect, it doesn’t work that way.
My background with chassis testing is with Dan Gurney’s race teams decades ago. I’m sure others know this aswell.

Tires, tire pressures, weight, and suspension are the same on our cars.

Chassis wise, mine should be the more tired of the two-- I have 70,000 more miles, including probably 4x the track miles.

[bigjae46]

The e90/f82 hard top verts seems like best of both worlds though.

You don't want a hard top. A replacement top is about $25,000 and is made to order. The last time I checked, the E93 hard tops were no longer available. Even if you do get a replacement hard top...installation is an absolute nightmare.

[simonnim]

You don't want a hard top. A replacement top is about $25,000 and is made to order. The last time I checked, the E93 hard tops were no longer available. Even if you do get a replacement hard top...installation is an absolute nightmare.

Wow, didn't know they cost that much. Is there a common breaking point? Maybe they have solutions out there to fix it. Asking for future me.

Besides that, it's still much more fun with a top down than not!