Anyone else crack their sway bar mounting bracket?

[Maxhouse97]

I suspect many have cracked their sway bar mount, as did I. However I had the metal support welded in and thought I solved the problem. Turns out now my making bracket has cracked. This is on a Hotchkis front bar. Anyone else see this? Wondering if I can get a beefier one made, don’t think another stock Hotchkis bracket would also not crack.

[Sid_E46]

I wasn't impressed with the Hotchkis sway bar brackets so I switched to using OEM brackets with CSL sized bushings.

If you want to use the Hotchkis brackets again, I still have the ones I removed from my car.

[Maxhouse97]

Do OEM CSL brackets fit with the stock Hotchkis bushings? Or do I have to buy both OE CSL brackets and bushings?

[Sid_E46]

Do OEM CSL brackets fit with the stock Hotchkis brackets? Or do I have to buy both OE CSL brackets and bushings?

The standard brackets and OEM CSL 30.8mm bushings. Powerflex also makes a set that would work.

[Maxhouse97]

Ok so for OE the brackets stayed the same between base and CSL, only the bushings changed. Got it.

Wonder if the OE brackets will be more resistant to breaking than the Hotchkis…

[fattycharged]

i've cracked a couple. see if your bar is making contact with pan


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bmwfnatic]

Ok so for OE the brackets stayed the same between base and CSL, only the bushings changed. Got it.

Wonder if the OE brackets will be more resistant to breaking than the Hotchkis…

The shape is the same, the CSL is metal, the normal M3 aluminum.

[9kracing]

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-parts/ecs-billet-front-sway-bar-brackets-with-polyurethane-bushings-pair-e46-non-m/016989la02kt/

ECS sells both the front and rear brackets... you'll need to source larger bushings to use the Hotchkis bars... I imagine reaching out to ECS they could make you a kit.

[old///MFanatic]

The CSL brackets (believe they use steel) are stronger than the standard M3 (believe are aluminum). They are also used on the non-M XI’s.

So the dilemma is do you risk pulling out a mounting stud with the stronger steel bracket or breaking just the aluminum bracket ear using stock.

[SteelGreyM]

Not the bracket but the stud out of the frame! Picked it up from the shop yesterday spent $600 on a repair + reinforcement kit.