Front strut brace

[RoyalFlushness]

OE strut bar only makes contact with shock tower with 3 "feet" so it doesn't matter which year shock tower, as the "feet" make contact in between the higher spots.

Best would be 100% contact, which you get with later shock towers and braces from DMG, RE, Mason, et al.

Kind of ironic no? Stock bar seems to have been made to accommodate early cars, yet early cars didn't get a bar. There might be some overlapping, but I think that's a fair statement.

Thanks for the information. I wonder what the best approach will be for me since I ordered the DMG with the flat 100% contact and my 01 shock tower is naturally mushroomed. Perhaps source and modify some polyurethane washers and get it as flush as possible before bolting it up.

[Maxima SE]

Rogue Engineering is the one you want. It's a one piece design.

[old///MFanatic]

I fully forgot that the early models were mushroomed. I searched BAT fro some 01 Models and looks like a strut bar can be installed (looks like the mounts are barely threaded on in this picture) Wonder if it still provides the same structural support as it would sitting flush to the strut tower.

The factory M3 strut bar nuts are a unique deep thread T shape (~$11 each nut!). So the threads actually reach down further and catch (unlike most nuts that catch flush with the surface they’re on). As mentioned the bottom of end cap also has a small raised “foot” where it goes around each stud.

[Tbonem3]

OE strut bar only makes contact with shock tower with 3 "feet" so it doesn't matter which year shock tower, as the "feet" make contact in between the higher spots.

Best would be 100% contact, which you get with later shock towers and braces from DMG, RE, Mason, et al.

Kind of ironic no? Stock bar seems to have been made to accommodate early cars, yet early cars didn't get a bar. There might be some overlapping, but I think that's a fair statement.

[DropTopKingM3]

Interesting. I just ordered a DMG Bar so we will see. I fully forgot that the early models were mushroomed. I searched BAT fro some 01 Models and looks like a strut bar can be installed (looks like the mounts are barely threaded on in this picture) Wonder if it still provides the same structural support as it would sitting flush to the strut tower.

I just learned about this as well. I have a 2001 convertible and I added an oem strut bar a while back. I don’t recall there being any issues during install. Maybe this is just for rogue bars on early model e46s?

[RoyalFlushness]

As per Rogues website, early model e46s would also need the front reinforcement plates in order for the rogue strut bar to fit. The strut towers are a bit different than newer model e46s.

Interesting. I just ordered a DMG Bar so we will see. I fully forgot that the early models were mushroomed. I searched BAT fro some 01 Models and looks like a strut bar can be installed (looks like the mounts are barely threaded on in this picture) Wonder if it still provides the same structural support as it would sitting flush to the strut tower.

[liam821]

This one is a beast and doesn't cost $700 lol

https://store.partsshopmax.com/shop/E36E46/BushingChassis/E46STB.html

Will likely go this route down the road.

Men... Ugly as fuck. Must be high as fuck, to install that in my car.

Yeah, pretty much. Too bad it says MAX right in the middle and is painted bright gold.

[old///MFanatic]

As per Rogues website, early model e46s would also need the front reinforcement plates in order for the rogue strut bar to fit. The strut towers are a bit different than newer model e46s.

That should not require the "reinforcement plates" to make it work. Just longer studs. Reinforcement plates fit underside of the strut tower on E46. Think they're just saying because of the "bumps" on the earlier tower tops it sits higher up and has less threads of the stock studs exposed to attach the nuts to.

[bjz!]

This one is a beast and doesn't cost $700 lol

https://store.partsshopmax.com/shop/E36E46/BushingChassis/E46STB.html

Will likely go this route down the road.

Men... Ugly as fuck. Must be high as fuck, to install that in my car.

[Johnvu]

This one is a beast and doesn't cost $700 lol

https://store.partsshopmax.com/shop/E36E46/BushingChassis/E46STB.html

Will likely go this route down the road.

[DropTopKingM3]

Anybody have any input on how much of a difference a strut bar makes on our vehicles? I have an early 01 pre LCI with no strut bar and have been eying the Rogue Engineering bar as my car starts too see more action.

As per Rogues website, early model e46s would also need the front reinforcement plates in order for the rogue strut bar to fit. The strut towers are a bit different than newer model e46s.

[old///MFanatic]

I already explained how you can improve upon stock design. There's more to the equation than how rigid the bar is. Afaik, we only care about the bar's rigidity in one dimension (distance between towers) anyway, so stock would be sufficiently rigid. it's the mounting that seems suspect to me.

Stock bar's ease of removal for engine work will be missed, however.

Exactly. A bar’s design is to keep the suspension same distance apart. Allow suspension to do it’s work. The stock brace does this adequately.

Stock brace is also made for easier access to work on engine. There are positives and negatives to this. Ease of just center bar removal and end caps untouched one of them.
One very overlooked point to mention with the stock design is its ability to function with the engineers “crumple zones”. Incredible amount of engineering and cost on the car’s body and frame to allow it in an accident or impact to absorb energy and keep passenger safe. Attach a steel brace with the design of a tubular subframe and this changes greatly how car reacts in an accident. Usually much more dangerous and costly. For a track junkie that’s not really a major factor anymore. For a street driven car it is.

Decades ago (in my E30 M3 days) Gustave wrote a great engineering paper on strut braces. What they are for and what they should and don’t need to do.

[elbert]

Beyond that, we've also seen stock ends (the cast part) break.

I wonder if the stock ends break because of installation error, specifically attaching the center bar while one or both front wheels are in the air (and unloaded).

[Tbonem3]

I already explained how you can improve upon stock design. There's more to the equation than how rigid the bar is. Afaik, we only care about the bar's rigidity in one dimension (distance between towers) anyway, so stock would be sufficiently rigid. it's the mounting that seems suspect to me.

Beyond that, we've also seen stock ends (the cast part) break.

Stock bar's ease of removal for engine work will be missed, however.

[sc_tr0jan_m3]

A whole bunch of pro race car drivers up in here... haha.

I’d venture to guess that none of us would be able to tell the difference between an oem bar or the most expensive bar out there. But don’t let me hold you back from spending your money how you’d like to...

My car is 99% track and I’m running the oem bar and don’t think I’ll be changing anytime soon. I’d rather spend the money on tires, brakes, or track days.


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