Front strut brace

[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?

[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.

[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.

[Maxima SE]

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

[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.

[Tbonem3]

I was actually just thinking of that. You could cut some "pads". The only thing is, for it to work as perfectly as possible, it'd have to be steel, and the tolerances would have to be very tight, basically perfect. Or use a material that can be deformed slightly, like poly, and have them be slightly thicker so that they get compressed.


It'd be hard to measure and get such precision, but if you could figure out the exact right thickness, then that would better spread the load. I wonder if the parts of your tower that extrude upwards have more surface area than the "feet" of the strut bar's end. If so, you'd have more load spread than the oe bar on a later car's tower.

[old///MFanatic]

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.

Polyurethane doesn’t sound like the right material. You’d want something more solid like a metal. And you’d want it about as close to exact thickness as the space it’s to take up.
If you really wanted to get involved you could get some aluminum plates same thickness (example 7mm) and cut curved strips to fill in excess areas.
Btw the term “mushroomed” strut tower is more used from damaging impacts underneath. It actually bends the strut mount tops (and tower) and then the studs are angled out and no longer parallel. But I get what you mean. 👍🏻

[timmo]

The partsshopmax strut bar actually comes with a little spacer plate to fill that gap on the early cars:



I think ZHPizza has a set he wasn't using, not sure if it sold yet

[ZHPizza]

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.

I have one to sell if you want it. I love the design as it allows for a lot of camber adjustment by sliding the mounts in the slots, but she ain't light.

The partsshopmax strut bar actually comes with a little spacer plate to fill that gap on the early cars:



I think ZHPizza has a set he wasn't using, not sure if it sold yet

Yep just got them out as one of your Toronto neighbors wants them. Set them in place on my 2000 touring just to check fitment:

[RoyalFlushness]

I have one to sell if you want it. I love the design as it allows for a lot of camber adjustment by sliding the mounts in the slots, but she ain't light.
Yep just got them out as one of your Toronto neighbors wants them. Set them in place on my 2000 touring just to check fitment:

Yes sir. Thank you again for getting these out to me.

[eacmen]

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.

Mason Bar vs 120mph into tire wall. Not sure how much energy it absorbed but I’m sure glad it was there. The chassis was toast but I mostly walked away.

[eacmen]

The partsshopmax strut bar actually comes with a little spacer plate to fill that gap on the early cars:



I think ZHPizza has a set he wasn't using, not sure if it sold yet

FYI Mason will make a bar with the strut tower bumps for the older cars. No shim, its part of the one piece design. Just need to ask him when ordering.

[G3N3M3]

If you’re not tracking the car, I don’t see how you could possibly push your car that hard on the streets to notice the bar to be working or not. My $0.02.

[Tbonem3]

Those spacers are awesome! What luck too!

[MotorSportThree]

My street car is lowered on H&R springs and I did not install a shock tower reinforcement kit. Should I be worried enough of a shock tower failure to install and strut brace? Again the car only sees street use.