M3 Strut Brace install issues

jbass524 · 05-23-2009, 05:08 PM

HELP!!! I ain't so bright.

I am attempting to install the M3 Strut Brace and have run into an issue with getting the wishbone piece in. I went so far as to take out the housing that covers it but to no avail. Argghhhh!

I have tried threading it in with the housing in place and inserting it in the housing then trying to install that as an assembly. Those of you who have done this know the results of those efforts I'm sure.

Any help and insight would be appreciated.

cn555ic · 05-23-2009, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbass524

HELP!!! I ain't so bright.

I am attempting to install the M3 Strut Brace and have run into an issue with getting the wishbone piece in. I went so far as to take out the housing that covers it but to no avail. Argghhhh!

I have tried threading it in with the housing in place and inserting it in the housing then trying to install that as an assembly. Those of you who have done this know the results of those efforts I'm sure.

Any help and insight would be appreciated.

PM Mr 5....He seems to have some expertise in the M3 Brace!

jbass524 · 05-23-2009, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cn555ic

PM Mr 5....He seems to have some expertise in the M3 Brace!

Thanks for the tip. PMd

jbass524 · 05-23-2009, 09:43 PM

Mr. 5 helped someone else and for some reason that post didn't show up in my searches.

I's all good.

Finally my TC Kline coilovers won't rub on my awful stock steel braces. The noise, the noise.

e90southfl · 05-23-2009, 10:23 PM

Here is the post...

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236670

It is a pain in the a.. to get it installed the right way. It is a very very tight fight to get the wishbone piece in place against the firewall.

jbass524 · 05-23-2009, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e90southfl

Here is the post...

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236670

It is a pain in the a.. to get it installed the right way. It is a very very tight fight to get the wishbone piece in place against the firewall.

Yours is the post that made it all evident. Thanks!

Getting the rubber bots in was the hardest but it took all of .5 hours to get it done after reading your post. Rest of the install was easy.

All in all it'll be 4 hours. Harold says he can do it in 1. I suck!

Bubbles · 05-24-2009, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e90southfl

Here is the post...

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236670

It is a pain in the a.. to get it installed the right way. It is a very very tight fight to get the wishbone piece in place against the firewall.

All that work......and you seemed slower

HP Autosport · 06-19-2009, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbass524

Yours is the post that made it all evident. Thanks!

Getting the rubber bots in was the hardest but it took all of .5 hours to get it done after reading your post. Rest of the install was easy.

All in all it'll be 4 hours. Harold says he can do it in 1. I suck!

You didn't try the silicone spray or soapy water trick I told you about?

CV335 · 06-19-2009, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbass524

Finally my TC Kline coilovers won't rub on my awful stock steel braces. The noise, the noise.

I just order a set of TC Kline coils. I'm curious why yours were rubbing against the steel braces? You weren't using camber plates?

jbass524 · 06-19-2009, 01:03 PM

No rubbing but I do use camber plates -1.5 in front for street driving.

10mm spacers in front and 5mm in back foe 255s all the way around. Wheels are a 41mm offset. Probably only need 5mm spacers in front if you're using 35mm offset.

What swaybars are you using?

CV335 · 06-19-2009, 02:58 PM

With my current FK coilovers I need 5mm spacers in the front to clear space for my VMR713 ET35. I'm hoping I can ditch the spacers with the TCK's.

Except for the coilovers I haven't upgrade anything else in the suspension. I'm running with the TCKs next month (install next week) so depending how it goes I might upgrade the front strut brace with the M3 one.

Have you tried different camber settings?

jbass524 · 06-19-2009, 05:26 PM

I would definitely upgrade to the M3 brace because the rebound adjustment tab can easily rub on the stock 335 strut brace. It's more for that and so you don't have to space the braces attachment at the strut tower to not touch the rebound adjustment tab.

If you don't do the M3 strut brace just remove the stock ones.

If he TCKs are a lot stiffer than the FKs you'll lose some of your mechanical grip and will need to get camber plates to remedy that. You'll need the plates or M3 tension rod and wishbone in the front to maximize the suspension anyway.

You'll probably clear the TCKs as you are now but taking out the spacers might do it. Try it and let us know.

Hope that helps.

CV335 · 06-19-2009, 07:40 PM

Harold already gave me a heads-up regarding the camber plates, so I ordered the coils with Vorshlag plates

jbass524 · 06-20-2009, 06:07 PM

excellent. I'll be interested to know how you like it.

05-23-2009, 05:08 PM	#1
jbass524 Major 110 Rep 1,053 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 M3 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Norcal iTrader: (2)	M3 Strut Brace install issues HELP!!! I ain't so bright. I am attempting to install the M3 Strut Brace and have run into an issue with getting the wishbone piece in. I went so far as to take out the housing that covers it but to no avail. Argghhhh! I have tried threading it in with the housing in place and inserting it in the housing then trying to install that as an assembly. Those of you who have done this know the results of those efforts I'm sure. Any help and insight would be appreciated.
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05-23-2009, 09:43 PM	#4
jbass524 Major 110 Rep 1,053 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 M3 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Norcal iTrader: (2)	Got it worked out Mr. 5 helped someone else and for some reason that post didn't show up in my searches. I's all good. Finally my TC Kline coilovers won't rub on my awful stock steel braces. The noise, the noise.
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05-23-2009, 10:23 PM	#5
e90southfl Private 4 Rep 86 Posts Drives: 2008 335i Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Weston, FL iTrader: (1)	Here is the post... http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236670 It is a pain in the a.. to get it installed the right way. It is a very very tight fight to get the wishbone piece in place against the firewall.
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06-19-2009, 01:03 PM	#10
jbass524 Major 110 Rep 1,053 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 M3 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Norcal iTrader: (2)	No rubbing but I do use camber plates -1.5 in front for street driving. 10mm spacers in front and 5mm in back foe 255s all the way around. Wheels are a 41mm offset. Probably only need 5mm spacers in front if you're using 35mm offset. What swaybars are you using?
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06-19-2009, 02:58 PM	#11
CV335 Major 68 Rep 1,209 Posts Drives: '06 MCS Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: TX iTrader: (5)	With my current FK coilovers I need 5mm spacers in the front to clear space for my VMR713 ET35. I'm hoping I can ditch the spacers with the TCK's. Except for the coilovers I haven't upgrade anything else in the suspension. I'm running with the TCKs next month (install next week) so depending how it goes I might upgrade the front strut brace with the M3 one. Have you tried different camber settings?
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06-19-2009, 05:26 PM	#12
jbass524 Major 110 Rep 1,053 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 M3 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Norcal iTrader: (2)	I would definitely upgrade to the M3 brace because the rebound adjustment tab can easily rub on the stock 335 strut brace. It's more for that and so you don't have to space the braces attachment at the strut tower to not touch the rebound adjustment tab. If you don't do the M3 strut brace just remove the stock ones. If he TCKs are a lot stiffer than the FKs you'll lose some of your mechanical grip and will need to get camber plates to remedy that. You'll need the plates or M3 tension rod and wishbone in the front to maximize the suspension anyway. You'll probably clear the TCKs as you are now but taking out the spacers might do it. Try it and let us know. Hope that helps.
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06-19-2009, 07:40 PM	#13
CV335 Major 68 Rep 1,209 Posts Drives: '06 MCS Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: TX iTrader: (5)	Harold already gave me a heads-up regarding the camber plates, so I ordered the coils with Vorshlag plates
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06-20-2009, 06:07 PM	#14
jbass524 Major 110 Rep 1,053 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 M3 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Norcal iTrader: (2)	excellent. I'll be interested to know how you like it.
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