[335iLondon]

Originally Posted by Anneka @ Sytner

Thank you, very informative. I'll look into this tomorrow and will report my findings in due course.

Is the course due?

[idnan]

Originally Posted by 335iLondon

Is the course due?

+1 I'm interested in this aswell

[troye]

+1 1 on the interest of a group buy here

[335iLondon]

Troye shipping cost may be a prohibitive for you!

[Alpina_B3_Lux]

So, got the strut brace shipped a few days ago and mounted on the car now. I'll pick it up later today and look forward to try it out - along with the new Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires!



Alpina_B3_Lux

[doughboy]

It's a bit of a fiddle getting the 'v' piece in, helps if you remove a windscreen wiper so you can lift up the scuttle plate a little.

Good luck!

You WILL notice a difference with the brace on.

[Yahoo]

+1

[Mike in Hampshire]

Originally Posted by Alpina_B3_Lux

Here you go:

• 51617900821 Ring, dome cross-brace, left
• 51617900822 Ring, dome cross-brace, right
• 51618044553 Strut brace (you need two of those)
• 51618045860 Mount for strut brace
• 51617891281 Covering cap (you need two of those)
• 51618046445 Stud (two of those) *
• 51717898374 Stud (4 of those)
• 07119904401 Hex bolt (2)
• 07146954965 ASA-Bolt with circlip
• 07146963730 Torx bolt (2)
• 51717895241 Hex nut (6)
• 31316769731 Self-locking collar nut (6) *

You will have to replace the items marked with an (*) as otherwise the brace will interfere with the microfilter assembly.

Alpina_B3_Lux

OK, I've just done this install today (on a pre LCI 335i). Regarding the parts list above, there's a few bits I don't think are needed:
51717898374 Stud (4 of those) - the cross-braces came with these studs pre-installed.
51618046445 Stud (two of those) - as Alpina B3 says, these should be replaced, I used 2 more hex bolts 07119904401, to avoid fouling the cowl when you re-install it.
07146954965 ASA-Bolt with circlip, I re-used the one already on the car, this is an E18 torx bolt that secures the brace to the bulkhead.
07146963730 Torx bolt (2) these are two M10 torx bolts - no idea what they are for? Have I missed something? Aren't they the same as the E14 torx bolts that the factory brace is secured with?
31316769731 Self-locking collar nut (6) - when you remove the factory brace from the strut towers you'll have these 6 nuts spare anyway.

I ordered the parts from a BMW main dealer, P+P was free and the cost would be £216.24 including VAT, if you avoid ordering surplus parts.

The job itself is easy enough once you remove the microfilter, unclip the battery cables and detach the sensors. Then the cowling pulls out. I followed the BMS video for their JB3 tune for this part.
But getting the new V-shaped brace into the bulkhead area was a right pain, I found. In the end I was able to pull the plastic windscreen seal up enough to give the room needed. All in all, it took me 4 hours, going very slowly. If I was to do it again.......90 minutes start to finish, I'd say.
I also had to hunt for torque settings - the centre bulkhead bolt is 100 Nm and the others are 34 Nm.
There's good DIY at http://www.billswebspace.com/335M3St...stallation.htm

Now I need to go and drive!

Mike.

[335iLondon]

Cheers mike very helpful to know all of that!

Ill PM Anneka and see if we have a GB on the cards

[m1bjr]

"31316769731 Self-locking collar nut (6) - when you remove the factory brace from the strut towers you'll have these 6 nuts spare anyway"

I didnt think the oem 335i nuts were locking or nyloc types?
As you are adding another part to the sandwich, I think lockers might be prudent?

Cheers for the definative list.

Steve

[Anneka @ Sytner]

The strut brace itself (of which each car requires 2) is on back order. Most of the other parts are too, it will be very difficult to get enough supply.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by Mike in Hampshire

31316769731 Self-locking collar nut (6) - when you remove the factory brace from the strut towers you'll have these 6 nuts spare anyway.

Mike,

Good job getting it fitted, but you maybe wrong here I feel.

The factory brace bar mounts with a single torx bolt at the tower end (as you stated) and these bolts and their threaded hole will be redundant.

However, The original 6 nuts (3 per side) that hold the suspension strut tops into the tower are NOT the same as the collar nuts prescribed above.

The collar nuts (as the name suggests) have a smooth bore collar portion below the nut portion which fits over the strut studs and inside the brace ring hole clearances to provide support and stop lateral movement of the new brace rings.

They are also self locking, i'd suggest you fit these nuts

[Mike in Hampshire]

Originally Posted by m1bjr

"31316769731 Self-locking collar nut (6) - when you remove the factory brace from the strut towers you'll have these 6 nuts spare anyway"

I didnt think the oem 335i nuts were locking or nyloc types?
As you are adding another part to the sandwich, I think lockers might be prudent?

Cheers for the definative list.

Steve

Ah, you may well be right. I fitted the self-locking ones anyway, since I'd ordered them. The ones I'd removed looked the same, but only from a quick glance. These ones are only 15 pence each anyhow, so probably wise to include them.

Mike.

[sukder]

Please could someone explain how this is any better than the factory fitted one on non-M3 cars? It fixes to the same parts of the car so is a 3 point fix - the only difference seems to be the O shaped brackets for the strut towers and the V shaped bracket in the centre. But there is still only 3 fixing points.

Would adding the BMW Performance strut brace add more rigidity as you then would have a complete triangle bracing the car?

Obviously the M people at BMW think it's better or they'd not have bothered. But I don't understand why.

[toxicnerve]

Because it's stiffer...surely?

[doughboy]

The standard brace is a flimsy piece of turd.

The bulkhead end is just a loose slot in the end of the brace, so it only braces against compression, in extension it is unsecured.

Also the standard single bolt attachment at the strut tops will be subject to flex and distortion, whereas the diecast ring arrangment of the M3 item give a very solid and rigid attachment to the strut top.

This V arrangement also gives open access to the engine and maintains pedestrian impact regs clearances between bonnet and rigid parts.

Any 'straigh across' brace would be hard for a manufacturer to do within the current regs without raising the bonnet level, and it would restrict access for servicing.

[Mike in Hampshire]

Originally Posted by doughboy

Mike,

Good job getting it fitted, but you maybe wrong here I feel.

The factory brace bar mounts with a single torx bolt at the tower end (as you stated) and these bolts and their threaded hole will be redundant.

However, The original 6 nuts (3 per side) that hold the suspension strut tops into the tower are NOT the same as the collar nuts prescribed above.

The collar nuts (as the name suggests) have a smooth bore collar portion below the nut portion which fits over the strut studs and inside the brace ring hole clearances to provide support and stop lateral movement of the new brace rings.

They are also self locking, i'd suggest you fit these nuts

DB, to be clear, I did fit the nuts (31 31 6 769 731). The brace fits fine, and has definitely tightened up the front end a little bit, so its all good. For £200 ish I reckon it is good VFM. Fitting was fun, sort of, too.

By the way folks, one of the covering caps is still on back order, like Anneka suggests. Only a finishing touch, I guess.

Mike.