09-26-2020, 08:33 PM | #331 |
Lieutenant
437
Rep 553
Posts |
Just adding to what others have said about the carbon/alloy bracing, not only did I feel the car better respond to steering input but it's also more stable under load. I've had 1 track day with the bracing in and approaching T2 (a double apex U) I'm on the brakes hard from 180+kph down to 70 while steering to the 1st apex, the car held it's line when previously I'd be working the steering wheel to say on line.
If you track or get out on twisty roads I would say it's a worthy upgrade if you get the parts 2nd hand. Finished mine off with the M2C hood seals (covers the rivnut cups from water entering but won't trap moisture) but kept original cowl covers/windscreen piece, looks almost factory finish (RHD windscreen/cowl covers are near $400 down here, I got both M2C pieces for $50 from o/s). |
09-27-2020, 02:37 AM | #332 | |
Banned
844
Rep 1,962
Posts |
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-27-2020, 03:19 AM | #333 |
Lieutenant
437
Rep 553
Posts |
Yeah I knew that, and like the 2 cowl covers the windscreen piece is different for LHD & RHD so I wasn't able to order any of them from the EU seller where I bought the hood seals. BMW AU charge 2.5 times what you pay in US/EU, to be honest I'm happy with how it all fits now (well until I see a wrecked M2C with the bits undamaged
|
Appreciate
0
|
10-06-2020, 02:58 AM | #335 | |
Brigadier General
1779
Rep 4,516
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
Fettled M135i EB AT then AW M2 DCT - both gone but not forgotten:
Current '22 X3M LCI.. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
10-07-2020, 02:08 AM | #336 |
Lieutenant
437
Rep 553
Posts |
|
Appreciate
0
|
10-07-2020, 03:36 AM | #337 | |
Captain
518
Rep 744
Posts |
Quote:
When the bar is loaded the force goes into deforming the weakest link, ie the hinged connection betewen the bar and the strut top mount. Obv. the deflection between the bar and strut mount is small, but with sufficient cycles it is enough to remove the preload on the bolts and therefore turns the "solid" connection into a "hinged" connection. A hinged connection is not very capable of transmitting torsional forces... BTW the CF brace going forward does help. The front of the car is basically boxed in by all of the bracing. Rigidly connecting the chassis arms ahead of the suspension pickup points still helps transmit forces from one side of the chassis to the other (even if bracing at or behind the pickup points is more effective).
__________________
AX 1.1 --> AX GTI --> NA Roadster 1.8 --> E39 528i --> Xsara VTS --> Volvo 940 LPT --> Focus RS MK3 --> M2C + NA Miata 1.8
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
10-07-2020, 10:34 AM | #338 |
Private NumNuts
522
Rep 321
Posts |
The factory brace you are referring to is the black brace in the photo below, whereas the Comp brace is the aluminum behemoth underneath. Some would argue the aluminum brace makes more of a difference than the carbon fiber brace. You should consider adding this brace to your strut tower brace and see what a difference it makes.
__________________
|
Appreciate
0
|
10-07-2020, 12:48 PM | #339 |
Banned
844
Rep 1,962
Posts |
|
Appreciate
0
|
10-08-2020, 06:38 AM | #340 | |
Major
455
Rep 1,389
Posts |
Quote:
People deluding themselves that it's equivocal in function to the M3/M4 setup. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
10-21-2020, 01:53 PM | #341 |
Captain
482
Rep 757
Posts
Drives: M2
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: PNW
|
Installed the rivnuts last night and put the alloy brace on tonight or almost installed it anyway. I had to bend one of the brake lines a little so that it didn't touch the brace (I think pretty much everyone has to do this right?) and I installed all the bolts, everything lined up perfectly however, the brace is sitting about 6 mm off the mounting point/holes for the two bolts at the bulkhead/firewall under the center of the windshield.
The brace is resting flat on the hard plastic piece that covers the foam over back of the engine. In the pics below, the bolts are just finger tight, I've not torqued any of the bolts down yet and I'm sure they'll pull it down but I'm just wondering if everyone starts out with this 5~6 mm gap? Torqueing it down is going to put a lot of pressure on the plastic part underneath... Borrowed the last pic from chip_dip19's post (#280); this is the plastic pics I'm talking about (circled in red); it's hard but I still think it's plastic.
__________________
'17 M2 DCT Long Beach Blue
Last edited by dtmurf; 10-24-2020 at 05:11 AM.. Reason: added pic |
Appreciate
1
iam2slow78.50 |
10-24-2020, 05:37 AM | #342 |
Captain
482
Rep 757
Posts
Drives: M2
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: PNW
|
Just reread the complete thread and the one at https://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewto...11&hilit=brace
Can't find any reference to my bulkhead mounting point issue. As most people don't remove the plastic piece (cowl?) that runs along the bottom of the windshield (requires wiper arms to be removed), I would not be surprised if the gap went unnoticed as you'd not be able to see it. I suspect most would just drop the bolts in and torque them down.
__________________
'17 M2 DCT Long Beach Blue
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-15-2020, 04:29 AM | #344 |
Lieutenant
437
Rep 553
Posts |
I've discovered the M2C front guards have a changed shape that make for easier install/removal of the alloy brace and enables a torque wrench/socket access to the cup/rivnut torx bolt.
At 9:40 in the youtube video you can see the hood seal removed from the guard gutter showing a U shape. I was searching for info to confirm whether the alloy brace has to come off for spark plug change (it does). I had previously thought of cutting out a small section of the guard, being aluminium if I repaint the cut area there shouldn't be a corrosion issue and it's covered by the hood seal so appearance doesn't matter. The raised edge I assume aids structural integrity to the guard when not fitted to the car, can't imagine cutting a small section out would affect the guard while on the car? So far the best way I've tightened that torx bolt is an 11mm socket on a 1/4inch ratchet. |
Appreciate
1
dtmurf481.50 |
12-16-2020, 07:46 PM | #345 |
a coffee drinker
96
Rep 162
Posts |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-16-2020, 11:18 PM | #346 |
Lieutenant
437
Rep 553
Posts |
Not 100% sure. Have seen one video where a guy left the OG M2 oem brace in & for cylinder 5 he just removed the ratchet from the socket extension for clearance to lift the plug out (other diy videos the brace is removed). For the S55 it looks like both braces need to come out anyway for removal of other parts (intercooler etc) just to get access to all the plugs. I'll know Monday afternoon whether our unique situation (N55 with carbon/allow bracing) requires the bracing to be removed.
|
Appreciate
1
Zeese96.00 |
12-17-2020, 11:31 AM | #347 |
Lieutenant
279
Rep 488
Posts |
Hi,
Does anyone know if the M3/M4 top hats are the same height as the standard M2 ones in terms of the bottom/suspension side? I was considering this mod a little whilst ago, but given that I'd only just had a decent 4 wheel alignment done, I didn't want to start messing about with the front, alter the height of the shocks and need to do it again. Cheers. |
Appreciate
0
|
12-17-2020, 02:11 PM | #348 | |
Banned
844
Rep 1,962
Posts |
Quote:
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/par...&q=31307853702 |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-17-2020, 05:14 PM | #349 | |
Lieutenant
437
Rep 553
Posts |
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
1
widetyres279.00 |
12-18-2020, 03:29 AM | #350 |
Lieutenant
279
Rep 488
Posts |
Yes you will - but you have to remove the standard brace anyway when doing plugs on the OG M2 - there is a plastic cover above the back cylinder that needs to be removed to give access, but to get that off, the brace (either one) has to come off first.
|
Appreciate
1
Zeese96.00 |
12-18-2020, 04:14 AM | #351 |
Lieutenant
279
Rep 488
Posts |
|
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
Tags |
bmw m3, bmw m4, carbon fiber strut conversion |
|
|