fake x brace???

[keikun]

Has there been an X brace that is not oem? My dad bought one today and it really looks like an "X"???, compared to OEM X Brace.

[Braymond141]

Has there been an X brace that is not oem? My dad bought one today and it really looks like an "X"???, compared to OEM X Brace.


http://realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/z/l/114.png


#16

[JamesM3M5]

Euro 3.0L convertibles have a brace that looks more like a symmetric X.

[slammedE36M3]

Is the X brace woth it if i dont really track my car, just do spirted driving? Also will the ride hight be affected.

[MJFX328]

it makes the ride feel better overall..

and no it would not affect ride height.. how could it?

[Theodore]

They are very worth it. They help with turn in a lot. It will reduce your clearance a bit, but its nice because covers the oil pan and gives it some protection.

[GotBHP?]

it makes the ride feel better overall..

and no it would not affect ride height.. how could it?

I think hes asking if he will bottom out on it all of the time. I'd scrape some speed bumps with it on occasion, but I suppose thats better than hitting the oil pan.

[Boxerchip]

makes a world of difference in some situations, do the bushings with it and you will think your driving a different car. I just did it today and im SHOCKED by the difference... its almost as if this made as much of a difference as my 2,000$ coil overs. not quite as much, but for what? 20$ for the bushings and under 200$ for the Xbrace its WELL worth it. I never track my car either, I just drive like a prick.

[hc1001]

i did the xbrace and didnt feel any noticeable difference...

[calypso]

well worth the money - one of the best bang for buck things on these cars (if there is such a thing!). On lowered cars, it hangs pretty close to the ground. It will be lower than the front OEM M3 clip. It does offer protection for the oil pan, though.

[g0mezr]

Def get an X-brace... the difference was immediately noticiable on my car.

[rcM3]

It helps to stiffen the car. The rigidity it provides helps to make the car move with more uniformity. When a car is as old as all of ours are it has lost some of the rigidity that it originally had. The X-brace helps that a bit.... as do strut bars.

[BMWjiggaB]

i did the xbrace and didnt feel any noticeable difference...

Glad im not the only one. I was kinda disapointed honestly. Idk why i didnt feel anything, but its good for the oil pan, so im keepin it!

[The Letter M]

It helps to stiffen the car. The rigidity it provides helps to make the car move with more uniformity. When a car is as old as all of ours are it has lost some of the rigidity that it originally had. The X-brace helps that a bit.... as do strut bars.

I couldn't put it better myself, his post sums it up perfectly!
:thumbup:

The fact that some people can't feel the difference means that either 1) they are not really tuned into the car's subtleties, or 2) their car is pretty dang solid already.

Chances are the cars are not as solid as the day they rolled off the line, and these things would make them stiffer, even at that point, so in reality, the difference may be yet undetected, but it will be there nonetheless.

The OEM X-Brace installed

[keikun]

kewlness, i thought it was fake, lol. I have one my sedan and i noticed a difference.

[M3jes]

makes a world of difference in some situations, do the bushings with it and you will think your driving a different car. I just did it today and im SHOCKED by the difference... its almost as if this made as much of a difference as my 2,000$ coil overs. not quite as much, but for what? 20$ for the bushings and under 200$ for the Xbrace its WELL worth it. I never track my car either, I just drive like a prick.


Are you talking about the front suspension bushings?

[SpeedTheory]

I remember hearing about either KOP or Midnight Autoworks shipping out some X-Braces that were exactly what you're describing. Don't quote me on that, but look up recent X-Brace group buy's in the GB section to check it out.

[theruss1an1]

The x brace on the verts is pretty cool. They have a cover over it and it acts like a sheild too.

-Serge

[Novacaine]

Installed the x-brace last weekend, definitely notice a difference

[Badgtho is back]

Is the X brace woth it if i dont really track my car, just do spirted driving? Also will the ride hight be affected.

how the heck would it affect ride height> i mean really? do you have any idea about what it is or does.. or are we back to our little tranny fluid spat.

and yes.. it is noticeable on the street it really ties the front of the car together.

[Badgtho is back]

Glad im not the only one. I was kinda disapointed honestly. Idk why i didnt feel anything, but its good for the oil pan, so im keepin it!

your car is not an M3.. if it was, and the suspension was stiffer, you'd notice it. you suspension is too soft to allow the flex that an M would experience.

[Theodore]

It does nothing to ride height per se, but it does decrease the clearance a bit.

[Theodore]

your car is not an M3.. if it was, and the suspension was stiffer, you'd notice it. you suspension is too soft to allow the flex that an M would experience.

I noticed it on my 318is...

[Badgtho is back]

maybe his homeboy rims are too flexy.

[Jontran8]

I'm picking one up later this week. If I sometimes scrap going over speed bumps, I'm guessing that installing the X-brace would be worse? Should I even do it then? What do these optional bushings do exactly?

[Badgtho is back]

it depends on what part of your car scrapes.

the optional pieces create a snubber that touches the oil-pan.

[MJFX328]

I'm picking one up later this week. If I sometimes scrap going over speed bumps, I'm guessing that installing the X-brace would be worse? Should I even do it then? What do these optional bushings do exactly?


the x-brace will scratch the floor rather than your oil pan.. much better option..

[paul e]

I think the x brace is way more effective than most strut braces.

[Bill]

http://realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/z/l/114.png


#16



I removed my first x-brace off a 95 325ic back back in the day. I installed it on my m3 and it was fine, except it made a little mess while draining the oil. It was the same brace pictured.

[Furious]

i installed my xbrace and noticed right away. i have the one with the plates in the picture as well so yes oil changes are a little messy but worth it

[Jontran8]

Thanks for letting me know about the messy oil change. I guess I'll change the oil prior to installing the xbrace since I'm doing both.

[Daved]

your car is not an M3.. if it was, and the suspension was stiffer, you'd notice it. you suspension is too soft to allow the flex that an M would experience.
So you think the stock M suspension is stiff? :shifty

[Badgtho is back]

So you think the stock M suspension is stiff? :shifty

compared to a basic 3.. or course.

[Daved]

compared to a basic 3.. or course.
Please tell me the rates for the M and the non-M springs because it seems I was misinformed before.

[Badgtho is back]

Please tell me the rates for the M and the non-M springs because it seems I was misinformed before.

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#33 53 9 064 881<!--mstheme--></TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle width=117 bgColor=#c0c0c0 height=32><!--mstheme-->US M3 LTW<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle width=298 height=20><!--mstheme-->Wire Diameter<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=116 height=20><!--mstheme-->0.6320<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme-->0.629<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme-->0.629<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle width=298 height=20><!--mstheme-->Free Length<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=116 height=20><!--mstheme-->9.50<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme-->9.125<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme-->9.125<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle width=298 height=20><!--mstheme-->Diameter<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=116 height=20><!--mstheme-->5.75<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme-->5.75<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme-->5.75<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle width=298 height=20><!--mstheme-->Number of Coils<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=116 height=20><!--mstheme-->7<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme-->7<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme-->7<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle width=298 height=20><!--mstheme--><!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=116 height=20><!--mstheme--><!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme--><!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme--><!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle width=298 height=20><!--mstheme-->Lbs. @ 1"<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=116 height=20><!--mstheme-->210<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme-->225<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme--><!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle width=298 height=20><!--mstheme-->Lbs. @ 2" (lbs. for 1")<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=116 height=20><!--mstheme-->450 (225)<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme-->475 (238)<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme--><!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle width=298 height=20><!--mstheme-->Lbs. @ 3" (lbs. for 1")<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=116 height=20><!--mstheme-->720 (240)<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme-->740 (247)<!--mstheme--></TD><TD align=middle width=117 height=20><!--mstheme--><!--mstheme--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!--mstheme--><!--mstheme--></TD>

i have no info on no m... if you don;t believe that non-m are softer.. just call the dealer.

As you know the stiffness of the M3 comes from different shocks with different valving, different suspension geometry<!--mstheme-->

[tangled]

My X-Brace didn't produce a discernable difference for me.

[530ier]

What is part #31 in the drawing.

[Theodore]

31 is a rubber buffer that is supposed to limit movement of the engine. IMO if your engine mounts are fine, its a worthless option.