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Thread: Ireland Engineering Alpina Bar

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    1977 BMW 320i

    Ireland Engineering Alpina Bar

    Following multiple recommendations here, I just purchased an Ireland Engineering Alpina bar for my '77 E21.

    Arrived w no instructions, 2 bolts and 2 washers, but no nuts (slim profit margin?).

    Was wondering if somebody could post a pic of one installed and/or provide advice/confirm following thoughts.

    I'm guessing it mounts from the bottom, with longer stubs up (opposite stubs longer than portrayed in pic).

    Bolt heads go on top, w nuts below? (soaking wet out there, but I seem to recall that's existing configuration)

    Assume it's not a great idea to re-use 37-year-old nuts. Are standard hardware store nuts ok, or do I want something special?

    Appears that supplied washers go w bolt head (now an allen configuration, btw)

    Should I use a lock washer with new nuts?

    Should I support front end when I undo old bolts, or will it all stay together?

    Thanks for any and all advice.

    E21alpnabar.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    sounds like you have it under control and yes it will hold together
    Tom D

    77 e21 - m42
    88 e30m3
    04 330 dinan3
    84 r1000rt
    02 r1150rs
    all of them gray
    14 f800gsa - red headed stepchild!

  3. #3
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    I think those are nylock nuts on there. If it was me I'd just re use them. If you want I've seen people thread fishing line through the nut to act as a new lock.
    Last edited by Cjp2003; 05-01-2014 at 01:57 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    Start by removing the rear sway bar bolts, these will be to short for the new bar. the nuts should be attached to a plate so they cant move. these could be broke, in that case you will need to wrenches.
    place the bar there and the bolts will barely line up, don't tighten on side down until the other is threaded.
    once both sides are at least finger tight threaded you can then fully tighten the bar to factory or tighten til tight like myself.
    its pretty simple.

    Current:
    85 325e
    92 525it 5-speed


  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Firefight View Post
    Start by removing the rear sway bar bolts, these will be to short for the new bar.
    I just installed this on another car and put it on in front of the sway not behind.
    Tom D

    77 e21 - m42
    88 e30m3
    04 330 dinan3
    84 r1000rt
    02 r1150rs
    all of them gray
    14 f800gsa - red headed stepchild!

  6. #6
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    Thanks for the advice.

    Too soggy out there today, but should be able to get to it on the weekend.

    Came with low-mileage KYB shocks and low-mileage but elderly Cooper Cobra 205/60/R13 tires, so I'm not expecting miracles

    But every little bit helps

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom D View Post
    I just installed this on another car and put it on in front of the sway not behind.
    i don't think position really matters, but i could be wrong. i should buy another and run two!.
    either way i think the idea is to prevent the uni body from <<<>>> either position should prevent this.


    they don't do much by them self's, maybe a little better steering response, but with poly and coils its pretty nice.
    i have had them on every e21 i have owned

    Current:
    85 325e
    92 525it 5-speed


  8. #8
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    ^ my point was i didnt think i would fit behind the sway, but im probably mistaken.
    Tom D

    77 e21 - m42
    88 e30m3
    04 330 dinan3
    84 r1000rt
    02 r1150rs
    all of them gray
    14 f800gsa - red headed stepchild!

  9. #9
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    oh, yeah i always put my behind it does fit accordingly

    Current:
    85 325e
    92 525it 5-speed


  10. #10
    Join Date
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    1982 320i

    I have mine on the front, I seem to recall the swaybar bracket holes being offset. I'm not sure it'd fit the rear.
    I'm not sure it was worth the price, for what you get/what you get out of it. But it does make a decently noticeable difference. I had been told it was mostly noticeable in long sweeping corners but I noticed it around town too.
    Last edited by trash berd; 05-01-2014 at 04:05 PM.

  11. #11
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    thanks for pic.

    looks like you successfully reused original nuts.

    @ $60 plus shipping, doesn't take much improvement to justify

  12. #12
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    '83 323i, '82 320i, '06 mazda5
    mine's in front like trash berd's. I remember seeing pictures of this install, so I didn't even check if it fit behind the sway.

  13. #13
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    i think bmac made these for $20 in the old days.

  14. #14
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    Just did a preliminary check/PBlaster application.

    Didn't see or feel an upper nut: could bolt just have been welded to metal plates on '77s (which would presumably pop up when bolt hammered from below)?

    Doesn't appear to be enough clearance to fit on rear bolt of swaybar attachment: only seems to fit on front.

    Bushings are definitely crispy, though I don't have much of a "55 mph shimmy."

    Did I read somewhere that the '77 sway was a different size and bushings NLA? If so are there alternatives?

  15. #15
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    The bolts are threaded one side and a plate on the other so that you only need one wrench to undo or tighten them.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1977320is View Post

    Did I read somewhere that the '77 sway was a different size and bushings NLA? If so are there alternatives?
    pre-09/78 build date have a different bar then post, but bushings are easy to find.
    Tom D

    77 e21 - m42
    88 e30m3
    04 330 dinan3
    84 r1000rt
    02 r1150rs
    all of them gray
    14 f800gsa - red headed stepchild!

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1977320is View Post
    thanks for pic.

    looks like you successfully reused original nuts.

    @ $60 plus shipping, doesn't take much improvement to justify
    Its mostly because it's 3 pieces of tubing welded together. I find it hard to believe their jig was that hard to make and material is that expensive to justify that price. I did end up replacing them though, and going to longer bolts than what they provided. The ones the gave really didn't leave any thread sticking out of the nut which made me uncomfortable.

  18. #18
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    if i remember correctly, i believe i had to dremel one side of the replacement bolt head in order for it to seat properly. good luck.

  19. #19
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    Mission accomplished

    The new-style round allen head bolts made it impossible to resuse the plates, but w the supplied washers they didn't seem necessary.

    Re-used the lower nuts & washers as suggested.

    One of the stabilizer bar brackets was a bit out of alignment so getting the bolt on that side to line up properly required some persuasion and colorful language.

    Haven't had a chance to take it on a twisty road, but went for a brief spin and the front end seemed much tighter/more responsive -- at least sixty dollars worth of improvement in my book.

    Not sure if/when I'll go for an upper strut brace. From what I've read here they don't seem to be worth the expense for a daily driver.

    Thanks again for the advice

  20. #20
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    Pics of the 77 please.


  21. #21
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    50mm long bolts from Ace Hardware (or BMW) and new factory nuts (as any selflocking nut in BMW is NOT reusable by the book) work perfectly. Has enough length to allow nut to be screwed in far enough (unlike the photo above where nuts barely grab the threads). It is a safety issue after all. $4 nuts and bolts are not a big deal...

    Max

  22. #22
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    Upper brace made a way bigger difference imo, but I did it first. I'm sure whatever it is you do first makes a bigger difference, lol

  23. #23
    Join Date
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    1977 BMW 320i

    Ireland Alpina Bar on '77 E21

    Here are some pics.

    Inelegant welding aside, am I courting danger using the supplied bolts that don't come near to passing alway through the nuts?

    For sixty bucks, you'd think they'd supply appropriate hardware -- and maybe even replacement nylock nuts
    Attached Images Attached Images

  24. #24
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    83 320i, 06 M3 ZCP
    I don't have one of these, but could you put the bolt in from the bottom and the nut on top and have enough thread left over? It looks like the bolt head is small enough to fit inside the tube.

  25. #25
    Join Date
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    I'm arriving late in this thread, but hopefully my photos and experience will help others who want to add one of these braces. I mounted mine in front and it's on an '83, but I don't think it makes any difference. I bought it from Jesse Nemec (eurometric.com) about 5 years ago and I don't know if he's still making them, but he did a very clean and accurate reproduction of the original Alpina. He offered to paint it, but I elected to powdercoat it after I received it.

    I bought new stainless hardware with two bolts 25mm long and the other two 40mm to accommodate the new brace. I installed the short bolts first and drew them up fairly tight so that I could get the longer bolts in place, followed by the brace. Then it was just a matter of bolting everything up tight. I used blue Loctite on the threads, but self locking nuts are probably better. I used flat stainless washers top and bottom to protect the paint.

    I installed mine before the engine was in, so there was plenty of access, but I don't see it being much more difficult with everything in place. That also makes it easier to show how it fits. I recommend adding an upper strut tower brace too. I found it to be more beneficial that the lower Alpina brace, but the combination of the two really adds a lot of rigidity.

    10/09/2017 NOTE: I just updated this post with new photos because Photobucket's new asshole policy made the original post useless with no images. And yes, I AM angry about it. Can you tell?

    Alpina-bar-2.jpg

    Alpina-bar-3.jpg

    Alpina-bar-4.jpg

    Alpina-bar-1.jpg

    Alpina-bar-5.jpg
    Last edited by dumbclub; 10-09-2017 at 02:28 PM.

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