Tech Forum : Custom strut bars

Ben

Posted Wednesday, Sep 10th 4:40am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 8

Eureka, California
1982 320i, 1981 323i

Has anybody fabricated strut bars for their E-21? Are you willing to share the specs? A buddy of mine is willing to do the welding for me but if I can get some numbers that have been tried out already it would be great. For the rear I'd like to go with the style that incorporates a battery mount.

Cheers,
Ben

chad

Posted Wednesday, Sep 10th 8:30am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 59

saskatchewan, canada
79 320i, 82 320i

i know for a fact that paul a.k.a m10power has done this himself because i have seen his setup in person, you'd have to get the specs from him.

Matt

Posted Wednesday, Sep 10th 8:59am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 155

SF Bay Area
81 320i

I know ken danielson has done this. Problem is, I forgot to bookmark his website

He's a big hit on the 320i forum though...

jbob

Posted Wednesday, Sep 10th 10:27am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 46

AZ, USA
81 320i

here ya go

http://www.neteze.com/kdanielson/
goto about the middle of the page and u'll see his rear strut brace w/ battery mount

RDAvena

Posted Wednesday, Sep 10th 6:11pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Staff
Post nr. 128

SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue > 0
1981 323i, 1988 545is, 1997 528i

Not hard at all. I made my rear one this way. As long as they are sturdy enough and do not flex(lack of hinge points) it should be better than any stuff you can get on the www.

But with regards to the hinge points my understanding is that the geometry of the frame and strut towers is stiffened and with the bar should not flex and move as it does without. Plus if you make your own you can make it fit how you want it to fit not like some of thse bars that you have to take off if you want to tighten your vaccum hoses.

Posted Wednesday, Sep 10th 7:52pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 9

The Netherlands
335i E21, 325i E30

Home made stuff!

Matt

Posted Thursday, Sep 11th 10:13am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 158

SF Bay Area
81 320i

Why can't you live around me....oh and make stuff for me.....lol

My family is from holland and the antillies

Aus-E21

Posted Thursday, Sep 11th 1:25pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 5

Victoria, Australia
E28 528i e12 528i e21 323i & 320i

I made one for my E28 as well, relativly easy.

It is very easy if you own the tools in the first place thouugh.

Here the guide i made up on how to do it.

http://users.tpg.com.au/schrick/Strut%20Brace.htm

I have actually made a new one for my E28 since then....Much nicer.

Also if you make one, do the plates and attach them.
Raise the car off the ground so wheels are in the air, and then weld the bar across the struts to the plates.

This is the correct procedure in making the braces.

Ill be making another one for the E21 i have as well, but i dont have the Mig set up for Alloy, and that is how i will do it next time...Alloy.

Cheers.

Ben

Posted Saturday, Sep 13th 12:48am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 10

Eureka, California
1982 320i, 1981 323i

Thanks a bunch guys.

Cheers,
Ben

FastE21

Posted Wednesday, Sep 17th 7:08pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 23

Scottsdale, AZ
82 320is

if you know how to weld its pretty easy. but look on ebay and around here and on roadfly, and you are bound to be able to pick one up for $75 which might be cheaper than parts and time labor... plus it'll be real..

Tricord

Posted Wednesday, Sep 17th 8:27pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Administrator
Post nr. 211

Belgium, Europe
323i Baur

If you care, Walloth & Nesch (see parts page) have an original Hartge front strut bar for €90. I have it and I'm quite happy with it.

g323

Posted Thursday, Dec 7th 8:41am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 32

California
323i 1982

How big of a difference does a rear-strut bar make?

sunbeam***

Posted Thursday, Dec 7th 1:43pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 212

wirral UK
1982 323i

Tricord wrote:

If you care, Walloth & Nesch (see parts page) have an original Hartge front strut bar for €90. I have it and I'm quite happy with it.

I had a look on the W&N website and they have the Hartge brace @ €159.00 and an unbranded brace @ €125.00, is this €90.00 a special offer they have at the moment?

aussie323i

Posted Friday, Dec 8th 8:51am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 548

australia
1979 323i

My Hartge strut brace was also $90 euro from Walloth and Nesch, but I think you'll find both tri and myself bought our strut braces many moons ago

it seems Walloth and Nesch have put their prices up on this one (hardly supprising considering virtually no one makes the e21 strut braces any more!)

melloh

Posted Friday, Dec 8th 5:02pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 456

California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is

for aggressive road/street driving, I have not noticed a difference w/ a rear strut bar.

KenDanielson

Posted Wednesday, Dec 13th 4:51am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Junior Member
Post nr. 192

Petaluma CA
'82 320is, '78 320i

www.e21motorsports.com/kendanielson

This is the current version of my site with tons more info, the old one has not been updated in years...

I am currently working on an aluminum rear bar without the battery mount.

ken

wharthog

Posted Saturday, Dec 16th 12:15am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 107

SF Bay,California, USA
1982 323i, , R1150RT

I put front and rear bars on and did shocks/springs at the same time. I also had my rear bulkhead welded up because they had all cracked and come apart. I noticed a HUGE difference... can't say it was just the rear bar though... Take a close look at the bars on W&N. I think the Harge bar and the generic one are the same. I think Hartge probably orders from the OEM and puts their decal on it. I bought the generic one and compared it to my buddy's Hartge and other than the name they are identical...
If you're going to do the rear bar definitely get that battery back there too.

jrcook320

Posted Saturday, Dec 16th 12:49am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Junior Member
Post nr. 1

Van Wert, OH
'81 320i

I made my own rear bar:

Here's the drawing I made for the end brackets. I cut a 1" 1/8" wall tube to give 1 1/2" overlap on either end, flattened it in a vise and welded it to the plates. You can also drill holes and bolt it together (thus the holes in my drawing). I ended up just cutting them in half and using the 2 inside holes cause they were easier to make that way. I have the CAD file if anyone is interested.

g323

Posted Monday, Dec 18th 1:39am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 53

California
323i 1982

Any place that I could get a rear strut bar for ~60usd after shipping? Or anyone willing to make them?

ads 323

Posted Thursday, Dec 21st 9:52am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 2

nsw australia
e21 323 turbo

i made a custom heder tank out of 2.5 inch pipe and fited it next to the radiator and i have heaps of room for a stut bar now