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Tech Forum : Rear strut bar, Weld?

- BMW E21 Community
   - Tech Forum
      - Rear strut bar, Weld?
g323   Posted Monday, Jan 8th 10:21pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 74
   
California
323i 1982
Someone must have considered this I’m sure.
First off a little history;
When I got my 323i 1982, there were huge rust holes in the rear strut towers, I had the rust removed as best could be done, and the holes welded up really nice, however, I’m still a little nervous as to the integrity of my backend as I go on dirt roads a lot in my travels.

I want a rear-strut bar, and Im on a budget, so Im thinking of getting a red painted rear-strut bar from Walloth & Nesch, and instead of putting it on the front, I want to put it on the back of the towers.

Now I thought, how do I screw it in, or drill the holes for that matter from that angle? Well, why don’t I have it welded back there? I’ve already had welding done to the strut towers, whats a bit more?

Any comments to this plan?

pjs323i   Posted Tuesday, Jan 9th 1:56am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 51
   
Canberra, Australia
'81 323i
any infomation onto this topic would be helpful for me too although i want to relocate my battery to the boot so if there is any that incorporate a battery bracket of some discription that would be good too...

KenDanielson   Posted Tuesday, Jan 9th 4:12am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Junior Member
Post nr. 192

Petaluma CA
'82 320is, '78 320i
A front strut bar will not fit without completly rebuilding it. You are better off building one from scratch.

Are you looking for just a top bar or a triangulated bar with battery mount? PM or email me, I may be able to help.

ken

Boost_me   Posted Tuesday, Jan 9th 4:42am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 58
   
Victoria, Australia
1981 BMW 323i
Don't Walloth and Nesch offer a REAR STRUT BAR?? Why don't you just get one of those?? Their cheaper too....
Strut bar front steel painted red (catalog-no. 80/3/1) 79,95 EUR
Strut bar front aluminium high-quality polished (catalog-no. 80/3/1) 125,00 EUR
Strut bar rear steel painted red (catalog-no. 80/3/1) 33,95 EUR
Strut bar rear aluminium high-quality polished (catalog-no. 80/3/1) 49,95 EUR

Their also on special at the moment. That the route I'd be going.....
I'd bolt them in, With proper bolt's, If you put enough stress on the weld's they'd crack and your strut bar would have no affect.

chupchup   Posted Tuesday, Jan 9th 9:47am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 130
   
Singapore
320m20
I think one of our memebers did a pretty nice home made one.

ads 323   Posted Tuesday, Jan 9th 10:12am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 13

nsw australia
e21 323 turbo
make your own its easy get 20mm tube and weld sume flat bar on the ends and drill sume holls in the bar. if you wont to put the batere in the boot just get a battere box and it bolts to the floor

davethedog   Posted Tuesday, Jan 9th 3:28pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 150
   
Northants, England
E21 320
My dad raced E21's very successfully for many years. He said that most of his success was due to the stiffness of the body of his car. He had developed a multipoint roll cage from a six point cage. This included welding a piece of roll cage between the rear turrets.
So basically I am saying he suffered no ill affects from welding a strut bar in, so I would say go for it.

jrcook320   Posted Tuesday, Jan 9th 6:30pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Junior Member
Post nr. 1
   
Van Wert, OH
'81 320i
You could remove the rear seat, drill large holes in the bulkhead and drill and bolt to the shock towers from there. It may be difficult to weld to the shock tower on the back side and get a clean, strong weld. The only adverse affect I see is burning off the undercoating inside the shock tower, so make sure you clean and re-seal it if thats the route you go.

I made mine brace to bolt to the top of the shock tower so there's no drilling involved and its a much stronger mounting method than sheet metal screws. Here's some pics:



g323   Posted Tuesday, Jan 9th 6:44pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 75
   
California
323i 1982
I will plan on buying the rear strut bar from them, as I said in the first post. Thanks for all the comments, I was worried it might be too hard to get a clean weld back there, and i dont really want to cut holes either, it looks like my best option for a rear strut bar that takes up very little room is an over the top model? that bolts onto the top of the rear strut bolts. however, they're all significantly more expensive

thanks again for all the help!

g323   Posted Tuesday, Jan 9th 7:33pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 76
   
California
323i 1982
Also, I thought I saw a post a while back but i can't find it searching now, of someone installing a rear strut( the drilled holes kind) bar without removing the rear struts, does anyone have the procedure for this?

KenDanielson   Posted Wednesday, Jan 10th 4:56am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Junior Member
Post nr. 192

Petaluma CA
'82 320is, '78 320i
Sorry, I misread your initial post and thought you wanted to use a front bar on the rear...

I built the brace/battery mount in my '82 and bolted it in through holes drilled in the side of the shock towers. I just removed the shocks-easy and quick.



I am working on an aluminum top mount for my '78.

If you would like a simple weld in brace I can do one for you for MUCH less than a factory built piece. Email me if you are interested.

ken

g323   Posted Sunday, Jan 14th 8:37am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 80
   
California
323i 1982
Ken Danielson did a great job welding me in a rear bar, turned out very very nice, the car feels much, more solid in almost every turn move. Front bar was also installed at the same time, feels like a much more complete car.

Thanks again Ken!

KenDanielson   Posted Sunday, Jan 14th 10:39pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Junior Member
Post nr. 192

Petaluma CA
'82 320is, '78 320i
Glad to help a fellow enthusiast.

ken

chupchup   Posted Tuesday, Jan 16th 12:40pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 151
   
Singapore
320m20
g323 wrote:
Ken Danielson did a great job welding me in a rear bar, turned out very very nice, the car feels much, more solid in almost every turn move. Front bar was also installed at the same time, feels like a much more complete car.

Thanks again Ken!


How would the car feel with just the rear bar?

g323   Posted Tuesday, Jan 16th 5:40pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 84
   
California
323i 1982
I'm tempted to take out the front and try it. After installing it, with the trunk open i bounced the rear end from the left side, and noticible the right side went down much more at the same time than before, or better said, by pushing down on one side, the car seemed to bounce down very evenly. Ken had his car side by side and I tried his and it wasn't near as equal. Hope thats understandable, un-articulate times...

chupchup   Posted Tuesday, Jan 16th 11:29pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 155
   
Singapore
320m20
try driving it?

I know there is marked differences with the front as I have the front installed.

Some say there is major differences with the back installed while others say nana......

I guess the condition of the body also plays a major part.


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