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11-03-2008, 01:03 PM | #1 |
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BMW Performance Strut Brace - DIY?
I want the BMW strut tower brace for my 135i. If you add it when you build you car on the BMW Web site it is $1,000, yet the part is only $399. I'm trying to figure out if there is enough labor required to really justify the $600 extra, or should I be able to install this myself. The only thing I could think of that would keep me from doing it myself is if a front-end alignment is required because you have to disassemble the top of the strut towers.
Has anybody done one of these themselves - or couldn't, for any reason? Thanks in advance. Have Fun, Rick |
11-03-2008, 02:05 PM | #3 |
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Are you guys talking about the Aluminum one or the Carbon Fiber one ? I really want a brace but my dealer looked at them and the car and told me that neither one will fit on the 135i till the BMW CAI is available and installed. Thanks guys.
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11-03-2008, 03:52 PM | #4 |
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+1 from my parts sales associate.:iono:
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11-03-2008, 03:56 PM | #5 | |
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11-03-2008, 04:45 PM | #6 | |
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Thanks for the tip. Is that for the carbon fiber brace? A couple months ago I noticed that the accessories section of the BMW Web site mentioned that the carbon fiber brace was not suitable for the 135i, but now I see that the aluminum brace is specified for the 135, and the carbon fiber brace for the 128. Have Fun, Rick |
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11-03-2008, 05:16 PM | #7 |
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I have a CF strut brace which came installed on my 135i.
On close inspection, the strut does indeed appear to be a very tight fit, just about as close to actual contact with the air box as possible. Admittedly, this is hard to see from the angle of this photo... Although I had not planned on taking grand leaps through potholes, anxiety over cracking the strut will probably keep me on my toes a bit more. At the risk of stating the obvious, I noted that the CF portion of the strut does not extend fully to both ends; instead, you have metal (presumably aluminum) flat tips at each end where the double bolts clamp the strut into the engine compartment. I cannot attest to whether this improves - or compromises - the durability of the strut as a whole, but I'm sure it's necessary since CF is so darned easy to shatter (only a madman would go near it with a bolt!). For what it's worth, I've driven 135s with and without the brace; for me at least, the stiffness is noticable (inclined S-curves and hard cornering). One admission: Until last post, I had no idea an all-aluminum version was available! Doh!
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11-03-2008, 05:33 PM | #8 |
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Hmm, I imagine if one had removed the stock airbox to put something like the Riss Racing intake on then clearance wouldn't be an issue. Interesting...
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11-03-2008, 06:54 PM | #9 |
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Correct. All that's needed to install is a new intake that isn't ridiculously large like the current air intake
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11-03-2008, 06:55 PM | #10 | |
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11-04-2008, 08:40 AM | #11 |
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I must be confused... the 135i already has a strut brace <stock>... why add the CF in addition?
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11-04-2008, 10:03 AM | #13 |
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11-04-2008, 10:11 AM | #14 | |
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My 2 cents. Have Fun, Rick |
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11-04-2008, 10:59 AM | #15 | |
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11-04-2008, 12:20 PM | #16 |
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11-04-2008, 01:03 PM | #17 |
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Yeah, I've been wondering about that too. Plus, I'm wondering what has changed for the 2009 model in terms of airbox clearance, being that you can now add the CF brace under the options section of "Build your BMW" at bmwusa.com
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11-04-2008, 01:16 PM | #18 |
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It would be easier to redesign the strut brace rather then change anything on the engine. I doubt anything on the engine was changed at all. Not for a part that a few may add.
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11-04-2008, 03:07 PM | #19 | |
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11-04-2008, 06:20 PM | #20 | |
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BTW, did they throw in the original wheels and tires? I saw they wanted $4k or more for the upgraded wheels and tires, and they just had the stock tires on the performance wheel. |
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11-04-2008, 09:24 PM | #21 | |
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According to the features list that was posted in conjunction with the car's original listing on eBay, "retrofit front suspension" was listed as one of the added features, even though the CF strut brace and Brembo brakes each also appeared individually on the same list. I thought this was odd, since it was later explained that the suspension upgrade referred to BMW's "M Sports Suspension" (which, depending on whom you believe, includes not only the strut brace but also the brake kit and the wheel & tire kit!). We actually have a modest thread discussing this issue over on BimmerForums. As it turns out, the car was written up in numerous places on the Internet and - incredibly - no two descriptions of the "Sports Suspension" are written the same way. For instance, some folks say the "retrofit suspension" upgrade refers only to the strut brace and nothing else (in which case, it's stupid and misleading to put both the suspension and the strut brace individually on the list of features!). For the record, I'm told that neither BMW nor the dealership that built the one-off actually authored the description which appeared on eBay. That may or may not explain why some of the listed items might seem either redundant, incorrect or, in some cases, nonsensical. To me, it looked like whoever wrote the original description listed individual components of upgrades as well as the collective upgrades themselves. Not exactly lying, but it does make the list look bigger than it really is. "Wheel & Tire Kit" does appear on the original eBay description. This, too, must be taken with a grain of salt. Beyond the performance wheels, I can't vouch for anything special about the tires (seem like pretty standard RFTs to me). For the sake of comparison, however, I don't know what stock RFs come standard on the 135i.
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11-04-2008, 09:45 PM | #22 |
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I checked the car out at Classic and the tires are the stock tires. I hope you negotiated down that price, because $4k for swapping wheels is a bit much unless they gave you the original equipment. $4k is about full retail from BMW for the wheels and tires, but the wheels alone are around $1300 from others.
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