Installed OEM e93 front sway bar (28mm)

[The1]

Originally Posted by mef

OK, thanks, I presumed they meant the narrower section but it's hardly a kink!

As I understand it, the diameter and length of the thinner section are the main things that contribute to the strength of the anti roll bar (sway bar) in conjunction with the length of the arms between the front pivot points and where the vertical links are connected. Obviously the length of the arms will be the same for all E87, 90, 93 bars etc. I dont think the diameter of the bar either side of the thin section will have much effect on the stiffness whilst it has that thinner section in the middle.

I just measured the standard bar from my E87 118D and its 26.83mm diameter
on it's main body but only 23mm diameter in the front thinner section.

You can come up with a figure (torsional strength), as someone mentioned earlier in this thread based on the diameter of the bar (outside diameter and wall thcikness) and it's length x the length of the arms. From some of the pictures I've seen, the length of the thin section seems to vary with different bars, my E87 has the this section for maybe only 100mm, some look like its 300mm long. You can imagine that one with the longer thin section will be the weaker for a given same diameter.

What I would like to know is what is the diameter and length of the thin section on the E90 & 93 bars that people are discussing on here? Also, are these bars solid or hollow? I would imagine they are solid.

Food for thought!

Martin

I won't be under my car for a while, so i can't measure the M3 bar, however, the bushings for the bar are a whole lot stiffer, and that makes a big difference too. The stock bushing feel like mush... you can physically squish them by hand. The M3 bar is hollow. As for as the length of the kink/narrow area goes, as far as i could tell (i had the bars side by side to look at it during install) and the section looks the same length.

and for the record, there's a massive difference between what the M3 one does vs stock.

[instag8tr]

Is there a good place to pick up he m3

[Bimmer-Bob]

Well, after having the M3 bar sitting in my garage for almost a month, I finally got around to swapping out the stock bar. Did the install myself. Took me a few hours, but I was working slow and deliberately, and took a lunch break plus a trip to the store to pick up a socket I didn't have at the beginning of the job. Really straightforward; anyone who's ever assembled furniture from Ikea could do this, provided they have the proper tools. The main thing is to do it safely - you will spend some time underneath the car.

Initial impressions: probably nothing new to add here, but here goes anyway. Turn in feels more precise, and roll is significantly diminished. Driving down familiar roads, I consistently found my corner entry speeds higher than normal, almost completely by accident. I just felt that much more confident, I suppose. Same during transitions, such as passing - the front end felt more planted and less squirrelly.

On the downside, the front end almost feels too tight, if that makes sense. For the first few miles, the car actually felt less responsive, somehow. It just felt off, like I was driving with the e-brake on or something. I have two ideas about this: one, that I'm just not used to the feeling of the new bar yet, and will eventually (probably rather quickly) become accustomed to it and adjust. My second thought is that the bar is just too stiff for the stock sport suspension I'm running. I've got a set of Bilstein PSS9s I'll be installing shortly, and I suspect things will feel more balanced afterwards.

[Xaeryan]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

Well, after having the M3 bar sitting in my garage for almost a month, I finally got around to swapping out the stock bar. Did the install myself. Took me a few hours, but I was working slow and deliberately, and took a lunch break plus a trip to the store to pick up a socket I didn't have at the beginning of the job. Really straightforward; anyone who's ever assembled furniture from Ikea could do this, provided they have the proper tools. The main thing is to do it safely - you will spend some time underneath the car.

Initial impressions: probably nothing new to add here, but here goes anyway. Turn in feels more precise, and roll is significantly diminished. Driving down familiar roads, I consistently found my corner entry speeds higher than normal, almost completely by accident. I just felt that much more confident, I suppose. Same during transitions, such as passing - the front end felt more planted and less squirrelly.

On the downside, the front end almost feels too tight, if that makes sense. For the first few miles, the car actually felt less responsive, somehow. It just felt off, like I was driving with the e-brake on or something. I have two ideas about this: one, that I'm just not used to the feeling of the new bar yet, and will eventually (probably rather quickly) become accustomed to it and adjust. My second thought is that the bar is just too stiff for the stock sport suspension I'm running. I've got a set of Bilstein PSS9s I'll be installing shortly, and I suspect things will feel more balanced afterwards.

You're used to the body roll as a point of reference (too hot, to slow, keep steady, etc.), and without it your senses feel numbed a bit. You'll relearn the handling characteristics quickly and it won't be an issue.

[jb2178]

I finally put mine on this weekend and it is great! After running several autocrosses with the stock suspension, I can say there is obvious improvment in the turn-in as well as the car being much quicker in trasitions from left to right (and right to left of course) cornering. Maybe the most surprising improvement I noticed is it dialed out a lot of the mid corner shutter that you get if you hit a bump when cornering hard. There's a nice corner I hit regularly and I always half-scared myself on it because midway through the surface transitions from asphalt to concrete and every time the car would twist a bit and bounce enough to give me a split second scare that I was about to lose control. Yesterday there was no scare at all... very much worth the $220... if you have 2 hours and $220, just do it.

[j1gzca]

I just got my E93 sway bar and haven't installed it yet. I'm trying to assemble the bushings and brackets into the bar. I'm finding it tough to get the top bushing into the bracket. I thought it would just snap into place but it's not.

Anyone experience this?

[Bimmer-Bob]

It's a tight fit, for sure. I used a little bit of grease on the inside of the bushings as well as on the inside of the brackets and just used my body weight to press the pieces together. The bushings have rubber tabs that "snap" into the brackets - if you get them close, you can use the end of a screwdriver or something to grab them and slide them all the way in.

[jb2178]

I used grease and a C clap to get them in place - just make sure you are putting the brackets on the right direction - I think you might run into fitment issues if the bracket is facing the wrong direction. You may want to wait until you have the old sway bar off before actually pressing the bushings togethor because it might be a bitch to get them back apart. See the last photo hear: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...7&postcount=26

[j1gzca]

Thanks for the info, guys...that's very helpful.

[The1]

I would wait until it's going on the car. One of my clips broke while it was going on, so there was definately some scrapes and bruises happening while trying to join it all together without the clip.

so wait, don't take the chance of breaking that tap if you can help it. even try and thread the screws on the car a little bit, then progressively tighten each side and it will seat itself nicely.

[j1gzca]

Lots of good advice, thanks.

I am doing an oil change at 7500 miles, which will probably come up in a couple of weeks. I'm planning to install the sway bar then. Just couldn't help myself when the package arrived.

[TimMc]

Originally Posted by The1

I would wait until it's going on the car. One of my clips broke while it was going on, so there was definately some scrapes and bruises happening while trying to join it all together without the clip.

so wait, don't take the chance of breaking that tap if you can help it. even try and thread the screws on the car a little bit, then progressively tighten each side and it will seat itself nicely.

Yeah, I broke a tab while trying to get one side on. Tabs are very weak. Other side clipped in very easily though with just hand pressure. All went together easily when I bolted it onto the car. Very simple. The broken tab seems redundant when all is bolted in place.

[timhatimay]

I just spit on the bushings and then used a c-clamp to press the bushings down over the bar and into the bracket. Once it clicked in it would stay while you mount, or if you get it close, you can move it around to let it fit into place. Probably a good idea to wait until you are actually mounting the bar as mentioned above.

Tim

[ulrichd]

Doing this install now on my 128. Thanks to this post it's going very smoothly up to now. BTW you can hear when the tabs on the bushings click into position on the brackets as you compress them.

[Yvette]

Originally Posted by ulrichd

Doing this install now on my 128. Thanks to this post it's going very smoothly up to now. BTW you can hear when the tabs on the bushings click into position on the brackets as you compress them.

how does it differ from stock?

[ulrichd]

I had a full day of driving today and I think I made the right decision to go with the M3 Coupe bar vs. the thicker M3 Convertible bar. My 128 is on Eibach springs with Koni FSD shocks and 18" non runflats. That's a fairly soft setup compared to coilovers or just spring mods, and I didn't want the larger bar to overwhelm the suspension. Also I don't track my car and I just wanted a bit more eager turn-in and a little less body roll. Best bang for the buck mod so far.

[ulrichd]

On the downside, or upside I guess since I would never have noticed it without taking of the undertray during the bar swap, I found this mess. Looks to be a leak between the engine and transmission.

[135iNreag]

Where do you purchase the E93 bar forgive me if this is a dumb question.

[Mr. Clarkson]

Originally Posted by 135iNreag

Where do you purchase the E93 bar forgive me if this is a dumb question.

Any local dealer, or online dealer (United BMW / Tischer BMW come to mind), or I believe Turner Motorsports sells them now too.

[ulrichd]

Originally Posted by 135iNreag

Where do you purchase the E93 bar forgive me if this is a dumb question.

Make sure you get all the hardware with it. Got mine from Dan @United BMW. Check the commercial sales forum and send him a PM.

[thez99]

Originally Posted by ulrichd

On the downside, or upside I guess since I would never have noticed it without taking of the undertray during the bar swap, I found this mess. Looks to be a leak between the engine and transmission.

What in the fuck??

Getting this taken care of???

Ive seen this bar at HPAutowerks and a few others, assuming they include the necessary bushings, etc. Whenver I do end up doing my suspension work (FSD's, H&R oe sports) ill be having this installed as well, not goin any further thou, coils are too expensive and i dun need the manual adjustability and I dont feel I need to go all out with the rest of the M3 parts.

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by The1

I won't be under my car for a while, so i can't measure the M3 bar, however, the bushings for the bar are a whole lot stiffer, and that makes a big difference too. The stock bushing feel like mush... you can physically squish them by hand. The M3 bar is hollow. As for as the length of the kink/narrow area goes, as far as i could tell (i had the bars side by side to look at it during install) and the section looks the same length.

and for the record, there's a massive difference between what the M3 one does vs stock.

for M3 bushings