Active Autowerke Strut Brace Just Arrived

BucksCty135i · 02-17-2012, 08:03 AM

Looks great - will be installing shortly and will update with install pics.

BucksCty135i · 02-17-2012, 09:42 AM

Remove two 13mm nuts and loosen one on each side. Install brackets, without having to touch the existing diagonal braces. Use the supplied hardware to mount the brace, and you're done.

VERY high quality, perfect fit.

SflBimmer8484 · 02-17-2012, 09:49 AM

Looks Great !!

J0E · 02-17-2012, 10:21 AM

How does it feel? Always wondered if strut braces were worth it. It's such an easy add-on.

BucksCty135i · 02-17-2012, 10:25 AM

I'd be lying if I said that I felt a big difference... but I haven't driven it very hard since install is only a couple of hours old. It sure looks good though.

1Pirate · 02-17-2012, 10:38 AM

Very nice! Appears to be a well made and engineered strut bar. If I didn't already have the BMW Performance strut bar I would be insterested in one.

SV Concepts II · 02-17-2012, 04:18 PM

Lookin' good!

cenix · 02-18-2012, 09:41 AM

That's a nice looking piece indeed!

BroDoze · 02-21-2012, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J0E

How does it feel? Always wondered if strut braces were worth it. It's such an easy add-on.

Totally depends on the vehicle and other suspension mods.

If you're running stiffer shocks/springs and bigger bars, you're transferring more energy (read flex) into the chassis of the car - they kinda go hand in hand.

The fact that we've got stock braces to the firewall already, I don't see much benefit on the street if at all.
On a track with a fully tuned suspension? Definitely.

My STi benefitted greatly on the street from both the front and rear strut bars. But that chassis has a lot of flex and I had super-stiff susp. mods done.

mdputnam · 02-21-2012, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J0E

How does it feel? Always wondered if strut braces were worth it. It's such an easy add-on.

As Brahmzy said on the stock suspension not so much. The purpose of the strut is to eliminate flex in the chassis allowing the suspension to accurately place the wheel on the pavement. In order to reduce NHV using run flat tires BMW's suspension engineers specified very soft stock rubber bushings in the suspension, which provide way more flex than the tiny amount caused by chassis deflection.

BucksCty135i · 02-21-2012, 02:04 PM

As OP, I agree with both posters immediately above - for me, it is engine compartment bling. Hope that doesn't offend.

Groundpilot · 03-03-2012, 09:59 AM

looks good and functional. Do you now what is the weight of this strut brace?

BucksCty135i · 03-03-2012, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groundpilot

looks good and functional. Do you now what is the weight of this strut brace?

Shipping weight was 6 pounds, so take away perhaps a pound of packaging and I'd approximate it at 5. Sounds about right from what I can recall, and it is all aluminum.

Groundpilot · 03-03-2012, 11:46 AM

Thanks. I just ordered it. Its not cheap for the strut brace, but i think its worth it for some of us who track 135i. There is a lot of stress on both strut towers during hard cornering and this strut brace should reduce it and stabilize the front suspension.

Shadowfax028 · 03-05-2012, 07:31 AM

This bar looks amazing. My car is a 135i Vert. Perhaps it will helP my car out a bit. where did you purchase this?

BucksCty135i · 03-05-2012, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowfax028

This bar looks amazing. My car is a 135i Vert. Perhaps it will helP my car out a bit. where did you purchase this?

Directly from Active Autowerke:

http://store.activeautowerke.com/act...race-p210.aspx

Shadowfax028 · 03-05-2012, 08:35 AM

Thank you,

If I had been paying better attention I would have seen that info on the 2nd post. Oh well............ its Monday no coffee as yet.

BucksCty135i · 03-05-2012, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowfax028

Thank you,

If I had been paying better attention I would have seen that info on the 2nd post. Oh well............ its Monday no coffee as yet.

No worries, I'm there for you buddy. (I'm not one of those guys that yells "Search!!" everytime someone asks for something.)

Shadowfax028 · 03-05-2012, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BucksCty135i

No worries, I'm there for you buddy. (I'm not one of those guys that yells "Search!!" everytime someone asks for something.)

lol

M3Newbie88 · 03-05-2012, 11:19 AM

Looks great.. if I didnt have one already I would get this!

My135 · 03-05-2012, 12:22 PM

Looks great but does it perform as good as it looks? I may consider to buy one myself.

J0E · 03-08-2012, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowfax028

This bar looks amazing. My car is a 135i Vert. Perhaps it will helP my car out a bit. where did you purchase this?

I was thinking this same thing when I asked. I have a 'Vert and there is obviously a bit of cowl shake despite BMW's being better than most in this department. Seems to be more on the 135 than my old 330 though I may just be imagining it. Will this help at all to improve rigidity or would it just be a waste of money?

02-17-2012, 08:03 AM	#1
BucksCty135i Private 8 Rep 77 Posts Drives: 2012 LeMans Blue 135i M Sport Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Bucks County, PA iTrader: (0)	Active Autowerke Strut Brace Just Arrived Looks great - will be installing shortly and will update with install pics. Attached Images __________________ 2012 135i M Sport, LeMans Blue/Black int with Poplar - PPK, Dinan Front Sway, BMWPedals, Active Autowerke Strut Brace, KM11 for winter and VMR 718for summer.
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02-17-2012, 09:42 AM	#2
BucksCty135i Private 8 Rep 77 Posts Drives: 2012 LeMans Blue 135i M Sport Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Bucks County, PA iTrader: (0)	Install Complete - approx. 10 minutes Remove two 13mm nuts and loosen one on each side. Install brackets, without having to touch the existing diagonal braces. Use the supplied hardware to mount the brace, and you're done. VERY high quality, perfect fit. Attached Images __________________ 2012 135i M Sport, LeMans Blue/Black int with Poplar - PPK, Dinan Front Sway, BMWPedals, Active Autowerke Strut Brace, KM11 for winter and VMR 718for summer.
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02-17-2012, 09:49 AM	#3
SflBimmer8484 Brigadier General 1469 Rep 3,157 Posts Drives: . Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Florida iTrader: (5)	Looks Great !!
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02-17-2012, 10:21 AM	#4
J0E Year One of the 1 4 Rep 87 Posts Drives: 135i 6MT 'vert Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Denver iTrader: (0)	How does it feel? Always wondered if strut braces were worth it. It's such an easy add-on.
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02-17-2012, 10:25 AM	#5
BucksCty135i Private 8 Rep 77 Posts Drives: 2012 LeMans Blue 135i M Sport Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Bucks County, PA iTrader: (0)	I'd be lying if I said that I felt a big difference... but I haven't driven it very hard since install is only a couple of hours old. It sure looks good though. __________________ 2012 135i M Sport, LeMans Blue/Black int with Poplar - PPK, Dinan Front Sway, BMWPedals, Active Autowerke Strut Brace, KM11 for winter and VMR 718for summer.
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02-17-2012, 10:38 AM	#6
1Pirate Captain 54 Rep 639 Posts Drives: 2009 BMW 135i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Greenville, NC iTrader: (2)	Very nice! Appears to be a well made and engineered strut bar. If I didn't already have the BMW Performance strut bar I would be insterested in one. __________________ 2009 BMW LeMans Blue 135i/Dinan Stage 2 tune/Alufelgen SF-71s/M3 suspension components/Koni Sport adjustable dampers/ETS FMIC/M3 paddle shifters/Alpina B3 TCU flash/VRSF charge pipe
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02-17-2012, 04:18 PM	#7
SV Concepts II 269 Rep 6,093 Posts Drives: E90 M3 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: 1460 White Oaks Rd. Suite F Campbell, CA 95008 iTrader: (7)	Lookin' good!
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02-18-2012, 09:41 AM	#8
cenix Captain 379 Rep 875 Posts Drives: E90 M3 ZCP Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: SoCal iTrader: (5)	That's a nice looking piece indeed!
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02-21-2012, 02:04 PM	#11
BucksCty135i Private 8 Rep 77 Posts Drives: 2012 LeMans Blue 135i M Sport Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Bucks County, PA iTrader: (0)	As OP, I agree with both posters immediately above - for me, it is engine compartment bling. Hope that doesn't offend. __________________ 2012 135i M Sport, LeMans Blue/Black int with Poplar - PPK, Dinan Front Sway, BMWPedals, Active Autowerke Strut Brace, KM11 for winter and VMR 718for summer.
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03-03-2012, 09:59 AM	#12
Groundpilot Banned 476 Rep 1,711 Posts Drives: 135I DCT , e92 M3 DCT, Audi A6 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: long island,ny iTrader: (0)	looks good and functional. Do you now what is the weight of this strut brace?
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03-03-2012, 11:46 AM	#14
Groundpilot Banned 476 Rep 1,711 Posts Drives: 135I DCT , e92 M3 DCT, Audi A6 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: long island,ny iTrader: (0)	Thanks. I just ordered it. Its not cheap for the strut brace, but i think its worth it for some of us who track 135i. There is a lot of stress on both strut towers during hard cornering and this strut brace should reduce it and stabilize the front suspension. Last edited by Groundpilot; 03-03-2012 at 11:57 AM..
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03-05-2012, 07:31 AM	#15
Shadowfax028 Private First Class 48 Rep 148 Posts Drives: 2016 BMW M235i Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Houston iTrader: (0)	This bar looks amazing. My car is a 135i Vert. Perhaps it will helP my car out a bit. where did you purchase this?
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03-05-2012, 08:35 AM	#17
Shadowfax028 Private First Class 48 Rep 148 Posts Drives: 2016 BMW M235i Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Houston iTrader: (0)	Thank you, If I had been paying better attention I would have seen that info on the 2nd post. Oh well............ its Monday no coffee as yet.
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03-05-2012, 11:19 AM	#20
M3Newbie88 Brigadier General 138 Rep 4,053 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Canada iTrader: (5)	Looks great.. if I didnt have one already I would get this!
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03-05-2012, 12:22 PM	#21
My135 Lieutenant Colonel 85 Rep 1,609 Posts Drives: Join Date: Mar 2008 iTrader: (0)	Looks great but does it perform as good as it looks? I may consider to buy one myself. __________________ 7/08 135 Coupe, Crimson Red, 6 SP, Sport, Taupe Lette/Aluminum. Performance Mods: JB4 on Map 5, BMS DP Fix V3, Injen polished intake, AR Catless DP, Maddad resonated mid-pipes, aFe exhaust polished tips, ST Suspension Coil Over and Hotchkis front sway bar. Others: BMS OCC, BT Scanner, Mud Flap. Next Mods: AA Front Strut Brace.
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