e93 sway bar review

[Frampton]

why in the world this car didn't come like this in the first place blows my mind...

i don't see a single drawback after driving the last 3 days with the new bar. feels more like a 3 series in the body roll category now instead of a honda accord feel it used to have with the stock bar.

install was very easy after i figured out how to get it on jackstands, maybe 30-40 mins total.

i have to take it back to the track to see what it does at the limit but general driving around town is much more enjoyable. The front end feels absolutely planted to the pavement and is more confidence inspiring on turn in, at the apex, and on exit. I don't notice any lower speed under steer or over steer difference but wont know till its on the track.

love it, should have been my first mod.... for $200-250 this is a must have for every 1er.

<b>UPDATE<b/>

ok guys and gals here's an update! i just got back from the track and got to test my last few mods out at the edge...

since my last hpde i installed the e93 swaybar, cobb ap, and kumho ecsta xs's on the stock wheels (bumped to 225 up front)

Starting with my lap times, i haven't been to the track in 6 weeks, i dropped from consistent mid 41 second runs to consistent very low 40 second runs. I would safely say a full second. After I get used to the car i think I will see another full second drop off. My best lap time was a 39.13. All of this was done on the L1 course of Driveway Austin.

I'll jump straight to the sway bar part of the review before getting to the other key parts and add this to the original post shortly thereafter. I am no longer hanging on for dear life around corners. My ribs literally hurt from being pinned to the sides of my sport seats last time I was at the track. This time it was very very easy to drive the car really hard. There is a noticeable increase in under steer. I know i read a lot of people saying it didn't change the under steer much but it was pushing the front of the car and made it very hard to rotate the car on a sweeping decreasing double radius when lifting off throttle. I definitely need a larger bar in the rear now or need to drop the car a bit or add camber up front or something. Don;t get me wrong street driving is impeccable with this mod but it fixed one issue at the track as far as body roll and confidence and added another problem in increased under steer. I think this mod was a good change overall but I have some more work to do to balance her back out.

[new2the3]

Very nice review, is the rest of your suspension stock?

[Frampton]

rest of the suspension is bone stock m sport package

[Dackelone]

Cool! Thanks for posting. This is on my "to do" list.

[DriveHard]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Cool! Thanks for posting. This is on my "to do" list.

It should be on your done list..

one of the best bang for the bucks you can do..

I have the same review as the OP.. will also find out what it can do compared to last year at Lime Rock park on 4-16-11....

wooo hooo.. Big Ben... here i come !!

[HondaGoneRogue]

Just did mine too. Only took me 30 mins. I took her out to a parking lot and did some tight turns, slides etc. Feels great. I agree it's one of the best suspension mods if not the greatest.

[Dackelone]

Q). When you guys did the install... did you have both front wheels off the ground? Or can you do this say from under the car from a pit? Like at the craft center.

Also... is there a DIY thread for this?


Thanks,
Dackel

[Frampton]

i put it up on jack stands and had both front wheels off the ground

it could have some pre-load when the wheels are on the ground never tried though, someone else chime in if they know

[Cuz5150]

I did this mod last year.........Pound for pound, dollar for dollar a great suspension mod that makes the car for street use better

[AchtungF80]

Well 2 novices attempted the install today and we had a tough time...after wasting an hour of trying to get the "bottom" bushing into the top carrier, then finally correcting it, then trying to decipher the proper orientation of how the new bar is supposed to mount, one of the locking tabs on the bushing seperated and we ended up putting the stock bar back on while I wait for a replacement bushing.

Are there any DIY on this besides the LarryN one...his was not an e93 bar.

[Lubo]

Originally Posted by achtungE30

Well 2 novices attempted the install today and we had a tough time...after wasting an hour of trying to get the "bottom" bushing into the top carrier, then finally correcting it, then trying to decipher the proper orientation of how the new bar is supposed to mount, one of the locking tabs on the bushing seperated and we ended up putting the stock bar back on while I wait for a replacement bushing.

Are there any DIY on this besides the LarryN one...his was not an e93 bar.

Installation was a piece of cake. took me all of 20 minutes. Most time consuming part was taking off 50 screws that secure the undertray to the body . I've greased everything up and the I was able to push the bushing closed by pressing the bar against the floor . E93 bar gets installed same way as original.

[BrokenVert]

Frank you did the instal with Mo right?

Wish it was that fast on the vert. Takes an hour because you need to remove some underbody torsional bracing inorder to get the swaybar out...and that was with the car on a lift and a guy whose done this before (Tom)

[HondaGoneRogue]

Originally Posted by achtungE30

Well 2 novices attempted the install today and we had a tough time...after wasting an hour of trying to get the "bottom" bushing into the top carrier, then finally correcting it, then trying to decipher the proper orientation of how the new bar is supposed to mount, one of the locking tabs on the bushing seperated and we ended up putting the stock bar back on while I wait for a replacement bushing.

Are there any DIY on this besides the LarryN one...his was not an e93 bar.

I broke a tab as well. I had to switch the right side bracket around (it doesn't fit if the side with two holes face up. I still installed it though. I just held the bushings together and bolted the bracket up. It will work like that. Even when the tabs are in place, the bracket is designed to squeeze them together more. Maybe Ill swap it out later seeing how easy it comes off.

[Frampton]

hahah so im not the only one who broke a tab on the bushing!

i was all excited and in a rush and snapped one of them off try to remove them after installing one bushing on the wrong side of the lip.

i installed the bushings using a rubber mallet, worked really well

ended up installing it with the broken tab anyway like HondaGoneRogue

What did you guys end up torquing the 4 bushing mount bolts to? I used the 31 ft/lb from when i torqued the end links then another quarter turn or so with a ratchet. Heard they can strip but still wanted it tighter than 31...

[1speedbike]

I had a UUC bar but got rid of it after I heard bad things. I thought about the e93 one and after this review, on top of several other positive reviews, I know that's the one I want.. but now I'm scared of doing it myself because of these broken tab horror stories hahah

[HondaGoneRogue]

Yeah, they can strip, I think they are aluminum. And from experience, BMW loves to charge 300% mark-up on aluminum fasteners (my dealer anyway). I was careful. I just made sure they were very snug. 31ft/lbs is pretty snug.

[aisthetes]

I also have the E93 FSB and completely agree how essential it is. The difference in front-end grip and reduced front-end body roll is big in an autocross setting. Around town, you'll notice how much more eager the car is to turn-in around 90 deg right handers and how much more responsive the steering is in a simulated slalom type maneuver.

[GringoStar]

Where are you guys finding the bars?

[Hind]

cool write up, thanks! Mine is coming soon, cant wait!

[M135]

Originally Posted by wafflestomp

Where are you guys finding the bars?

Dan @ United

[mke135i]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Cool! Thanks for posting. This is on my "to do" list.

Same here... mine is sitting in my garage until the weather warms up. Can't wait to do it

[HondaGoneRogue]

Originally Posted by wafflestomp

Where are you guys finding the bars?

Originally Posted by M135

Dan @ United

Not anymore:

Originally Posted by Dan@UnitedBMW

Everyone, I am not allowing any more orders for E93 M3 swaybars.