# Strut Brace Install - Imp. Steps For Alee and Others!



## Ack (Mar 16, 2002)

I spoke with Al today about the install of the M Strut Brace and he asked if there were any tricks to the install. Besides the fact that you need a 13mm wrench, there is a tricky part to the install that I forgot to mention in my initial post. 

To help you guys through this, below is a step by step write-up with pics but first some backround on this.

The Left Strut Brace Bracket does not simply fit on top of the strut tower. The battery jumper point (sorry, I don't know the technical name for this) first needs to be removed. After this, the tower can be bolted down and then the jumper point can be replaced.

Ok, below are the steps to remove this jumper point so you can do the rest of the install. Once removed, the install is a piece of cake.


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## Ack (Mar 16, 2002)

*Step 1:*

First press down on the end of electrical connection clip.


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## Ack (Mar 16, 2002)

*Step 2:*

The clip should now be able to be slid back and removed.


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## Ack (Mar 16, 2002)

*Step 3:*

Lift up on the weather stripping.


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## Ack (Mar 16, 2002)

*Step 4:*

There is a small plastic clip that the jumper assembly clips into (circled in red). Lift or pull up on the jumper assembly to access this clip.


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## Ack (Mar 16, 2002)

*Step 5:*

Remove the clip. Be careful, this piece is pretty small and can easily be dropped into the engine compartment.


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## Ack (Mar 16, 2002)

This is how your jumper assembly should look after you remove the clip.


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## Ack (Mar 16, 2002)

*Step 6*

Lift up on the jumper assembly and move it out of the way.

You should now be able to remove the original bolts and bolt the left strut tower bracket in place.

To put the jumper assembly back, just reverse these directions.

I hope this helps you guys.


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## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

Where's step 7? :dunno: 

Thanks Ack! :thumbup: Appreciate you taking the time to do that... I would have been sitting in my parking garage banging my head trying to figure out how to make the left side fit.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

At least this doesn't require doing the hard part; taking that connector assembly and removing the back to get to the power tap inside of it!


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## Ack (Mar 16, 2002)

alee said:


> *Where's step 7? :dunno:
> 
> Thanks Ack! :thumbup: Appreciate you taking the time to do that... I would have been sitting in my parking garage banging my head trying to figure out how to make the left side fit.  *


I edited the post after I was done and removed this reference. I thought it was seven b/c I had seven pics. Ah well, as long as this works for you guys, I'm happy.


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

Important reminder: DO NOT jack up the car! Otherwise, the suspension will drop down when you remove the bolts from the top of the strut tower... :rofl: :rofl: 

All kidding aside, make sure not to move the car (such as by rocking it, or puttiong your weight on it...) after you have removed the strut tower bolts.


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

Other recommendations:

Move one end as far over as possible, then compress the bar until it has reached the other end. Since the bars work through tension, this seems to help.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

Anyone have any problems with slightly misaligned holes on the passenger side mounting bracket? Here's what mine looked like:


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## The HACK (Dec 19, 2001)

doeboy said:


> *Anyone have any problems with slightly misaligned holes on the passenger side mounting bracket? Here's what mine looked like: *


Install the inboard nut first, otherwise you'll have this problem once the other bolts are slightly tightened down.

A couple of things to also keep in mind. If you want to maximize the car's factory negative camber without expensive re-alignment, put the car up on jack stands so the suspension hangs free, and knock the factory alignment pin out with a chizel and a rubber mallet. Then move the entire strut hat (thrust bearing) inward as far as possible, until it butts up against the slotted strut tower thingy.

Strangely, my strut hat has been set all the way OUT. It looks like if I desire MORE negative camber I can move the strut hat in all the way to get another 1-1.5 degree. I've got massive negative camber as is (1.3 degrees) for factory specs, it looks like I can bump mine up all the way to about 3 degrees without having to get the suspension aligned.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

The HACK said:


> *Install the inboard nut first, otherwise you'll have this problem once the other bolts are slightly tightened down.*


Yeah, but we tried to do that, but the holes seem off enough so that the nut won't go down at all... it seemed to have been off by like a whole 1.5-2mm :yikes:

It was either install the first bolt, then have 2 misaligned bolts that won't go down, or install the two outside bolts and have one misaligned bolt. so we did the later of the two options.

We tried to "make it fit" by attempting to dremel away some of the material enough so the nut would go in there, but the aluminum seems to be pretty dense, and we didn't make very good progress with the dremel. 

Is there perhaps a chance someone goofed and I got a weird bracket that wasn't quite within manufacturing specs? Has anyone else had the same problem? :dunno:

I think I'll leave the camber alone for a while.


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## The HACK (Dec 19, 2001)

doeboy said:


> *Yeah, but we tried to do that, but the holes seem off enough so that the nut won't go down at all... it seemed to have been off by like a whole 1.5-2mm :yikes:
> 
> It was either install the first bolt, then have 2 misaligned bolts that won't go down, or install the two outside bolts and have one misaligned bolt. so we did the later of the two options.
> 
> ...


No. It's more likely that one of your strut nut was previously over-tightened and it either stretched the threads or bent the nut part of the thrust bearing.

This could be bad. Sounds to me like everyone had a relatively easy fit. Take all the nuts off and check and see where the bolts line up in the little slits. They should ALL line up in relatively the same spot on each of the slits. If not then you definitely have a bent nut and will need to purchase a new thrust bearing.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

The HACK said:


> *No. It's more likely that one of your strut nut was previously over-tightened and it either stretched the threads or bent the nut part of the thrust bearing.
> 
> This could be bad. Sounds to me like everyone had a relatively easy fit. Take all the nuts off and check and see where the bolts line up in the little slits. They should ALL line up in relatively the same spot on each of the slits. If not then you definitely have a bent nut and will need to purchase a new thrust bearing. *


But they didn't feel over tightened... They all felt about the same when I removed them.... :banghead: why me? 

I was looking at the whole thing after I took the nuts off... I didn't notice anything.... hmm...


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Hmm, I shoulda checked the locations of the 3 bolts relative to their respective slots. But there is no question that the holes and the bolts do NOT line up.

Though it seems unlikely, I think it's possible that the holes in the bracket were drilled incirrectly during manufacture, so that's worth checking.

It can only be that, or a funny strut mount. The amount that it is off is laterally off, so overtightening of the nut could not do this. I also doubt that it's bent, as if it was bent enough to be this far off laterally, it would be pointing up out of the strut tower at a significantly off angle (i.e. not perpendicular to the top surface of the shock tower), and this was not the case.


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## RKT BMR (Sep 7, 2002)

Kaz said:
 

> *At least this doesn't require doing the hard part; taking that connector assembly and removing the back to get to the power tap inside of it! *


Kaz, buddy, I'm starting to think you have completely disassembled and reassembled your car...:yikes:


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

doeboy said:


> *Well maybe your modified suspension has something to do it. I'm still stock, so it's noticable to me.... :dunno: *


Most likely. The change is subtle but noticable on my otherwise stock suspension.


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## blkonblk330i (May 14, 2003)

Just like the last 3 posts, I also have stock and there definitely is a difference


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## Terry Kennedy (Sep 21, 2002)

*Late to the party and have some questions...*

I missed the group buy, but now I'm thinking about doing this anyway...

I've read the reports of the brackets not lining up on some cars - what are the odds of that being the case on my 2003 325xiT, and what should I do about it if I run into it?

Does the installation process have a chance of messing up my alignment? I've read "don't do this while the car is jacked up", but I've also read "don't even lean on the car and make sure it is on perfectly level ground".

Is there a kit for this or do I need to order all the individual parts? If it is the individual parts, I need everything on ETK diagram 51_4768, right?


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## Terry Kennedy (Sep 21, 2002)

*Re: Late to the party and have some questions...*










Anyone?


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## GimpyMcFarlan (Aug 13, 2002)

Terry,
I think most of us didn't have any problems with the alignment of the brackets. I would have no idea what the "odds" of you having this problem. Most dealers will allow you to return parts within a reasonable period of time if they don't fit.

I don't think you'll run into alignment problems. Just be careful around the car while installing it. Common sense stuff... Don't move the car / lean against it / bump into it / get in & out / etc while you have the strut nuts off. I installed mine in the parking lot of my apartment complex.

I've never heard of a kit or package for this. The part numbers listed are a comprehensive list of the parts you'll need.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

*Re: Re: Late to the party and have some questions...*



Terry Kennedy said:


> *
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The PNs are in the original GB thread.


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## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

*Re: Re: Late to the party and have some questions...*



Terry Kennedy said:


> *
> 
> 
> 
> ...


http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29830

If you want, you can try and contact Tony Cota at Cutter and see if he might be able to squeeze you in at the Group Buy rate ($275) :dunno:


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## BigRain (Sep 30, 2002)

Guys,

I still don't know how tight should I nail the nuts down on the transverse bar? I've tighten it PRETTY TIGHT by arm force.. but I know I can do more if I keep on cranking at it. Anybody?


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## GimpyMcFarlan (Aug 13, 2002)

BigRain said:


> Guys,
> I still don't know how tight should I nail the nuts down on the transverse bar? I've tighten it PRETTY TIGHT by arm force.. but I know I can do more if I keep on cranking at it. Anybody?


I torqued the nuts on the strut tower to 20lbs and the nuts on the crossbar to 25lbs. In these threads, I've seen that the torque ranges should be anywhere between 18-25lbs.


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## BigRain (Sep 30, 2002)

GimpyMcFarlan said:


> I torqued the nuts on the strut tower to 20lbs and the nuts on the crossbar to 25lbs. In these threads, I've seen that the torque ranges should be anywhere between 18-25lbs.


Thanks Gimpy,

I'm darn sure I've tightened it over 25lb/ft or torque. I guess I'll just leave it as is then. I don't see how overtighten the transverse bar part of the nuts will harm the setup. But I did leave the nuts at the two strut towers similar setting as the original nuts.


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## denhugh (Mar 23, 2002)

*strut brace install*

 Thanks for the tip for removing the jumper connection. I must say, the strut bar was a very easy installation. All the parts came from Cutter and it went smoothly. No problems with misalignment or anything. It makes me wonder a little about those of you who experienced problems... :smokin:


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## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

Forgive the thread resurrection, but wanted to bump a thread for the OEM M3 install and this seemed like the best one.

Took about 15 minutes this morning and installed a used one I purchased off the 'fest (thanks R! :thumbup: ).

Some minor points to add:

- The left hand electrical box clip - You "raise" the "outer" end of the firewall side of the plastic shroud - this raises it up out and over the channel securing the "clip" so you can just push it though. If you are ham-fisted like me this might not be apparent at first.

- The nuts I used (bought OEM - $6.00 with BMW CCA discount at local dealer) seemed to have the blue loctite residue on them after the install. Otherwise they spun on then I just eased them over the shoulder of the bracket and down snug with a standard ratchett, then used my torque wrench to get the 20-22 ft lb on each. 

Will take it out later on and see if there is any noticeable difference. My son's comment when he helped me put it on was "but dad, where's the bling? You can't see it with the hood closed you know." :eeps: :rofl:


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