X-brace On A 328is?

[Rooz]

What would be the pros and cons of putting an x-brace on my car? And also how hard is it to install?

[komodo]

I got my x-brace installed about a month or two ago, and ever since then my car handles like it's on rails. Installation took about an hour or two (assumingly the bolts are hard to get right). I'd recommend this suspension upgrade over sway bars or anything.

[victorgallas]

Originally posted by Rooz@Aug 14 2005, 01:32 PM
What would be the pros and cons of putting an x-brace on my car? And also how hard is it to install?

[snapback]369557[/snapback]

I would not say there are cons in reguard of the x brace. Maybe some more stiffness, but if you like good handlings, driving, x brace will greatly improve it.

The x Brace improves car handling by locking the front of the car with the body, preventing it from bending, shifting under load.

Anyway. bavauto.com sells the xbrace together with the necessary hardware and instructions to install. Youll need a set of jackstands, and some basic tools.

have fun

[swanvesta]

silly question, but is a x brace the part that goes in the engine bay between the two shock towers?

[komodo]

Originally posted by swanvesta@Aug 15 2005, 09:40 AM
silly question, but is a x brace the part that goes in the engine bay between the two shock towers?

[snapback]369701[/snapback]

That's a front tower strut bar.
An xbrace goes under the car to stiffen the chassis.

[thekid]

There is only one con to having an x-brace. It is about an inch lower than the rest of the car. So if your car is slammed, then you might end but with the x-brace getting torn up by speed bumps and the like.

As far as the effectiveness, I was looking into putting the x-brace onto my car. When I asked my mechanic about it (A friend I have known for years, go to church with him, sleep at his house ect...) he told me that it wasn't really that great of a street upgrade. He said that he has put them on many E36's but without taking the car to the limit you really do not feel much of an improvement. He said at the limit it does make a noticeable difference. But, how often do you drive your car to the limit? Hopefully never on the streets. But if you track the car a lot, then it would be worth it. I decided to save for sway bars. A much better street or track upgrade. Infact sway bars might make more differenance then any other suspension mod, except maybe going to full coil-overs.

[theironm0nk]

Go with a strut bar and sway bars. Both are more benificial on the street.

[Rooz]

Well, my main concern is that I am going to drop my car a little soon adn I hear that the X-Brace is great protection for the oild pan...

[Live_the_Curves]

how about a strut bar with a X-brace, is that over doing it.

[///M Power]

No. It would be pretty good actually to try and correct some of our nasty oversteer. I had aftermarket sway bars front and rear, although the rears were the same thickness as the stock! I assume its good to correct the oversteer.

Point being is do the springs/shocks first, andthen look into strut bars/sways/x-brace's

[komodo]

Originally posted by thekid@Aug 15 2005, 10:30 AM
As far as the effectiveness, I was looking into putting the x-brace onto my car. When I asked my mechanic about it (A friend I have known for years, go to church with him, sleep at his house ect...) he told me that it wasn't really that great of a street upgrade. He said that he has put them on many E36's but without taking the car to the limit you really do not feel much of an improvement. He said at the limit it does make a noticeable difference. But, how often do you drive your car to the limit? Hopefully never on the streets. But if you track the car a lot, then it would be worth it. I decided to save for sway bars. A much better street or track upgrade. Infact sway bars might make more differenance then any other suspension mod, except maybe going to full coil-overs.

[snapback]369715[/snapback]

Your mechanic was an idiot.

I'm talking from personal experience when I say it made a huge improvement in the handling of my car.

[///M Power]

Its nto that bgi a difference komodo. Ive driven many many BMWs with them aswell as the variety of suspension upgrades. There are much better solutions that are more cost efficient vs. effectiveness that you can choose.