homemade strut brace

[commandtoad]

this is something i made several months ago, for reasons if witch i'll go into later. the reason is rather imbarrasing....

.66696670

[danewilson77]

Nice work.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[328ioc]

Looks good to me

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[johnrando]

Yup. Looks good. Awaiting story.

[static667]

I think it looks pretty professional. How much for one of those bad boys?

[Lespaulman16]

That looks pretty good, man. What did you get it for?

[Avetiso]

Looks like quality work.

[derbo]

I like that its a solid piece! Good job

[BimmerWill]

Impressive, did you notice any improvement after install?

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[JupiterBMW]

Very nice looking. One piece, simple, does the job. I'll stand by for the story as well! :)

[llll1l1ll]

Complimenting work. In for story.

[Oli77]

Like, and want to know more. How much for the little bar?

[quikryptonite]

I expected to see something that would warrant a good laugh. That thing looks legit. In for storytime.

[commandtoad]

6672
ok here goes...
missed the turn. if you look close there is an M3 that i might have been racing.......
i was told that it was in the air and thats where it landed...
it's all better now, tough car. stupid driver....
i had a body shop pull the strut tower back down, after i welded all the seams back up i decided that a brace could'nt hurt in keeping it all together.
amazingly enough the tracks just missed the bumper/frame and stopped ripping things apart before the motor.
i made the plates from a piece of 3/16 plate. tube is 1" DOM.
this one is more ridgid than a OEM M3 brace.
i build jeeps in my spare time, this is one of my more recient ones, so the strut brace was pretty easy.
i might consider making a few if there is enough interest...
6673

[johnrando]

Wow.

[Oli77]

Glad to see the strong car made it, and is now stronger for it.

I am interested in a commandtoad strut brace.

[wertyu78]

I'll take one as well! Group buy?

[Crickett]

Oh. Wow.

I was another that came to this thread expecting some hilariously duct taped together monstrosity, but hot dayum that's a clean, professional-looking piece! Count me in for a ZHP Mafia-special CommandToad strut brace!!

[danewilson77]

Looks like oem ///M3 mount.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[commandtoad]

Looks like oem ///M3 mount.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

actually an M3 mount has a bend in the middle with slotted ends, the plates have countersunk holes with special nuts and is aluminum.

getting rid of the bend and the fact that mine is steel, solid and straight, where it counts, in my opinion, makes for a more ridged unit.

[commandtoad]

ok heres what iv'e come up with. first i would have to have a min order of 10. these would be made as previously described, one piece, with 3/16 welded plates to a 1" DOM tube, powdercoated black. they would cost $200,
here is my concern. this is a fitted piece. i measured my car and it fits perfect. odviously i can't use my car as a pattern, i'm going to fit it to several other known straight cars before production, to be sure of the correct bolt alingment, but i can't guarantee it will fit everyones car....
that being said, what do you guys think?

[danewilson77]

ok heres what iv'e come up with. first i would have to have a min order of 10. these would be made as previously described, one piece, with 3/16 welded plates to a 1" DOM tube, powdercoated black. they would cost $200,
here is my concern. this is a fitted piece. i measured my car and it fits perfect. odviously i can't use my car as a pattern, i'm going to fit it to several other known straight cars before production, to be sure of the correct bolt alingment, but i can't guarantee it will fit everyones car....
that being said, what do you guys think?

You're gonna want to send Boss a PM as well.... Before we go too much further on this.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[zj96sc]

here is my concern. this is a fitted piece. i measured my car and it fits perfect. odviously i can't use my car as a pattern, i'm going to fit it to several other known straight cars before production, to be sure of the correct bolt alingment, but i can't guarantee it will fit everyones car....
that being said, what do you guys think?

This is why most production offerings are built with some adjustability...or at least slotted holes....even between not previously reworked chassiseses I'd bet there is enough variation that just bolt holes would bind up.

[static667]

If its OK per the boss, I'm in from one.

Sent from my yet to be hacked GS3.

[commandtoad]

You're gonna want to send Boss a PM as well.... Before we go too much further on this.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

message sent

my other thought was to drill just one side. the installer would slide it over, set the non drilled side on the studs, with marking compound on the ends, and drill his own holes, that way each one would be custom fit...

[JupiterBMW]

Something else to keep in mind. The clearance of that bar looks VERY close to the intake manifold. The varying conditions of motor mounts will affect how high/low the engine sits in the car, as well as how much rotational movement can occur during heavy acceleration. I've seen engines move just enough to smack into strut bars.

Typically not a big deal aside from making a clunking noise occasionally and leaving a mark on the bar/engine parts. But with this car having a plastic intake manifold, it might be of more concern...

Just something to ponder.

[commandtoad]

i thought of that as well. i placed a blob of putty between the bar and the disa housing and tried several things to get it to touch. i got a closest measurement of 1/2 in. my car has 130kmi. so as long as your motor mounts are good, the motor will not hit this brace. and if they are bad, and you buy a brace instead of fixing them well, you see where i'm going....

[commandtoad]

i talked to the boss, and got a green light....

[danewilson77]

Gawd I love this place.

[328ioc]

Gawd I love this place.

+1

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[BimmerWill]

Were you able to come to a conclusion about adjustability?

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[Whitexi]

Looks clean and simple, I like simple. Looks good!

[commandtoad]

message sent

my other thought was to drill just one side. the installer would slide it over, set the non drilled side on the studs, with marking compound on the ends, and drill his own holes, that way each one would be custom fit...

this seems the best way.

[Torxuvin]

Could you use a standard drill for it? Mine is pretty old. I will check the specs once I get back into town

[terraphantm]

actually an M3 mount has a bend in the middle with slotted ends, the plates have countersunk holes with special nuts and is aluminum.

getting rid of the bend and the fact that mine is steel, solid and straight, where it counts, in my opinion, makes for a more ridged unit.

I believe the reason the M3 mount is bent is because the M3 engine physically sits a bit higher. A straight brace would probably hit the injection rail.

Good looking piece though! How does the car feel with it?

[commandtoad]

i would love to say the chassis is stiffer, and at times i believe me, but honstly, i can't tell a difference. it's also never been on a track, and i think if you were going to feel a difference, it would be there...
as i said before, the only reason i did it is for added strength after the "accident"
oh and it looks cool....

[commandtoad]

Could you use a standard drill for it? Mine is pretty old. I will check the specs once I get back into town

as i've never seen a metric drill, i suppose a standard one would work. mine is a dewalt, its old as well, and the specs are: 18V, and it worked...:)

sorry sometimes i can't help being an asshole

if i read your question correctly, i recommend using a center punch, no matter what drill you decide to use.

[Torxuvin]

Lol. I meant a basic home use drill rather than a drill press or something. As I have only used it on wood and sheet rock.

[Oli77]

Yes, just make sure you get a metal bit for it.

It's also easier to start with a smaller-than-intended hole (about 1/2) and then increase size until it fits through the bolts.

[commandtoad]

ok it looks like i'm not going to get an order for 10 and instead of messing with pre orders, i'm just going to start out by making 5. it looks like just from the interest on this thread there might be that many that will take one. plus once people give feedback there might be more interest.
after thinking about it alittle more i will take it a step further. the first one that responds to this, and is seriously intrested, i will send it for free to try it out, if you like it shoot me the money. (i have paypal) god this sounds like an informercial.....
also, as per my descution with the boss, a portion of the profit, witch there is little, will go towards this site.

[commandtoad]

yes it should be fine with a metal bit. and i can't stress enough a center punch!

[danewilson77]

Is this strut bar powder coated?

[commandtoad]

ok heres what iv'e come up with. first i would have to have a min order of 10. these would be made as previously described, one piece, with 3/16 welded plates to a 1" DOM tube, powdercoated black. they would cost $200,
here is my concern. this is a fitted piece. i measured my car and it fits perfect. odviously i can't use my car as a pattern, i'm going to fit it to several other known straight cars before production, to be sure of the correct bolt alingment, but i can't guarantee it will fit everyones car....
that being said, what do you guys think?

yes

[wertyu78]

ok it looks like i'm not going to get an order for 10 and instead of messing with pre orders, i'm just going to start out by making 5. it looks like just from the interest on this thread there might be that many that will take one. plus once people give feedback there might be more interest.
after thinking about it alittle more i will take it a step further. the first one that responds to this, and is seriously intrested, i will send it for free to try it out, if you like it shoot me the money. (i have paypal) god this sounds like an informercial.....
also, as per my descution with the boss, a portion of the profit, witch there is little, will go towards this site.

I'm your guy.

Wyatt
404-660-4743

[commandtoad]

pm me your info

[wertyu78]

PM sent

[Oli77]

Just a bump to see how or if it happened.

[wertyu78]

Just a bump to see how or if it happened.

+1

[Oli77]

Guess that means nothing happened.

[WOLFN8TR]

Weird...

[BimmerWill]

Sad day :(

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[saace7]

I might be interested in this.