has anyone sourced a strut tower bar recently? maybe have a link(s) to some shops that carry them? appreciate it, Joe

The one that came on my car is by BMP Design. It's not a bad piece.

there was a guy on bigcoupe.com talked of a place called masonengineering.net they carry front and rear strut bars for the e24 as well as other older bimmers.

thanks!, I'll check them out.

joe, i just got mine a couple of weeks ago from bmp design. it came out to 170.00 shipped. the shipping is free for purchases over a hundred bucks or so, and i got a 10% discount with my bmwcca membership. nice fit, light, and nice welds, and the price was right.

bob

Bob, have you noticed a significant change? Reason I ask is I installed one on my T-Top Iroc and it cleared up 99% of some creaking I had and also stiffened the front end a bit on rough washboard roads. I still drive those same rough washboard roads everyday.The six body shell is quite stiff being a hard top and I don't have any rattles or squeaks or anything but was wondering if I'd see the same amount of improvement in the front end. Joe

Bob, have you noticed a significant change? Reason I ask is I installed one on my T-Top Iroc and it cleared up 99% of some creaking I had and also stiffened the front end a bit on rough washboard roads. I still drive those same rough washboard roads everyday.The six body shell is quite stiff being a hard top and I don't have any rattles or squeaks or anything but was wondering if I'd see the same amount of improvement in the front end. Joe

Well, I can see the need for a strut bar on a Camaro or Firebird, especially on a T-top car or a convertible. These chassis are notoriously flimsy and know for camber and toe changes when pushed hard. It somehow does not build much confidence when you have to park on flat and level surface just to open the doors...

Anyway, I had a hard time seeing the need for a strut bar on a E12, E24 or E28, but my car had a slight problem with the heater fan rubbing under hard cornering. I ended up lifting the car under the sub frame and measuring the movements of the struts towers with a tram gauge. There was an actual change of about 3/32", enough for me to weld up a simple strut bar out of mild steel, no adjustment possibility, just custom fit to my particular chassis. Installed it with the suspension weight relaxed and after some playing around the heater fan is nice and quiet. I don't think it changed the handling noticeably, but there is definitely still tension left on the bar. Sooner or later I am going to replace it with something fancier and light weight.

Klaus

Klaus, thanks for the ideas. Like you, I've pushed this car pretty hard in cornering and she's always felt good, albeit with a bit of oversteer. My main concern is the rough and potholed roads we have here in NY. At 70+ mph on washboarded roads the suspension is "dancing" pretty good, especially while in curves. So I'll probably end up putting one on. Couldn't hurt any!

Bob, have you noticed a significant change? Reason I ask is I installed one on my T-Top Iroc and it cleared up 99% of some creaking I had and also stiffened the front end a bit on rough washboard roads. I still drive those same rough washboard roads everyday.The six body shell is quite stiff being a hard top and I don't have any rattles or squeaks or anything but was wondering if I'd see the same amount of improvement in the front end. Joe


joe, to be honest, i have not really noticed. this may be beause the car and its limits are still new to me, the puny sway bars and sway bar bushings, and on. i also liked the look of the motor compartment without it better. when i put an upper stress bar on my 2002, it was an amazing transformation, but that car also had a fresh sport suspension.
i drove the m635 on 75 miles of twisty roads last week and thought it was confidence inspiring. the car has great road manners, very predictable. maybe the bar helped?
i live off of a very rough road and had some creaking after filling the tires all around to 35psi. last week i bought some wurth weatherstripping/ rubber preserver and applied all around, and all squeaks have disappeared.ahh.