Mason Engineering E46 "Front Racing Strut Bar"

SLO Town · 10-10-2011, 09:58 PM

Folks, I just bought and installed this. I've had others but this is the best by far because it doesn't have pivoting joints, etc. You can get it in either steel or aluminum. Mine is steel, 5 pounds.

Get it directly from Mason Engineering or from Rogue.

Scott

mtnbound · 10-10-2011, 10:04 PM

Nice. Strong Strut also makes a pivotless bar.

SLO Town · 10-10-2011, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnbound

Nice. Strong Strut also makes a pivotless bar.

Thanks, and not throwing stones; but the Mason bar is a one piece design.

Scott

Drew@Swift Motorworks · 10-10-2011, 10:05 PM

good looking bar

White_Knuckles · 10-10-2011, 11:07 PM

Nice. Complements your clean engine bay. Mine is shameful right now.

jzwu · 10-10-2011, 11:18 PM

Felt any difference with the bar?

Jim Murphy · 10-11-2011, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzwu

Felt any difference with the bar?

I did not feel any noticeable difference on the street but DID feel a difference on the track at higher cornering speeds. I kept it balanced by installing both front and rear bars. The car did not flex as much due to the strut bars closing the "top gap" of an "open box" suspension geometry.
Nothing like the two 20 minute SCCA PDX sessions during Sunday am quiet time at a SCCA Road Atlanta race event to find out what your car is doing when you get close to its limits.

Jim

BMW-North · 10-11-2011, 08:58 AM

I was thinking about one of these to see if it would improve handling. In the photo it looks like the nuts for the strut mounts are not tightened or have no threads showing? The forward nut on the driver side looks like it is about 1/4" from seating???

How many threads show after this is installed? How thick is the bar where it connects to the mount? Did you use the existing strut mounts?

SLO Town · 10-11-2011, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMW-North

I was thinking about one of these to see if it would improve handling. In the photo it looks like the nuts for the strut mounts are not tightened or have no threads showing? The forward nut on the driver side looks like it is about 1/4" from seating???

How many threads show after this is installed? How thick is the bar where it connects to the mount? Did you use the existing strut mounts?

North:

The strut bar/strut bearing nuts are fully tiughtened. See the attached picture.

I have installed the strut tower stiffeners that fit on the underside of the strut tower. These are BMW pieces that I got from Turner. I am also using BMW strut bearings.

As a consequence, the nuts do not thread down on the studs as much as they would without these extra pieces. That said, the top of the nuts are even with the studs so there is full engagment. The attached picture suggests otherwise (only slightly), but trust me, I am getting full engagment.

To the other folks, in all candor I am skeptical of strut tower braces. However, after a brisk test drive today I honestly think it stiffened up the front end a bit.

I am 100% satisfied with this Mason Engineering piece, and think its one piece, no pivot design is superior to all others on the market.

Highly recommended!

Scott

Alex323Ci · 10-11-2011, 09:56 PM

looks rather close fitting to the engine covers Scott??

strange, for some reason i thought you had bought one of the BMW PERFORMANCE CF strut braces like the rest of us

the only downside i've found with a one peice bar is that you have to take off all the darn bolts and bar to get under it

moiz21 · 10-10-2011, 11:22 PM

How much did it run you?

Lemonsqr · 10-12-2011, 08:01 AM

that bar is all business!

BMW_SSG · 10-12-2011, 09:44 PM

nice bar, clean engine bay as well

jzwu · 10-12-2011, 10:16 PM

Strut tower bar can make a significant improvement depending on the car. My 2001 Nissan Maxima's front end was so loose that I felt a big difference after installing a strut bar. The front is much tighter and the car tracks straighter.

However, on my 2005 330ci vert the strut bar didn't make a noticeable difference. I have the bar mostly to prevent the strut tower mushrooming.

Jim Murphy · 10-13-2011, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzwu

Strut tower bar can make a significant improvement depending on the car. My 2001 Nissan Maxima's front end was so loose that I felt a big difference after installing a strut bar. The front is much tighter and the car tracks straighter.

However, on my 2005 330ci vert the strut bar didn't make a noticeable difference. I have the bar mostly to prevent the strut tower mushrooming.

Convertibles are notorious for having a lot of body flex so I suspect that more frame reinforcers are called for in this case. Underbody and rear strut bar are some of the choices.

Jim

SLO Town · 10-13-2011, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzwu

Strut tower bar can make a significant improvement depending on the car. My 2001 Nissan Maxima's front end was so loose that I felt a big difference after installing a strut bar. The front is much tighter and the car tracks straighter.

However, on my 2005 330ci vert the strut bar didn't make a noticeable difference. I have the bar mostly to prevent the strut tower mushrooming.

A strut bar will not prevent strut tower mushrooming. You need to install these for that kind of protection. These are BMW parts.

http://www.rogueengineering.com/rogue/REIN/REINFT.html

rowdy lee · 10-13-2011, 11:52 AM

Nice Bar.
I had one, but to engage enough threads, I would have had to remove some suspension and install longer studs... so I passed it along.

jzwu · 10-15-2011, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLO Town

A strut bar will not prevent strut tower mushrooming. You need to install these for that kind of protection. These are BMW parts.

http://www.rogueengineering.com/rogue/REIN/REINFT.html

Why not? I would say the strut bar does a better job than the plates alone.

SLO Town · 10-15-2011, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzwu

Why not? I would say the strut bar does a better job than the plates alone.

The strut towers getting deformed from an upward pressure from the strut. A strut brace cannot protect against this force because it's on the TOP side of the strut tower. To protect against mushrooming, you need strengthing from the underside.

Scott

10-10-2011, 09:58 PM	#1
SLO Town OEM ///Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: The Wine Country Posts: 509 My Ride: 2003 330Ci View My Garage	Mason Engineering E46 "Front Racing Strut Bar" Folks, I just bought and installed this. I've had others but this is the best by far because it doesn't have pivoting joints, etc. You can get it in either steel or aluminum. Mine is steel, 5 pounds. Get it directly from Mason Engineering or from Rogue. Scott Attached Thumbnails __________________ Original Owner 2003 330Ci ZSP, 3145 lbs, 5-spd, leather, Alcantara wheel, staggered 19" BBS, ZHP FCAs/diff cover/weighted knob, M3 eng + trans mounts/outer RCABs/RCABs with Turner limiters, Group N inner RCABs, Bilstein Sports (E36 M3 rears), H&R Red springs/Sport bars, BMW Performance Rotors, Turner caliper bushings, StopTech lines, Borla, RE pullies/RSM, Stewart WP, M-Technic Trunk Spoiler, Mason pedal/strut bar/end links, B&M shifter, UUC DSSR

10-10-2011, 10:04 PM	#2
mtnbound Town Clown Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Yay Area Posts: 14,111 My Ride: 330Ci Vert, 325iT View My Garage	Nice. Strong Strut also makes a pivotless bar. __________________ ******************** Bay Area Top Dropper Orient Blue 330 Ci Vert ********************

10-10-2011, 10:05 PM	#4
Drew@Swift Motorworks Sponsor Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Santa Cruz California Posts: 32,979 My Ride: Scooty Puff Jr View My Garage	good looking bar __________________ .::PM me your tech questions, I'm always happy to help!::. Swift Motorworks Drew Powers p: (707)702-1775 e: drew@swiftmotorworks.com www.SwiftMotorworks.com

10-10-2011, 11:07 PM	#5
White_Knuckles Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Washington (the state) Posts: 1,301 My Ride: 2003 325xi View My Garage	Nice. Complements your clean engine bay. Mine is shameful right now. __________________ Anything made can be made Better

10-11-2011, 09:56 PM	#10
Alex323Ci Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Huntington Beach -Surf City USA Posts: 15,105 My Ride: M3 & 323Ci (sold) View My Garage	looks rather close fitting to the engine covers Scott?? strange, for some reason i thought you had bought one of the BMW PERFORMANCE CF strut braces like the rest of us the only downside i've found with a one peice bar is that you have to take off all the darn bolts and bar to get under it __________________ OEM CSL WHEELS - OEM CSL BRAKES - OEM AUTOFOLD MIRRORS - CSL TRUNK - CSL DIFFUSER - AA SPORT TUNE - AA PULLEYS - BILSTEIN PSS9s - AUTOSOLUTIONS SSK CF CSL RACE LIP - NAVI HU - BMW PERFORMANCE CF STRUT BAR - BMW GROUP-N MTRMTS - UUC SS BRAKELINES, TRANS MOUNTS, RTABs - 4.10 BMW M-SPORT DIFF

10-10-2011, 11:18 PM	#6
jzwu Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,299 My Ride: 2005 BMW 330Cic View My Garage	Felt any difference with the bar?

10-11-2011, 08:58 AM	#8
BMW-North Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: SC or ON Posts: 276 My Ride: 325cic, 330i, 330xi View My Garage	I was thinking about one of these to see if it would improve handling. In the photo it looks like the nuts for the strut mounts are not tightened or have no threads showing? The forward nut on the driver side looks like it is about 1/4" from seating??? How many threads show after this is installed? How thick is the bar where it connects to the mount? Did you use the existing strut mounts?

10-10-2011, 11:22 PM	#11
moiz21 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 1,307 My Ride: 1999 323i 5-SPD View My Garage	How much did it run you? __________________ *MODS* P46 Projectors + FX-R Retrofit + 6k D2S / 60 LED AE's / Smoked LED Tails / Smoked Turn and Side Markers / BSW 10" Sub /ZHP Knob / Matte Black Grills / DICE / Parrot + Connects2 / OEM Alternative Alarm Mod / Clutch Switch Delay Mod / M3 Rep Front Bumper / 3M Black CF Di-Noc Wrap / K&N Intake / 35% Tint All Around / Black Short Eurotray / 545i Shifter

10-12-2011, 08:01 AM	#12
Lemonsqr Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 3,115 My Ride: 2001 TiAg 330i View My Garage	that bar is all business! __________________ Buy my oil catch-can!http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...2#post14304772

10-12-2011, 09:44 PM	#13
BMW_SSG Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: El Paso, TX /&\ Lawton, OK Posts: 743 My Ride: '02 325i\|'11 GT500 View My Garage	nice bar, clean engine bay as well __________________

10-12-2011, 10:16 PM	#14
jzwu Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,299 My Ride: 2005 BMW 330Cic View My Garage	Strut tower bar can make a significant improvement depending on the car. My 2001 Nissan Maxima's front end was so loose that I felt a big difference after installing a strut bar. The front is much tighter and the car tracks straighter. However, on my 2005 330ci vert the strut bar didn't make a noticeable difference. I have the bar mostly to prevent the strut tower mushrooming.

10-13-2011, 11:52 AM	#17
rowdy lee Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sector3/Mad-City Posts: 801 My Ride: 2000 323ci View My Garage	ya Nice Bar. I had one, but to engage enough threads, I would have had to remove some suspension and install longer studs... so I passed it along. __________________ I'd buy it in a heartbeat... if only I wasn't living on the moon!

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