Ireland strut brace fitment

#1

I just bought an Ireland strut brace. It looks just like the Sparco, except it’s black. Oh, and except it doesn’t fit. It’s about 3/4" to long to fit on my strut tower bolts.

Oddly enough, Ireland used to sell a version of the brace that was 3/4" shorter, but they don’t sell it any more. Ireland says that some E30’s require different lengths.

My old cheap aluminum strut brace that the PO put on seemed to fit ok. It just doesn’t fit over my new camber plates.

Anyone have issues re. Ireland strut brace fitment? Issues with other strut brace fitment?

#2

Scott - did your car have any previous crash/frame damage? If so, this may be the cause. I had a similar problem with an e30 with accident history.

#3

No front crash damage that I’m aware of. And the other bar fit fine. Seems like an interesting coincidence that Ireland used to sell a shorter bar.

#4

I had the same issue with a sparco bar. I slightly elongated the holes of the brace and made it fit with some gentle persuasion. I remember reading an article about tower migration over time due to track use. I’ll see if I can find it, but I just built this new computer about a month ago and haven’t transferred all my files to it yet.

#5

Jeff, knows his sh*t… I’d call him back. bodeecat is right about strut tower migration.

#6

All I have to say is: Buy Ireland products, just don’t buy them from Ireland

always seems to be something with them…

#7

I don’t disagree with Ireland’s reputation for good products with non-existent instructions/specs, but they get a pass on this one in my book.

From Ireland’s website description of the E30 strut brace:

IMPORTANT–The factory book says the distance between the strut towers is 1002.2mm ±2mm (39.5" ). Measured from center to center (where the shock sticks thru.) We have found many cars that measure about 980mm (38.75" ). This leads us to believe BMW made two slightly different unibodies. Therefore please make sure your required strut brace is a std. due to our findings.

#8

I got the shorter Ireland bar off of Ebay in January. I did have front end damage though and told the body shop to make it so the bar fits. I measured it when I got it and it is the shorter version.

#9

I believe they still sell the short version just not in polished ss.

#10

Why don’t you get the Sparco from Bimmerworld, James Clay always took very good care of me, and $130 is a good price.
I don’t know about IE products, sometimes when a product is good, but the service is not, I’d rather try a different manufacturer which I’ll be doing soon if I can’t get the sway bar to work properly.

#11

Back when this was an issue BW (and everyone else) was out of the Sparco bar. I ended up installing the Ireland bar. I had to bend it a bit and then bang it into place. It’s going to take an engine hoist to remove it.

#12

Ranger, not surprisingly your name pops up again when I look for SE30 wisdom. I got a UUC strut bar and as it has become the norm with my car what’s supposed to be easy jobs become painful efforts. The bar does not fit. I am not sure if it was ever confirmed or not whether BMW made different frames as IE seemed to imply when they were selling the shorter bar, but I do know that lo and behold the distance between strut towers on my car is 980mm…

So, couple questions: seems like you were able to fit your bar with some bending and banging, question is whether the fact that the bar is forced in could be an issue (as it would be “pushing” the towers all the time (as opposed to just on hard cornering).

Is it even worth the effort, in other worda is the atructural rigidity woth the time.

#13

It’s worth doing. Chew on the holes a bit so the camber plate bolts can poke thru, then bang it into place.

#14

save some hassle and get one of these

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ULTRA-RACING-ADJUSTABLE-FRONT-STRUT-TOWER-BAR-BRACE-84-90-BMW-E30-3-SERIES-/271379947477?hash=item3f2f815fd5:g:EasAAOxyOlhS3zXH&vxp=mtr

we have been using these and its a good quality piece.

#15

Looking at this adjustable bar because my strut towers appear to be too close together for other solutions. Does anyone using this bar know the range of adjustability? Also, from the pics it looks like this may sit too high to fit under closed hood?

thanks,
Mike

#16

I have that adjustable bar stashed up in my attic. It has quite a bit of adjustability so I think you’d be good. Chances are the IE bar can be made to work tho. I’ve installed 3 of them over the years and they were all too long. I just had to open up the bolt holes a bit and then kinda bang the bar into place.

#17

Thanks. I am fine with opening the bolt holes in the bar I have, but I am not sure that the cutouts for the tower flanges will fit even with the holes opened up, and then no returning it. Would you sell the adjustable bar?

#18

I’d be happy to sell it to you. It’s in it’s original box, was never been installed and is therefore in new condition. How about $150? You going to Road Atlanta in a couple weeks?

#19

Thanks, yes, I will be at RA in two weeks. Assuming I can’t get current bar to fit and can return it, and I can make sure your adjustable bar will fit (will install at track), I’ll take it. I’ll email you.

Thnaks,
Mike

#20

I’ll bring it to RA and we can see if you like it.