e36 5-lug sway bar options

[daniel]

i have the e36 m3 5-lug setup in the front, with an e36 suspension. as i understand it, the strut tubes have sway bar mounting points, which the e30 m3 also had.

now, what type of sway bar is better? the normal e30 bars, or the strut tube mounted ones?

im not buying sway bars tomorrow or anything, but i would like to upgrade them eventually and start keeping an eye out for what is going to be better.

will an e36 sway bar fit on the e30 with the 5-lug?

thanks, looking forward to some kind of a helpful discussion.

[Quailane]

Mounting a sway to the strut tube decreases, by a lot, the leverage that suspension travel has on the sway bar. You can run any E30 front sway bar, you just need the long front end links. An E36 bar is not going to fit. Also, you have E36 M3 front suspension, because those have the mounting tab on the strut itself.

[Wishno87]

Mounting a sway to the strut tube decreases, by a lot, the leverage that suspension travel has on the sway bar. You can run any E30 front sway bar, you just need the long front end links. An E36 bar is not going to fit. Also, you have E36 M3 front suspension, because those have the mounting tab on the strut itself.

So are you saying that mounting the swap bar to the strut tube like on the E30 M cars decreases the effectiveness of the sway bar compared to mounting it to the control arm like on every other E30? Ive heard from many sources that the exact opposite is true. In fact i plan on making M3 style sway bar mounts with my stock vert bar in order to increase leverage.

[Quailane]

So are you saying that mounting the swap bar to the strut tube like on the E30 M cars decreases the effectiveness of the sway bar compared to mounting it to the control arm like on every other E30? Ive heard from many sources that the exact opposite is true. In fact i plan on making M3 style sway bar mounts with my stock vert bar in order to increase leverage.

Decreasing the leverage that suspension travel has on the swaybar means it increases the resistance that the swaybar provides. Think of it as moving the load outboard on a class 2 lever.

[daniel]

Mounting a sway to the strut tube decreases, by a lot, the leverage that suspension travel has on the sway bar. You can run any E30 front sway bar, you just need the long front end links. An E36 bar is not going to fit. Also, you have E36 M3 front suspension, because those have the mounting tab on the strut itself.

Thanks a lot for your reply. I thought i remembered hearing that, but wanted to make sure.

i figured all e36's had the strut tube mounts, but they don't. but you are right, i have an M suspension. to be exact, they are H&R coilovers for the Z3M's.

because of the mounting points, I thought the actual swaybar needed might be different, but i guess not.

So the 20mm bar I currently had would immediately be more effective if i mounted it using the M3 drop links.

now the next question. i looked at TMS and they have the drop links for the e30 m3 listed separately from the e36 m3. which drop links do i use?

[daniel]

So are you saying that mounting the swap bar to the strut tube like on the E30 M cars decreases the effectiveness of the sway bar compared to mounting it to the control arm like on every other E30? Ive heard from many sources that the exact opposite is true. In fact i plan on making M3 style sway bar mounts with my stock vert bar in order to increase leverage.

no, it decreases the leverage the suspension travel has, which increases effectiveness of the sway bar.

[Wishno87]

no, it decreases the leverage the suspension travel has, which increases effectiveness of the sway bar.

Ya i was getting a little confused with the termonoligy but the meaning is the same.

E30 M3 mounting points> Non ///M E30 mounting points
Correct?

[daniel]

Ya i was getting a little confused with the termonoligy but the meaning is the same.

E30 M3 mounting points> Non ///M E30 mounting points
Correct?

that is what i have gathered. i'm guessing the e30 m3 (rather than e36 m3) drop links are the ones to use, also.

[Quailane]

that is what i have gathered. i'm guessing the e30 m3 (rather than e36 m3) drop links are the ones to use, also.

I would get the E36 M3 ones (same part # as m roadster). The non-m E30 and E36 end links are the same part, so any difference between the E30 and E36 M3 ones would be in their length because of the strut. The E30 M3 ones would probably be shorter since it has a higher ride height. They are probably very close though since Turner sells the same adjustable end links for both cars.

[daniel]

I would get the E36 M3 ones (same part # as m roadster). The non-m E30 and E36 end links are the same part, so any difference between the E30 and E36 M3 ones would be in their length because of the strut. The E30 M3 ones would probably be shorter since it has a higher ride height. They are probably very close though since Turner sells the same adjustable end links for both cars.

cool, thanks. i guess i should've bought those instead of the stock e30 links i bought a few months ago and still havent installed.

[daniel]

after a little more searching, i am now wondering what is overkill for a front bar.

should i just mount my current swaybar differently? or should i upgrade them?

this seems like a pretty good deal, and they include new adjustable end links.

edit: link is broken, but IE has a 25/22 kit for $440.

TMS has a 22/19 kit for $350 but doesnt include the extended links. and they arent 25/22.

[gearheadE30]

Actually, all of the e36s that I've ever bothered to check have had tube-mounted links.

Your 325is has a 20mm front bar just FYI, so the IE kit won't be too different. If you want a bigger OE bar, the cabrios had a 21mm front. The best bang for the buck is to buy the tabs from AKGmotorsport and have them welded on. You will need e30 M3 drop links.

[daniel]

Actually, all of the e36s that I've ever bothered to check have had tube-mounted links.

Your 325is has a 20mm front bar just FYI, so the IE kit won't be too different. If you want a bigger OE bar, the cabrios had a 21mm front. The best bang for the buck is to buy the tabs from AKGmotorsport and have them welded on. You will need e30 M3 drop links.

20mm to 25mm seems like a pretty big difference to me. 25% more bar.

whenever i do eventually upgrade the sway bars (probably not anytime soon), i will definitely be reinforcing every mounting point, front and rear. i had a rear mount break on another e30.

[gearheadE30]

Oh; the link was just to the home page so I assumed you were talking about the 22/19mm kit. It does make a difference, and i could feel the change with 20mm to 21mm, even with coilovers, but for the gain per $$, the IE kit is a bit pricey.

[daniel]

Oh; the link was just to the home page so I assumed you were talking about the 22/19mm kit. It does make a difference, and i could feel the change with 20mm to 21mm, even with coilovers, but for the gain per $$, the IE kit is a bit pricey.

oops. i kind of fixed that post. anyway, i used to have the suspension techniques sway bar set (22/19), and there was a huge difference from the (i am guessing) 19/12 setup i had on my 325e.

the prices arent really a big deal since they are sort of all the same, I am just worried about possible adverse effects by going with the largest sway kit made for the e30.

i have read that the thicker the sway bars, the harder it is to sense the tires breaking loose when cornering, so it is more abrupt. i don't really remember straightline ride quality deteriorating with the upgraded sway bars on my old car, but they weren't as thick as 25/22.

anyone have any thoughts on this? i use my car as a DD, i drive it every day. i have never autocrossed or tracked it, but plan on it in the future. would sway bars be more worth more money than say, strut braces?

thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. it always feels good to find a good answer to those questions floating around in my head.