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chassis stiffening on touring?

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    chassis stiffening on touring?

    Hi guys,

    I bought my touring 2 years ago, this being my first touring (4th e30. first 3 were all coupes or aka 2 dr sedans). I recently have everything refreshed including front and rear subframe reinforcements, all new bushings. Everything is factory except for coilovers and sway bars.

    Now I noticed that my touring chassis is a lot more less rigid than the coupes I have owned. Is there anything out there that I can get to get more stiffness out of? Being in North America, it's pretty much impossible to buy anything unless it's custom.

    I would like to focus on the rear as I don't think a front strut bar would make any significant gains.

    This is the only thing i found online.



    PS: I know the sedan rear strut would not fit tourings.
    Last edited by rikaro; 02-17-2019, 02:59 AM.

    #2
    Even outside of North America, I think you'd have to look for custom solutions. The touring was not that popular with racing enthusiasts.

    Is it noise that is bothering you? The touring is an echo chamber compared with a sedan or coupe...

    That top custom bar from the supercharged touring video looks awesome though.

    I bet something similar to the E46 subframe reinforcements would help too. Like the Vincebar, so you get seriously stiff steel joined to the chassis, but can be hidden by the carpet and seats.



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      #3
      I know you said your focus was on the rear, but I have a front strut bar with an eccentric bolt that when tightened, the bar compresses the towers outward.
      I was surprised to see the tower ever so slightly budge outward upon 1/4" of the bolt and then compress when I relieved it, so I can't imagine how much more flexible they are under sporty driving loads as well as the tension/compression when taking your car off jackstands.

      Also, long ago before I had a rear half-cage I specifically remember the change when I tied in my rear towers with a bar. Going up driveways sideways, the rear/window stopped creaking and it didn't feel like my rear window was about to explode anymore.

      1991 325iS turbo

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        #4
        Wow the e46 solution is pretty crazy. I’m not so bothered with the noise but the flex is noticeable after all the bushings were replaced. It only bugs me because all of the coupes I’ve owned and driven felt better. I would still pick a wagon over anything else in a heartbeat so I guess it’s either finding a solution for it or just live with it. I’m hoping to keep my car cage free as it’s pretty stock looking aside from coilovers and sway bar. I have considered spot welding the chassis but I would prefer a bolt in solution (so I don’t ruin the car haha)

        I might look into a front bar as well

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          #5
          Is that white scaffolding tied into the roof?

          I dunno much about roll cages, do you generally tie them into the roof? I feel like tieing them into the roof would massively increase overall stiffness compared to not tieing it in.

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            #6
            Originally posted by e30davie View Post
            Is that white scaffolding tied into the roof?

            I dunno much about roll cages, do you generally tie them into the roof? I feel like tieing them into the roof would massively increase overall stiffness compared to not tieing it in.

            There's really no point in welding to the roof, it's thin sheet metal and none of the cars suspension is tied to it. You might actually cause tears.

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              #7
              It would seem that any rear stiffening, which would go between the rear towers, would rather diminish the usefulness of the touring, and maybe even defeat the purpose of the body style.

              Basically, just accept the limp noodle status and drive around it.

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                #8
                Does a rear shock tower brace help the stiffness in a Touring noticeably?

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                  #9
                  Unlikely that a tower brace which only ties the towers together would do much. The towers are not where most flexing happens, they really just see vertical loads. It's the chassis itself which flexes. To accomplish anything, you need something that welds or mounts to the chassis too, like the Mason solutions for E36/E46.

                  Seems like a total waste to me though, why even bother with a touring?

                  If you really want chassis stiffening, go custom (which you have to do anyway) and copy the E46 subframe reinforcement solutions that could be hidden under the carpet.
                  Last edited by earthwormjim; 05-12-2019, 06:12 PM.

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