my non-M e46 with M3 sway bars = PITA install

[David Alejandro]

Off topic, but installed M3 e46 swaybars front and rear in a non M e46. Was told the rear wouldn't work - fabbed brackets to drop mounting points 11mm. Works great, combined with Koni yellows and 330i ZHP springs = :mrgreen: but a real PITA install. (mostly due to tight tolerances @ spare tire well/diff bushing mount)

[David Alejandro]

I bought an m3 rear sway bar from JESrour (nice guy, quick shipper); we both were not sure if it would mount up to my e46 325i 4dr. Since he gave me a hella deal, I thought I'd try anyhow. THIS IS NOT FOR THE MEEK, nor for the inexperienced. The clearance is NOT quite the same, with regard to the spare tire well and the rear mount of the diff.
* I fabbed two drop brackets (11 mm of drop with 8 mm thick cold rolled steel, same width as the original brackets.),
* bought a pair of m3 bushing straps, and (after 2 hours of cursing) got the thing on.
* Had to drill an extra hole in each bracket.
* Had to "creatively move" about 10 mm deep of metal on the spare tire well with a baby sledge and a piece of steel rod (ie: I put the steel rod against the leading lower edge of the well, and pounded against it with the baby sledge until it was carefully dented inward about 10 mm, then repainted with bedliner just in case...)
* The left side BARELY clears the exhaust, and the bar BARELY clears the diff mount and (newly refashioned) spare tire well.
I run 245/40r17 rears and 225/45r17 fronts, with an m3 front bar, 330i ZHP springs, Koni yellows, and report no oversteer whatsoever! It stays SUPER flat, and is wayyyy more fun than the original (aka crap) suspension.
ps: I would NOT recommend this mod to other non-m3 e26 owners! the PITA won't be worth it for most people, but given the cost ($40!) and my inability to leave anything un-modded, it was worth it for me.

[David Alejandro]

Ok./.// here we go.. pardon the salt, we had snow last night!
I made the brackets extra beefy, and coated them about 4 times with bedliner, then drilled a second hole in the original mount,
and bolted the top of the newly fabbed bracket to the top bolt. Second hole was 11 mm lower - there was a corresponding hole in
the fabbed bracket AND a hole in the stock M3 "strap". A large washer is in the back side of each hole in the original mount to distribute the
stress and the second hole goes through a large washer, the new hole in the original mount, the 8mm thick fabbed drop bracket, and then
the M3 "strap". All hardware is grade 12.9 metric. lock nuts are the metal/metal type (not the plastic insert type) AND have blue locktite
on them. 150 mile check-up shows everything looking good! very little clearance @ exhaust; I will "touch up" driver side fabbed drop
bracket with angle grinder to give another 3 mm clearance. 330i brake upgrade w/hawk pads and drilled rotors coming soon! (before
HPDE and track days come around!)

[trent]

cool story bro