Tips to Install the BMW Carbon Fiber Strut Brace

Finally! The genuine BMW carbon fiber strut brace retrofitted on to non M cars.
Full Kit:
Used Carbon Braces: ebay.us/5cL3ZQ
Rotary Tool: amzn.to/3qEOSeu
Ratchet: amzn.to/3evP8Xk
Rivet Tool: amzn.to/3Jr0b2s
Bits: amzn.to/33VxJVU
Touch up Paint: amzn.to/3qz7AnE
Part Numbers:
Parts For 2/3/4 Series
Carbon Fiber Strut Bar: 51618061631
Aluminum Brace: 31127855855
Front Cross Link: 51647294928
Front Hex Bolts: 22326760945 x2
Rear Hex Bolts: 11287839136 x4
Lateral Aluminum Brace Bolts: 33326796225 x2
Center Aluminum Brace Bolts: 31106854219 x2
Aluminum Brace to Camber Plate Bolts: 31106859809 x6
Cowl Panel Left: 51718059699
Cowl Panel Right: 64318059697
Blind rivet nut: 51718065070 x2
Rear engine hood sealing: 51768059701
Right Shock Tower Cover: 51768066662
Left Shock Tower Cover: 51768066661
5 Bolt Shock Mount Reinforcement Plate - RIGHT: 31302361992
5 Bolt Shock Mount Reinforcement Plate - LEFT: 31302361991
3 Bolt Shock Mount Reinforcement Plate - RIGHT: 31302285701
3 Bolt Shock Mount Reinforcement Plate - LEFT: 31302285700
Parts Only for 3/4 Series
Center Cowl Panel: 51717258177
Parts Only for 2 Series
Center Cowl Panel: 51718073545
Optional
Blind rivet nut: 51718065070 x2
Top Extension Rods
- Left: 31122284859 & 31122284857
- Right: 31122284860 & 31122284858
- Torx Bolts: 07147248303 x 2
- Hex Bolts: 11287839136 x2
- Torx Bolt: 31106859809 x2
Thanks for tuning in. If you are looking for a complete tool kit as well as video gear hit the links below.
Tool Kit: kit.co/fritzramos/bmw-mechanic-kit
Video Gear: kit.co/fritzramos/filming-gear
If you are looking to get started on KZbin, consider Tube buddy as it has helped me out a great deal. Try it out for free: www.tubebuddy.com/financialfitness
Some of the above links are affiliate links. By using them you help support the channel at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
00:00 Intro
00:52 Differences for the 3 & 4 series
01:21 Building up to the retrofit
02:52 Preparing the car to accept the aluminum brace.
03:59 Cutting & Painting the fender
05:23 Rivnut Install (Left)
06:00 Rivnut Install (Right)
07:22 Top Strut Brace Replacement
09:05 Fitment Issues
09:25 Aluminum Brace Torque
09:39 Front Crosslink Removal
10:54 Front Crosslink Install
12:37 Front Crosslink Torque
12:53 Rear Hood Seal Replacement
14:03 Cowl Panel Removal
15:13 Cowl Panel Install
16:20 Carbon Brace Install
16:45 Shock Tower Coverings
17:19 Lateral Cowl Panels
17:38 Final Product
18:32 Initial Impressions
18: 49 Part Numbers
#bmwstrutbrace #bmwcarbonfiberstrutbrace #bmwcarbonbraceretrofit

[@hass1005]

My man never sleeps always innovating his m235 !! Love to see it bro.

[@FritzRamos]

Thanks you! Have to keep pushing the limits.BMW showed us the potential with the CS, let's see if we can do the same

[@Musicmanatl2]

Fritz thank you for high-quality videos It is not necessary to cut inner fender lip to install aluminum brace nor buy the rivet install tool. I installed the aluminum and carbon braces without on a M240. I installed the two side rivet inserts using a bolt two washers with a small 9mm closed end wrench between which I tightened with with a 1/2 “ ratchet No cutting. Thanks for the guidance

[@brakthru2]

I'd like to see a pic if you can share for visual to attempt the same?

[@jayonbikes4271]

Great addition to the full carbon engine bay!💯🔥

[@hamzahussain3087]

Bro add 4k into your video title you'll get some added views cos your quality is A1👌

[@FritzRamos]

Done! Thank you for the tip and support 🙏

[@MrC72k]

Nice install vid! Can't wait to see driving impressions

[@FritzRamos]

Thanks. Should come out in Q1 of 2022 as well as the review of all the suspension mods.

[@StereoSoundAgent]

Wow, fantastic work! I doubt I'll ever do this but I really enjoyed the video. I found it really soothing. Who knew that hidden hole even existed? Amazing!

[@infidel900rr]

Dude, awesome job building this thing up!! Would be awesome to see a POV in-car review of handling.

[@Alex02510]

Hi! Nice video and your engine bay! 🥰 Just, i don't understand why you cut one piece of the fenders? Me too, i retrofit my m235i with the strut brace M2c and i didn't cut the fenders! I just remove de 3 bolts on the top of fender and push for pass the strut brace! PS: I'm a french guy, sorry for the mistakes 😇

[@washableaxe]

Sweet video, may attempt this on my F30 one day if I get bored enough and run out of other things to upgrade :D

[@idhammunirmohd1029]

Thank you for the detailed video step by step guideline. I have a 330i that is being transplanted with a b58 engine/trans and have compiled the parts for this exact same modification. Pricey even used units but must be worth it if bmw went this route.

[@kylesmith9048]

Not trying to shit talk, but who in their right mind would B58 swap a 330?

[@melvinmiguel8901]

Awesome work!

[@FritzRamos]

Thanks a lot!

[@russsle]

Amazing video. Just wow. definitely earned yourself a like and sub, cant wait to see more

[@Musicmanatl2]

Fritz excellent content and production values. It is not necessary to cut the gap in the front to

[@nickg2705]

By the looks of it you can just take the fenders off

[@hyde_official]

Happy New Year, Fritz! 360p? what happened? Thanks for the info tho.

[@FritzRamos]

Happy new year! It probably wasn't done processing yet, the 4k version is available now. Thanks for the heads up 👍

[@stephenlozano2816]

Very cool, yet very pricey modification

[@FritzRamos]

Thank you. I realized that I forgot to mention the price. Considering that I bought most of the big ticket items used, would you like to guess how much everything cost?

[@stephenlozano2816]

@@FritzRamos at least $2k?

[@melvinmiguel8901]

Hey Fritz, out of all the suspension upgrades you did, which one did you feel had the most benefit performance wise?

[@washableaxe]

Sway bar

[@thomasdiersch1181]

missed the link from silicon valley bimmer for the complete kit. Amazing work, as always. Im impressed with your mods. How do you do the research to get all this done?

[@edgardoarroyo7418]

Great content, was thinking of installing this carbon bar in my F30 335i 2015 last week and today I saw u video🔥🔥 Where I found the shock mount reinforcement plate for my ride etc.. ? great job in your installation

[@FritzRamos]

Thank you, glad you found it useful. I believe that I got mine used from ebay

[@crispycreme541]

Are all these parts you’ve chosen, just personal preference?? Or do they actually just make the car better at performance

[@FritzRamos]

The aluminum brace alone makes a slight difference compared to the original bar. I was actually surprised at how noticable the carbon brace was. I would say it's a little more than the control arms

[@TNEDRA]

Awesome job man. I want to do this but I think the Dinan intake won't allow it

[@FritzRamos]

Thanks. Yeah there's only a few I've seen. Turners and eventuri so far

[@yueh-hsilee5205]

Mega JOB！

[@NickthaGeek]

First look shows it looking like it blocks the bottle cap. 😆

[@MeSs2007]

Great guide. This should work for a F20 M140i LCI also?

[@TrackandBuild]

great content！

[@FritzRamos]

Thank you

[@shanethompson8376]

Looks great!!! What’s the tune playing roughly half way through? That’s dope

[@FritzRamos]

Thnks here's the list of songs in order. I think you are referring to the 4th one. BALLPOINT: Top Floor NBHD NICK: New Day BALLPOINT: Chutes and Ladders _91NOVA: Murder Your TV ( I think this is the one you want) DYLAN SITTS: Maintaining BALLPOINT: Brick by Brick BALLPOINT: 1AM OMW OOYY: Divergent _91NOVA: Nitemare B4

[@shanethompson8376]

Thanks! Had it stuck in my head. Lol

[@lBuUMl]

Great Video, really good quality! Do you know if it fits on the F20/F21?

[@samsam_f87]

Hey fritz, any tips on how to get better clearance with the battery terminal? My aluminum brace is pushing down on the terminal and I'm not sure how to adjust it or if it's okay that its pushing down on it. I added a few layers of electrical tape on the battery terminal but I wanna be sure there's nothing else that I need to do for it

[@frankm0023]

Hi Fritz, question, I see on your car you did not install those upper bars you mentioned on the earlier part of the video. Is that true it's not needed? I'm about to take on this project and I want to make sure I need that or not. Thanks Frank I'll dm you this as well.

[@nickaero5497]

Awesome video once again! Curious where you get all the torque values if you can share?

[@FritzRamos]

Thank you. For this one specifically, I pulled them from a combination of forums and other videos then cross referenced them with my local shop.

[@nawlig247]

Looks great! Is there any clearance at the air box to access the air filter?

[@FritzRamos]

Thank you! There's clearance as in it does not rub, but not enough to remove the filter without taking off the brace.

[@Estorilblue.N55]

I got the Eventuri intake..do you think the brace will still fit?

[@cthiele08]

That’s awesome!!……..What torque wrench are you using?

[@FritzRamos]

Thank you. This is the torque wrench I used. sovrn.co/xvtuarn

[@cthiele08]

@@FritzRamos I get an error with that link.

[@FritzRamos]

@@cthiele08 Sorry about that, www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/sockets-ratchets/torque-wrenches/38-in-drive-digital-torque-wrench-64915.html

[@all4bspinnin311]

With the new cowling and ubrace are you able to get to the cylinder 5 and 6 spark plugs easier?

[@marc_iv.]

Do the 3-4 series have the threads for top bars that mount around the hood hinges? Where the 8mm bolts go?

[@JasonLitman]

Would this brace possibly fit any other intakes? I know I have to ditch my mst one to use it and wondering if it's doable with the dinan or turned one's. Fitment looks tight though as is with oem.

[@FritzRamos]

Only ones I've seen are turner and eventuri

[@JasonLitman]

@@FritzRamos figured that much just by eying engine bay photos. I think if I remove my top heat plate and frame I could pull it off. TBD.

[@FritzRamos]

@@JasonLitman As long as it's not higher than the front cross link it should be okay, but it would be best if you know someone with the brace and ask if you can test fit it.

[@JasonLitman]

@@FritzRamos noted! I've already done the retrofit, all that's left is the brace which I have too. Retrofit or bust lol

[@JasonLitman]

Which intake ultimately did you keep and use with this? I've seen you've had a few and wasn't sure if you had to go to oem with aftermarket filter

[@Yuhmd]

Any chance this will fit a GR Supra?

[@handyhawaiian]

Link to who i can get in touch with to do this in my 340

[@Enthusiast_Plus]

Great DIY, just such a shame we have to cut into the body of the car

[@NickthaGeek]

To be fair.... looks like he went a lot bigger than is actually needed. I would of also shaped a circle rather than a big square cutout.

[@DonovanColbert]

Found it. 😆

[@Lowsid3r]

does this work for the 228 as well?