E9X Diff brace...worth it or not?

Vbp6us

Specialist
Nov 5, 2016
93
15
0
San Diego, CA
I have a 2010 M-Sport 335i in automatic. If I ever make big power, say FBO + inlets and E85, will this brace help with traction? Will the drive feel different in any way, positive or negative?

Thanks
 

Aaron

Lieutenant
Nov 3, 2016
544
200
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Colorado
Ride
Silver 2013 335is 6MT
The only reason for the brace/lockdown is to control wheel hop. So if your wheels are losing traction due to hop, then it'll help. Otherwise not so much.

I'm putting in an LSD soon, next few weeks, and I went ahead and ordered a lockdown kit with it. Enough people with similar setups have had hop issues, that it is cheap insurance on an issue I'm likely to have.
 
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Bmwfixerguy1

Lieutenant
Jun 5, 2017
875
292
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07 335i MT
I'd say yes and a big yea for the money of them as well. They are cheap insurance on braking a driveshaft from pinion deflection as well as absolutely help with wheel hop!

We have a seller on here that makes a nice affordable unit. Check out the fs adds
 
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Cristy7610

Lurker
Nov 7, 2016
15
2
0
Romania
I just ordered this braket for my e92 manual.I will post here after I mount it.
Actual I have a lot of hops when I try to launch faster.
Hope this bracket will fix it.
 

camberadam

Sergeant
Feb 15, 2017
257
106
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Baltimore
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Tasmin Green e92
How long you can get away w/o one depends on your definition of "big power" & what you do w/ the car. Dig racing puts a lot more stress on things than roll racing.

I'd say yes and a big yea for the money of them as well. They are cheap insurance on braking a driveshaft from pinion deflection as well as absolutely help with wheel hop!

We have a seller on here that makes a nice affordable unit. Check out the fs adds

My thoughts as well; cheap insurance.
 

langsbr

Captain
Apr 5, 2017
1,266
771
0
Ride
07 335i 6MT e90
I never had wheel hop, but I noticed a difference after I got a diff lockdown. Even just FBO my car would be very 'wavy' for lack of a better word at WOT. It was not very confidence inspiring driving at high speeds. While I'm sure bushings would also help, the diff lockdown cured 99% of the issue in my car, and even now with MMPs it no longer has that rear end waviness.
 

hassan_hamdan

Specialist
Aug 1, 2017
74
12
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Ride
135i M package
Honestly, for what they cost, you cant go wrong with them, im driving a 6at and will be mounting one becuase like everyone said, they are cheap insurance for your diff.
 

Jmw3607

Private
Feb 7, 2017
34
15
0
Ride
08 335i e92
I make mid 400whp and have never experienced wheel hop whatsoever. I'm not sure what people are doing to have experienced this, but I don't think at fbo a lockdown bracket is very necessary unless you just want to spend money for "insurance" or peace of mind as others have said.
 

Bnks334

Lieutenant
Dec 1, 2016
524
340
0
New York
I make mid 400whp and have never experienced wheel hop whatsoever. I'm not sure what people are doing to have experienced this, but I don't think at fbo a lockdown bracket is very necessary unless you just want to spend money for "insurance" or peace of mind as others have said.

A diff lock-down brace (I have one) is so popular because it's easy to install and provides an insane markup for the handful of people bending the $5 worth of steel.

The bracket does nothing if you have proper diff bushings installed. Money is best spent on said bushings (the price of a bracket gets you 1/2 way there) if you do th elabor yourself. Also, locking the diff down won't help wheel-hop much if you don't have adequate shocks with rebound dialed in...
 

doublespaces

Administrator
Oct 18, 2016
9,303
4,331
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AZ
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2009 E93 335i
What bushings would you recommend to get an acceptable amount of movement? The only thing I have back there are the akg black bushings. I think they are black, whatever the more streetable version is.