RSM Tower Ripped out! Dont let this happen 2 you! MAD PICS! DJOutOfSight!

[DJ OutOfSight]

For the last 2 days i have been hearing a nice little clunk in my rear. Thinking nothing much of it. today while i am driving to school it sounds like somebody is hitting my car with a hammer, I pull over to see if a lower strut bolt had come out the rear and nothing. then i drive home ever so slowly. Throw the car on a jack stand and OMG. Look what i find. :devillook

What to do and how do i stop this from happening again?? Z3 plates?

I went to a local good body shop they quoted me $150, Then went to a top notch mechanic shop and they said $300 a side!. :help (i know them both very well)

*EDIT::: KONI'S ALL AROUND. Set On a Stiff Setting.******** Koni's Installed a Month Ago Along with Rsms!*******

Pics are with my sidekick, Dont complain! :shifty
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00263.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00264.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00265.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00265-1.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00266.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00267.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00268.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00269.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00270.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00271.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00272.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00273.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00274.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00276.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00277.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/Detail/DetailJan2106021.jpg

:buttrock :buttrock :eyecrazy

[TehPandaShow]

:(

[Aeroboost]

that sucks

[ibrahim83]

aren't these aftermarket rsms? wheres the top plate that goes over the tower?

[DJ OutOfSight]

there was no top plate. There Turner motorsport (JTD) $100 Rsms.
There supposed to be the Best for street use.

[E46Technik]

ouch. hope you get that fixed soon.

[connorb850]

Ouch, glad I ordered the Z3 plates for when I replace my suspension.

[DJ OutOfSight]

Tom. It goes to the body shop.


DONT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET PLATES AND A REAR STRUT BAR EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[true///m3]

Oh man, just reminds me I should've gotten that done

[bennyfizzle]

rear strut bar helps this situation how?

[DJ OutOfSight]

It holds the mounts stiff and i dont know. it could help.
i am just saying anything, TAKE OFF THOSE DAM STRIPES ON YOUR FENDER!

[EricP]

I think that RSM damage was clearly caused by NAWWWWWWZZZZZZZZZ!!!!

Busted! :rofl

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/Detail/DetailJan2106024.jpg

[smocan]

Wow, i wouldnt even know what to do next... good luck man

[ibrahim83]

is it just me or this wouldn't have happened if you had a top plate? ala GC or rouge? i'm asking because i have the rouge and i don't see this happening and was wondering if it's a problem with turners kit??

goodluck man.

[Jinya1004]

Sucks, that happened to me too last year.

I had to get new ones welded in and bought Z3 plates.

BUY Z3 REINFORCEMENT PLATES BEFORE THIS HAPPENS TO YOU!

[DJ OutOfSight]

can somebody post a link to this top plate... are you talking about the Z3 renforcement plate???
I want a pair so when i get it fixed!

[Nadroj]

alright I have been waiting too long and seen too mnay threads to not get the z3 renforcement plates, getting them on my way home from work today.

[bmw2stang]

is it just me or this wouldn't have happened if you had a top plate? ala GC or rouge? i'm asking because i have the rouge and i don't see this happening and was wondering if it's a problem with turners kit??

goodluck man.I wonder the same thing I have Rogue RSMs and they have a BEEFY PLATE SO i CAN'T SEE THIS HAPPENING REALLY.Oops sorry about caps to lazy to retype lol.I think a rear strut tower bar could help also maybe not stop it but I believe it could help by tying the towers together.

[ibrahim83]

can somebody post a link to this top plate... are you talking about the Z3 renforcement plate???
I want a pair so when i get it fixed!

look at the column of pictures on the right, third picture from the top.

http://www.rogueengineering.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RSM&Category_Code=S

the animation: http://www.rogueengineering.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/suspension/rsm/shock_asm2.gif i'm talking about the part that goes from the top.

you basically sandwich the shock tower with this type of setup.

with your turner setup i'd think the decompression of the suspension would pull down on your rsm bolts, only protecting the rsm on compression.

[DJ OutOfSight]

WOW...i see how they fixed the problem...but its too late. i just bought those RSMS a month ago. I dont want to buy another pair. I may just get upper plates.

[ibrahim83]

WOW...i see how they fixed the problem...but its too late. i just bought those RSMS a month ago. I dont want to buy another pair. I may just get upper plates.

gc and rogue have been making them that way ever since i can remember, im surprised turner does it that way, goodluck to you man, keep us updated.

[straight6pwr]

yeah this seems to be a fairly common weak point on the e36. now you wish you had an e30.

[DJ OutOfSight]

NA, i am still happy with my E36 lolLALMO

On a serious note. i am a little mad at my luck for the 2 things that could go wrong with E36 M3's happend to me!!

Diff bolt and Now this.....are they any other major things that could occur in the E36???

[Geoff.T]

BMW sells the shock tower mount for $15. Have the body shop cut the old one out and weld the new one in.

[bellavus]

gaaaaaa that sucks. :(

[M3vil]

every time i see one of these threads, it scares me. i REALLY need to get the reinforcements. i like the rogue's because of the bottom mount strut relocation for easy removal. tear apart the trunk once, done, never again. makes it much easier when i upgrade the suspension.

[M3Alpine99]

rear strut bar helps this situation how?

It has a reinforcement plate built into it :)

Atleast my Dinan one does.

[GodFather]

yep....you need a new car...thats the only way to fix this...shame :(

Stan

[Black96m3]

yep....you need a new car...thats the only way to fix this...shame :(

Stan


???

You can buy the replacement rear strut mount from the dealer. Have the shop cut out the old shock tower and weld in the new one. Obviously go to a place where you trust their welding.

[TehPandaShow]

It holds the mounts stiff and i dont know. it could help.
i am just saying anything, TAKE OFF THOSE DAM STRIPES ON YOUR FENDER!

I like his stripes.


Alpine ftw! :shifty

[qidm67]

I think the problem was the after market RSM's. Those didn't look good when I first saw them, I would just gone with Lemforder/Boge E46 RSM's.

[RJ 325is]

ouch

[sooselekt]

Just buy e46 or meyle rsms. No need for stiff aftermarket ones unless you track your car. And dont skimp on the reinforcement plates.

[yod88]

was this caused by some serious wear and tear? could over torquing be involved at all? reason i ask is because the nuts on my rsm's are tightened pretty hard as far as hand tightening goes..

i have tc kline rsms and they said i dont even need the reinforcement plates, unless im just paranoid about the rsms..they claimed to never have a broken rsm on their street or race rsms..

after seeing this i may do the plates anyway.

[E36 PWR]

you dont need them anyways...... :paranoid:

[S.A.B.]

was this caused by some serious wear and tear? could over torquing be involved at all? reason i ask is because the nuts on my rsm's are tightened pretty hard as far as hand tightening goes..

i have tc kline rsms and they said i dont even need the reinforcement plates, unless im just paranoid about the rsms..they claimed to never have a broken rsm on their street or race rsms..

after seeing this i may do the plates anyway.

Unless your rsm's are sandwiching the thin sheet metal of the car, then you should be running some type of plate. Over-torqueing anything puts it at greater risk for failure. You are essentially putting added stress where you have overtightned the nuts. They don't make torque specs for ha-ha's.

Where in Western Mass? I'm in enfield and visit some friends in Westfield now and again.

[DJ OutOfSight]

everybody on this post should go and pick up some plates if you have not allready. b/c this will happen to you as time and power take there toll on your E36.

I think the main reason this happend to me fast was b.c my penis is so heavy that i put alot of weight on the front driver side so thats why that side went first. Thats the only think i could of think of that messed this up. Lets hope my girlfriends heavy titts dont mess up the pass side.

[mrx381]

I feel your pain...this happened to me about 6 months back. Had to cut out the failed shock towers and get new ones rewelded in (pretty much the same price as you got quoted). First thing to do even before you go get the reinforcement plates is to inspect the towers. If they show any sign of fractures putting on the plates won't help. Mine were fractured before I put in my Bilstein sports. After the new shocks were put in, they towers failed within a month. Stiffer shocks definitely didn't help with an already failing part.

Next to go is likely your RTAB's. I had those done too.

Welcome to the life of an E36 owner! I heard this was happening in the E46 world too.

[yod88]

Unless your rsm's are sandwiching the thin sheet metal of the car, then you should be running some type of plate. Over-torqueing anything puts it at greater risk for failure. You are essentially putting added stress where you have overtightned the nuts. They don't make torque specs for ha-ha's.

Where in Western Mass? I'm in enfield and visit some friends in Westfield now and again.

west springfield! haha

[HTOWN///M]

about the same thing happened to me. but mine just started to crack and one broke. I was told that it was a weak spot on the e36. i took mine to a body shop and they welded up a nice plate to fix the problem. sorry to hear it man hope you get it fixed soon

[raoke]

Would it help if I got a rear bar welded to my rear shock towers?

[fliplap]

-removed-

[MBe36]

That sucks... New York City streets will eat you (and you car) alive!

[socal328]

Would it help if I got a rear bar welded to my rear shock towers?

no.

[yod88]

where do you get the plates? the dealer or is there a tuner that has them for cheap?

[M3Alpine99]

where do you get the plates? the dealer or is there a tuner that has them for cheap?

It is the z3 reinforcement plate... Any intelligent parts guy should know what is up


Would it help if I got a rear bar welded to my rear shock towers?


no.

You are wrong. It would help if it also included the flat plate on top. If you welded a bar with built in reinforcement on top of the shock tower it would help for sure.

[///M3Augy]

You can buy a suspension install kit from Understeer.com for $99 that includes Z3 reinforcement plates and various other things...FYI

[CVGTURBO86]

That blows, sorry to hear that man.

[m3mobbin]

That sucks man, a Z3 reinforcement plate set will definately take care of the problem, but any strut brace will also do the job.

[M3dren]

whats the parts # on the z3 plates btw? im a bit confused here. because i saw the front z3 plates on turner's site and thought those were what everone referred to but always wondered why they were the fronts when the problem is on the rear shock towers.
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=31312489795

so what rear "z3 plates" does everyone refer to? i havent seen any sites that mention any other z3 plates. are they these or somewhat similar?
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=TSU9975100

could someone explain this? just a tad confused when everyone just keeps referring them to z3 plates when the only z3 plates ive seen happen to be the for the front strut towers.

[S.A.B.]

west springfield! haha


Wow....I feel for your wheels!

[yod88]

Wow....I feel for your wheels!

haha

the wheels in my sig are my winter wheels..they are from a 318..my summer wheels are DSIIs

[schussey]

I'm glad I replaced mine.....phew

-chris

[SILV3R]

ouch!

damn i need to replace mine soon...

[D nasty]

The car in general is a flaw the sheet metal there is weak. The point of the top plate is to sandwich the sheet metal and relieve the stress On the older cars and the bigger ones they use 3 hole mounts which spreads the stress and they have thicker sheet metal the e36 e46 the metal there is no thicker than your fender. I would have 18 gauge steel welded in and drilled to fit the GC mounts and add the strut bar. As for track and street use the street puts way more stress on the car than the track HOW you say because the track doesnt have ruts and pothole everywhere it is the up and down movement that breakes stuff not so much the side to side

[DJ OutOfSight]

I just got the car from the bodyshop. They said it should not happen again on that side and that the stiffer suspension helped this. I will be taking pics of the finished work and posting.

I will be ordering plates and will have them welded to the car so I know 4 sure that this will not happen again.

Besides that once again I encourage all e36 m3 owners to address this issue and buy a set for yourself. As a matter a fact, I would like to setup a groupbuy, this was the message and solution is posted!.

[Kaiv]

:eyecrazy crazy, and to think your E36 is one of the latest models

how long have you had your aftermarket suspension ? I mean how many miles ? Any track driving ?

[M3Alpine99]

hahah do the z3 mounts, or the turner reinforcements or get a strut tower bar that has the reinforcement built in.

Good info and good to get the info out again. I fixed this issue YEARS ago in my car :)

[M3Alpine99]

:eyecrazy crazy, and to think your E36 is one of the latest models

how long have you had your aftermarket suspension ? I mean how many miles ? Any track driving ?

Street does it worse as was posted. Specially in climates with salt/snow and the like. Worse roads mean more up and down bouncing and more stress.

Welding in reinforcements to make it thicker there though would not hurt.

[mitchelrl]

use red loctite on your oilpump nut, that's another shocker to my understanding.

[M3Alpine99]

use red loctite on your oilpump nut, that's another shocker to my understanding.

ummmmm

That is more of an internet myth and oil pump nut failure can be traced to a few common points in those post....


Notice there has not been a large oil pump nut scare here recently?

[cosmos95m3]

Dang. I have been hearing a clanking sound the last couple of days. I better check that out.

[SR20Fastback]

ouch!! thats brutal. i've always used the reinforcement plates on my cars, and now i can see why.

[M3zie]

Damn that sucks bro.

At the first sign of clunks and clanks I yanked out my flimsy originals and threw in some thick, beefy, juicy GC mounts. Havent heard a noise since. Well worth the $90 I paid.

And they let you access them from the wheel well instead of ripping the trunk apart.

[Daved]

It happened to me in both rear towers and I also cracked one of the fronts and bent the other one.

They're just too weak if you drive too hard :devillook

[adamnur]

After seeing this thread, I called my mechanic and had him change my appointment for E46 rsms and Z3 re-enforcement plates installation from next tuesday to this friday.

I actually wouldn't be surprised if mine's ripped through already...

[ZbmwR]

wow!?!!!!

[Balthazarr]

I replaced mine before the stock rsm's gave out.
No clunking. Just happened to read a thread like this 4 years ago.

OP, if you are running your Koni shocks at full stiff on the street, you are just asking for trouble.
Mine are set 1.5 turns from full soft with Vogtland springs.

[ESMcBlurM3]

whats the parts # on the z3 plates btw? im a bit confused here. because i saw the front z3 plates on turner's site and thought those were what everone referred to but always wondered why they were the fronts when the problem is on the rear shock towers.
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=31312489795

so what rear "z3 plates" does everyone refer to? i havent seen any sites that mention any other z3 plates. are they these or somewhat similar?
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=TSU9975100

could someone explain this? just a tad confused when everyone just keeps referring them to z3 plates when the only z3 plates ive seen happen to be the for the front strut towers.

Part # : 51 71 8 413 359

Yep, those are them. I actually need to order a set of plates to go with my rsm's...

[rossiski]

I bought one...yes, only one from BavAuto (thought they came in pairs).

http://www.bavauto.com//assets/product_images/hardpart/51718413359.jpg

If anyone wants it, you're welcome to it.

This was before I decided to go with Rogue RSMs. Won't have to worry about this from now on.


To the OP, how many miles did you have on your car before this happened? This would be good info for the rest of the community.

[tiger740]

If I have GC RSM, do I need to worry about this?
Should I still install the Z3 reinforcement plate?

[yod88]

GCs dont need it..

im still unsure if i want to get the plates..TC Kline told me that their mounts are strong enough to not need them, and they never have heard of their mounts breaking on the street or track..lots of expenses with my car in the past 2 weeks, so i dunno if i wanna add to it as peace of mind insurance :stickoutt

[rossiski]

If I have GC RSM, do I need to worry about this?
Should I still install the Z3 reinforcement plate?

The GC RSMs have a built-in reinforcement plate (or what appears to be one).

You should be fine. It looks beefy enough. The thing you don't want is to just bolt up the RSM to just the strut housing.

[tiger740]

The GC RSMs have a built-in reinforcement plate (or what appears to be one).

You should be fine. It looks beefy enough. The thing you don't want is to just bolt up the RSM to just the strut housing.

Thank you. Could you please explain to me what I should not do? I basically used whatever was supplied when I purchased GC RSM (the strut housing is sandwiched between the top plate and the bottome plate).

[yod88]

Thank you. Could you please explain to me what I should not do? I basically used whatever was supplied when I purchased GC RSM (the strut housing is sandwiched between the top plate and the bottome plate).

sounds like you did it right.. post a pic if you dont think you did it right, and ill let you know..im doing my suspension right now, and because of making mistakes, and having to swap parts i feel very familiar with the e36 suspension :stickoutt

[mitchelrl]

ummmmm

That is more of an internet myth and oil pump nut failure can be traced to a few common points in those post....


Notice there has not been a large oil pump nut scare here recently?

Not necessarily, It's happened to quite a few people and well worth the Loctite and work required to do. More of a peace of mind. This happens about as often as people drop valves in 95 M3's.

[fcvapor05]

Are they actually going to weld onto the shock tower??

Aluminum does bad things when it is welded......

[M3Alpine99]

Not necessarily, It's happened to quite a few people and well worth the Loctite and work required to do. More of a peace of mind. This happens about as often as people drop valves in 95 M3's.

quite a few?

You mean like MAYBE 50 out of how many e36s? Alot of them had LTW crank pulleys with LTW flywheels. Or spun off track and motor spun in reverse or a host of other common problems.

I have had a bunch of these motor apart and see them. No oil pump nut loose or missing.

Peace of mind only if you are a huge worry wort!

[DJ OutOfSight]

well this happend at 99,000 Miles!! Car was garaged but always lived in NY.

I only been to the 1/4 track 2 times. and ALL street driving. Suspension is 1 month old and then this. Car was making a noise when i turned right over turns for 2 months but i didnt think much of it. Well now next time i even hear the slightes noise i will overview the car WELL!.

Pics will be posted TOM. (finished work).

As for who posted, and alot of you did i thank you for looking and throwing out INFO.

I also hope you learn from my mistake and address the problem.

[Dukes]

well this happend at 99,000 Miles!! Car was garaged but always lived in NY.

I only been to the 1/4 track 2 times. and ALL street driving. Suspension is 1 month old and then this. Car was making a noise when i turned right over turns for 2 months but i didnt think much of it. Well now next time i even hear the slightes noise i will overview the car WELL!.

Pics will be posted TOM. (finished work).

As for who posted, and alot of you did i thank you for looking and throwing out INFO.

I also hope you learn from my mistake and address the problem.

Already happened to me. :( Except I had to shell out $700 for ONE side!

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=719861

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i94/dodgeit_photos/M3%20Questions/DSCN1397.jpg

[DJ OutOfSight]

wowowowowow...$700 Beans!!
Damn dude. me and you should spread the word.

SOMEBODY GET A GROUP BUY GOING FAST!!!

[DROPTOPKINGM3]

Already happened to me. :( Except I had to shell out $700 for ONE side!

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=719861

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i94/dodgeit_photos/M3%20Questions/DSCN1397.jpg


Broke both of mine on my E36..... Left and right. Twice!!!! :( My left one went first, and then a week later my right one went. Its wierd actually because when my right one broke, the shocks went through the tower and parked itself right into the speaker. I had pics but that was back in 2001 so id have to look for them. Even when i fixed them, it was NEVER the same.

[bigbilly]

:eek:

Well, I guess that answers my question of whether or not this happens to convertibles!!

Sorry to hear that man.

[lseguy]

Uh..that's not a pic of a convertible RSM area..

[POS VETT]

wowowowowow...$700 Beans!!
Damn dude. me and you should spread the word.

SOMEBODY GET A GROUP BUY GOING FAST!!!

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=754976

[TIATO]

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/Djoutofsight/RSMS%20Perch/IMG00263.jpg



That sir, looks unhealthy.

Hope all goes well with the repair. Might as well get the sheet metal doubled up while you are in there.

The PO of my now track car as a preventative measure had the rear shock tower sheet metal doubled up with an additional layer of OEM sheetmetal.

To futher protect the area, probably overkill on my part, I installed a rear mason bar that covers the entire top and inboard sides of the rear shock tower and lastly on top of the mason bar Ive got the ground control plates.

[bigbilly]

Uh..that's not a pic of a convertible RSM area..

Oops. I was going by the cars in his profile. I can't see pics from work...

[Nadroj]

I just got the car from the bodyshop. They said it should not happen again on that side and that the stiffer suspension helped this. I will be taking pics of the finished work and posting.

I will be ordering plates and will have them welded to the car so I know 4 sure that this will not happen again.

Besides that once again I encourage all e36 m3 owners to address this issue and buy a set for yourself. As a matter a fact, I would like to setup a groupbuy, this was the message and solution is posted!.

Stiffer suspension makes it more likly to happen because there is less abosorbing affect from the suspention and more from the accually metal and your ass on the seat effect

[Richy Gonzalez]

Just ordered this set from UUC. All you need for $55 and free shipping.

http://www.uucmotorwerks.com/MEYLE%5FHD/MEYLE_HD_files/MEYLE_HD_KIT.jpg

[Rob Levinson]

quite a few?

You mean like MAYBE 50 out of how many e36s? Alot of them had LTW crank pulleys with LTW flywheels. Or spun off track and motor spun in reverse or a host of other common problems.

Errr... not so quick on that assumption. We see quite a few loose oil pump nuts in completely street-driven cars. The problem is now also being seen in the E46 (non-M3), no change in design.

Three personal friends in the local area lost motors to loose oil pump nuts - no warning, driving fine, then a low pressure oil light. Shut off car immediately, but the motor was already toasted.

We already lost one mild race motor this year (stock pistons/rods) and a replacement stock motor from a dismantler came with... a loose oil pump nut.

Point is, it does happen with some frequency. Maybe moreso in enthusiast-driven cars, but then again, who got their M3 for puttering around? :D

Checking it is not exactly cheap, but not horribly expensive. A heck of a lot cheaper than a toasted motor.

[M13]

Ok, I only read the first two pages but Z3 plates are dirt cheap and the RSM install is very easy (about 15 minutes/side) .. more of a pain if you have the stock CD changer.

See sig for DIY.

Sorry to hear what happened, good luck.

[NAZ1998BMWM3]

after seeing this thread im not thinking about buying Z3 plates anymore, im buying um tomorrow!

[CRYPTiC]

I installed mine a couple of weeks ago after seeing quite a few threads about shredded shock towers. When I shopped around, I saw the option of BMW Z3, AKG, IE, or TMS plates. Of those, the TMS and IE had the most metal surrounding the mounting nut. The IE plates were a bit cheaper, so I went with those.

Good luck to the OP in getting the car fixed!

[TIATO]

Errr... not so quick on that assumption. We see quite a few loose oil pump nuts in completely street-driven cars. The problem is now also being seen in the E46 (non-M3), no change in design.

Three personal friends in the local area lost motors to loose oil pump nuts - no warning, driving fine, then a low pressure oil light. Shut off car immediately, but the motor was already toasted.

We already lost one mild race motor this year (stock pistons/rods) and a replacement stock motor from a dismantler came with... a loose oil pump nut.

Point is, it does happen with some frequency. Maybe moreso in enthusiast-driven cars, but then again, who got their M3 for puttering around? :D

Checking it is not exactly cheap, but not horribly expensive. A heck of a lot cheaper than a toasted motor.

I second Robs statement. An oil pump nut fix is cheap insurance considering the alternative. 400-500 is not big money, includes an oil change, new oil pan gasket and more importantly, peace of mind.

[NAZ1998BMWM3]

I installed mine a couple of weeks ago after seeing quite a few threads about shredded shock towers. When I shopped around, I saw the option of BMW Z3, AKG, IE, or TMS plates. Of those, the TMS and IE had the most metal surrounding the mounting nut. The IE plates were a bit cheaper, so I went with those.

Good luck to the OP in getting the car fixed!




were can I get some IE plates?

[CRYPTiC]

The things I do for this forum ... ;)

BMW Z3 plate (p/n 51-71-8-413-359)
http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/ksearch/pel_search.cgi?please_wait=N&forumid=&threadid=&command=DWsearch&description=51+71+8+413+359++%09&I1.x=6&I1.y=6&FILTER_TECH=ON&FILTER_SUPP=ON&FILTER_ACCE=ON&FILTER_CARE=ON&FILTER_STUF=ON&FILTER_PERF=ON&FILTER_MISC=ON&FILTER_GADG=ON&FILTER_TOOL=ON&FILTER_ABMW=ON&FILTER_BE21=ON&FILTER_BE30=ON&FILTER_BE36=ON&FILTER_BE46=ON&FILTER_BE12=ON&FILTER_BE28=ON&FILTER_BE34=ON&FILTER_BE39=ON&FILTER_BE7S=ON&FILTER_BEZ3=ON&FILTER_BE68=ON&FILTER_BE02=ON&FILTER_BEMI=ON&FILTER_BEX5=ON&FILTER_BMWM=ON
http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/imgdsply.cgi?pn=51718413359-M9

AKG Motorsport
http://www.akgmotorsport.com/e36products.html
http://www.akgmotorsport.com/Dsc05489s.jpg

Ireland Engineering
http://bmw2002.com/ (under E36 > Suspension/Steering)
https://secure15.nexternal.com/ireland/images/rearshockplate.JPG

Turner Motorsport
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=TSU9975100
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/image/suspension/suspension_rear_streinf_lg.jpg

[JohnDojah]

edited...^^^


there ya go (Thread too long! I didnt read it all...)
aren't these aftermarket rsms? wheres the top plate that goes over the tower?yea:confused

[mobil1]

Good thing I went with rogue...

[mitchelrl]

I just installed these plates yesterday, peace of mind is worth it alone, they aren't too hard to fab up, but I just bought them from the stealer.

[Roguls]

is it just me or this wouldn't have happened if you had a top plate? ala GC or rouge? i'm asking because i have the rouge and i don't see this happening and was wondering if it's a problem with turners kit??

goodluck man.

Just FYI: I have the Rogue, and this just happened to me today. Same exact thing. I'm actually gonna have it fixed near Yonkers.

[Meeyatch1]

yeah this seems to be a fairly common weak point on the e36. now you wish you had an e30.

That is more than a 'weak point'....I find is scary that a performance car like an ///M3 can have a fault that glaring where you can actually rip the shock free of the car like that. Unacceptable.

[AlpinaM3]

Rear shock tower bar with its connections will help the stress by distributing it over a wider area all the way around the tower. The bar does nothing for this just the mounts.

As a matter of fact, BMW sells these black reinforcment plates for the front that go between the top of the strut and the inside of the front tower. the only problem if you have a strut bar up there the bolts may not go though everything.