Front Strut Tower Reinforcement Plates

[jgrotkier]

So I just noticed the dreaded cracking front strut towers this weekend, which I am going to have repaired next weekend. I ordered the 96+ reinforcement plates but I have a few questions about them:

First off, my cracking is occurring on the outer edge of the strut mount, very similarly to this:


Except, imagine a 1 inch crack where the thickest rust is on the right hand side of the image (I stole that pic from another thread). I haven't actually seen the reinforcements in person, but in the picture they look to be about the same diameter as the strut mount. Will the reinforcement help in my situation? Are they actually wider than the strut mount?

And second, they say bolt-on fitment, but my friend suggested that he welds them in while fixing the crack on the tower. Would welding them in be better? Do they ever need to come out?

Thanks!

[ScotcH]

You're right ... they are about the size of that rust. They act to spead the load on the metal, so they still help. The key will be to get a good repair job done that will not fail. Tack welding them in is done primarily to make install easy ... so they don't fall out when removing the strut.

You might look into getting replacement strut towers from BMW, and just cutting down a bit to make a cap on to of your old towers ... this would certainly fix the problem! What are you using for suspension to get that kind of cracking?

[jgrotkier]

You're right ... they are about the size of that rust. They act to spead the load on the metal, so they still help. The key will be to get a good repair job done that will not fail. Tack welding them in is done primarily to make install easy ... so they don't fall out when removing the strut.

You might look into getting replacement strut towers from BMW, and just cutting down a bit to make a cap on to of your old towers ... this would certainly fix the problem! What are you using for suspension to get that kind of cracking?

Well I'm hoping that I won't have to go that far as far as replacing the entire tower. My friend welds for a living...but he doesn't do body work so that would make the repair quite a bit more costly (I know the part is only like $15).

As far as suspension up front; I have bilstein shocks, H&R sports, powerflex bushings, x-brace and the LTW strut brace.

Its a 95 that has been tracked for several years. To be honest I don't even know how long the cracking has been there. I've had the car for 2 years but I've only removed the strut brace twice. The first time I removed it I noticed a ring of rust but didn't inspect it closely because I was new to the car and knew nothing about the potential problem. I've personally taken it to the track 3 days in the past 2 years, so for all I know I could have been driving with it all along

Oh, and my friend was suggesting actually welding them in, not just tacking them it.

[Zubehor]

The plates are just slightly larger then the strut mounts. I really don't see the advantage of welding them in place. You could I suppose.

[jgrotkier]

The plates are just slightly larger then the strut mounts. I really don't see the advantage of welding them in place. You could I suppose.

Well I'd honestly rather not since that requires cleaning everything up underneath the car in order to get good welds. If it doesn't make a difference in structural integrity then I'd rather just put them in there. I guess I was asking if welding would make them even stronger.

[ScotcH]

Well I'm hoping that I won't have to go that far as far as replacing the entire tower. My friend welds for a living...but he doesn't do body work so that would make the repair quite a bit more costly (I know the part is only like $15).

As far as suspension up front; I have bilstein shocks, H&R sports, powerflex bushings, x-brace and the LTW strut brace.

Its a 95 that has been tracked for several years. To be honest I don't even know how long the cracking has been there. I've had the car for 2 years but I've only removed the strut brace twice. The first time I removed it I noticed a ring of rust but didn't inspect it closely because I was new to the car and knew nothing about the potential problem. I've personally taken it to the track 3 days in the past 2 years, so for all I know I could have been driving with it all along

Oh, and my friend was suggesting actually welding them in, not just tacking them it.

I didn't mean to replace the towers ... you weld the replacement overtop of the old one to get a double layer.

However, since the damage was likely done before you got it, fix it and you should be good (until you track the car that is!)

[jgrotkier]

I didn't mean to replace the towers ... you weld the replacement overtop of the old one to get a double layer.

However, since the damage was likely done before you got it, fix it and you should be good (until you track the car that is!)

Ah ok, I didn't realize that was a possibility.

I'm tracking the car in the beginning of May.

[BMW4LIFE]

Do camber plates act as a strut reinforcement or do they increase the likely hood of a cracked strut tower???

[Zubehor]

Do camber plates act as a strut reinforcement or do they increase the likely hood of a cracked strut tower???

Increase. Most if not all cars with cracked strut towers have stiff suspension. Camber plates are not as forgiving as the stock strut plates that have a rubber bushing made to absorb road vibrations.

Strut towers on the other hand can act as a strut reinforcement if they cover the shock mount similar to the Z3 plates for the rear shock towers.

[BMWMPow3r]

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1264275

can someone chime in please?