This is why shock tower reinforcement plates are a must [Archive] - BMW E46 330 ZHP For Sale Forum

Sockethead

01-10-2016, 09:16 AM

I took my strut bar off to start my shock swap and discovered severe deformation of the shock tower and a crack in the left side.
I never installed reinforcement plates because I thought the design of my strut brace would keep the tower from mushrooming. Major fail on my part..
Sure, it kept the bolts strait but did nothing to combat the upwards force of the shock mount on the tower. In fact, it may have actually exacerbated the problem by sandwiching the metal between the shock mount and the brace mount.
I'm pretty sure that the ground lip that I hit on the 42 freeway while they were resurfacing is what deformed the top of the towers as it bent all 4 of my wheels. The crack is metal fatigue.

In this picture you can see the shape of the shock mount imprinted in the tower.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01/10/cdae41275caefe577cdc444900a710f1.jpg

The top should be as smooth as this reinforcement plate.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01/10/f6b0da81624c421ebe7b8c7a01deaf2c.jpg

The crack is in a bad spot as it goes through two holes

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01/10/f6c22567a2f969e5b12d5b4339da4cc4.jpg

This is what my strut brace mount looks like

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01/10/069d767e8a124b9ba9aecae9e0357de8.jpg

It shouldn't be too difficult to fix. Just time consuming and something I wasn't expecting to have todo.
Process will be to get the towers back to their original shape, drill out the ends of the cracks MIG weld cracks, dress the mount holes, grinding welds flat and respray the area.
One the reinforcement plates are installed I shouldn't have to worry about it again.
I'd recommend adding the reinforcement plates to any car not just cars with modified suspension. $20 for the plates = cheap insurance

WOLFN8TR

01-10-2016, 09:20 AM

OUCH!! That Sucks...

BMWCurves

01-10-2016, 09:44 AM

Oof, sorry to see that! I thought that a solid strut bar would be sufficient protection against mushrooming, but apparently not. Glad to hear you're capable of fixing it though. Reinforcement plates was one of my early purchases, for this reason.

Johnmadd

01-10-2016, 09:47 AM

Wow. I will be buying the reinforcement plates, I also thought a strut bar would be sufficient.

ELCID86

01-10-2016, 09:50 AM

Thanks Rob. I have them on mine and need to install them on Colin's OB car.

---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - an e46f member

Sockethead

01-10-2016, 10:19 AM

If you think about it, the force from the shock mount is coming upward so it makes sense that the reinforcement should be on the inside of the tower. The reinforcement plate distributes the force of the shock mount over a broader area.

I was thinking of putting a couple of rosette welds in to marry the plate to the tower but decided against it...

Vas

01-10-2016, 11:19 AM

Can't even Crack a joke about this.

Sockethead

01-10-2016, 12:39 PM

It's ok. It is what it is.
My car is off the road for the winter so I can take my time on this and a few other things I have lined up.

brettbimmer

01-10-2016, 01:52 PM

Ahhhh! Sorry to see that you have more to do than originally anticipated. :-( Maybe M&M could lend a few helping hands...or jump up and down to bend the tips of the towers back in shape?

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Sockethead

01-10-2016, 01:54 PM

Just don't give them a hammer... Accuracy isn't one of their strong points :)

Sockethead

01-10-2016, 03:05 PM

Can't even Crack a joke about this.
Oh wait... now I see what you did there... sometimes it takes me a while :facepalm

:rofl

ELCID86

01-10-2016, 03:10 PM

Oh wait... now I see what you did there... sometimes it takes me a while :facepalm

:rofl

Same here. Duh...

---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - an e46f member

Vas

01-10-2016, 03:19 PM

Lol. Punny joke

danewilson77

01-10-2016, 05:34 PM

Mine.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160111/2a6a5790ad11e85eebe54d506e3015ce.jpg

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Sockethead

01-10-2016, 05:43 PM

You too, eh? That sucks... You need to get that guy that was TIG welding your boiler to fix it up for you :)

danewilson77

01-10-2016, 06:09 PM

Sure do. I terminated the crack some two years ago, and threw the rough road kit and strut bar on it, and zero migration has occured.

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Sockethead

01-10-2016, 06:20 PM

I read the same thing somewhere else. The guy didn't fix the crack... Just added the plates and the crack stayed the same size/length after 2 years...
Certainly good to know for those who don't have the equipment or money to fix it

slater

01-10-2016, 06:55 PM

i put these reinforcement plates in when i put in my bilstein PSS. glad i did - sorry for your hassle, rob!

az3579

01-11-2016, 02:56 PM

Mine.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160111/2a6a5790ad11e85eebe54d506e3015ce.jpg

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Did you end up fixing the mushrooming? Doesn't like mushroomed in that pic... how did you end up fixing it?

Mine are now pretty badly mushroomed, and don't want it to get worse, so I need to fix the 'shrooming and get those plates. I'm not sure how to go about fixing the towers though...

danewilson77

01-11-2016, 03:25 PM

I fixed it with the metal sandwich, described above. Never welded. No furthering of damage after I terminated the holes.

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Sockethead

01-11-2016, 03:26 PM

I'm planning on using a deadblow hammer on top and a dolly from underneath and see how that works out. The metal is stretched so I'm not going to be able to make it perfect and I don't want to distort it anymore than it already is. Even if you just stick the reinforcement plates in and do nothing else it's going to stop any more distortion and more importantly, it will stop cracking.

I'll post my progress here but I'm probably not going to get to it for another couple of weeks....

az3579

01-11-2016, 03:32 PM

I fixed it with the metal sandwich, described above. Never welded. No furthering of damage after I terminated the holes.

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You didn't have to flatten out the tower first? Simply installing the plate and strut bar together was enough to flatten it back down again?? I thought you had to flatten out the strut tower first before installing the plate and bar...

danewilson77

01-11-2016, 03:41 PM

I'm not sure I did. Mine didn't really appear deformed to me.

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Just_George

01-11-2016, 04:19 PM

danewilson77

01-11-2016, 04:43 PM

I've monitored it over the past couple of years. It hasn't changed. My fix is sound.

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Johnmadd

01-11-2016, 06:36 PM

JB Weld.

Sockethead

01-12-2016, 10:16 AM

I'd be REALLY leery of welding on that....in all my dabbling with welding, I keep reading what a bad idea it is to weld on a car - too many ways for the high current to screw up the cars electronics (and yes, it happened to me once...but only a minor problem, thank God). If anything, a good gas weldor could probably do a nice job with it and it'd likely be less brittle. I'd probably just leave it though...

It's ok, I have about 30 years experience doing this sort of thing. No damage to electronics as long as the proper precautions are taken. You're right, heat is enemy in this situation as you don't want to change the properties of the metal.

I've monitored it over the past couple of years. It hasn't changed. My fix is sound.

I agree. This has been confirmed by posts on few other forums.
Also, looking at Dane's picture, it appears that he had little to no distortion at all

stephenkirsh

01-12-2016, 01:30 PM

Can we get a pic of what the underside of the strut bar mount looks like? I'm curious to see how much of it actually contacts the top of the strut mount.

johnrando

01-12-2016, 01:38 PM

Hmm, I might have to get the plates too.

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Sockethead

01-12-2016, 01:43 PM

That's a good point all though even if the strut bar mount covered the whole thing it still wouldn't stop the upward force of the shock mount. Only the reinforcement plates will do that...

Here's a pic of mine not as much coverage as I thought...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160112/f767224d916c11410a3bcc70ccfdb61d.jpg

Sockethead

01-12-2016, 01:47 PM

Hmm, I might have to get the plates too.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
John, you have springs and shocks... pretty much the same setup I have. I'd definitely get them sooner than later....

ecrabb

01-12-2016, 01:58 PM

Since I'll have the wheels off to get cleaned up and powder-coated, and was going to doing FCABs then, I guess it'll also be the perfect time to do the reinforcement plates and a strut bar.

Thanks for posting this!!!

SC

SoCalZman

01-12-2016, 02:02 PM

good thread. I thought I was pretty much covered with just the M3 strut bar protecting the top of the struts towers. Good wake up call. Watch out for those grand canyon sized road imperfections!

ecrabb

01-12-2016, 02:12 PM

stephenkirsh

01-12-2016, 03:38 PM

Sockethead

01-12-2016, 03:46 PM

Did you replace the spring pad/shock mount at the same time? Probably not, I guess... It looks like it's not really necessary unless the tower is so badly mushroomed, that the bolts start splaying out of vertical.

SC
I'm replacing mine only because I have close to 140K on the clock and I'm swapping out the shocks anyway.... removing the strut isn't one of my favorite things to do so I'm doing a little preventative maintenance with the shock mount, pads, boots and bumpers

wertyu78

01-12-2016, 03:55 PM

Bummer. Good call on the drill stops. Easy repair, just time consuming.

Sockethead

01-12-2016, 04:15 PM

Yep, much easier than the other body/frame failures on this car...I'm eventually going to install all of the reinforcement kits for this car. I want to keep it a very long time.

az3579

01-12-2016, 06:43 PM

I think at this point, the strut bar should be considered a "Stage 1" mitigator of mushrooming and the plates "Stage 2". The highest stage is always best. :)

ecrabb

01-12-2016, 07:06 PM

With all due respect, I can't see how a strut brace will prevent any deformation of the shock tower - at all. The force is in the wrong direction.

IMHO, there is no stage 1 or 2. There's only "spreading out the forces all over the top of the shock tower" and "not spreading out all the forces all over the shock tower."

It looks like to me, if you DD your ZHP on rough east-coast streets in northern climates, or if your car sees track duty, then this is a mandatory mod.

My car is a low-mileage fair-weather car, but its clear this is a weak-point in the E46 chassis design, and I will certainly address it, especially given the low cost.

SC

johnrando

01-12-2016, 07:06 PM

John, you have springs and shocks... pretty much the same setup I have. I'd definitely get them sooner than later....
Thanks Rob. I was figuring the strut bar would help, but for that cheap, why risk it?

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Sockethead

01-12-2016, 07:50 PM

I think at this point, the strut bar should be considered a "Stage 1" mitigator of mushrooming and the plates "Stage 2". The highest stage is always best. :)

With all due respect, I can't see how a strut brace will prevent any deformation of the shock tower - at all. The force is in the wrong direction.

IMHO, there is no stage 1 or 2. There's only "spreading out the forces all over the top of the shock tower" and "not spreading out all the forces all over the shock tower."

It looks like to me, if you DD your ZHP on rough east-coast streets in northern climates, or if your car sees track duty, then this is a mandatory mod.

My car is a low-mileage fair-weather car, but its clear this is a weak-point in the E46 chassis design, and I will certainly address it, especially given the low cost.

SC

IDK BP, I would consider this mandatory for any car that has anything other than the stock suspension and highly recommended for the stock suspension... before a strut brace.
There are many examples of the strut brace doing nothing to mitigate the issue other than keeping the bolts strait. My car and Dane's car are two of many with cracks in the towers with only a strut brace installed and both of our cars have modified suspensions.
Dane said that the crack hasn't migrated in two years since he put the reinforcements plates in....others have reported the same thing. That's proof enough for me.

az3579

01-13-2016, 03:39 AM

Alikessu

01-13-2016, 07:41 AM

Thanks for the heads up, I want to add this to my shopping list.
two questions please....

1- where would be the best place to get a pair
2- I take it you undo the bolts on top, place the plate in place top side then reinstall the bolts?
is this the correct procedure?

thanks

Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

Just_George

01-13-2016, 08:21 AM

Most vendors of BMW parts will have the plates - I got mine from ECS Tuning, but they won't be hard to find. The plates should go under the shock towers, on top of the strut mounts. It's a little more work, and may require an alignment afterwards, but still a no-brainer in my mind.

Edit - link to ECS part listing: https://www.ecstuning.com/ES128656/

Sockethead

01-13-2016, 09:21 AM

Not sure why you guys think I said the plates aren't needed. I didn't say that.
And I also said the bar would help 'mitigate', which doesn't mean prevent. It's not completely useless, even if what it does is minor.

BP I think we've already seen that a strut bar does nothing to prevent this issue... my whole reason for starting this thread.
I put my strut bar on my car the day I got it with 44k on the clock. My pictures at ~140k speak for themselves.... the left tower is severely damaged.

wsmeyer

01-13-2016, 09:32 AM

Have you considered installing the plates and the strut and then welding the crack, essentially welding the plate in place at that point?

Sockethead

01-13-2016, 10:19 AM

I was thinking of adding 3 rosette welds (plug welds) essentially marrying the plate to the shock tower but decide against it since BMW has never done that even in cars that came with the plates installed (Z3M is one)
Once I have the strut out I'll use the plate as a guide to get the tower back to to proper shape then drill out the ends of the crack and weld in several steps to keep the heat down

stephenkirsh

01-13-2016, 11:27 AM

IDK BP, I would consider this mandatory for any car that has anything other than the stock suspension and highly recommended for the stock suspension... before a strut brace.
There are many examples of the strut brace doing nothing to mitigate the issue other than keeping the bolts strait. My car and Dane's car are two of many with cracks in the towers with only a strut brace installed and both of our cars have modified suspensions.
Dane said that the crack hasn't migrated in two years since he put the reinforcements plates in....others have reported the same thing. That's proof enough for me.

What strut bars were on yours and Danes car when the cracks happened?

Sockethead

01-13-2016, 11:54 AM

I have a rotora bar on mine you can see pics of the mounts in my previous posts

IDK what Dane had on his car at the time. He's changed his bar a few times over the years

Alikessu

01-13-2016, 12:43 PM

thanks for the info George

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az3579

01-13-2016, 01:00 PM

BP I think we've already seen that a strut bar does nothing to prevent this issue...

Mitigate, not prevent. I never said prevent. Not the same thing.
I just don't want it to seem like I said something I didn't so I need to clear this up.

Sockethead

01-13-2016, 01:31 PM

Duly noted BP but the strut bar doesn't mitigate it either.
I honestly don't think my towers would any worse without the strut bar than they are now. The strut/bearing mount is perfectly outlined in the deformation.

Sockethead

01-14-2016, 08:48 AM

I took apart the right side last night. This side isn't nearly as bad as the left.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160114/e21836be40061f5ecd3c1f221379ab0e.jpg

I used a 1lb dead blow hammer and a dolly to get the tower back into shape. It didn't take much force. Shame on BMW for making the towers so soft and thin.

This tower has a hairline crack between the two holes barely visible in this picture. I think I'm going to leave this crack alone.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160114/8cd9ed17ff71aa46ee2691ac58d57fd8.jpg

As you can see in this picture, the top of the mount really doesn't have a large contact area. I also noted that the mount is bent. I'm glad I got replacements

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160114/232e908c9bee9c0cc9e94bad87e092ac.jpg

Once I swap the springs/parts to the Konis I'll reassemble.

ecrabb

01-14-2016, 09:15 AM

Duly noted BP but the strut bar doesn't mitigate it either.
I agree. I can't see how a strut brace would have any preventive or mitigating effect whatsoever on the deformation.

I took apart the right side last night. This side isn't nearly as bad as the left.

I used a 1lb dead blow hammer and a dolly to get the tower back into shape. It didn't take much force. Shame on BMW for making the towers so soft and thin.

This tower has a hairline crack between the two holes barely visible in this picture. I think I'm going to leave this crack alone.

Interesting... The video on YouTube I watched on the replacement process said the left side was significantly more deformed than the right on that car, too. I wonder if it's just coincidence, or the fact that there's usually a couple hundred pounds of lard on the left side of the car. It would be interest to see if the right-drive cars have the RH-side deformed more often. Given how soft/light this towers are, it wouldn't surprise me if just the presence of the driver more often deformed the tower on that side more/worse.

I can barely even see the crack you're talking about in the photo. Looks more like a crack in the paint rather than in the metal itself. You're fine.

I can't wait to look mine over really closely. The car only has 44,000 miles on it, but seeing how weak that point is, I wouldn't be surprised to see a little of this already happening.

SC

ELCID86

01-14-2016, 01:45 PM

...I wonder if it's just coincidence, or the fact that there's usually a couple hundred pounds of lard on the left side of the car....

You have not met Rob!

cakM3

01-14-2016, 01:52 PM

You have not met Rob!

Yeah I was thinking the same exact thing Shawn regarding ecrabb's statement ;)

Sockethead

01-14-2016, 02:03 PM

haha! What they aren't saying is that I'm about 155 lbs soaking wet :)

ecrabb

01-14-2016, 02:16 PM

You have not met Rob!
Yeah I was thinking the same exact thing Shawn regarding ecrabb's statement ;)
haha! What they aren't saying is that I'm about 155 lbs soaking wet :)

Doh! LOLs. I did NOT think that one through before I posted it. I could have really offended somebody. My comment was supposed to just refer to a body, a sack of flesh, bag of salt water, butt in seat, etc. I was more referring to myself more than anybody else. I'm about 6'3" and 240 pounds, and I wear size 13's. My grandpa used to look at my shoes and say, "They must build those things in the summer when they can work outside." ;)

Thinking about this a little more... Judging by your comments about whacking the deformation back out with a hammer, and judging by the YouTube video I saw, it's clear the metal in the towers is damn weak. Every time the suspension takes a shock from a pothole, it's going to be similar to whacking it with a hammer. It makes sense to me then, that as lots of miles rack up, more force is going into the "hammer whacks" on the driver's side than on the passenger side. So, I'd bet that it's very common for the LH tower to be more deformed in left-drive cars, and the RH tower to be more deformed in the right-drive cars.

Cheers,
SC

Sockethead

01-14-2016, 03:25 PM

And like I said the hammer I used was a 1lb dead blow hammer which is basically a hollow soft plastic hammer filled with 1lb of shot... hardly a BFH.

Also worth noting and I don't know if it has any bearing on your theory, is that the rotational torque from the driveline will lift the front left side of the car and squat the right rear. It's this same rotational torque that causes the left rear subframe mount to fail first on non M e46s. (M diff mounts are different so the first to tear on those are the front mounts)

Just_George

01-14-2016, 03:38 PM

... Every time the suspension takes a shock from a pothole, it's going to be similar to whacking it with a hammer. It makes sense to me then, that as lots of miles rack up, more force is going into the "hammer whacks" on the driver's side than on the passenger side. So, I'd bet that it's very common for the LH tower to be more deformed in left-drive cars, and the RH tower to be more deformed in the right-drive cars.

Cheers,
SC

See, I would think it would be just the opposite - think about it, usually the outside edge of the road (i.e. the right shoulder) is far more broken up and rougher than the middle of the road, so it seems to me that the RH tower would suffer more. Interesting the you're seeing the opposite...

Sockethead

01-29-2016, 06:53 PM

I spent about an hour or so straitening left shock tower. It took a lot longer than I thought. It was stretched pretty bad . I ended up using a C clamp to flatten the ridge made by the shock mount. That worked out really well. I'm pretty happy with it at this point.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160130/a4008dd31b012f995e4424e671f31784.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160130/5842b4cc3211d323c1aff517601f374d.jpg

I've decided that I'm just going to touch up the area and leave the crack as is for now and reassemble everything.
We are on the fast track to move south in the next month or so, so once again the poor ZHP is going to have to move down the priority list. A shame as I had a lot planned for it this winter...

Vas

01-29-2016, 06:56 PM

South is good

Sockethead

01-29-2016, 07:32 PM

Yea it will be in the long run but moving a house, a shop, 5 cars, a boat, a golf cart and a utility trailer ain't going to be easy

az3579

01-29-2016, 07:39 PM

Yea it will be in the long run but moving a house, a shop, 5 cars, a boat, a golf cart and a utility trailer ain't going to be easy
Let me know if you need help moving cars. :)

Sent from my LG V10 on Tapatalk

Sockethead

01-29-2016, 08:14 PM

You'll be requesting a white one to move, yes?

az3579

01-29-2016, 08:17 PM

You'll be requesting a white one to move, yes?
Honestly, I'm down to move whichever ones you want. I can enjoy them all the same. :)

Sent from my LG V10 on Tapatalk

Sockethead

01-29-2016, 08:26 PM

We appreciate that :)

Sockethead

01-29-2016, 08:56 PM

shrp11

01-29-2016, 09:07 PM

Rear chassis subframe cracks and strut tower cracks shouldn't happen at all - the E46 has these two big problem areas and it's something that I worry about and makes me wonder if I'd ever buy another - and that's after 3 BMW's.

They just don't build 'em the way they used to - sometimes that's good, but in this case, that's bad.

ELCID86

01-30-2016, 02:30 AM

All back together. Next time I have the suspension apart I'll put a bead of weld on the crack but for now, I feel confident that the mushrooming and cracking is rectified.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160130/c11ff6f806673c156c9973621ffd60fe.jpg

Good work Rob. And best of luck on shedding tonnage before the move. Maybe you don't need a golf cart in SC!?

BP could drive one down and take Amtrak back. I'm happy to help if time permits. Nolan is there in school and I love to go here for several reasons.

---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - an e46fanatic

WOLFN8TR

01-30-2016, 08:32 AM

Love the CLEAN engine bay! [emoji106][emoji106]

Sockethead

01-30-2016, 08:45 AM

Tnx! I don't drive it when it's raining so it stays pretty clean.

az3579

01-30-2016, 09:39 AM

BP could drive one down and take Amtrak back. I'm happy to help if time permits. Nolan is there in school and I love to go here for several reasons.

I'm not sure Amtrak would even be needed; surely they'd be driving back to get more stuff? Perhaps I could just hitch a ride on the way back and my car would be there to drive home in...
Unless the cars are the LAST thing to go, of course.

fredo

01-30-2016, 09:58 AM

Yea it will be in the long run but moving a house, a shop, 5 cars, ...

Sockethead, what 5 cars do you have ?

Sockethead

01-30-2016, 10:42 AM

E46, 135, X1, MDX, Honda Prelude

I think I'll start a moving thread over on members only. No sense in clogging up this thread... My fault

stephenkirsh

01-30-2016, 11:54 AM

Is the mdx based on a pilot or crv?

Sockethead

01-30-2016, 03:08 PM

Let's continue the moving conversation over here: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?17498-On-the-fast-track-to-move-house-shop-5-cars-boat-amp-golf-cart-how-did-you-do-it&p=471007#post471007

Sockethead

01-31-2016, 09:34 AM

Took the car for an extended test drive today so the reinforcement plates would settle in then re-torqued them. The left side definitely needed to be re-torqued

ELCID86

01-31-2016, 04:08 PM

I'm not sure Amtrak would even be needed; surely they'd be driving back to get more stuff? Perhaps I could just hitch a ride on the way back and my car would be there to drive home in...
Unless the cars are the LAST thing to go, of course.

It does sound like they have a lot to move.

---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - an e46fanatic

Wheelman

11-11-2017, 03:10 PM

How have the reinforcement plates helped, guys?

Do you think the reinforcement plates are just for stiffer aftermarket suspension?

BMWCurves

11-11-2017, 04:16 PM

How have the reinforcement plates helped, guys?

Do you think the reinforcement plates are just for stiffer aftermarket suspension?

The most scientific of studies:

BMWCurves et. al The effectiveness of BMW strut tower reinforcement plates. ZHPMafia.com, 2017.

Abstract: The E46 BMW has a documented history of front strut tower disfiguration with known etiologies including excessive road damage, stiffer suspension components exceeding factory specs, age, and improper use.1 (https://i.imgur.com/lSPRadX.gif) Some methods have been proposed to show efficacy in preventing premature deformation of the strut towers with differing results. The prophylactic measure of a strut tower brace has had mixed results in maintaining strut tower integrity, with some studies' results providing no greater than chance, statistically.2 (https://i.imgur.com/D0cymjp.gif) Our study aims to determine the long term efficacy of strut tower reinforcement plates in preventing strut tower deformation during the lifespan of an E46 BMW.

Methods: One car (n=1) was selected that did not exhibit front strut tower deformation nor had no history of strut tower deformation. The car selected was a 2005 BMW 330Ci with the Performance Package (internal designation ZHP) with a factory suspension from it's production date in 2005 to 2015 when it was replaced with reinforcement plates and new suspension components. The car was then tracked from the point in 2015 when the suspension changed until the present date. The study was conducted in a double blind setting to maintain anonymity and prevent placebo effects3 (https://i.imgur.com/7TkfmI1.gif)

Results: The car's front strut towers remained intact and properly formed while the BMW strut tower reinforcement plates were installed4 (https://i.imgur.com/YFpACR0.gif).

Discussion: This study's findings suggest the front strut tower reinforcement plates prevented premature disfiguration of the front strut towers from regular and appropriate use. However, there are notable shortcomings, including the lack of a sufficiently large data set to enable statistically significant findings. Future studies should focus on finding additional subjects to reinforce its findings. Regardless of the studies, the relatively cheap cost of the reinforcement plates and the ease of installing them by amateur mechanics make the use of front strut tower reinforcement plates a priority for all E46 BMW owners.

Yes, today is a slow day. I'm under the weather and bored out of my mind. Stupid and infantile humor aside, I believe that they help, especially given that my sister's 330Xi came with them from the factory. Why not install them for $20 and a an hour or two of labor?

ELCID86

11-11-2017, 05:36 PM

^ Wow ;-)

I have an extra set I need to post for sale.

joeybananaz18

11-11-2017, 06:56 PM

^ Wow ;-)

I have an extra set I need to post for sale.

i need to see if the PO did this. if not ill probably take that set off your hands.

Dual

11-12-2017, 07:13 AM

My indie, who is supposed to know better, took a look at my plates while installing new struts and said they were for a different vehicle. They weren't. So they didn't go in.

If I were to have them installed, I'd be recompressing the springs and all that, right?

ON EDIT: found this (http://www.bmw330ci.net/projects/struttower.php). Apparently not that complicated.

ZHPizza

11-12-2017, 07:53 AM

joeybananaz18

11-12-2017, 10:14 AM

Just to add a data point, my 2003 zhp sedan with OE suspension had badly warped strut towers when I bought it. My 2005 coupe's towers were fine after 150k miles, but I added the plates anyway for peace of mind.

Is it worse on certain years or with modified suspension?

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stephenkirsh

11-12-2017, 10:52 AM

Problem is with all e46s. Modified or not. They cost $20 and take MAYBE an hour to install with only a 12mm socket.

stephenkirsh

11-12-2017, 10:53 AM

The most scientific of studies:

BMWCurves et. al The effectiveness of BMW strut tower reinforcement plates. ZHPMafia.com, 2017.

I lol'ed at n=1

Wheelman

11-12-2017, 02:29 PM

My father in law had a ZHP from 2005 to early 2017. It was on stock suspension, stock wheels, etc throughout that period, I don’t know if he ever changed the shocks...! He accumulated something like 140k miles. It did not have any mushrooming in the strut towers.

That’s not to say it will never happen on stock suspension. Just adding it to the data, that’s all.

ELCID86

11-12-2017, 04:39 PM

Problem is with all e46s. Modified or not. They cost $20 and take MAYBE an hour to install with only a 12mm socket.

Then you need an alignment...

stephenkirsh

11-12-2017, 07:27 PM

Then you need an alignment...

If you're picky about exact camber, yes.

BMWCurves

11-12-2017, 09:30 PM

I lol'ed at n=1

This guy knows his science articles.

holyc0w

11-13-2017, 06:34 PM

It's a good preventative device, especially if you're doing a suspension refresh. I'm guessing road quality would also factor in heavily for mushrooming.

Fenrir

11-14-2017, 06:29 PM

^ Wow ;-)

I have an extra set I need to post for sale.I'll those off your hands with glee :).

Sent from a blue police box.

nextelbuddy

11-14-2017, 06:43 PM

i have a pair in my garage I need to put in. if I have aftermarket coilovers with camber plates on top and the a strut bar.. will adding a reinforcement plate mean I need longer bolts/studs?

330i ZHP

11-15-2017, 12:19 AM

Goodness Rob and others. I didn’t know the e46s dealt with this like the e36s

Dual

11-15-2017, 04:13 AM

Are these a straightforward fit? I think I recall reading that they have to be trimmed to fit...?

ZHPizza

11-15-2017, 05:12 AM

Are these a straightforward fit? I think I recall reading that they have to be trimmed to fit...?

Nah they sit right on top of the strut mount. Easy peasy.

Also, you don't necessarily need an alignment afterwards if you only install these. Just circle the strut mount nuts with a marker before you remove them, then make sure they're in the same spot when you reinstall. Peasy easy.

Sockethead

11-15-2017, 06:16 AM

If the strut mounts still have the pin in them, you don't have to mark anything, they don't move with the pin in there. I don't think you even have to remove the strut... there should be enough room to wiggle it in there after removing the top three bolts and pushing down on the steering knuckle

stephenkirsh

11-15-2017, 04:07 PM

704sw

11-15-2017, 04:14 PM

i have a pair in my garage I need to put in. if I have aftermarket coilovers with camber plates on top and the a strut bar.. will adding a reinforcement plate mean I need longer bolts/studs?

I have PSS10 with stock strut mounts, shock plates, and Mason engineering strut bar. Everything bolts down fine.

I replaced stock mounts with camber plates, added reinforcement plates, and have an M3 strut bar. I needed the M3 extended nuts to obtain a level of thread engagement I was comfortable with.

Shawn, ZHPizza linked to an eBay listing for the extended nuts earlier today.

Mless5

12-07-2017, 06:22 AM

Is it safe to assume that M3 strut bar won't fit sedan? If not, what bar is the right one for the job (to keep the tower from mushrooming up)?. I apologize if this has been already answered.

holyc0w

12-07-2017, 06:26 AM

danewilson77

12-07-2017, 06:30 AM

Strut bar will provide some protection against strut tower deformation as long as there's some good surface area there to provide rigid support. One step further would be to use a strut bar with good surface area and the RRK (rough road kit-plates) to effectively sandwich the tower between the two.

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danewilson77

12-07-2017, 06:30 AM

Is it safe to assume that M3 strut bar won't fit sedan? If not, what bar is the right one for the job (to keep the tower from mushrooming up)?. I apologize if this has been already answered.Strut bar will provide some protection against strut tower deformation as long as there's some good surface area there to provide rigid support. One step further would be to use a strut bar with good surface area and the RRK (rough road kit-plates) to effectively sandwich the tower between the two.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Mless5

12-07-2017, 09:35 AM

To prevent mushrooming you need the reinforcement plates.

Already installed, sorry I failed to mention.
Any particular brand of the strut bar that is recommended?

Thank you.

derbo

12-07-2017, 10:21 AM

The most scientific of studies:

BMWCurves et. al The effectiveness of BMW strut tower reinforcement plates. ZHPMafia.com, 2017.

Abstract: The E46 BMW has a documented history of front strut tower disfiguration with known etiologies including excessive road damage, stiffer suspension components exceeding factory specs, age, and improper use.1 (https://i.imgur.com/lSPRadX.gif) Some methods have been proposed to show efficacy in preventing premature deformation of the strut towers with differing results. The prophylactic measure of a strut tower brace has had mixed results in maintaining strut tower integrity, with some studies' results providing no greater than chance, statistically.2 (https://i.imgur.com/D0cymjp.gif) Our study aims to determine the long term efficacy of strut tower reinforcement plates in preventing strut tower deformation during the lifespan of an E46 BMW.

Methods: One car (n=1) was selected that did not exhibit front strut tower deformation nor had no history of strut tower deformation. The car selected was a 2005 BMW 330Ci with the Performance Package (internal designation ZHP) with a factory suspension from it's production date in 2005 to 2015 when it was replaced with reinforcement plates and new suspension components. The car was then tracked from the point in 2015 when the suspension changed until the present date. The study was conducted in a double blind setting to maintain anonymity and prevent placebo effects3 (https://i.imgur.com/7TkfmI1.gif)

Results: The car's front strut towers remained intact and properly formed while the BMW strut tower reinforcement plates were installed4 (https://i.imgur.com/YFpACR0.gif).

Discussion: This study's findings suggest the front strut tower reinforcement plates prevented premature disfiguration of the front strut towers from regular and appropriate use. However, there are notable shortcomings, including the lack of a sufficiently large data set to enable statistically significant findings. Future studies should focus on finding additional subjects to reinforce its findings. Regardless of the studies, the relatively cheap cost of the reinforcement plates and the ease of installing them by amateur mechanics make the use of front strut tower reinforcement plates a priority for all E46 BMW owners.

Yes, today is a slow day. I'm under the weather and bored out of my mind. Stupid and infantile humor aside, I believe that they help, especially given that my sister's 330Xi came with them from the factory. Why not install them for $20 and a an hour or two of labor?

Honestly, I only read the last paragraph, and it shouldn't take more than hour..

stephenkirsh

12-07-2017, 11:20 AM

Already installed, sorry I failed to mention.
Any particular brand of the strut bar that is recommended?

Thank you.

All strut bars fit sedan coupe or m3. You can put an OEM m3 bar on a sedan, as an example.

704sw

12-07-2017, 11:34 AM

All strut bars fit sedan coupe or m3. You can put an OEM m3 bar on a sedan, as an example.

Are there cases where that isn’t true? I’ve seen some which specify non-M vs. M, yet I have an OEM M3 bar in my car no problem. I assume it has something to do with vertical clearance (the S54 looks like it sits at a little more of an angle, and I’ve seen some bars with more of a kink/uptick in the middle).

derbo

12-07-2017, 12:02 PM

Are there cases where that isn’t true? I’ve seen some which specify non-M vs. M, yet I have an OEM M3 bar in my car no problem. I assume it has something to do with vertical clearance (the S54 looks like it sits at a little more of an angle, and I’ve seen some bars with more of a kink/uptick in the middle).

Some clearance issues with S54 but FWIW, BMW perf bar clears the S54. ;)

31537

http://i.imgur.com/MYpx6u8.png (https://imgur.com/MYpx6u8)

704sw

12-07-2017, 12:13 PM

Some clearance issues with S54 but FWIW, BMW perf bar clears the S54. ;)

31537

http://i.imgur.com/MYpx6u8.png (https://imgur.com/MYpx6u8)

She’s beautiful, but a little rich for my blood lol.

Dual

12-07-2017, 01:44 PM

Already installed, sorry I failed to mention.
Any particular brand of the strut bar that is recommended?
If you are into brand identity and have money, the M3 bars cannot be beat.
From a utilitarian standpoint I've been completely happy with my ECS bar, which is carbon fiber (light), well-made and inexpensive. I removed the stick-on logo and never looked back.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=25248&d=1458934526
...shows the ECS bar with logo still in place.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=25256&d=1459024196
...closeup of one end.

BMWCurves

12-07-2017, 02:15 PM

Honestly, I only read the last paragraph, and it shouldn't take more than hour..

Probably for the best, it's just a bunch of rambling nonsense on my part.

stephenkirsh

12-07-2017, 04:38 PM

If you are into brand identity and have money, the M3 bars cannot be beat.
From a utilitarian standpoint I've been completely happy with my ECS bar, which is carbon fiber (light), well-made and inexpensive. I removed the stick-on logo and never looked back.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=25248&d=1458934526
...shows the ECS bar with logo still in place.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=25256&d=1459024196
...closeup of one end.

ECS bar doesn't make sense to me. If I can flex it with my pinky, I don't understand how it'll transfer load from side to side.

Dual

12-07-2017, 05:40 PM

I didn't notice anything like that with the unit I bought.

danewilson77

12-07-2017, 08:03 PM

ECS bar doesn't make sense to me. If I can flex it with my pinky, I don't understand how it'll transfer load from side to side.Good point, but I've seen more BMW performance strut bars break than I have the ECSTuning ones.

And if it's really there to mitigate strut tower deformation.... Who cares?

If you want to get a strut bar that won't break and protects the top hats, go for a Mason Engineering strut bar or a UUC Strutbarbarian. Or the ///M3 strut bar and the like. Nothing with skinny CF.

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nextelbuddy

12-08-2017, 07:05 AM

Some clearance issues with S54 but FWIW, BMW perf bar clears the S54. ;)

31537

http://i.imgur.com/MYpx6u8.png (https://imgur.com/MYpx6u8)

god i need that BMW Performance bar.... er I mean want. its like the last thing im missing under the hood.

when they were going out of production, ECS was selling them for $500.. everyone who bought them for $500 is now trynig to sell them for $1000+.

i cant believe there are people on here t hat have one already and also have a 2nd as a backup..

who buys $2000 in strut bars?

i have an M3 bar in mine but dang that CF one would look sweet.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4645/38914262231_85505b6d10_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/22hHLpH)IMG_20171201_231234 (https://flic.kr/p/22hHLpH) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr

stephenkirsh

12-08-2017, 01:37 PM

I didn't notice anything like that with the unit I bought.

Go push on it from the top.

stephenkirsh

12-08-2017, 01:40 PM

Good point, but I've seen more BMW performance strut bars break than I have the ECSTuning ones.

And if it's really there to mitigate strut tower deformation.... Who cares?

If you want to get a strut bar that won't break and protects the top hats, go for a Mason Engineering strut bar or a UUC Strutbarbarian. Or the ///M3 strut bar and the like. Nothing with skinny CF.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I do have the mason bar.

I'm pretty sure strut bars aren't there for protection of top hats. That's only something I've read in this forum. Maybe it helps a bit? That's like saying if I punch through a wood roof, a steel plate on the top of the roof will protect the underside of the roof. It might help prevent a complete failure, but I can't see it doing much more.

Either way, $100+ for a bar that kinda sorta maybe helps? or $20 for reinforcement plates that are designed specifically for that.

danewilson77

12-08-2017, 01:42 PM

I do have the mason bar.

I'm pretty sure strut bars aren't there for protection of top hats. That's only something I've read in this forum. Maybe it helps a bit? That's like saying if I punch through a wood roof, a steel plate on the top of the roof will protect the underside of the roof. It might help prevent a complete failure, but I can't see it doing much more.

Either way, $100+ for a bar that kinda sorta maybe helps? or $20 for reinforcement plates that are designed specifically for that.I'm pretty sure you're correct. But I'm pretty sure it's an added benefit, especially when coupled with the RRK. Pretty sure..

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704sw

12-08-2017, 01:46 PM

I do have the mason bar.

I'm pretty sure strut bars aren't there for protection of top hats. That's only something I've read in this forum. Maybe it helps a bit? That's like saying if I punch through a wood roof, a steel plate on the top of the roof will protect the underside of the roof. It might help prevent a complete failure, but I can't see it doing much more.

Either way, $100+ for a bar that kinda sorta maybe helps? or $20 for reinforcement plates that are designed specifically for that.

Chassis stiffening is the goal, any additional tower support is just a bonus. I paired it with reinforcement plates like you said.

danewilson77

12-08-2017, 01:50 PM

Chassis stiffening is the goal, any additional tower support is just a bonus. I paired it with reinforcement plates like you said.Win. Exactly

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ELCID86

12-08-2017, 03:01 PM

I like the Mason bar I have. It is aluminum and I plastidipped it black. You have to move the positive battery cable and make a few mods for most bars to fit. (This was taken with the BMW CF bar I sold.) https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171208/4697b6e784cab7fe5d72fc36595dcae3.jpg

ZHPizza

12-08-2017, 07:37 PM

I didn't have to move the positive post for my $72 Megan Racing (with logo removed) bar:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171209/712acf260ce8a7f8e46202dd7ff70c6e.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171209/b8533ff05a9824c2067d8dbde1cf484f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171209/7a68a946e36abc568c61ca025be189aa.jpg

ZHPizza

12-08-2017, 07:40 PM

ECS bar doesn't make sense to me. If I can flex it with my pinky, I don't understand how it'll transfer load from side to side.These bars transfer load axially, through compression. None of them are made to act as a cantilever, so there's no need for strength in the vertical plane.

ELCID86

12-09-2017, 12:01 PM

I didn't have to move the positive post for my $72 Megan Racing (with logo removed) bar:

Good to know. Edited my post to say “most”.

Johnmadd

12-09-2017, 12:52 PM

I like that bar, is $72 from a site?

ZHPizza

12-09-2017, 01:54 PM

I like that bar, is $72 from a site?That was after maxing out the "best offer" attempts on eBay. Poor seller.

It's surprisingly good quality/fit though. I'm happy.

Johnmadd

12-09-2017, 02:38 PM

Haha, nice.

stephenkirsh

12-11-2017, 11:10 AM

Good to know. Edited my post to say “most”.

Yea you just need to move the terminal during installation. Not remove. I've just kept the little push pin off of the terminal so I can easily slide it up the 1/2" needed to make room.

Dual

12-12-2017, 07:10 AM

ECS bar doesn't make sense to me. If I can flex it with my pinky, I don't understand how it'll transfer load from side to side...
Go push on it from the top.
Returning to this; just came back from the garage. My ECS bar is rigid as hell in all axes. Maybe we're talking about different units or there have been production changes.

I didn't need to move the battery terminal, btw.

danewilson77

12-12-2017, 07:17 AM

Returning to this; just came back from the garage. My ECS bar is rigid as hell in all axes. Maybe we're talking about different units or there have been production changes.

I didn't need to move the battery terminal, btw.Whether or not you can feel it, more weight can be transferred axially. I had the ECSTuning CF bar, and I could cause a small amount of deflection (flex)... But I also agree that it's fairly robust.

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stephenkirsh

12-12-2017, 11:23 AM

Returning to this; just came back from the garage. My ECS bar is rigid as hell in all axes. Maybe we're talking about different units or there have been production changes.

I didn't need to move the battery terminal, btw.

This is the one I had.
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-parts/ecs-carbon-fiber-strut-bar-kit-black/ecscf03bw03aceb/

I tried in 4 years ago. It's $144. There's gotta be a reason it's less than half price of most others.

Bending it with my pinky is probably an exaggeration, but it flexed a lot with very little pressure.

joeybananaz18

01-21-2018, 02:20 PM

Finally got around to check out my strut towers..
Driver
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180121/1c7c6791ad1e1aaf0648a35a4bcac2ce.jpg
Passenger
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180121/308a682a04613bc8eda6300ce98b4294.jpg
I'm going to do the reinforcement plates this summer but i have to say if I didn't know about this issue I wouldn't have even thought twice to check them out because they look to be in good shape. Is typical mushrooming on the towers much worse than this?

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