How does this work

[firelizard3]

So what you guys are saying is that strut towers cracking is normal....


...on E36s.

[Eric M]

My shock tower is cracked on my e36 through the GC reinforcement plate along with another friends both with around 600lb spring rates in front. My buddies e30 also did the same with 600lb front rate

[Dr.AK]

cracking strut towers happens on track cars, you will get struck by lightning twice before you crack a strut tower with under 17K springs in a DD.

That's where you're wrong. I've seen it happen on normal, street driven E36s. My dad's 323ti had a small crack on the driver's side strut tower, for example.

Of course you're right in that it's way more likely on a track car, but I've seen it ~3 times personally on an E36.

[Zic]

found it, about 1½ years ago.
http://www.stanceworks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6873

SeanDub e36.

[skrapez]

I was completely talking out my ass

[LowDirtyBastard]

i drive with the fender on the tire sidewall. things just eventually wear away until they fit they way you want them to.

this

[Ollie]

as josh has stated the PS lifts the car just enough to rub and not grenade the fender.


cracking strut towers happens on track cars, you will get struck by lightning twice before you crack a strut tower with under 17K springs in a DD.

Zic is right. Its the caster, PS just helps make it easy haha


Also Ive cracked quite a few strut towers with much less than 17kg spring rates. Imo the street is harsher on strut towers than the track just as youre much more likely to damage a wheel on the street than the track

[Zic]

as josh has stated the PS lifts the car just enough to rub and not grenade the fender.


cracking strut towers happens on track cars, you will get struck by lightning twice before you crack a strut tower with under 17K springs in a DD.

What about FMU gold wheels? the rear shocks came up through the shock towers it tore the tower apart.
Also i think if i remember correctly that Sean's M3 stated that his front towers started to crack in the front. This was about 1 or 2 years ago.

And i ask again, what is this PS you are talking about? Is it power steering if so the statement is wrong.
Its the Caster that will lift the car also will it add more camber when you are turning witch will help when you are trying to get a tight fitment. Caster plays a big role in not rubbing when turning.
Older cars with out power steering will also lift but not as much because they have less caster. this is because caster makes the car heavier to turn and older cars this was not wanted. But with the addition of power steering the engineers were able to add more caster and the car would still be lighter to turn. they added caster to increase stability in a straight line when going faster.

[Jesus Christ]

as josh has stated the PS lifts the car just enough to rub and not grenade the fender.


cracking strut towers happens on track cars, you will get struck by lightning twice before you crack a strut tower with under 17K springs in a DD.

[Ollie]

The e30 won't be nearly as easy to get it sitting like that. Getting bmws stiff in the rear is tougher than a lot of japanese cars. They also don't camber in as much naturally. The more camber you have the more it will move inwards on compression as well.

Example:


compressed




lowered and compressed, no actual camber adjustment

[NickBlais]

I'm assuming Power steering?

[Zic]

Stiff coilovers, and I'm betting it cambers in just enough. OR he is bottomed out and there is no travel and then he has no issues.

I suppose I guessed that might be the case. Prob not very suitable or comfy on Irish roads, never mind the damage it could inflict.

Stiff rates won't inflict damage...

It's not.

It could to the strut tops....

With crazy rates yeah... But I don't think anyone with a reasonable thought to their mind wouldn't go crazy with that..

The strut towers will crack over time if you drive long enough. This picture is not even with "crazy" spring rates.

That's why you add reinforcement plates, in form of a strut brace or something alike. (im running around 16.2kg/mm springs. and in the front i have a strut brace and in the rear i got some reinforcement plates that are standard on the Z3.)

I am willing to bet thats exactly what it does. The PS lifts the car up just enough so that it rubs... but doesnt destroy the fender. Thats how my M3 was.

Whats this PS, you are talking about?
I know the more caster you have. the more camber will be added when you turn also it will lift the car a little. That's why i'm planing on getting the ///M3 97+ front knuckles also the offset front bushings for added casters, it would go great with my front caster/camber plate.

[ImAwesome]

its all been said. but i love thet car

[skrapez]

from that video his spring rates are not as high as i would have expected them to be. Mine are 18k/16k and my wheel moves no where near that much. and my wheel to fender looks identical in the rear

My main "how did he do that" question is the front fenders. How does he turn the wheel and not rip the fender off? If i tucked my tire that much there is nothing that would allow me to turn in and not hit the fender. PS lifts the car a little bit, but nowhere near enough. Its the only reason why i have considered moving to the dreaded air setup. i need my frame lower

I am willing to bet thats exactly what it does. The PS lifts the car up just enough so that it rubs... but doesnt destroy the fender. Thats how my M3 was.

[1badg35]

from that video his spring rates are not as high as i would have expected them to be. Mine are 18k/16k and my wheel moves no where near that much. and my wheel to fender looks identical in the rear

My main "how did he do that" question is the front fenders. How does he turn the wheel and not rip the fender off? If i tucked my tire that much there is nothing that would allow me to turn in and not hit the fender. PS lifts the car a little bit, but nowhere near enough. Its the only reason why i have considered moving to the dreaded air setup. i need my frame lower