BMW 1 Series Coupe Forum / 1 Series Convertible Forum (1M / tii / 135i / 128i / Coupe / Cabrio / Hatchback) (BMW E82 E88 128i 130i 135i)
 





 

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      06-26-2018, 04:40 PM   #1
KGrGunMan
New Member
2
Rep
14
Posts

Drives: 2011 128i M-sport Manual
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Palm Springs, Ca.

iTrader: (0)

Are Strut Tower Reinforcement Plates needed?

I'm about to buy some TC kline coilovers 400/700 and start seeing a lot more track days with my 128i. If I don't get the reinforcement plates is there a risk of my strut towers deforming?

They seem like a PITA to install so I'd like to avoid them unless it's an issue with the E82.
Appreciate 0
      06-26-2018, 04:48 PM   #2
Ginger_Extract
California-bound
Ginger_Extract's Avatar
United_States
383
Rep
1,480
Posts

Drives: BMW 135i
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Los Angeles, CA

iTrader: (3)

Turner sells slip-on style plates that sandwich between the strut mount and the chassis. It can't hurt. These cars aren't as bad as old BMWs, but I have personally seen two E9x cars with deformed towers.
__________________
Streets of Willow: 1:27.7 CW 11/15/15; 1:29.5 CCW 8/15/15 |||| Autoclub Speedway ROVAL (CCW): 1.52.6 - 12/2/17
Willow Springs - Big Willow (CW): 1:35.8 - 3/31/18 |||| Buttonwillow #13 (CW): 1:59.3 1/27/18
https://www.facebook.com/JakeStumphRacing |||| http://www.youtube.com/user/RaceMeMZ3
Appreciate 0
      06-26-2018, 05:35 PM   #3
KGrGunMan
New Member
2
Rep
14
Posts

Drives: 2011 128i M-sport Manual
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Palm Springs, Ca.

iTrader: (0)

The only strut tower reinforcement for the E82 I can find on Turners website claim they have to be welded to the underside of the strut tower.
Appreciate 0
      06-27-2018, 12:10 PM   #4
drunkenup
Captain
214
Rep
987
Posts

Drives: 2009 135i, 2021 F150
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: NJ

iTrader: (1)

Turner's own e8x/9x camber plates have a large flat surface area against the bottom of the strut tower that they claim is better against strut tower deformation. Many other brands have a small narrow ring touching the tower.

I have them, however, they sort of fit poorly at max negative camber squeezing against some of the underbody sealing material in the corner of the strut tower.
__________________
MHD | BMS | VRSF | APEX | RECARO | TC Kline | BERK | Turner Motorsport | Eibach | BMW Performance
Appreciate 0
      06-27-2018, 01:47 PM   #5
ShocknAwe
1Addict
ShocknAwe's Avatar
3197
Rep
7,859
Posts

Drives: E82 Mutt, M57 Truck
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Charleston

iTrader: (22)

Not entirely sure how anything that isn't welded in would help.
__________________
2010 135i 6MT Jet Black
N54/3 FE82 Mutt | BUILD THREAD | GARAGE SALE
Appreciate 0
      06-27-2018, 09:28 PM   #6
KGrGunMan
New Member
2
Rep
14
Posts

Drives: 2011 128i M-sport Manual
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Palm Springs, Ca.

iTrader: (0)

Is deformation actually happening to people who regularly track their cars or is it rare enough that I should not be worried about it?

I'm not planning on rally crossing the car, but I'd like to be able to take any curb on track at speed without a worry.
Appreciate 0
      06-28-2018, 12:56 PM   #7
bbnks2
Colonel
1207
Rep
2,025
Posts

Drives: 135i N55
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NY

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by KGrGunMan View Post
Is deformation actually happening to people who regularly track their cars or is it rare enough that I should not be worried about it?

I'm not planning on rally crossing the car, but I'd like to be able to take any curb on track at speed without a worry.
Not a common thing by any means. Like others have stated, it probably has more to do, IN MOST CASES, with poor top hat mating surfaces. My coilovers came with integrated camber plates that maintain a large surface contact area with the strut tower. At one point, I placed 12mm nuts on coilover studs to act as spacers and gain ride height. That caused some deformation as the nuts pushed into the strut tower, but I can't see how this would happen with a flat mating surface...

I'd be more concerned about the rear struts pushing through their rubber mounts and into the trunk. I have 16k (1000lb) rear springs and haven't had an issue if that helps at all (Monroe rubber shock mounts)...
Appreciate 1
      07-18-2018, 01:39 AM   #8
beattiecj
Second Lieutenant
beattiecj's Avatar
No_Country
122
Rep
293
Posts

Drives: 2012 135i 2017 x5 35i 1988 e30
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: NYC, Baltimore

iTrader: (3)

I bought reinforcement plates from bimmerworld I think they were $15ish a piece they slip on the top of the strut had no issues with them.

I'm running ohlins with vorschlag plates.
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:45 AM.




1addicts
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST