Strut tower reinforcement plates not sitting flush against strut tower?

[SQ13]

Edit: There was nothing wrong with them. I was just being an idiot.

I’m installing new coilovers, and the OE strut tower reinforcement plates don’t fit the shape of the strut tower. From above they look to be flat and not mushroomed. I know the towers on earlier cars have ribs instead of being completely flat. However, those ribs are raised, so I wouldn’t expect them to affect the fitment of the reinforcement plates.

Has anyone here had an issue with the plates not sitting flush against the strut tower? Or do you think it’s slight mushrooming? Just trying to confirm whether mine are damaged before I start hammering away.

[maupineda]

You need to move them around and center to align the geometry of both, if not, your towers may be off (deformed) a bit.

[SQ13]

You need to move them around and center to align the geometry of both, if not, your towers may be off (deformed) a bit.

Yeah I moved them around, but at no point did they sit flush. Wood block + hammer time?

[fattycharged]

Yeah I moved them around, but at no point did they sit flush. Wood block + hammer time?

Just took a look at my once busted and reformed towers to see if they are flush....they are flush

[01SG]

I had no problem fitting them on my 2001. The bumps only affect strut bars.

Did you perhaps buy e36 reinforcement plates by accident?

[SQ13]

I had no problem fitting them on my 2001. The bumps only affect strut bars.

Did you perhaps buy e36 reinforcement plates by accident?

I ordered these.

https://www.bimmerworld.com/Suspension-Steering/Reinforcements/Front-Strut-Tower-Reinforcement-Plate-E46

[fattycharged]

SQ you have the correct plates. I thought I had tacked mine in place, but it may have been some extra epoxy that I used doing the RACP plates

[cobra]

While you have that part out, would you mind measuring the outside diameter and thickness of the metal?

Sorry I can't help with the flushness aspect. Is it too far apart to just tighten the nuts and squeeze it together?

[mrgizmo04]

Put some grease or peanut butter (or whatever) all over the top of the plate and then make an imprint inside the tower (line up the holes/locating pin) and see where there is no transfer. Try to trouble shoot from there. Might be some deformation of the tower going on. Can you feel anything running your hand around the inside of the tower?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Amos]

I ordered these.

https://www.bimmerworld.com/Suspension-Steering/Reinforcements/Front-Strut-Tower-Reinforcement-Plate-E46

Your strut towers look fine, those plates go on the bottom of the tower and they don't sit flush because of those bumps

[SQ13]

While you have that part out, would you mind measuring the outside diameter and thickness of the metal?

Sorry I can't help with the flushness aspect. Is it too far apart to just tighten the nuts and squeeze it together?

2 mm thickness
7 3/16” diameter

[SQ13]

Okay guys, I’m a fucking dumbass. They fit without any issues. I must’ve done something wrong while trying to install last night, and it didn’t help that I tried the right side first which is the corner that went over a giant dip on the highway in 2016 (bent wheel, broken strut bar). I guess that bias just made me panic. FYI, I had TMS Street plates at the time, and they clearly did their job.

I also need to find a shop that can adjust the camber without prying at the camber plates/strut tower lol.

[mrgizmo04]

I also need to find a shop that can adjust the camber without prying at the camber plates/strut tower lol.

That is hard to do since they don't jack up the front to release some of the weight, thus requiring prying against the tower. They dont really have space on the alignment plates/rack to jack up the corners.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[SQ13]

That is hard to do since they don't jack up the front to release some of the weight, thus requiring prying against the tower. They dont really have space on the alignment plates/rack to jack up the corners.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Some shops do have center jacks on their alignment racks. The place I used to go to had them, but the guy who did their custom spec alignments left. :/

[Thrifty S50]

Hit up Vadim @burningtiregarage / @driftergonewild . He has a competition spec E36 and an E46 and does custom alignments, very familiar with BMW chassis' as a whole. He's in Hutto, so just a little NE of you.