Front tower plates, weld or epoxy?

[Cubieman]

I had someone come weld the cracks on my front strut tower and am contemplating having them come back to weld in reinforcement plates.

This may be overkill but I thought it might not be a bad idea. Someone please chime in if this isn't worth the trouble compared to just sandwiching them between the tower/camber plates.

I am no structural engineer but I imagine welding/epoxy them would be stronger.

That got me thinking of my Vincebar, and maybe doing this myself with panel bond epoxy.
When you stich weld the plates in you are now painting the permiter of the towers as opposed to just the tops of the towers.

My old BC coilovers had much stiffer spring, but had an OEM-like size in reagrds to the camber plates, my new TCK's have much softer spring but a significantly smaller surface area, I wish turner plates would work.


As always, any input is appreciated.

Pictures from Vorshlag:

[digger]

i personally wouldnt weld them.

[Casa de Mesa]

Because of how visible they are, I wouldn't weld them unless there were cracks already.

I am no structural engineer either, but if you sandwich the epoxy between the plate and the underside of the strut tower, intuitively if feels like you're spreading the load over a much larger surface area. And that feels stronger. Due to the prep involved to ensure a solid bond, I'd just want to make sure it was rust-proofed afterwards, but you'd being needing to do that for the welding approach too.

I'm avoiding definitive words because of the first 5 words in my prior paragraph...

Do you have pics of yours?

[Cubieman]

Because of how visible they are, I wouldn't weld them unless there were cracks already.

I am no structural engineer either, but if you sandwich the epoxy between the plate and the underside of the strut tower, intuitively if feels like you're spreading the load over a much larger surface area. And that feels stronger. Due to the prep involved to ensure a solid bond, I'd just want to make sure it was rust-proofed afterwards, but you'd being needing to do that for the welding approach too.

I'm avoiding definitive words because of the first 5 words in my prior paragraph...

Do you have pics of yours?

I have hairline cracks on the rearmost two holes on each strurt tower that have been welded. Unfortunately, the weld did not go through on a the cracks, I can still see some cracks from the bottom but the welder told me he thought it would be OK.

[Casa de Mesa]

I just found your other post (https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...tower-tig-weld) and came back here to update my post and saw you already posted.

Damn dude... that sucks. And it didn't crack where I thought it might have.

[fattycharged]

I epoxied plates on the underside close to a decade ago when doing the tower repair, close to 30k miles, still good


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cubieman]

I epoxied plates on the underside close to a decade ago when doing the tower repair, close to 30k miles, still good


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Did you just use 3 bolts to hold the plates in place while the epoxy set?

I was thinking if I do use epoxy I may also use the 2 rivet holes as well and then drill them out later as they interfere w/ the camber plates.

I may just sandwich them in and call in good, I just don't like that I still have cracks on the underside, I suppose I could have the welder come back by and hit those exposed cracks.

[heinzboehmer]

I was thinking if I do use epoxy I may also use the 2 rivet holes as well and then drill them out later as they interfere w/ the camber plates.

Why not use some clamps through the hole in the strut tower?

[Cubieman]

Why not use some clamps through the hole in the strut tower?

I suppose that would work, trying to think of the most effective way to do this. Was thinking of bolting in an OEM top hat for the surface area and using the rivets but clamps may do just as well.

I wonder if I use epoxy if I can skip having to have the welder come back over and also avoid the cleanup of weld underneath which would be harder with the tools I have.

Also, I would assume 3M 07333 would be the go to adhesive here.

[Slideways]

Team Schirmer E46 with full cage has these plates -

[Cubieman]

Team Schirmer E46 with full cage has these plates -

They should have done something similar from factory, this is just such a weak area.

I understand with stock suspension it isn't such an issue but just looking at these thin towers hanging out on in space with no triangulation or anything really is just silly.

[Casa de Mesa]

Team Schirmer E46 with full cage has these plates -

Every time I see the details of one of their cars, it makes me want to go build a dedicated E46 track car. Their stuff is just so well executed.

[fattycharged]

I suppose that would work, trying to think of the most effective way to do this. Was thinking of bolting in an OEM top hat for the surface area and using the rivets but clamps may do just as well.

I wonder if I use epoxy if I can skip having to have the welder come back over and also avoid the cleanup of weld underneath which would be harder with the tools I have.

Also, I would assume 3M 07333 would be the go to adhesive here.

yes, this is how I did it