"Free" Camber?

SeanS54 · 03-16-2014, 12:58 PM

What do you think about elongating the top strut mount holes for additional camber? This along with M3 front control arms could possibly yield ~2 degrees of camber?

pic courtesy of Techevo

WreckerX5d · 03-16-2014, 02:37 PM

It should work. I'd just be careful not to go too far or else you'd not be able to put the nut back on, lol. With the M3 controls I was able to get up to -1.5* camber. It wouldn't go farther than that.

rwalker · 03-16-2014, 05:17 PM

Yeap. You'll be limited by the clearance between the spring perches/strut top mount and the inside wall of the strut tower. I haven't measured this clearance, but I stuck my fingers in there. It feels like there might be another centimeter of inboard movement available.

SeanS54 · 12-03-2015, 05:52 PM

Nearly 2 years later I decided to do it!

I slotted my strut towers for more camber!

feuer · 12-03-2015, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wrecker335d

It should work. I'd just be careful not to go too far or else you'd not be able to put the nut back on, lol.

What? Why?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwalker

Yeap. You'll be limited by the clearance between the spring perches/strut top mount and the inside wall of the strut tower. I haven't measured this clearance, but I stuck my fingers in there. It feels like there might be another centimeter of inboard movement available.

Clarence should not be an issue. With camber plates whole assembly moves even further inwards for total of -3.0 camber.

Only I'll effect is weakening the strut tower.

WreckerX5d · 12-03-2015, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by feuer

What? Why?

I have zero idea what I was thinking. It might have been that little bump thing on the shock mount that goes in the tiny hole. If you dremel it off; the elongated holes will work.

feuer · 12-03-2015, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wrecker335d

I have zero idea what I was thinking. It might have been that little bump thing on the shock mount that goes in the tiny hole. If you dremel it off; the elongated holes will work.

You are funny Mr.Wrecker! That's the strut mount alignment guide pin you are referring to. Yes, that need to be removed. Very correct.

marconi118 · 12-04-2015, 03:05 AM

did this in 2011, lot of track days on it, no problem with weak tower, it is rock solid

you can go further, I obtained 3° without any camber plate, only lowered and with M3 bits

mike-y · 12-04-2015, 11:12 AM

we did this on an E30 race car I drive. cheap and effective!

feuer · 12-04-2015, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marconi118

did this in 2011, lot of track days on it, no problem with weak tower, it is rock solid

you can go further, I obtained 3° without any camber plate, only lowered and with M3 bits

the flange in the strut tower is there so the metal will not flex and start creaking from flexing.
if you get too close to the flange that would be inevitable.
very common on BMW's
better save than sorry!

Cloud9blue · 12-04-2015, 02:26 PM

I think OP modification is ok since he didn't remove that much material. Just make sure you repaint the cut region to prevent any corrosion.

Cutting the flange though, is not recommended.

justpete · 12-04-2015, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud9blue

I think OP modification is ok since he didn't remove that much material. Just make sure you repaint the cut region to prevent any corrosion.

Cutting the flange though, is not recommended.

FWIW, we ground away the turned up lip at the opening to clear the hex nut on the strut to get equal and maxed out camber The M3 brace footers will help hold it together in the near term but it's going to need welded on reinforcement eventually.

Cloud9blue · 12-04-2015, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justpete

FWIW, we ground away the turned up lip at the opening to clear the hex nut on the strut to get equal and maxed out camber The M3 brace footers will help hold it together in the near term but it's going to need welded on reinforcement eventually.

Yep. That's the proper way of doing it. I believe bimmerworld sells the reinforcement plates for these strut tower if you want something PnP.

spxxx · 12-05-2015, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by feuer

Quote:

Originally Posted by marconi118

did this in 2011, lot of track days on it, no problem with weak tower, it is rock solid

you can go further, I obtained 3° without any camber plate, only lowered and with M3 bits

the flange in the strut tower is there so the metal will not flex and start creaking from flexing.
if you get too close to the flange that would be inevitable.
very common on BMW's
better save than sorry!

Looking at the rust on top of the strut I'm assuming that corrosion caused that failure and maybe hitting some meaty rumble strips...

12-05-2015, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud9blue

I believe bimmerworld sells the reinforcement plates for these strut tower if you want something PnP.

Nice! Yeah, seems to be an OEM part (even though I couldn't find it in RealOEM). Not a bad idea at all; especially for only $20. Good lookin out.

feuer · 12-05-2015, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spxxx

Looking at the rust on top of the strut I'm assuming that corrosion caused that failure and maybe hitting some meaty rumble strips...

Negative, no rust there and definitely not from rust.

marconi118 · 12-07-2015, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by feuer

the flange in the strut tower is there so the metal will not flex and start creaking from flexing.
if you get too close to the flange that would be inevitable.
very common on BMW's
better save than sorry!

Tip: enlarge the holes not longitudinally (like BMW did) bit diagonally towards the rear of the car, this gives you more clearance to the flange and adds a bit of caster tooo

second picture is not an E90, maybe a weak E46?

03-16-2014, 12:58 PM	#1
SeanS54 Captain 168 Rep 842 Posts Drives: F82 M4 ZCP Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (20)	"Free" Camber? What do you think about elongating the top strut mount holes for additional camber? This along with M3 front control arms could possibly yield ~2 degrees of camber? pic courtesy of Techevo __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/SeanS54/videos
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03-16-2014, 02:37 PM	#2
WreckerX5d Warrant Officer 375 Rep 1,341 Posts Drives: Deezul Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Long Island, NY iTrader: (4)	It should work. I'd just be careful not to go too far or else you'd not be able to put the nut back on, lol. With the M3 controls I was able to get up to -1.5* camber. It wouldn't go farther than that. __________________ Deleted, ATM I/C and tuned by B.R.R.
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03-16-2014, 05:17 PM	#3
rwalker Major 330 Rep 1,084 Posts Drives: the wheels off Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: San Diego, CA iTrader: (1)	Yeap. You'll be limited by the clearance between the spring perches/strut top mount and the inside wall of the strut tower. I haven't measured this clearance, but I stuck my fingers in there. It feels like there might be another centimeter of inboard movement available.
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12-03-2015, 05:52 PM	#4
SeanS54 Captain 168 Rep 842 Posts Drives: F82 M4 ZCP Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (20)	Nearly 2 years later I decided to do it! I slotted my strut towers for more camber! __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/SeanS54/videos
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12-04-2015, 03:05 AM	#8
marconi118 Major 94 Rep 1,184 Posts Drives: 06/07 e93 335i Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: europe iTrader: (0)	did this in 2011, lot of track days on it, no problem with weak tower, it is rock solid you can go further, I obtained 3° without any camber plate, only lowered and with M3 bits
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12-04-2015, 11:12 AM	#9
mike-y just another bmw douche bag 195 Rep 3,640 Posts Drives: 1.9L of fury Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (4)	we did this on an E30 race car I drive. cheap and effective!
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12-04-2015, 02:26 PM	#11
Cloud9blue Brigadier General 711 Rep 3,251 Posts Drives: around the potholes Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: NY/NJ/MA iTrader: (13)	I think OP modification is ok since he didn't remove that much material. Just make sure you repaint the cut region to prevent any corrosion. Cutting the flange though, is not recommended.
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