Strut tower reinforcement plates - does mine already have them??

I'm not sure if the previous owner installed strut tower reinforcement plates on the 05 330i zhp I purchased about 2 years ago. I bought the plates from a dealer several months back and have just put off installing them. I then started wondering if there is a way of "seeing" the plates from the top?

Last thing I would want to have happen is go to the effort of dropping the strut down to discover it already has them.

It just a black disc that goes between the top of the strut and body of the car.


Looks like this:

looks like you do.


if you didnt, above the strut would be that same grey color.

I'm not the OP

Hahahah totally read that all as one post

Lol

I like the camber in your sig

Originally Posted by ac_2007

It just a black disc that goes between the top of the strut and body of the car.


Looks like this:

Perfect, thanks for the pic. I'll check her out!

Originally Posted by ac_2007

Lol

I like the camber in your sig

Hah thanks. It's about -4.2 there

Originally Posted by thecarguy

I'm not sure if the previous owner installed strut tower reinforcement plates on the 05 330i zhp I purchased about 2 years ago. I bought the plates from a dealer several months back and have just put off installing them. I then started wondering if there is a way of "seeing" the plates from the top?

Last thing I would want to have happen is go to the effort of dropping the strut down to discover it already has them.

would you consider selling them? I need a pair

does anyone know if these raise the car at all?
i'm wanting to raise my front maybe 2 mm and this would be a nice and easy way to get a little lift.
i don't want to take the springs out and put different spring pads on.

Originally Posted by peytonracer4

does anyone know if these raise the car at all?
i'm wanting to raise my front maybe 2 mm and this would be a nice and easy way to get a little lift.
i don't want to take the springs out and put different spring pads on.

take a 2mm aluminum sheet, machine it and make holes on it. then install it in the place of this reinforcement. you can get it from:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-al...sheets/=l95ty1

Originally Posted by yannis4ny

take a 2mm aluminum sheet, machine it and make holes on it. then install it in the place of this reinforcement. you can get it from:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-al...sheets/=l95ty1

Do not do this.

The reinforcement plates are shaped specifically for the strut towers. Using a flat piece of aluminum creates stress points, and mushrooms your towers even quicker.
If by “machining” you imply that you’ll be shaping them, why go to all that effort?

BMW sells the plates for around $10 each, and yes they’ll add about 2mm to the ride height.

Originally Posted by ac_2007

Do not do this.

The reinforcement plates are shaped specifically for the strut towers. Using a flat piece of aluminum creates stress points, and mushrooms your towers even quicker.
If by “machining” you imply that you’ll be shaping them, why go to all that effort?

BMW sells the plates for around $10 each, and yes they’ll add about 2mm to the ride height.

Thanks for the info, I was planning on doing this actually.

Originally Posted by yannis4ny

Thanks for the info, I was planning on doing this actually.

No problem, I hope that saves you some trouble