Help-Hit big hole on hwy

brads2002 · 11-01-2009, 07:09 PM

Hi folks

Can someone take a look at their strut towers for me on a 330i (mines a 2003)? My passenger side one is slightly rounded on the top but the drivers side is totally flat. I hit a hole in a construction zone that took out one of my wheels bad. I am hoping I didn't do any other damage. If someone could take a look it would make me feel a lot better knowing what it is supposed to look like. There is no cracked paint or anything so i am hoping i am OK.

Thanks a lot.

Acarder · 11-01-2009, 07:19 PM

Passenger one sounds like its mushroomed. Check if all the bolts are flush and parallel.

I wouldn't be overly concerned, they just need to be flattened out and then you need an alignment and a strut brace which are cheap engine candy that stop it from reoccurring.

brads2002 · 11-01-2009, 07:24 PM

Ah so it is supposed to be flat? Funny thing, my strut brace is on its way from Cali right now. I ordered one tuesday. Figures!

Acarder · 11-01-2009, 07:28 PM

Yep, both my cars have perfectly flat ones (this thread made me check

). You wont be able to fit the strut brace if the bolts aren't perfectly flush, although if it still goes on even though they're a little off I guess that doesn't matter. If you can visibly see a bulge though I would get it fixed before attempting to strengthen it. These cars do have pretty weak towers to be honest, I think I might pick up a brace just in case.

brads2002 · 11-01-2009, 07:36 PM

Thanks for checking Matt. I am going to contact the construction company doing the work. They shouldnt have left the road like that. M cross spoke down the tubes.

brads2002 · 11-01-2009, 07:41 PM

Matt, the brace i ordered from here. Looked pretty nice for short cash. Rotora E46 Non-M Front Strut Tower Bar enter in AFE in the coupon box and it gives you 20% off. It ended up being 60 something bucks.

http://eurobahn.us/index.aspx

Spyder_Venom · 11-01-2009, 08:07 PM

Bummer to hear that - but these strut pockets aren't that strong and this is a some-what frequent occurrence on older (well used?) track E36 and E46 cars. I'm not too sure what the construction company will do, but your insurance company would likely cover it under collision.

brads2002 · 11-01-2009, 08:31 PM

yeah thanks, i will call my ins co too. I would hate to have it go against me though. I am hoping that the cons company will pay for the damages. They really shouldn't have left the road the way it was with nothing marked. I called the state and the lady said they will usually help the driver work things out with whomever they contracted to do the work. Anyone else been in this situation before?

Spyder_Venom · 11-01-2009, 09:35 PM

I went through it once, and was left to deal with my insurance company. Not sure how your laws are structured in NH, but in MN, you assume all risks while traveling on the road. Even though the construction company was the primary contributing factor, you could have driven slower to avoid the issue (is the way they look at it). So, unless it was something that was completely unavoidable (which I don't think is ever possible), they'll consider it a hazard of driving on the road. My insurance company did go after the construction company's insurance company - not sure if they ever got anything, but it was beyond my mere mortal status to even get one of them to call me back.

xi_ter · 11-02-2009, 12:40 AM

Take a dated picture of the hole if it's still there in the hwy. It might help to make a recovery for the damage.

David F · 11-02-2009, 09:33 AM

If the strut tower is mushroomed, don't loose too much sleep, it is easy to fix. All you need is a new strut bearing (yours is now bent) a block of wood (2x4) and a two pound hammer (or bigger). First, remove the strut (just remove the brake caliper, pinch bolt, and three strut bearing nuts. But, before you remove the three bearing nuts, use a mallet and knock the steering knuckle loose from the strut tube. Now, remove the three nuts, push the steering knuckle down with your foot and the strut will clear the tower and wheel well. Replace the strut bearing. Strategically place the block of wood on the mushroomed strut tower and beat it down flat with the two pound hammer. That is all there is to it.

When I purchased my '99 323i, both towers were mushroomed. Same thing with my '05 MINI Cooper S. I used aluminum reinforcing plates (Craven Speed) on the MINI as the MINI's are by far worse at mushrooming. Not sure if plates are available for the E46, but a strut brace will certainly help, but pricey.

11-01-2009, 07:09 PM	#1
brads2002 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Amherst NH Posts: 30 My Ride: 2003 330i ZHP View My Garage	Help-Hit big hole on hwy Hi folks Can someone take a look at their strut towers for me on a 330i (mines a 2003)? My passenger side one is slightly rounded on the top but the drivers side is totally flat. I hit a hole in a construction zone that took out one of my wheels bad. I am hoping I didn't do any other damage. If someone could take a look it would make me feel a lot better knowing what it is supposed to look like. There is no cracked paint or anything so i am hoping i am OK. Thanks a lot.

11-01-2009, 07:19 PM	#2
Acarder Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New Zealand Posts: 4,387 My Ride: 04 6MT 330i, 328i View My Garage	Passenger one sounds like its mushroomed. Check if all the bolts are flush and parallel. I wouldn't be overly concerned, they just need to be flattened out and then you need an alignment and a strut brace which are cheap engine candy that stop it from reoccurring. __________________ - Matt

11-01-2009, 07:28 PM	#4
Acarder Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New Zealand Posts: 4,387 My Ride: 04 6MT 330i, 328i View My Garage	Yep, both my cars have perfectly flat ones (this thread made me check ). You wont be able to fit the strut brace if the bolts aren't perfectly flush, although if it still goes on even though they're a little off I guess that doesn't matter. If you can visibly see a bulge though I would get it fixed before attempting to strengthen it. These cars do have pretty weak towers to be honest, I think I might pick up a brace just in case. __________________ - Matt

11-02-2009, 12:40 AM	#10
xi_ter Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Edmonton, Canada Posts: 949 My Ride: 2003 325xi View My Garage	Take a dated picture of the hole if it's still there in the hwy. It might help to make a recovery for the damage. __________________

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11-01-2009, 07:24 PM	#3
brads2002 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Amherst NH Posts: 30 My Ride: 2003 330i ZHP View My Garage	Ah so it is supposed to be flat? Funny thing, my strut brace is on its way from Cali right now. I ordered one tuesday. Figures!

11-01-2009, 07:36 PM	#5
brads2002 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Amherst NH Posts: 30 My Ride: 2003 330i ZHP View My Garage	Thanks for checking Matt. I am going to contact the construction company doing the work. They shouldnt have left the road like that. M cross spoke down the tubes.

11-01-2009, 07:41 PM	#6
brads2002 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Amherst NH Posts: 30 My Ride: 2003 330i ZHP View My Garage	Matt, the brace i ordered from here. Looked pretty nice for short cash. Rotora E46 Non-M Front Strut Tower Bar enter in AFE in the coupon box and it gives you 20% off. It ended up being 60 something bucks. http://eurobahn.us/index.aspx

11-01-2009, 08:07 PM	#7
Spyder_Venom Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bloomington, MN Posts: 107 My Ride: 325CI View My Garage	Bummer to hear that - but these strut pockets aren't that strong and this is a some-what frequent occurrence on older (well used?) track E36 and E46 cars. I'm not too sure what the construction company will do, but your insurance company would likely cover it under collision.

11-01-2009, 08:31 PM	#8
brads2002 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Amherst NH Posts: 30 My Ride: 2003 330i ZHP View My Garage	yeah thanks, i will call my ins co too. I would hate to have it go against me though. I am hoping that the cons company will pay for the damages. They really shouldn't have left the road the way it was with nothing marked. I called the state and the lady said they will usually help the driver work things out with whomever they contracted to do the work. Anyone else been in this situation before?

11-01-2009, 09:35 PM	#9
Spyder_Venom Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bloomington, MN Posts: 107 My Ride: 325CI View My Garage	I went through it once, and was left to deal with my insurance company. Not sure how your laws are structured in NH, but in MN, you assume all risks while traveling on the road. Even though the construction company was the primary contributing factor, you could have driven slower to avoid the issue (is the way they look at it). So, unless it was something that was completely unavoidable (which I don't think is ever possible), they'll consider it a hazard of driving on the road. My insurance company did go after the construction company's insurance company - not sure if they ever got anything, but it was beyond my mere mortal status to even get one of them to call me back.

11-02-2009, 09:33 AM	#11
David F Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 189 My Ride: 323i, 740iL, 633CSi View My Garage	If the strut tower is mushroomed, don't loose too much sleep, it is easy to fix. All you need is a new strut bearing (yours is now bent) a block of wood (2x4) and a two pound hammer (or bigger). First, remove the strut (just remove the brake caliper, pinch bolt, and three strut bearing nuts. But, before you remove the three bearing nuts, use a mallet and knock the steering knuckle loose from the strut tube. Now, remove the three nuts, push the steering knuckle down with your foot and the strut will clear the tower and wheel well. Replace the strut bearing. Strategically place the block of wood on the mushroomed strut tower and beat it down flat with the two pound hammer. That is all there is to it. When I purchased my '99 323i, both towers were mushroomed. Same thing with my '05 MINI Cooper S. I used aluminum reinforcing plates (Craven Speed) on the MINI as the MINI's are by far worse at mushrooming. Not sure if plates are available for the E46, but a strut brace will certainly help, but pricey.