RPM Strut Brace Fitment (or not)

[PG325]

I've had fitted an RPM front strut brace this morning, shut the bonnet and that's where the fun begins!

The bonnet is hitting the brace, the bonnet will close but it's already marked the paint and scratched the brace.

I haven't informed RPM yet, thought I check here before contacting them.

Have a look at the pics, has any one else had this problem with an RPM brace?

[polsta]

The washer bits there should be inside the bonnet mate behind the holes !!

Had an rpm brace myself no problems at all ,possible it may be slightly shaped wrong but surely they make enough, but in your 1st pic there it looks a bit high to me when you look at the bonnet seal

[PG325]

The washer bits there should be inside the bonnet mate behind the holes !!

Had an rpm brace myself no problems at all ,possible it may be slightly shaped wrong but surely they make enough, but in your 1st pic there it looks a bit high to me when you look at the bonnet seal

Even with the washer tube tucked away, the bonnet still touches, it can't be right.

I'm gonna refer this back to RPM.

[PG325]

Referred this back to RPM, still waiting for confirmation what they're going to do.......

Just wondering if the front suspension turrets are the same on a convertible versus a saloon or touring.

I recall reading somewhere that cab mountings are reinforced, I'm wondering if this is why the brace is higher in the engine, hence hitting the underside of the bonnet.

[Rav335uk]

The strut towers are all the same in the E30 range.

[Jim320i]

Do you know anyone else with an e30 you can try to mock fit it to? Seems a by odd, like rav said, they are all the same so I would out the brace at fault

[RPM]

We have been in communication with Paul to resolve the issue.

I can confirm we have customers that have fitted these to convertibles with no issue, I have also fitted 2 to convertibles myself.

We produce 100's of these, and this brace is from the last couple from a production batch of 100, no other issues on this batch that we are aware of. All braces are Q/C'd after powder coating to ensure fitment.

I have offered a full refund and to cover the return postage, we can then check the brace here to confirm if an issue.

[Rav335uk]

Nice to know a resolution has been reached

[craigieeb]

Have you put washers under the brace, on the studs?
If you zoom in on the first pic, it looks raised up a touch.

[rich318i]

that is miles off looks like 6" off should almost touch the fire wall.

Friday Job!!!

[rich318i]

how much was it???? steel or ally????

[rich318i]

get your money back and buy one of these

http://www.c3bmw.co.uk/StockItem.asp?ca ... m=unassign

[PG325]

Have you put washers under the brace, on the studs?
If you zoom in on the first pic, it looks raised up a touch.

No washers added, the brace has mounting points to raise it off the turret dimples!

[toby]

get your money back and buy one of these

http://www.c3bmw.co.uk/StockItem.asp?ca ... m=unassign

Why would anyone want a brace made of alloy since it flexes and defeats the purpose of fitting one?! That's just bling. Steel is what a brace should be made of, like the RPM or the Sparco steel single tube one!

[craigieeb]

Have you put washers under the brace, on the studs?
If you zoom in on the first pic, it looks raised up a touch.

No washers added, the brace has mounting points to raise it off the turret dimples!

Ahh yeah, I forgot about the raised up parts on the top of the turret

[ross_jsy]

that is miles off looks like 6" off should almost touch the fire wall.

Friday Job!!!

Why should it almost touch the firewall?

[fearlessphil]

aluminum has less flex than steel so if its made right an alloy strut brace will out perform steel! This is verry true in the bike world, cant see why it would change in the car world!

[rich318i]

well its a twin tube brace and very light and very well made. C3's dont sell shit

[craigieeb]

C3's dont sell shit

http://www.c3bmw.co.uk/StockItem.asp?ca ... m=unassign

And thats only the first page....

[rich318i]

apart from that lol must agree lol

the owner has been about and i only buy things off him that he uses on his E30 M3

[bmw9818]

ive got the same issue it brushes the brace, had mine for a little while though,

and my bonnet isnt properly aligned when i removed it for the engine swap, if i raise the side bonnet runner things a bit which i removed it would probably clear the brace and line up,

[DHFiS]

aluminum has less flex than steel so if its made right an alloy strut brace will out perform steel! This is verry true in the bike world, cant see why it would change in the car world!

It might be true in the bike world but it isnt true in the real world.

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/young ... d_773.html

[toby]

Aluminium flexes more than steel. It is used in the bike world as it is lighter.

[rich318i]

so aluminum wish bones are shit then aswell????


BLA BLA BLA

[rich318i]

never hear so much shit before

better tell VW Group that aluminum is not the right way too go lol

[ross_jsy]

God you are stupid.

No one has stated that aluminium is shit. Ali by its nature is far more flexible than steel, GCSE chemistry should have taught you that. If you engineer something like a wishbone to be made from ali you can engineer out a lot of its flex but it will never be as stiff as its steel counterpart without being a lot thicker.

[harry_p]

withough knowing more about specific braces it's pointless doing some random internet argueing

aluminium is weaker, but it's also 1/3rd of the weight of steel so you can use more of it. No reason why a properly designed aluminium brace can't be both stronger and lighter than a steel one.

[ajay]

I suppose the relevant question might be how stiff does a brace have to be to work effectively? It could be made of paper mache if it is rigid/stiff enough to be effective thats what matters.

[rich318i]

God you are stupid.

No one has stated that aluminium is shit. Ali by its nature is far more flexible than steel, GCSE chemistry should have taught you that. If you engineer something like a wishbone to be made from ali you can engineer out a lot of its flex but it will never be as stiff as its steel counterpart without being a lot thicker.

Did A-level chemistry and physics thanks

what a load of bollocks you boys chat

[rich318i]

the RPM brace makers must of been smoking something at the time

[Sanchez]

back on topic, op can you show a pic of your closed bonnet to see if it is aligned correctly?

[ross_jsy]

God you are stupid.

No one has stated that aluminium is shit. Ali by its nature is far more flexible than steel, GCSE chemistry should have taught you that. If you engineer something like a wishbone to be made from ali you can engineer out a lot of its flex but it will never be as stiff as its steel counterpart without being a lot thicker.

Did A-level chemistry and physics thanks

what a load of bollocks you boys chat

And you still think aluminium has less flex than steel despite DHFiS posting the following:

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/young ... d_773.html

[toby]

God you are stupid.

No one has stated that aluminium is shit. Ali by its nature is far more flexible than steel, GCSE chemistry should have taught you that. If you engineer something like a wishbone to be made from ali you can engineer out a lot of its flex but it will never be as stiff as its steel counterpart without being a lot thicker.

Did A-level chemistry and physics thanks

what a load of bollocks you boys chat

Shows how bad your education has been frankly!

Why the rudeness?!

[PG325]

back on topic, op can you show a pic of your closed bonnet to see if it is aligned correctly?

I'll get a pic later and post, the bonnet is aligned fine both sides, it touching the underside of the bonnet at equal points of the bracing.

When the bonnet is lowered it hits the brace as shown in the 3rd pic on page 1, when closed fully it's fine, but that's not the point, it shouldn't touch when lowered prior to the final push to close position.

[Sanchez]

You have a few options of either fitting it to another e30 to see if the same problem occurs or taking up the RPM offer of a refund.