Rear shock tower reinforcement

Need technical Q/A then you're in the right place

Moderator: martauto

User avatar
ceige85
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 151
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: Aberdeen

Post Sun Oct 25, 2020 7:57 am

Hi folks

in the middle of a full strip and rebuild project and have bought some Epytec rear towers to replace the standard ones

https://epytec.de/en/chassis/body-reinf ... rut-mounts

does anyone have any experience with these or any shock tower replacement of any kind. The new ones match fairly well to the inner arches etc but not perfect and will no doubt require some fettling. Thoughts were to bolt the new to the old holes then tack in place then chop out the old ones from the wheel side. Currently thats not possible due to metalwork clashes.

Obvious concerns are misalignment of the new towers compared to standard etc

any advice greatly recieved
Cheers
Chris
DanThe
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 28647
Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Staffs

Post Sun Oct 25, 2020 9:16 am

There are so many reinforcement myths out there people get obsessed with it, 99% are a waste of time and money, unless your towers are falling apart with rust I wouldn't be chopping them out for the sake of it

The only way to fit them in the correct place is to make a removable die/brace that fits the bolt holes and angle of the top plate, so once you have cut the old panel out this can be bolted back in to position the new panel
User avatar
ceige85
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 151
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: Aberdeen

Post Mon Oct 26, 2020 10:15 am

No worries, i was suspecting that would be the best way to do it. Not in the worst condition but just being picky i guess. My roof however has some questionable sections to it from the old sunroof tray so thoughts are to get a roof from you guys

Cheers
Chris
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49359
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Post Mon Oct 26, 2020 2:14 pm

Agree with Dan re E30 rear towers, unless you are fitting genuine coil overs, but the same supplier are offering these : https://epytec.de/en/chassis/camber-adj ... adjustment as a cheaper and simpler solution to the camber problem, compared to the more work and cost intensive 5 series eccentric bolt solution, although it does just look like someone has attacked a couple of bolts with a grinder.
User avatar
ceige85
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 151
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: Aberdeen

Post Mon Oct 26, 2020 3:33 pm

Afraid i am indeed going full coilovers (gaz gold). Im balls deep in the build at the moment so doing this extra piece so i never have to look at it again is the frame of mind i guess. Seeing this as a small job compared to potentially removing the entire rear end of the car to fix the utterly cr@p job someone did on the rear panel before me. You can guess im slightly ocd but most engineers are
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49359
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Post Mon Oct 26, 2020 7:38 pm

Even with these, the towers should be strong enough, but, at this level, you'd normally pick the mounting points up on the roll cage.