Strut Tower rip

[Mike Miller]

Bernie,

Yes, the crack originates on the front edge and migrates through the hole towards the firewall. My first 200q with over 200k mi. did not do this. 

mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Bernie Benz 
To: Mike Miller ; Peter Schulz 
Cc: 200q20V mailing list 
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 1:25 PM
Subject: Re: Strut Tower rip


Mike, Peter.

Over the years I've heard of these cracks but have never witnessed them,
maybe because my car has had a strut brace installed for half of its 190K,
which is stiff enough to distribute the upper latteral cornering forces
equally between the two towers.  Where does this crack originate, from the
front edge into the hole, or from somewhere behind the hole forward to the
hole?

Bernie

> From: "Mike Miller" <mikemilr at blackfoot.net>
> Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:00:29 -0800
> To: "Bernie Benz" <b.benz at charter.net>
> Cc: "200q20V mailing list" <200q20v at audifans.com>
> Subject: Re: Strut Tower rip
> 
> 
> From: Bernie Benz
> 
>> What have you done about it, Mike?  Just waiting to see what falls off?
> 
>> Bernie
> ---
> I was kind of hoping for some list wisdom as to what others have done for a
> fix. I doubt my car is unique. Maybe it just never rips that last 3/4 inch.
> 
> It's been drilled in the path of the crack a few times without helping any.
> I'm thinking a piece of Ti fastened across crack might help.
> 
> mike 
> 
Mike:

The cracks on the passenger side tower tie in to the firewall in both my
avants have also moved beyond the hole that the factory saw fit to install
as a stress relief - they evidently expected a failure there but didnt see
fit to re enforce it.

Of course this is more pronounce on the Grey car, which has Eibach springs
and Bilstein sport struts.

I do have a set of C4 (S4/S6) Strut tower mounts that I will install once I
get my hands on a Brake Fluid reservoir that is offset for the cross bar.

-Peter