Strut Tower rip

[Bernie Benz]

> From: C1J1Miller at aol.com
 
> Peter writes:
> ----------
> 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.
> --------
> Peter:  the hole is there for the jump start post on some variants (such as
> the later S cars), not for stress relief.
I agree, hardheadedly, Chris.
>  The hole is only on the passenger's
> side.  If you are worried, it should be easy to reinforce/weld up the hole and
> tear.
> 
> Not all cars tear this web; my sedan went over 188k miles, many of them hard
> miles with a lowered suspension and konis, 255/40r17 tires, track events, New
> England roads, and there was no evidence of damage.  Haven't rechecked it
> since the front end accident that totalled it.
> 
> I'd assume the tear has to be related to shock tower spreading apart from each
> other.  The V8 has a lot more reinforcing welds in this area, including braces
> of the strut towers to the firewall.
I wouldn't assume so, Chris, inasmuch as the maximum latteral force, strut
tower to firewall (and thus thru to the opposite tower) is compressive, with
that tower on the outside of the turn. Maybe this web can handle the
compressive loading but then cracks after repeated cycles due to the lower
tensile stresses of loading from the other side.  Anyway, tie the two
together compressively, with a stiff strut brace!

Bernie
> 
> Chris