ATTN EVERYONE: Safety concern with 15mm drop hats

[Sagaris]

If you are considering installing 15mm drop hats on an E30 you run the risk of the spring hats digging into the inside of the strut tower. When this happens your steering can stick and will not return to center until you put some muscle into it. I could easily see this causing an accident, if not from the steering being stuck, from the abrupt overcorrection that could come from trying to free the stuck steering on the freeway etc.

This can happen when the suspension bushings and other items flex just enough to allow the spring hat to move and make contact. My steering stuck while turning right and slowing down mid-corner. It only happened once and hope it never happens again!

FYI: I have H&R sport springs, Bilstein Sport dampers, and E30 offset control arm bushings.

You can try to prevent this by grinding the edges of the drop hats (before installation) to eliminate the sharp edge and by grinding down the part of the drop hat that is oblong/non circular. There is not a lot of material that you can remove though.

I imagine that using a thicker spacer between the hat and the strut mount would also help prevent this.



EDIT:
Problem resolved by grinding the hats down

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=189122

[ak-]

Are you positive that this is why? I'm not arguing against it, but it's just pretty interesting.
One question though, how fast were you taking that turn?
I'm asking this because if you were taking that turn fast and you are slammed on h&r sports, it sounds like you could of just been bottoming out your left shock on that turn. When that happens, all the weight goes into that shock on the turn and makes it feel like your steering is 'stuck' and understeering while mid-turn.
So yea, you have to put muscle in to correct it and snap back.
But if you were just cruising, then my comment is invalid I guess.

[5KWattson]

how has this not been brought up before? and what about the 10mm E90 drop hats

[Sagaris]

When I installed my suspension last weekend I undercoated the wheel wells. Today I could see the scrapes down to the bare metal on the inside of the strut tower and as I rotated the strut through the range of turning motion I coud feel where there was ~1-2mm of clearance.

I was taking the corner a litte faster than a normal driver would but not enough to make a passenger uncomfortable.

[Sagaris]

how has this not been brought up before? and what about the 10mm E90 drop hats

I have seen 2 threads where people complain of the steering not returning to center and some of suggestions from peope are "did you put the spacer between the hat and the strut mount, "did you grease ths strut mount", "Is the spring seated on the perch correctly" ....

The 2 threads I saw involved the use of drop hats. The search function on here blows but I will see if I can find either again ( I tried to earlier with no luck)

As far as the e90 hats are concerned: I have not tried them of course, but from my own experience, it took just the right circumstances (steering angle, suspension movement, braking force) for them to cause a problem on my car and it is not something that happens consistently, just the once so far. I would have to think that with really worn control arm bushings and strut mounts that the e90 hats may contact the strut towers, regardless, I would be very suprised if the susp. moved enough for that to happen.

[lennon]

The 2 threads I saw involved the use of drop hats. The search function on here blows but I will see if I can find either again ( I tried to earlier with no luck)

off topic, but im tired of everyone bitching about r3v's search engine. i've never had a problem finding anything i'm looking for. you know there's an "advanced search", right...? what message board search engines are so much better? and if you have atleast minimal intelligence, you can use google to search any site you like.

[Philo]

off topic, but im tired of everyone bitching about r3v's search engine. i've never had a problem finding anything i'm looking for. you know there's an "advanced search", right...? what message board search engines are so much better? and if you have atleast minimal intelligence, you can use google to search any site you like.

I'll second this statement. The search engine here is far better than any other forum I am on, or know of. Not many will allow you to search 3 letters and provide the filtering system like R3v does.

[nrubenstein]

Or you could just not install drop hats because they are just as stupid as cutting your springs, and have essentially the same impact.

[Philo]

Or you could just not install drop hats because they are just as stupid as cutting your springs, and have essentially the same impact.

Other than changing the spring rates and possibly hurting re-sale of the spring, I agree. I would rather run 10mm drop hats than cut my H&R races.

[bmwstephen]

did you not install the thicker washer and what condition were your strut mounts in? if you reuse your original washer the strut mount better be in "New" condition since that piece warps up over time. The thicker washer is used for higher mileage or abused strut mounts that accounts for the wear on the original ones so you don't have to purchase new ones.

[xwill112x]

probably didnt install the washer. thats what keeps it from binding. I have zero problems with mine. And i'm definitly not cutting my Race springs, drop hats are the way to go.

[Sagaris]

The steering binding happened with brand new strut mounts , with the washer in place. It is not a bearing binding issue, it is a "spring hat cutting into the inside of the strut tower" problem.

[richardkeith97]

i've got new strut mounts on both my e30's. ones a stock eta and the other ones got h&r race springs. i am using the stock washer on both cars with no issues. i have gotten a few emails from people having this problem if they use the thicker washer and the first question is if they have new strut bearings. the answer has always been no. either they eventually get new strut bearing or grind the top of the drop hat and/or the bottom of the strut bearing.

[McGyver]

never had a problem with mine. eventually im going to need another set, but im going to get you those pictures i promised you first Richard.

[j0nny5]

+1 i had the same problem...mine werent catching that bad but clunking when i turned and had to take apart my front end and install thicker washers than the ones provided, pita and effectively raising the front end,also had a nice lil gouge in the top of them.