Broken Ground Control Camber Plates, 3rd time, ritual self-disembowelment imminent

[AudioNToxication]

pictures re sized

for charity

[zwill23]

I've been running these for about 15k miles with no issues thus far. I'm inclined to think this has to be a bottoming out issue, I don't know how that much force could be translated to the failure point otherwise.

I would have your struts checked out, especially since you had them modified by GC. They might not have been shortened at all.

[Zambuzan]

UUC makes them as well but hasn't their reputation recently been called into question?

What's up with the hearsay?

[iansane]

If that's only strut loaded then is the strut bottoming out?

[JGood]

What was GC's response? I don't understand how you can break 3 of them, and GC isn't trying to find a solution. Their website even says they have a lifetime warranty. You'd obviously still be out labor/alignment/etc. but I just don't see how they could blow you off and make you pay for the part.

Anyway, I've been running IE race plates on my street car for 7 years or so, no issues at all. Koni S/A's on full stiff.

[nrubenstein]

Bit hard to tell what the actual failure mode is there. are they relying on that weld you have pointed out to take the full force of the front suspension?

On DIY coilovers i have been involved with there is a shoulder on the shock shaft that sits up against the camper top bearing. So it is the spherical bearing (inside the plate) that takes all the force, not a weld like that.

That’s a shoulder on a machined insert that has sheared off, not a weld.

The springs on this camber plate ride on a perch that is on a BMW OEM type bearing, so the strut shaft is ONLY loaded with strut loads. That’s why repeated failure here is so weird.

FWIW, I have both GC and Vorshlag camber plates. They both have plusses and minuses.

[e30davie]

Bit hard to tell what the actual failure mode is there. are they relying on that weld you have pointed out to take the full force of the front suspension?

On DIY coilovers i have been involved with there is a shoulder on the shock shaft that sits up against the camper top bearing. So it is the spherical bearing (inside the plate) that takes all the force, not a weld like that.

[nrubenstein]

Is there something wrong with your strut? That should not be a heavily loaded spot on that camber plate design. What's going on with your bump stop?

[d.brocco]

That's not only strange, but more so that it happened twice. I have several friends using t5he same plates on race cars (some been on for years), and have never seen this before.

Thrice. I will check out Vorshlag - thank you guys :)

[ForcedFirebird]

That's not only strange, but more so that it happened twice. I have several friends using t5he same plates on race cars (some been on for years), and have never seen this before.

[agent]

I have Vorschlag plates on my swapped car. Numerous track days and mountain road weekends; no issues.

[chadthestampede]

FWIW I have these same camber plates and have had zero issues. That being said, Vorshlag is about the only other option. UUC makes them as well but hasn't their reputation recently been called into question?

[e30austin]

Wow, that sucks. I was just getting ready to buy a set of those, too. Vorshlag would be my next suggestion.

[d.brocco]

Has this happened to anyone else? Sorry if pics r huge, can't really deal rn





Shortened struts (by ground control), coilovers by ground control, sport camber plates by, and personally upsold to me by ground control. All items bought direct and professionally installed by two different bmw-only mechanics with excellent reputations in the Bay Area, California, USA.

Somehow, the whole works seems to be riding on the 1/16" of metal as shown by the red arrow. This is where it breaks every time, leaving me out parts, (Ground Control will not comp the $30 insert to a multi-car kit customer), labor, and an alignment for a nice swift kick to the nuts at the end.

Thankfully i haven't fixed the hood before any of these times.

I guess mostly I am asking for a recommendation for aggressive-street (driving not parking) camber plates that are NOT by Ground Control, but compatible.

Thank you very much in advance for any help. This car is my daily and my favorite car.

Darien