Bent Upper Spring Plate

#1

We’ve had a non linear feeling in the LF of the car for a bit and finally got a chance to dig into it. You could feel the strut bind as you turned it by hand (when up on a jack) and it may have been causing some steering centering issues as well (to be confirmed at the next event now that it’s fixed). I thought it was going to be a problem in the bearing of the IE camber plate but it turns out it was a couple of other things.

Bent upper spring plate, note the crack and the bent mount surface:

Washer stack deformation. The bottom smaller spacer washer has deformed into larger diameter base washer.

Between these 2 deformations the upper spring plate was rubbing the bottom of the camber plate at several spots in the strut rotation. I have no idea for sure which issue is the root cause but based on the fact that I’ve never heard of a spring plate problem I suspect the washers. My purpose in posting so that people can know where to look if they are having a similar problem.

We did not assemble the kit originally (the good & bad of buying a existing car), so I don’t know if the bottom washer was part of the kit or not but it should definitely not have a hole in it any larger than the smaller spacers above it.

Also all the IE supplied washers appear to be plain material washers, where hardened washers or a solid spacer would be a better solution. To IE’s credit they sent out replacement spacer washers right away even though we were not the original purchasers.

Here’s a website we found (no affiliation) that lays out how all the part go together.
http://brandnewengine.com/bmw/ie_camber_plates/

Hope that all helps someone down the road.

#2

IE uses non hardened washers…with their design you will need to change upper mounts every 5 or 6 weekends…no joke. Get you some head bolt washers and machine out.

Their plates are for coil over set ups, not really designed for the stock spring plate, I had the washers squeeze out completely after 3 weekends and then went to the hardened washers, still damage the upper spring palte.

Al

#3

Are you saying with the hardened washers your still bending the upper spring plate?

Anyone else having IE plate issues?

#4

Is it just me or does it seem every IE part has design issues or people having issues with them. I have just decided to avoid IE products like the plague.

#5

Yes, I just pulled them apart last week and have one bent plate, the design puts to much pressure in too small of an area, on coil overs the upper plate is a cone that is designed to take the force, the flat plate just is not up to it…Yes, I have had problems with other IE stuff…

Al

#6

I love IE. If you have a problem then call and ask for Jeremy. I called when I was installing the IE plates to ask how many washers should go on top and how many on the bottom. I’m pretty sure I didn’t put a big washer under the other washers. I think that that big washer is the one that originally went over the bearing with the stock setup. That washer too close to the bearing will bind. I don’t understand why you guys constantly talk shit about IE just because they didn’t send detailed instructions and troubleshooting procedures with their product. Their product are made for racing and they are cheaper than the rest of the parts out there. I didn’t comment on the sparco bar thread vs IE but what I was thinking is that the IE is made to serve a purpose and the sparco bar is just for looks like everything with the sparco name on it other than seats. If someone wants to dispute this I will rant forever about the name brand garbage parts that are out there and that cost way too much.

I think the rules should allow modification of the upper spring perch, as in to offset the spring perch further out from the frame.

#7

because it would only take someone at IE 1/2 hour to scribble some instructions and include a photocopy that would clear everything up … or even less time for them to review the work that some have done in creating pictorial websites describing the installation and for them to say “do it like that”. The consequences of an improper installation can be anywhere from costly to devastating.

Please feel free to make any rules change recommendations to your regional series director, along with an assessment of how you feel that it would benefit the racers and the series as a whole.
thanks,
bruce

turbo329is wrote:

[quote]I love IE. If you have a problem then call and ask for Jeremy. I called when I was installing the IE plates to ask how many washers should go on top and how many on the bottom. I’m pretty sure I didn’t put a big washer under the other washers. I think that that big washer is the one that originally went over the bearing with the stock setup. That washer too close to the bearing will bind. I don’t understand why you guys constantly talk shit about IE just because they didn’t send detailed instructions and troubleshooting procedures with their product. Their product are made for racing and they are cheaper than the rest of the parts out there. I didn’t comment on the sparco bar thread vs IE but what I was thinking is that the IE is made to serve a purpose and the sparco bar is just for looks like everything with the sparco name on it other than seats. If someone wants to dispute this I will rant forever about the name brand garbage parts that are out there and that cost way too much.

I think the rules should allow modification of the upper spring perch, as in to offset the spring perch further out from the frame.[/quote]

#8

Now that I think about it that extra big washer under the stack is fine where it is just not necessary unless you need more room between the plate and the spring hat.

#9

The next time I call IE I will tell him most people need instructions and that it would probably be good for business to join this forum.

#10

We’ve had two SpecE30 cars with EI camber plates fail. The upper spring perch was badly bent and cracked as in the pictures above. If you have EI plates check them…

#11

Did you guys make sure the perch isn’t hitting the side of the strut tower?