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Snapped strut brace?

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Scooba_Steve
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Snapped strut brace?

Post by Scooba_Steve » Sun May 14, 2017 2:29 pm

Really weird, no cut marks but so clean. I'd be tempted to ask BMW Engineering to take a look, maybe it's not an original/genuine?
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Snapped strut brace?

Post by markeg » Sun May 14, 2017 8:40 pm

Definitely looks like fatigue - if it was sawn there would be teeth marks on the break. Just seems strange that this is the first one I've heard of.
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Snapped strut brace?

Post by Machine monkey » Sun May 14, 2017 9:06 pm

LukyBowler wrote: Sat May 13, 2017 11:18 pm Thanks @MachineMonkey how much would you like for it? That's very kind.

I hope it wasn't crashed but I guess you never know... I bought it privately and it seemed straight and the guy worked for the AA and seemed honest. He wouldn't budge on his price which always makes me feel good in a strange way as it makes me feel they have confidence in the car!
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Snapped strut brace?

Post by cj10jeeper » Sun May 14, 2017 9:10 pm

markeg wrote: Sun May 14, 2017 8:40 pm Definitely looks like fatigue - if it was sawn there would be teeth marks on the break. Just seems strange that this is the first one I've heard of.
Certain to be fatigue. I'm sure you know they are notched on the underside so if in a heavy impact they fold and don't transmit a crash impact to the bulkhead. Fatigue would just make a nice neat break

As above never heard of one breaking other than on the strut tower, but then again these cars are ageing now, so new things happen
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Snapped strut brace?

Post by LukyBowler » Sun May 14, 2017 10:06 pm

If I have one I am sure I do you can have it cover postage and make a forum donation :thumbsup:
[/quote]

Brilliant, thanks so much. Please let me know tomorrow if you have one and I'll arrange payment for postage and the forum donation :)

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Snapped strut brace?

Post by GBZ4 » Mon May 15, 2017 1:29 am

LukyBowler wrote: Sun May 14, 2017 1:32 pm What do you reckon?

The only reason I noticed is because it started making noise against the bonnet, which it wasn't doing when I picked it up.

So if it was cut then it's only just come apart, so to speak.

Real head scratcher...
There's a fracture site in the middle of the flat area of the tube. Because it's designed for tensile loads, over time the crack has propagated round the tube until the tensile load finally pulled it apart.

It does demonstrate that they, the struts, do serve a purpose.
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Snapped strut brace?

Post by ZAR4MC » Mon May 15, 2017 9:04 am

wow, first time i hear of this one snapping and such a clean break... OP, time to upgrade :D
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Snapped strut brace?

Post by LukyBowler » Mon May 15, 2017 9:20 am

So... given that this snapped in my first 3 weeks of ownership and results from cornering load etc... does that make me a driving God? :driving: :P

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Snapped strut brace?

Post by ZAR4MC » Mon May 15, 2017 9:35 am

LukyBowler wrote: Mon May 15, 2017 9:20 am So... given that this snapped in my first 3 weeks of ownership and results from cornering load etc... does that make me a driving God? :driving: :P
could be that or could be loads of abuse from previous owner :D i'll give the the benefit of the doubt though... Griving god

I'd check your engine mount brackets because the bolts on them tend to snap due to cornering load as well... and replace them with the revised part before a bolt snaps in the block.
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Snapped strut brace?

Post by vester86 » Mon May 15, 2017 3:03 pm

LukyBowler wrote: Mon May 15, 2017 9:20 am So... given that this snapped in my first 3 weeks of ownership and results from cornering load etc... does that make me a driving God? :driving: :P
make it pure coincidence....

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Snapped strut brace?

Post by Smartbear » Mon May 15, 2017 3:15 pm

LukyBowler wrote: Mon May 15, 2017 9:20 am So... given that this snapped in my first 3 weeks of ownership and results from cornering load etc... does that make me a driving God? :driving: :P
No, its the exact opposite-you have an untidy, ragged driving style that's destroying your car :wink:
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Snapped strut brace?

Post by mmm-five » Mon May 15, 2017 3:34 pm

Mine's original at 152k miles, so I must be the driving god :P
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Snapped strut brace?

Post by Machine monkey » Mon May 15, 2017 3:44 pm

LukyBowler wrote: Sun May 14, 2017 10:06 pm If I have one I am sure I do you can have it cover postage and make a forum donation :thumbsup:
Brilliant, thanks so much. Please let me know tomorrow if you have one and I'll arrange payment for postage and the forum donation :)
[/quote]

Will take a look when i get home.
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Snapped strut brace?

Post by Angelus666 » Mon May 15, 2017 4:03 pm

As mentioned above, surely worth a call to BMW HQ and see if one of their engineers can provide a view on why/how this might have happened...? If it was cut, then what's the story behind that...? Did he simply want to replace it with a better strut brace....or was it more sinister than that? I think we need to give Jessica Fletcher a call...

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Snapped strut brace?

Post by VRSteve » Mon May 15, 2017 4:43 pm

Angelus666 wrote: Mon May 15, 2017 4:03 pm As mentioned above, surely worth a call to BMW HQ and see if one of their engineers can provide a view on why/how this might have happened...? If it was cut, then what's the story behind that...? Did he simply want to replace it with a better strut brace....or was it more sinister than that? I think we need to give Jessica Fletcher a call...
Cant imagine for a moment that BMW will be even slightly interested!!
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