View Full Version : Where the hell do I buy this strut hat thingy?????
rumatt
01-23-2006, 11:51 AM
Where can I find one of these stupid pieces of metal!!!
http://forums.carmudgeons.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=488&stc=1&d=1138034823
To buy OEM it seems it is packaged with an OEM strut for $200.
I've been monitoring Fanatics and every person who does spring/shock swaps seems to keep this piece for the new install.
I want to buy new strut components when I fix my strut towers, so I'd like to get the whole thing so I can swap winter/summer components without the spring compressor. But I literally can't find this piece.
Junk yard maybe? Maybe I'll post this picture on Fanatics and beg. :ack:
You need someone who has coilovers.
edit: so it doesn't have it's own part number?
rumatt
01-23-2006, 12:37 PM
Nope. No separate part number. I just called a dealership to ask if they'd sell it separately, and he told me it wouldnt' come off because it's welded on. He was annoyed when I explained that I removed mine myself, and that he was a moron. (OK, I didn't exactly say that).
You'd think someone on fanatics would have installed coilovers and want to sell their full strut assembly... but no luck yet.
I wonder if the OE M3 part is the same. There are plenty of guys on M3forum with coilovers.
Pinecone
01-23-2006, 08:17 PM
Which car?
On the E36 and E46 that part came on the new shocks (our M3 and Roadster). On the E30 that we did, the shock was an insert, so you have to buy the whole thing, but any old used struts would work.
John V
01-25-2006, 08:17 AM
That part was most certainly welded to my E36 M3 original struts. It's a seperate piece on the E46? Weird.
Matt, you do realize the circled part isn't a "strut hat" right? That is a lower spring perch.
rumatt
01-25-2006, 09:04 AM
Yeah, I never know what these things are called. That's a lower perch, huh? Thanks. :p
rumatt
01-25-2006, 09:07 AM
That part was most certainly welded to my E36 M3 original struts. It's a seperate piece on the E46? Weird.
Huh. I though everyone who installs koni's for E46 stock class reuses this perch.
Ironically, it sorta crushes the threads at the top of the strut. If you convert to a coilover kit later, you may have to file out the threads.
John V
01-25-2006, 09:50 AM
Huh. I though everyone who installs koni's for E46 stock class reuses this perch.
Ironically, it sorta crushes the threads at the top of the strut. If you convert to a coilover kit later, you may have to file out the threads.
The E36 guys have to cut the strut tube above the lower spring perch, pull the shaft and valving out and slide the Koni insert in. I have no idea how the E46 Koni stuff is installed up front.
Apologies for not having any useful information.
I have no idea how the E46 Koni stuff is installed up front.
IIRC, it comes as a complete strut.
John V
01-25-2006, 10:22 AM
IIRC, it comes as a complete strut.
That's what Ken told me for an E46 M3. E46 330 is the same?
That's what Ken told me for an E46 M3. E46 330 is the same?
AFAIK they are the same other than the indexing of the strut in the housing.
Pinecone
01-26-2006, 06:34 AM
And the sway bar mount.
Pinecone
01-26-2006, 06:35 AM
It sounds what you need really is the strut hat, so you can leave a spring on the strut and just swap the assemblies. And those do get reused. But you can buy them from the dealer.
If you use the double adjustable Konis with threaded housing, you might have to try to remove the lower perch and use on teh Koni to use the stock spring. Most of the threaded body shocks are designed for 2", 2.5" or 60mm springs.
rumatt
01-26-2006, 09:13 AM
It sounds what you need really is the strut hat,
Nah, I already have everything I need for one setup (all OEM) and I use it for winter. I wanted to build a full second setup around my Koni's for autox season so I can swap quickly.
Without finding the above perch, I need to dissassemble the OEM one each time and reuse it.
EDIT: Well, actuall I DO need a new hat as well, but that's a separate story.
John V
01-26-2006, 09:42 AM
This may sound stupid but have you searched www.car-part.com to see if one of the junkyards listed would be willing to sell you just the front struts?
Jason C
01-26-2006, 04:19 PM
This may sound stupid but have you searched www.car-part.com to see if one of the junkyards listed would be willing to sell you just the front struts?
Pick-N-Pull 4 teh winnarrr!!1!111!!!oneone1! :lol:
Pinecone
01-27-2006, 06:57 AM
How are you getting the spring perch off the strut body? Isn't it welded on?
Every Koni I have worked with either came complete or was an insert into the strut body, requiring an entire strut body.
I have a set of OEM M3 struts you could work from.
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