BMR camber bolt failure

[fullboogie]

Do you recall the torque value that you tightened the camber bolts to?

I'd be lying if I said I did. I used the install sheet that came in the box. The one posted above by TOB looks like the one, but I can't absolutely confirm that. I did the entire suspension and the H/E all in one weekend, and all the instruction sheets went in the garbage afterwards.

I'm not wanting to trash BMR. My entire suspension (minus shocks/struts) is BMR. This issue really concerns me, so I'm doing my best to document it.

 

[6-Speed]

i've got BMR camber bolts on mine that i had the shop instal when they did my alignment...now you've got me wondering if i should have my alignment checked....or install camber plates.

does a camber plate install require you to pop the entire strut off or can you just remove the top four strut nuts?

Camber plate installation requires you to remove the entire strut from the car. You essentially replace the entire strut mount but retain the upper rubber spring isolator from the OEM mount.

 

[ModularSpeed]

You stripped a bolt, in some way or another. Call the manufacturer and talk to them about it, or call BMR.

 

[NuclearPower]

I am starting to wonder about my other BMR products now. Luckily I have not heard of any UCA and UCA mount failures, but I too like the OP am probably going to remove the springs and replace with the FRPP or the Steeda also. Calling Van...Wish you would reply. You have a lot of experience with BMR...

 

[Van@RevanRacing]

I am starting to wonder about my other BMR products now. Luckily I have not heard of any UCA and UCA mount failures, but I too like the OP am probably going to remove the springs and replace with the FRPP or the Steeda also. Calling Van...Wish you would reply. You have a lot of experience with BMR...

Before we go replacing springs and BMR parts, every manufacturer can have some level of failure. Nobody is perfect even FRPP and Steeda.

I've been reviewing the pictures posted and so has BMR.

I believe that Fullboogie installed them to spec and one of the following occurred after the fact:

1) Bolt got over torqued and stretched by the person doing the alignment
2) The part failed for some reason.

BMR has sold 5,456 sets of these exact same camber bolts since 2006. They are also the same camber bolts that the owner of BMR runs on his NMRA Mustang and no failures.

So we have almost 11,000 camber bolts sold and in service. This is an isolated incidence IMO. The first one I have seen fail or become compromised.

I run BMR on my car and ran it at Sebring this whole weekend which is one reason why I am able to now review and post.

Your BMR parts are fine and we stand behind the products.

Van

 

[6-Speed]

I'd be lying if I said I did. I used the install sheet that came in the box. The one posted above by TOB looks like the one, but I can't absolutely confirm that. I did the entire suspension and the H/E all in one weekend, and all the instruction sheets went in the garbage afterwards.

I'm not wanting to trash BMR. My entire suspension (minus shocks/struts) is BMR. This issue really concerns me, so I'm doing my best to document it.

If you had an alignment done, the tech would have been the last one tightening those bolts ... potentially over-tightening them.

 

[fullboogie]

You are correct, and I talked to Van about this. To be honest, I did not consider this issue because the tech told me it was nearly perfect when he put it on the rack. However, that doesn't mean he never touched the camber bolts. I will be talking with Kelly at BMR tomorrow.

 

[iwannacobra5]

Before we go replacing springs and BMR parts, every manufacturer can have some level of failure. Nobody is perfect even FRPP and Steeda.

I've been reviewing the pictures posted and so has BMR.

I believe that Fullboogie installed them to spec and one of the following occurred after the fact:

1) Bolt got over torqued and stretched by the person doing the alignment
2) The part failed for some reason.

BMR has sold 5,456 sets of these exact same camber bolts since 2006. They are also the same camber bolts that the owner of BMR runs on his NMRA Mustang and no failures.

So we have almost 11,000 camber bolts sold and in service. This is an isolated incidence IMO. The first one I have seen fail or become compromised.

I run BMR on my car and ran it at Sebring this whole weekend which is one reason why I am able to now review and post.

Your BMR parts are fine and we stand behind the products.

Van

you always find a way to make me sleep better at night....

 

[PistolWhip]

Dam one bolt fails for unknown reasons and some of you guys are condemning an entire company. BMR makes good stuff, not everything is perfect, but they have some good products on the market. I'd bet dollars to donuts that the tech that did the alignment either used an impact, overtightened them or just flat out stripped it while he was reassembling it.

 

[fullboogie]

UPDATE: I've spoken with Van and then Kelly at BMR. We all agree that it is possible that the bolt could have been incorrectly torqued at the alignment shop. I'm sending the bolt to Kelly so BMR can perform an analysis on it and get back with me.

If nothing else, this clearly brings up the issue of re-checking bolt torque after an alignment.

 

[Ironhand]

UPDATE: I've spoken with Van and then Kelly at BMR. We all agree that it is possible that the bolt could have been incorrectly torqued at the alignment shop. I'm sending the bolt to Kelly so BMR can perform an analysis on it and get back with me.

If nothing else, this clearly brings up the issue of re-checking bolt torque after an alignment.

Kelly is a good guy. Im sure he will get it taken care of.

 

[fullboogie]

Kelly is a good guy. Im sure he will get it taken care of.

Kelly's always been good to me, and as stated above, every piece of suspension equipment on my car is BMR. Aside from the springs giving me more of a drop than I wanted, I have no problem with their stuff. This post was never meant to be a Chicken-Little warning. I simply want to know if anyone else has encountered the same problem, and under what circumstances.

In any event, it's a non-issue for me. Upgraded stock bolts and CC plates are on their way.

 

[Tob]

In any event, it's a non-issue for me. Upgraded stock bolts and CC plates are on their way.

Good move. Whose plates are you going with, MM's?

 

[6-Speed]

Upgraded stock bolts and CC plates are on their way.

Hope you have a torque wrench rated > 166 lb-ft to tighten those bolts to spec.

 

[fullboogie]

Hope you have a torque wrench rated > 166 lb-ft to tighten those bolts to spec.

Yes, I've got two top-of-the-line Snap On digital torque wrenches, one which goes to 200 lb/ft. More than adequate for suspension bolts, I suspect.

 

[E.Marquez]

Sorry to hear. I am starting to have some concern for BMR products. Their A arms have been failing also, not sure if the current design or the older design...I was thinking about installing these bolts to fix the front alignment after installing the BMR springs, but not so sure now.

As for the camber plates...What I have heard and read is that for daily drivers they are not good. Since the adjustment is made at the top of the strut tower it moves no matter what. All the torque and force that the strut sees is transmitted up to the top plate and causes it to move. Their is a guy with a fox body all souped up just down the street and he says that he has to have the car aligned about every 3 months.

I have C/C plates on two Mustangs now 2005 GT with 111,340 miles on it and the 2007 GT500 with 39,000 miles... I have full access to a dealer shop... so alignment is checked more often then most will... I have never found the plates to have moved, ever.

The GT uses MM plates and they have been rock solid since day one (about 89,000 miles ago)

The GT500 has J&M camber plates.... these quickly ate though the spherical bearing in the plate developing a clunk. http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/svt-shelby-gt500-150/847328-j-m-camber-plate-clunk.html

Once I had them apart and made a call to J&M, I was offered new plates with the correct bearing installed, I asked for just the bearings to be shipped to me... they were I installed them, and 9,000 mile later all is tight and clunk free.

If I were to do a third S197 platform, I would have no qualms with installing MM plates for caster and camber adjustment.

The reduced shank size on a camber bolt, and the unknown manufacture quality and spec for these bolts are why I think the better answer is for C/C plates.. Even if the very limited adjustment capability of the camber bolt works in your application.

 

[E.Marquez]

Yes, I've got two top-of-the-line Snap On digital torque wrenches, one which goes to 200 lb/ft. More than adequate for suspension bolts, I suspect.

Im sure you know, but for someone else reading...
TQ wrenches of even marginal quality will have a known tested accuracy variable, usually something in the +\- 2% .. And normally only accurate to about 85% of full scale. Each wrench will be different, so check the specs on yours..

Point is, a 200lb TQ wrench is generally only certified to be accurate to about 170ftlb.. then add in the over all +/-2% and you can see accurate readings for a 166ftlb spec using a TQ wrench with a 200ftlb full scale is pushing it.